Authors: Rita Herron
Johnny wondered if Kim would avoid Brandon again, and had been surprised that she’d stayed for the rodeo. After he broke her heart five years ago and married another woman, she had always made sure she wasn’t around when he and Brandon had gotten together. Then again, Lucy’s excited pleas were impossible to resist. She reminded him of Kim as a little girl. Lucy followed Kenny around as Kim had followed him and Brandon and Carter.
“Family picture!” Lucy said as the cameraman shot candids of the preparations. Kim hesitated, but took Lucy’s hand and the three of them posed for the camera.
Volunteers had signed up to man ticket booths, and Johnny was impressed with the lines forming. Families, teenagers and kids chattered excitedly, hurrying to participate in the pre-rodeo activities and buy refreshments and souvenirs. Others perused the silent auction and bought raffle tickets for the items Johnny had solicited from various friends and sponsors in the rodeo circuit.
He went to check on Rachel before the show began and found her and Kenny in the barn with Cleo and the pups. “I had to feed them before the rodeo,” Kenny said.
The puppies had started waddling around now and were licking Kenny’s hands. Cleo lay at his feet as if she worshipped the boy. Johnny wanted Kenny to have at least one of the dogs, but he’d have to talk to Rachel first.
Kenny giggled as one of the puppies tried to crawl up his chest, and Johnny laughed. “If you want to participate in the games before the rodeo starts, it’s time.”
Kenny hugged the puppy, then gently set him on the ground. “I have to go, little one. I’ll see you later.”
Rachel looked nervous but excited. Johnny’s nerves felt raw. Security had been easy to maintain during a normal day, but with the crowd tonight, Rex might be able to sneak in.
He had to stay on his toes.
Together, the three of them walked over to the arena for the children’s games. Johnny and Rachel joined Kim, then they watched Kenny and Lucy enjoy the games. Lucy won the stick-pony ride, laughing as she twirled around at the finish and bowed. Johnny glanced up and saw Brandon in the distance, helping some boys line up the barrels, and felt a pang of sadness over the rift between Kim and Brandon, and the three of them and Carter.
“Kenny has quite an arm,” Johnny said as the little boy tossed the horseshoes.
A wistful look passed across Rachel’s face. “I’ve never seen him so happy.”
Johnny heard the longing in her voice and wondered if she was considering leaving after the show. His heart tugged painfully at the thought.
He wanted to ask them to stay. Or maybe to go with him to his ranch.
But he held his tongue. They still had to deal with Rex before he could even contemplate a future with Rachel.
The next half hour, Kenny and Lucy participated in the three-legged race, wheelbarrow races, cactus hat throw and rope-tying contest. After every event, Kenny looked up at them, then tipped his Stetson, a big grin on his face.
Finally, it was time for the main rodeo events to begin. Kim rushed with Lucy to find a seat. Rachel caught Johnny’s arm as her son hurried to join the other competitors. “Johnny, you’ll make sure he’s safe?”
“I promise.” Johnny squeezed her hand. “If you see your ex or anyone suspicious, buzz me or let security know immediately.”
She nodded and claimed a seat beside Kim and Lucy as the announcer welcomed the spectators, introduced the sponsors and began announcing the events. “Now let’s give a round of applause for our barrel racers.”
Johnny met the boys in the stable, his gaze scanning the crowd. The past two days had been the lull before the storm.
Johnny had a bad feeling Rex would strike tonight.
R
ACHEL TRIED TO
RELAX
and enjoy the show, but she constantly scanned the crowd and the property for Rex.
Applause broke out, drawing her attention back to the arena, then the announcer called the first contestant’s name. Three kids ran the barrel races before Kenny, and she held her breath as she watched him maneuver his horse around the barrels. Dust spewed from the horse’s hooves. Kenny’s hat flew off as he swung around the third barrel and drove the horse around the last one, then circled back.
Rachel stood, clapping her heart out. “Way to go, Kenny!”
Kim and Lucy clapped, cheering his name, too.
When Kenny finished, he spun the horse around and waved to her, his face beaming.
