Page 41 of Property of BamBam
I watch him walk away, his muscular body flexing as he moves. Desire courses through me once again, and I decide that I’m going to talk about moving our relationship past holding hands and light, superficial kisses. He’s made me feel like I’m a priceless, treasured woman. I find myself falling for him a little more every day and I know if my parents were still alive, they’d like him as well.
“So, things are going well with him, huh?” Marge asks as she returns from getting some popcorn and a drink.
“Yeah,” I respond, grinning from ear to ear. “I’m um, a bit nervous about moving forward toward anything intimate, you know? But he’s been careful with my feelings since we met, so I don’t think he’ll stop doing that now.”
“Cute hat,” Ashley says, interrupting our conversation as she plops down in front of us, a snow cone in hand.
“BamBam didn’t want me getting any more sun,” I admit. “He said even with everything I used, I was still getting too pink, so he bought me a hat.”
It’s a cowboy hat that’s been jazzed up. The band color matches my support T-shirt, and there are huge gemstones that go all around it. I feel like everyone’s staring at me, but I love it because he bought it for me.
“Oh, my God, look at Theo!” Briley exclaims, as she starts to laugh.
We did get his face painted once BamBam verified that the paint was water soluble and shouldn’t hurt his skin. He’s got the logo for the Kings on one cheek and ‘future prospect’ on the other, so basically, his whole face beneath his eyes is painted. Still, he looks adorable, especially holding the small stuffed bull that BamBam got him instead of a balloon. He said something about him having a keepsake from his first rodeo.
“The tub’s gonna change colors for sure,” I mutter, causing the other three women to laugh their asses off.
“Shh, shh, looks like things are about to start,” Marge states, pointing to the stage where the judges have been sitting.
Glancing over the crowd, I see BamBam and all his brothers standing there, along with other men who came from other chapters. Each of them has their arms across their chest, giving them a menacing vibe. Somehow, I don’t think they care if their expressions are any indication.
“Ladies and gentlemen, if you’ll give your attention to the big screen,” the emcee starts, “you’ll see a slideshow of one of our own, Gage Michaelson, who tragically lost his life earlier this year. As a three-time champion on the circuit in bull riding for the Triple R, they’re going to give him the sendoff he deserves.”
I watch the screen, enraptured by clip after clip showcasing Gage’s time as a bull rider. Watching the men ride earlier has given me a new appreciation for the dangers they put themselves in, that’s for dang sure! There are candid pictures of him interspersed with video of former rides, and I can see that he had an engaging personality. He was always smiling, even when he was on the bull, his one hand flung in the air while the other gripped the horn of the saddle.
As soon as the video finishes, the emcee comes over the loudspeaker again and says,“And now, for Gage Michaelson’s final ride, here’s Fury!”
The gate opens and a huge bull comes barreling through, snorting and huffing as he bucks and prances around the arena. I notice something strapped to his back and realize it must be Gage’s cremains when they start flying through the air. I guess it’s poetic that his last ride is on a vicious beast like the one that’s currently bellowing as the ashes are scattered from one end of the arena to the other.
“Great last ride, Gage Michaelson! May all your rides in the afterlife yield you buckles and even some bunnies!”the emcee exclaims over the microphone.
When the men who wrangle the bull back into another chute enter the arena, Fury starts pawing at the dirt and my heart leaps into my throat. “What are they doing?” I whisper, fear for the men causing me to shake.
“They’ve got to get him back into a pen,” Marge answers, even though my question was more rhetorical than anything.
“I guess that makes sense,” I mutter, cuddling Theo closer to me as I watch them work some kind of voodoo magic on the bull until he’s going through the fence at the opposite end from where he started.
“Stay tuned for more, folks,”the emcee yells.
Turning to Marge, I ask, “Did y’all walk around and check everything out yet?”
“Yeah, they’ve got a great set up here,” she discloses. “Too bad Theo’s not older, he would’ve enjoyed the kid’s area.”
I nod and reply, “Issy was there showing two women from another chapter around that’s based in Canton. One has a baby who’s a little bit older than Theo, and the other has a little girl. The only thing that was a bit scary was the angry looking man they called Icer who was following them around as if he was the personal bodyguard for both the kids.”
Zoey is apparently Indiana’s old lady, while Van came to this chapter to meet those who knew Gage since her little boy is his son. It’s sad that he won’t see him grow up, though. Of course, Jasper won’t either if I can prevent it! I really like Issy; she’s definitely intense in many ways, but it’s obvious from all the details I’ve seen around the rodeo that she cares about how the club is perceived. Granted, I don’t think the men care what anyone thinks except for their brothers, of course, but I’ve heard nothing but praise from others who are in attendance.
“I’m going to go to the restroom, do you wanna come with me?” Briley questions, looking at the two of us.
“I’ll go,” Marge states.
“I’ll wait until y’all get back. BamBam said he’d come over here when the presentation was done,” I advise.
“See you in a few then,” the two women say in unison as they leave the stands. Ashley is off to the side, talking to a cowboy. I hate to tell him that he’s got a snowball’s chance in Hell of getting her to go out with him right now. Still, I’m sure it feels good to be flirted with and seen as attractive. It does something for the ego that’s been tattered and torn.
“Hey, sweetheart,” BamBam says as he approaches me. “I was hoping to be able to stay with you now that we’ve got his final ride done, but I need to check on a few things. Are you okay staying with the other women a little while longer?”
“I am,” I tell him. “Go and do what you need to do for the club, I’ll be just fine, I promise.”
