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Bull’s heart lurched in his chest at her words. The more he was around Isabella Cortez, the more she appealed to him. Whoever the man was lucky enough to claim her would be fortunate indeed.
“You are as naïve and nonsensical as your parents, Isabella,” Don Luis said with conviction. “I can still remember how you and your mother harped to Romero until he quit raising beef cattle and only raised registered breeding stock.”
“Yes, Uncle, but that decision increased revenue for the ranch. We can make much more from an animal when we profit from its ability to reproduce than the pesos we get per pound of ground hamburger.”
“You and Valentina didn’t stop there, you just kept pushing and pushing, don’t think I don’t know it. If your mother and father hadn’t been killed when they were, he would have either quit bullfighting or turned into a male La Diosa!”
Bull sat straight up in the saddle, shocked by the turn of the conversation. Shocked by the name he’d just heard come from Don Luis’s lips.
“Murdered, not killed, Uncle. My parents were murdered.” Isabella could still see the horrible pictures from the paper’s in her mind’s eye - her father laying on the floor of the club, gored to death by the horns of a bull long dead. Someone had taken the trophy head of a bull from the wall and used it as a murder weapon. Her mother had been strangled, but her father’s death had been an obvious public statement to protest his newfound stance on bullfighting. What had always troubled Isabella, was the fact that no one knew of her father’s plans to upend the status quo, none but his inner circle.
“Your father had enemies. One can’t challenge a centuries old tradition, a tradition so ingrained in the heritage of our people, without suffering consequences. Many people’s livelihood depends on the culture of bullfighting, and those individuals could not idly sit by and allow someone as influential as your father to turn a ritualistic institution on its head. Just like your father, this La Diosa will find herself in the crosshairs of resistance, changing the legacy of a nation at the whim of soft-hearted liberals will not work!”
“La Diosa?” Bull repeated.
Isabella cut her eyes to Benedict in a panic, the conversation was fast getting out of hand. “This is not the time or the place, Uncle. Our guest has no need to hear our political rantings.”
Bull was hanging on their every word. They had no idea how important all of this was to him. “I’ve met La Diosa, she is an incredible woman. Her bravery far surpasses the matadors who defend themselves with swords.”
“Enough! We have arrived!” Don Luis indicated the fenced area before him. “Come, Mr. Redford, let us see if we can find a new bull for your breeding program.”
As they dismounted, turning over their horses to a vaquero, Isabella felt ill. She kept expecting Benedict to confront her at any moment. The way he was looking at her, she just knew he was beginning to put two and two together.
Bull Redford was in a turmoil. He was barely aware of his surroundings. After hearing these two discuss La Diosa and what she did, he was beginning to understand the whole situation a little better – and he didn’t like it, he didn’t like it at all. If Isabella’s father was murdered for his actions, he realized his Carmen wasn’t safe.
Don Luis led them into an arena and up into a viewing stand. Bull forced his mind back to the business at hand. Just as soon as he could wind up this deal, he had some business with a certain lady bullfighter.
“There they are, aren’t they beautiful?” Isabella couldn’t help but preen with pride as she viewed the animals she’d raised by hand.
Bull had to agree. “They’re sleek, well fed, and as ripped as if they spent hours in a gym,” he muttered, taking in the two huge beasts strutting around the ring like they were competing in a beauty pageant. He knew these animals had never known a moment’s discomfort, fear, or uncertainty. They were as confident in their value and place in the order of things as anything could be.
“I am confident they would perform to your satisfaction.” Don Luis began rattling off numbers, numbers big enough to make Bull’s head spin.
Isabella frowned. What was he up to? Her uncle had increased the price by at least fifty percent over what he’d been charging regional ranches. “I believe you’re mistaken, Uncle.” She countered his assertion with figures of her own.
“Isabella, leave the business dealings to me,” Don Luis demanded. “You know nothing of the value of these animals.”
“I know everything about the value of these animals and what you’ve been selling equivalent stock to others for.” She refused to let him cheat Benedict Redford. Before her elder could retort, she stood. “Mr. Redford, would you like to take a closer look?” As she stepped by Don Luis, she could feel the rage pouring off him. It was fast becoming obvious that their situation was reaching a critical stage. Isabella vowed to call her lawyer as soon as she returned to the hacienda.
Bull rose, a bit unsure of what to do. By the look on Don Luis’s face, he was livid. Frankly, Bull was surprised the man didn’t demand that Isabella stand down. For the first time, he was beginning to wonder about the power play going on at the ranch. “I would, indeed.”
“Good, I’m sure you will be sold on their winning personalities,” she teased, leading him down the steps and up to the gate. A smiling vaquero met her, greeting Isabella with affection. She stopped to exchange pleasantries with him, inquiring about his family. To Bull’s surprise, a grumbling Don Luis tagged along behind, seeming to acquiesce to her lead. “Let us greet Valiente first.”
She spoke to the man holding the bull’s halter in Spanish and to his surprise, the man turned the animal loose. Isabella clicked with her tongue and held out her hand and Bull almost bit his tongue when the big bovine struck up a little trot and made a beeline toward them, grunting and lowing as he came. To Bull’s chagrin, he noticed that Don Luis had lined up beside him, about two feet behind Isabella. “Come here, Chiquita. My boy likes to have his ears scratched.”
“Well, I’ll be damned.” Bull had to smile when he saw the purebred monster do all but curtsy and purr for the young woman. “He’s as gentle as a lamb.”
“To me he is, I’m not sure how he would react if challenged.” She continued to caress the creature, murmuring words of praise to it. “He would make many fine babies for you.”
Bull felt like he was trapped in a carnival house of mirrors, he was having trouble separating reality from dreams. Isabella reminded him of Carmen in so many ways. In others, they were nothing alike.
“I would be honored to have either one of these animals in my herd, if we can settle on a price or a promotion deal.”
“I am firm on my price…” Don Luis spoke up, but was quickly interrupted by Isabella.
“I am sure we can come to terms, Mr. Redford. Isn’t that right, Uncle?”
“I hope so,” Bull began, but his attention was quickly diverted by the vibrating of his phone. He started not to check it, but knowing it might be Carmen, he looked. “Carol?” He was shocked. “Excuse me one moment, I need to take this.”
