A Wild Ride (Jessica Brodie Diaries #3)(44)

I heard William call across the ring. It looked like he was ready to get on the new bull. A bunch of butterflies let loose in my belly for no reason. Yes, the sport was dangerous, but William and these boys knew what they were doing. A few sprained arms and ankles was about as much as close as they got to danger.

“What’s the deal with that bull?” I asked Lump, giving Fred and Ginger a pat. They checked in more often these days—all Fred’s idea, I was sure.

She shrugged unconcernedly, leaning down to scratch behind Ginger’s ears. “They think it is going to be too mellow for the circuit, but they are going to give it a try anyway. It is big enough, but that might be it.”

I nodded. Good. He doesn’t need to be doing anything to break his fool neck.

William was on and Adam was at the gate. By signal Adam opened the gate and let ‘r ripe. The bull burst out as normal, but didn’t seem inclined to care over much about the rider on his back. William gave him a spur, and nothing really happened besides a lazy hop. William gave him a second spur, which is really only enough to irritate an animal of that size with hide that thick.

A third spur and the animal dead stopped, but not in that "at rest" kind of way that horses did. If it was a human, it would be angling its head, trying to get a read on why the hell someone was jabbing it in the sides. Irritation, to this bull, was worse than a cattle prod.

William glanced over to Ty, trying to get a read on the situation. That's when everything exploded.

Out of nowhere, the beast suddenly grunted really loud and jumped straight up into the air. All us girls made gasps and grabbed onto the bars. The bull spun around viciously, yanking William to the side. It whipped William around the other way immediately, lunching forward with a spin in the air. He landed with a jerk, then whipped William again.

William was having a hard time of it, now. His body was slipping. The bull too strong and clever by half. They had hugely underestimated this bull. Hugely.

William reached down to unravel the rope and disembark, but his hand caught. His body went sideways as the bull spun in the opposite direction, landed, then spun back, ripping William the other way, his hand suddenly ripped out of the rope.

I let my breath go, not realizing I was holding it, as William started flying through the air. The bull spun, still in an angry haze, back toward him. In horror I watched, helpless, as the giant animal aimed a well placed blow straight into William's chest.

The thud punched all the sound out of the arena.

Breath caught in my chest, my adrenaline surging, time slowed down as William's trajectory changed, his limbs flying out of control as his large frame skidded across the dirt, his size trivial compared with that of the strength and power of the bull.

"Help him," I murmured to no one and everyone at the same time.

Before William could get up, move out of the way, the bull was on him, large beast running him over like a truck. It stomped, its back legs kicking as it trod. William curled into a ball, trying to protect himself from the onslaught.

My heart was hammering. Ty was dancing around, waving his arms, not sure how to help. Unable to distract the angry bull from its prey.

The bull made another pass, stomping and snorting. Then it turned, and bowed, scraping its horns along William's body. He flailed, squished against the dirt by a six hundred pound or more animal, before rolling up tight again, hoping help came for him.

My heart was in my throat, utterly helpless, watching the love of my life gored on the arena floor while no one was able to help him.

Ty ran up, second attempt, waving his arms, trying fervently to distract the large animal. The cattle dogs were loose, but it wasn’t helping. The bull, after throwing a quick head-butt toward Ty, and a well-placed kick to the side of one of the dogs, resumed its single-minded determination of William’s destruction.

The night filled with cries and screams, yells and waving limbs. Everyone was trying to do what they could to distract. Adam was in the arena, trying to help Ty. Another man hoped in as well, doing the same thing. In the middle of it all was William, on the ground, weakly struggling now, as wave after wave of the bull's horns smashed and struck his body. One such gore had a horn hooking under William's arm, then yanking, tossing my love into the air like a sack of rice. William's body was lifeless as he hit the ground.

All thought left me. Sounds ceased to exist. Before I knew it I was over the fence with my shirt in my hand, waving and yelling for all I was worth. I didn’t have a plan—I didn’t even know I planned to be a hero—but I did know that William didn’t have long, and if I hadn’t messed up his life with all my problems, neither would this damn bull!

“Look over here!” I shouted. “Look over here you bastard! Look over here!”

I cursed and screamed and waved my shirt. Then, because the bull wasn’t paying attention, I yelled for my personal savior, “FRED!!”

Halfway across the arena now, not stopping, my target as single-minded as that bull. I yelled again as that bastard bull bent down, huge head crushing a limp William with another horned blow. I was nearing now, not planning to halt like Ty and Adam. I would punch that damn bull right between the eyes if he didn't notice me before then. I didn't have to worry. With the next wave of my shirt, it huffed, bouncing around, eyes spotting my movement, then staring. At me.

“Oh shit!”

I heard my name screamed, but it was drowned out by the adrenaline rushing through my ears. My whole world reduced down to two single objects: William laying on the ground in an unnatural heap, and a giant, raging animal that found something new to hate.