Cody

Cody 8

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Sheriff Hooter's Boots retreating.

A very THIN hollow core cheap assed door opening.

"Come on out guys."

"He will want to see all of us out working to clean up our mess. He's going to keep an eye on us."

"No more fun?"

Cody was an asshole.

"Nope Champ. Not until we clean up the mess we made"

I pointed at the river. I didn't even have to ask.

Slick assed polished bottomed canoe on the rack. Thanks, BDB. Cody carrying my boat while I brushed the dust off the porch.

"Behind the woodpile. I don't like it to be seen."

It really DID look like a toy, but it wasn't.

It was the fastest fucking boat in this river and I did NOT want it to be found, and not egocentrically feared for the life of anyone that put it in the river other than me. It has no keel. It's not normal and I only know three people that would be able to stay in it upright. There are definitely more, but those three... they are fucking insanely nuts about river running. It's unusual. ABS. I keep it smooooooth. The rocker is very high (for those that don't know what a rocker is, it's the curvature of a kayak from front to back, and determines how much of the boat is causing friction in the water as one paddles and the effectiveness of its travel through rapid drops. It determines whether you can sail under a wave and come out cleanly on the other side or whether you are going to be buried under rushing water). The bottom is absolutely round, so there is NO stability. You ride it like a bicycle, and if you want to stay upright you had better be paying attention and paddle your ass off. No fucking up with this apparently innocent looking little blue boat.

I rode it helmetless (fucking tell me to ride a motorcycle with a helmet on a beautiful day) right down these rapids with just me and the paddle. I have only capsized it once, and that was getting into it. Dumbass. A newfound buddy stood on the bank of the lake that day and shook with laughter. Fucker.

I LOVE these mountains.

Boats stowed.

Cody's light bar.

Could be a simple trip into town.

I wasn't so sure.

BDB seemed fine with his company but Cody seemed restless.

I stared at him for a really looong moment.

"Cooooode."

"Shhhhhh."

Sparkles.

"We're going to get a new light bar, not to find new mates. You can do that fucking later."

His forehead fell, his eyes sparkled, fucking again. He knew.

Raised his head.

Brightly: "Okay," he said, reluctantly, maybe happily. With a grin.

I was really happy the reluctance was followed by a grin and not the other way around.

So. The bottom of a cornfield. Three dudes.

With chores to do.

Cody was probably most disconcerted of the three of us, because he was missing a vehicle. Well, I had the keys.

I backed my jeep out of the cornfield and brought it to rest at the back door.

"Who wants to go for a ride?"

Guess.

The dog had been chasing a squirrel in the back yard.

She danced at the base of the Jeep, circling.

Cody laughed. Brad grinned.

I hopped out.

"Hop up."

She did and without the leash she grinned, turned, and skittered into the back, tail wagging, waiting to feel how fast we were going to go.

I was curious as to seating positions for the pair. In a millisecond I had thought if Cody takes passenger that's aggressive and takes ownership. Not only of the relationship with me but of BDB and is going to force him to be deferential from here on out.

Alphas, intelligent ones, apparently think on similar lines. Cody boots on gravel, laughing, grabbed the roll bar, and hoisted himself over the sheet metal into the back seat and grabbed the dog's ears. one arm still on the roll bar.

The Jeep actually tilted a little when BDB hopped in. Really good suspension so I was more than a little surprised, and he turned to me. He had felt it too. He blushed, but happily. Masculinity is hot, but it requires really good shocks.

It's a redneck state. We were on our way to NAPA.

"Hey Code?" I asked, releasing the clutch.

"Yep?"

"How bright?"

"8000 lumens."

"Holy shit!"

"Do you have an extra alternator?"

"Yeah."

I glanced up in the rear view mirror as we crawled down the road by the other cabins so as not to raise dust.

He was pissed off, but apparently grinning because of the nice company.

"We'll replace it, champ. Sorry I stole your pride and joy."

"It was in good hands. We just have to get my buddy's Jeep back to him."

I looked at BDB

I swear I could feel the goddam Jeep leaning his way.

"I guess we're traveling tonight."

Fucking three hours each way and two fucking mountain ranges.

I took off the pissed off about what I had created in circumstance and looked back at Cody in the rear view mirror as we turned onto paved road.

"OK champ?"

BDB turned and looked at me, head slightly turned down. I could seeing him doing it through the corner of my eye.

"HELL yes."

See. This is the the thing.

It's not broadly affinitive. It's personal.

It's one on one. It can be shared, but it remains... shared experience. Just. between. two. people.

I looked over at BDB looking fine in his new enlarged state and said...

"Yer prolly gonna want to stay with the dog at the store, right?"

He laughed.

"I would have a really hard time explaining this to my mother if she caught wind," gesturing not as I expected at his crotch but at his chest.

"You ARE kinda swole, cowpoke" I laughed.

10 minutes down the highway, we pulled into the pock marked parking lot of a blue painted cinder block building with a yellow strip on it, grimy windows, and a dusty old aluminum door in a frame that has seen way better days. The bottom pane had boot marks on it.

The fucking whole lot smelled like oil.

THIS was where you came for parts.

Period.

47 chevy carb. Right here.

BDB sat still.

Cody wanted to SHOP.

10,000 lumens, better color. 15 minutes of discussing it and Cody was GLEEFUL.

Boy I was glad I had only "borrowed" it and did not have to buy him a whole new goddam Jeep... especially with his prolly 10K lift kit.

Done. Out of the shop with a light bar that would let Cody see whatever the fuck he wanted to in the dark.

