“You keep your dirty, lyin’ mouth shut, you hear me, asshole?” he shouted at him. Bullet rubbed his knuckles. He hit him with his riding hand, and that was damn stupid.
The guys got between Bullet and Harris. “Get your head where it belongs, Bullet. And, you,” Stormy pointed at Harris, “get the hell out of here. You don’t belong back here. If you don’t leave, I’ll have you thrown out.”
Harris rubbed his jaw and smiled at Bullet. “Mark my words, that cowgirl will be leavin’ with me tonight.” He motioned in the direction of the Flying R reserved boxes.
Bullet spun around to finish what he’d started, but Stormy stopped him. “He’s tryin’ to get into your head. Don’t play into his bullshit. Think, Bullet. Get ready for your ride, and forget this asshole.”
Tristan watched the whole thing take place. She hated that Harris was able to get such a reaction out of Bullet, especially when he was about to ride. Why the hell was Harris back here again tonight? She was about to find out for herself.
“Where you goin’?” asked Lyric.
“I need to ask someone something.”
“You’re goin’ to talk to that cowboy that Bullet just leveled, aren’t ya? Isn’t that the same guy I asked you about last night?”
“Yep. Same guy.”
“You sure as hell aren’t goin’ to talk to him by yourself. Come on. I’ll go with ya.”
“Lyric, please. You don’t have to.”
“Sisters stickin’ together,” Lyric said as she put her arm through Tristan’s and tugged her in Harris’ direction.
“Well, hey there, Tristan, I was hopin’ I’d run into you tonight. Who’s this pretty young thing with ya? If you two are lookin’ for some two-on-one action, I’ll tell ya, I’m all for it.”
“I hate you,” Tristan spat at him. “I don’t know why I even bothered to try to talk to you.”
“Come on, now, you know why you did. You miss me, admit it.”
“I don’t see much about you there’d be to miss,” added Lyric. “What’re you, some kinda wannabe cowboy? Hangin’ out at the rodeo, hopin’ to pick up a cowgirl too stupid to know you aren’t the real thing?”
“Oh, my, I like this one. Fiery as hell.” Harris got closer to Lyric and was about to put his arm around her when she elbowed him in the stomach.
“You touch me, and I’ll finish what my brother started.”
Harris dropped his arm. “Well, well, ain’t this interestin’? Bullet’s your brother? Is that what you said?”
“Yep, that’s what I said. C’mon, Tristan. This scumbag isn’t worth our time.”
“Before you run off, there’s somethin’ important you need to know about your boyfriend.”
“There isn’t anything you tell me that I’d believe.” Tristan turned to walk away. “Go to hell, Harris.”
“One day soon you’ll find out the truth about Bullet Simmons, and when you do, I’ll be here, waitin’. No denyin’ it, Tristan, you and I will be together again one day very soon.”
“Hell will freeze over first,” Tristan said to Lyric. “I don’t know what I ever saw in that man.”
“Well…”
“What? After all the filth he just spewed? You can’t seriously think he’s anything but disgusting.”
“It isn’t that, it’s just…”
“Say it, Lyric. It’s just what?”
“Now that I’ve seen him up close, I never could’ve gone for him. I mean, I know he’s an asshole, but before he opened his mouth, I never could’ve.”
“I hate to even ask, but why not?”