“Now, for our winners,” the announcer said.
The boys lined up on horseback to receive their ribbons, and tears of joy pricked Rachel’s eyes. “Kenny Simmons takes third place, Bobby Martin second and Willie Sutter is our first-place winner!” Kenny didn’t seem to care that he hadn’t won, and rode over and hugged Willie, the two of them locking arms as cameras snapped their pictures.
Next came calf roping, which Ricardo won. His look of pride as he accepted the ribbon touched Rachel’s heart. The competition continued, with each of the campers participating in at least one event, and all of them laughing and shouting with excitement as they cheered each other on.
Trick riding came next, featuring some of the older boys and Brandon, Johnny’s friend who brought the crowd to a standing ovation with his showy style. She couldn’t help but notice Kim watching him with a bittersweet look and wondered if there had been something between the two of them once.
An intermission followed, and the boys entered a reserved section of the stand to watch the grand finale—the investors performing for the kids. Rachel leaned forward, her heart drumming as the announcer introduced the ranchers—Brody Bloodworth, Johnny Long, Brandon Woodstock, Miles McGregor and Mason Blackpaw.
“Johnny looks great today,” Kim said. “He’s most at home in the saddle.”
Rachel nodded, her heart fluttering at the sight of his handsome face.
“He cares about you and Kenny,” Kim said softly.
Rachel blushed. “He’s been great for Kenny.”
“It’s not just Kenny,” Kim said. “I’ve never seen him look at a woman the way he looks at you.”
She did not want to have this conversation. “Kim—”
“Johnny got a bad rap as a playboy in the media,” Kim continued, cutting her off. “But he’s a really good guy. I don’t know if he told you about our parents, but our mama took off one day and our daddy used to beat Johnny.”
Rachel sighed, hurting for Johnny and admiring him for taking care of his sister. No wonder he had sensed the truth about her situation.
“He took care of me growing up,” Kim continued, “and then…when Lucy came along. I don’t know what I would have done without him.”
Emotions swirled in Rachel’s throat. “I know how difficult it is to be a single mother.”
Kim’s gaze met hers, her eyes filled with questions, although she didn’t ask them. Instead, she lowered her voice. “Just don’t hurt him. He acts tough, but he’s really a teddy bear at heart.”
Rachel clenched her hands in her lap. “I…know.”
“Let’s welcome our exhibition riders!” the announcer shouted, bringing the crowd to their feet. “First we have our bareback and trick riders.”
Kim’s words taunted Rachel as she watched the show. Maybe she should leave tonight after the rodeo, make a clean break. Save her and Johnny both more heartbreak before she fell even deeper for the man.
Next came a roping show by Brandon and Mason who demonstrated techniques for breaking a wild horse. Then they had a small break before the highlight—Johnny riding a bull.
Kenny and two other boys darted toward the concession stand, and she started to follow but spotted a security guard nearby and sighed in relief. When the intermission ended, Kenny and Willie moved up to the fence to watch Johnny.
“We are honored tonight to have our very own rodeo celebrity with us!” The announcer introduced Johnny, citing his accomplishments and awards on the rodeo circuit. Everyone burst into applause, shouting his name in chorus. “Johnny, Johnny, Johnny!”
Rachel’s chest ached as she watched Johnny climb onto the bull in the chute and wave to the crowd. People jumped to their feet, clapping and roaring his name again.
The bull was bucking and growling inside the chute, waiting to be let out.
The beast could crush a man with his weight, if it didn’t gore Johnny with his horns first. The memory of Johnny saving Kenny from one still haunted her.
She glanced at Kenny again, and saw him leaning against the fence in total awe. The announcer hushed the crowd, anticipation rippling through the stands, then seconds later Johnny climbed onto the bull. He gripped the reins tightly with one hand, threw his left hand up in the air, the chute opened, and the bull raced out, bucking and dropping his head forward, digging his paws in, doing his best to throw Johnny off.
