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Book: Colby (BBW Western Bear Shifter Romance) (Rodeo Bears Book 3) by Becca Fanning
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Authors: Becca Fanning
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but he was leaner, and he had freckles sprinkled across his even nose. “Owen’s waiting,” he said.
“Waiting for what?” I questioned.
“Retaliation for kicking us out of the competition.”
“You were kicked out?”
“Disqualified, technically, for this rodeo only, after what happened to Owen yesterday.” Eddie scowled. “There are no rules saying shifters can’t compete. It’s not right.”
“No, it ain’t,” Jacob echoed, looking down.
“Gotta go, darling,” Eddie said, holding his arm out, a mischievous grin replacing his scowl. “Let me escort you back before the boys and I round ourselves up a big ole dose of trouble.”
“No need,” Dakota said, staying put. She didn’t want to be anywhere near trouble. “I’ll find my own way back.”
***
The arena was empty, but the stadium was full, the crowd drawn for Brianna’s ride. Dakota wasn’t sure how many rounds there were, or if they were even called rounds, but based on what she’d overheard others say, the average of the scores determined a bull rider’s place in the championship.
Thirsty, Dakota took a sip of her lemonade, which she’d picked up on her way back to the stadium. The drink was cool against her throat, with a sweetness that almost made her smile, if she was capable of smiling in her situation. It’d been a long time since she could taste food. The fear of running turned everything to ash, but she indulged on the lemonade now. It made her tongue tingle.
Maybe it’s because I’ve finally found a place to settle, a new home , she thought. Or maybe it’s because of Eddie. He heightens my senses.
As she enjoyed her lemonade, her attention was drawn to the barrel sitting in the middle of the arena. It moved on its own, as if shaken by a small quake. From watching Brianna earlier, she knew the barrel was used as a centerpiece for entertainment, and it gave the bull riders a place to jump if nowhere else was safe, but there was no one in the arena. The round had yet to start. Brianna stood casually by the pens with her competitors, waiting to be called.
The barrel wobbled again. This time, everyone noticed. The crowd began pointing, and a bewildered murmur spread across the aisles. When the barrel moved a third time, it shook so hard it toppled over, and a little piglet ran out, squealing loudly, causing the crowd to laugh and cheer.
A knot formed in Dakota’s stomach as she noticed Jacob standing at the emergency exit near the back, fumbling nervously with his hat. Something on the other side caught his attention, and he opened the door, allowing a stampede of pigs to run into the arena, herded by Eddie and Owen. The three of them took off the moment the last pig was in.
Immediately, officials jumped into the arena to usher the pigs out, but it was uncontrollable chaos. Some of the audience continued to laugh. Others became hostile, objecting to the prank.
Brianna was one of them. The woman was red with fury. The Tyrell Clan may have released the pigs, but they’d also unleashed a dragon.
***
A bonfire lit up the night, a rival to the sun, which had just set. It was the end of the rodeo. There would be no more bull rides, no more pranks. There was only the fire, built a short walk from the stadium, close to the desert.
Brianna was off at a corporate tent talking business with a potential sponsor. It was supposed to be an easy contract. The sponsor would watch her ride, preferably to victory, and then they would make her a deal. According to Brianna, sponsorships for women were hard to come by. No one had faith in the sport, not where female bull riders were concerned. She’d been really excited about the deal, but after the pig incident, it was no longer guaranteed. By the time the pigs and the mess they made had been cleared out of the arena, there was no time to finish the women’s competition. They moved on to the men’s, cutting the women out.
Feeling angry on behalf of all the
“Waiting for what?” I questioned.
“Retaliation for kicking us out of the competition.”
“You were kicked out?”
“Disqualified, technically, for this rodeo only, after what happened to Owen yesterday.” Eddie scowled. “There are no rules saying shifters can’t compete. It’s not right.”
“No, it ain’t,” Jacob echoed, looking down.
“Gotta go, darling,” Eddie said, holding his arm out, a mischievous grin replacing his scowl. “Let me escort you back before the boys and I round ourselves up a big ole dose of trouble.”
“No need,” Dakota said, staying put. She didn’t want to be anywhere near trouble. “I’ll find my own way back.”
***
The arena was empty, but the stadium was full, the crowd drawn for Brianna’s ride. Dakota wasn’t sure how many rounds there were, or if they were even called rounds, but based on what she’d overheard others say, the average of the scores determined a bull rider’s place in the championship.
Thirsty, Dakota took a sip of her lemonade, which she’d picked up on her way back to the stadium. The drink was cool against her throat, with a sweetness that almost made her smile, if she was capable of smiling in her situation. It’d been a long time since she could taste food. The fear of running turned everything to ash, but she indulged on the lemonade now. It made her tongue tingle.
Maybe it’s because I’ve finally found a place to settle, a new home , she thought. Or maybe it’s because of Eddie. He heightens my senses.
As she enjoyed her lemonade, her attention was drawn to the barrel sitting in the middle of the arena. It moved on its own, as if shaken by a small quake. From watching Brianna earlier, she knew the barrel was used as a centerpiece for entertainment, and it gave the bull riders a place to jump if nowhere else was safe, but there was no one in the arena. The round had yet to start. Brianna stood casually by the pens with her competitors, waiting to be called.
The barrel wobbled again. This time, everyone noticed. The crowd began pointing, and a bewildered murmur spread across the aisles. When the barrel moved a third time, it shook so hard it toppled over, and a little piglet ran out, squealing loudly, causing the crowd to laugh and cheer.
A knot formed in Dakota’s stomach as she noticed Jacob standing at the emergency exit near the back, fumbling nervously with his hat. Something on the other side caught his attention, and he opened the door, allowing a stampede of pigs to run into the arena, herded by Eddie and Owen. The three of them took off the moment the last pig was in.
Immediately, officials jumped into the arena to usher the pigs out, but it was uncontrollable chaos. Some of the audience continued to laugh. Others became hostile, objecting to the prank.
Brianna was one of them. The woman was red with fury. The Tyrell Clan may have released the pigs, but they’d also unleashed a dragon.
***
A bonfire lit up the night, a rival to the sun, which had just set. It was the end of the rodeo. There would be no more bull rides, no more pranks. There was only the fire, built a short walk from the stadium, close to the desert.
Brianna was off at a corporate tent talking business with a potential sponsor. It was supposed to be an easy contract. The sponsor would watch her ride, preferably to victory, and then they would make her a deal. According to Brianna, sponsorships for women were hard to come by. No one had faith in the sport, not where female bull riders were concerned. She’d been really excited about the deal, but after the pig incident, it was no longer guaranteed. By the time the pigs and the mess they made had been cleared out of the arena, there was no time to finish the women’s competition. They moved on to the men’s, cutting the women out.
Feeling angry on behalf of all the
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