The clock ticked the seconds away, the crowd collectively holding their breaths. Rachel’s heart banged against her chest as each second crawled by. She couldn’t stand it if Johnny got hurt.
Then out of the corner of her eye, she saw someone grab Kenny’s arm. Then he angled his face to look at her and he sent her a sinister grin.
Rex.
Panic slammed into her, and she jumped up. “Kenny!” She spun toward Kim. “Get Brody and security!”
Kenny tried to pull away, but Rex hauled him up against him and dashed into the barn.
Rachel screamed and vaulted down the bleacher steps after them.
Chapter Twenty
The roar of the crowd spurred Johnny to hold on tighter as the bull bucked and spun around trying to pitch him off. He ate dust, his Stetson flew off and his neck jerked with the force of the bull’s anger.
Cheers turned into chants as the fans yelled his name. He hugged his legs tighter around the beast’s body, bouncing hard as he glanced at the clock. A couple more seconds and he’d beat his own record.
The crowd began to count with the timer, the announcer urging them on. He glanced toward Kenny but didn’t see him. Then he caught a glimpse of Rachel racing from the stands and knew something was wrong.
Forgetting about the crowd and the countdown, he released his hold on the bull and let it throw him. He’d been tossed enough times to know how to fall and he rolled on the ground away from the animal. The pen gate flew open and Brandon and Brody raced in, driving the bull toward the chute while he jumped the fence.
Oblivious to his panic, the crowd clapped and sang his name again, but Johnny didn’t care about the accolades. He was too worried about Rachel and Kenny.
Sweat beaded on his skin as he jogged through the stable to the back exit searching for them. Rachel was running toward the parking area. A second later, he spotted a dark-haired man dragging Kenny into a black town car.
Dammit.
He felt for his weapon, but realized he didn’t have it, then glanced around for security, but security was busy covering the arena.
“Stop, Rex!” Rachel shouted. “Don’t do this!”
Kenny was kicking and screaming, trying to break free. Johnny raced down the hill toward the car, but Rachel was closer.
“Please, Rex, it’s me you want, not him!” Rachel cried.
The man hurled Kenny against the door edge. “He’s my son,” Rex shouted. “I warned you not to leave me.”
Rachel lunged toward him. “He’s just a little boy, and you’re scaring him.”
“You’re right,” Rex snarled. With an evil leer, he shoved Kenny to the ground and grabbed Rachel. Kenny yelped as he hit the dirt.
Fury filled Johnny.
“Run, Kenny!” Rachel shouted. “Run!”
Johnny had almost caught up with them, but Rex yanked Rachel against the car, pulled a gun and pressed it against Rachel’s temple.
Johnny froze, paralyzed with fear. “Let the boy go,” Johnny said, afraid if he moved the man would kill Rachel.
“He’s my son,” Rex growled. “Not yours.”
“That’s right, and he loves his mother,” Johnny said quietly. “You don’t want to hurt him by hurting her, do you?”
Kenny crawled to his knees and looked up at his father, terror streaking his little face. “Please, Daddy, let Mommy go!”
Rex’s eyes shot daggers at Kenny. “Shut up, kid.”
“It’s okay, Kenny.” Johnny pulled the terrified little boy behind him to protect him. “Do the right thing, Presley.”
“She’s my wife,” Rex growled. “We said vows. She’s not leaving me.”
“She already did,” Johnny said. “You have to accept it.”
“No, I don’t.” Rex sneered and tightened his grip around Rachel’s neck.
“Rex, please,” Rachel begged. “Let me go for Kenny’s sake.”
The SOB used his tongue to swipe her cheek, and Johnny saw red.
“No way, baby. You’re mine. Let your lover boy call the police,” Rex said with a sarcastic laugh. “While you’re at it, Mr. Rodeo Boy, tell them I’m bringing in a wanted felon.”
So Rachel hadn’t lied about how evil her ex was or that he had cops in his pocket.
Pent-up rage boiled inside Johnny, and he inched forward, knowing a sudden move would set the bastard off.
Rex waved the gun in front of Rachel again. “Get back or I’ll kill her right here.”