Chore four done.

Now the bitch.

Cody's fix was going to take 15 minutes with the help of two men.

Five.

Hardware.

My truck was three hours south.

My jeep needed to be redeposited at my pullout.

Cody's buddy's contraption needed to go three hours south

Brad was going to be essential in this and it was going to be a really long afternoon... six hours of driving. These mountains are beautiful but they are large, and they are deceiving in that a map does not represent actual distance.

I looked in the rear view mirror on the way back to the cabin.

"CODE" I said loudly over the wind and tire noise.

"Yeah?" he said, enjoying the sun and the dog laying on his lap.

"Wanna come back up, like tonight?"

Very hilarious response: "BRAAAAAaaaaD?"

Chuckle. Even in that the passenger side of the Jeep shook. We had road miles ahead of us.

BDB said (holy shit) "I have the next week off."

Cody laughed out loud.

I guess we were on a mission.

We didn't need to fix Cody's light bar tonight. We needed to get his buddy's jeep home, pick up my truck, get a Jeep stowed on a mountainside, and enjoy six fucking hours stuck in sheet metal accomplishing it.

How in the fucking world did the dog's dance when Cody asked about the ride do THIS??

What the flying FUCK?

The light bar was fixed in twenty minutes after we got home. 45 minutes later after a rough run with two off roaders my jeep was deposited where it belongs at my pullout, covered with a tarp.

Clint called.

Truck was going to be great but not until tomorrow end of day.

"Thanks buddy."

"No problem. Hey."

"Hooter stopped in."

"Oh shit."

"Yeah."

"He said you all were having a time."

"Yep."

"Safe?"

"Nothing damaged other than egos. Those mend."

"Good."

"Chevy has a recall right now."

"Brad's body panel is free. The paint's not."

"Come have a beer and meet the buds this weekend if you have time, Clint."

I could almost hear the smile through the phone.

"OK. Glad you're in town."

"Me too buddy."

"Have to run out tonight. We'll be back in the morning."

"Good enough. Brad's truck will be ready."

"Speak with you after I get back in town tomorrow Clint."

"Thanks again."

"Yep."

We hung up.

I fucking like Clint.

I like Clint. Fucking.

This was going to be interesting. Clint didn't know. Never had.

He was in for a surprise.

OK...

Task 6.

The drive.

I thought this was going to be extremely trying. I love these mountains. The twisties, taking hairpins, but I like driving through them at my own pace, which is usually way faster than comfortable for a normal rational adult. We all drive fast here. I've always said it's not a matter of speeding, but compressing time between destinations.

We exited the cabin. Didn't even bother to lock the door.

BDB had grabbed the dog food and bowls and put them in Cody's gear box. She looked up at me. I nodded at the jeep, carrying a leash. She grinned and bounded around to the passenger side, lept up and went to the back, racing back and forth, panting and grinning.

I still thought this was going to be a pain in the ass.

"Code."

""Yeah?"

"I'm driving. You don't know the shortcuts."

He looked pissed for a hot second, then that millisecond of decision, nodded and looked at me resigned.

I wasn't being egotistical. I just knew the lay of this land very well.

I said "they are your buddy's keys."

"Nope."

"You get us over the mountain."

I lowered my head.

"Y'all need anything before we hit it?"

BDB looked at Cody and grinned.

"Brad, I meant supplies, water, food."

Cody laughed.

Brad's eyes laughed back at me.

"Good here."

Code shook his head no.

Full tank of gas, on a mission from my dear departed Grandmother.

"Belt in."

Sunset in the Allegheny mountains is one of the most glorious things you can witness. The lengthening of shadows below cliffs, the changing colors from bright green to blue on the mountainsides, the final sparkle of light on the rippling waters of rivers. It's majestic.

We made our way out of this valley and crested a pass, heading west, dropped through two hairpins (unusually slowly for me), and headed south through the next valley. The views were... breathtaking. Sheer granite cliffs, waterfalls, groves of oaks, rolling well tended farms. Cattle roaming. Paradise.

None of us had spoken since cresting the pass.

It was that captivating.

Cody had again taken the back seat and the dog was snuggled up to him, and his arm was wrapped around her.

His Vanson was on and the heat was on full blast, his long top mane blowing in the wind.

"Code?" I yelled over the wind.

"Yeah?"

"It's going to get really chilly soon."

"Glovebox." He shouted.

I glanced at BDB.

He reached up, and opened it and pulled out a black wool toboggan.

Cody grasped it and gratefully pulled it onto his head, over his ears.

It was starting to get dark.

Shit. Two hours to go.

I had this feeling that we were going to be taking up residence in Cody's cabin tonight.

I looked in the rear view mirror. His eyes met mine.

Weird. This connection.

I raised my eyebrows.

He sparkled at me and nodded.

Thank fucking God.

"Piggly Wiggly?" I shouted.

"No need."

An hour and a half later, so fucking many hairpins, so much road, we DID pull over in the lot of the PW.

"Cody, please take us up the mountain. I am getting a case of gatorade. We will need it. Anyone need anything?"

He laughed but he looked really fucking cold. They both shook their heads.

The dog was restless. She wanted to get out and go relieve herself. I looked into her eyes and shook my head no. Plenty of time for that in twenty minutes when she was at Cody's roost.

I returned to the two of them in the front seat, silent... gleaming at each other.

Well, Cody had asked me to match them.

Perfect fucking match.

Gatorade in the back of the Jeep, I settled in by the pooch, buckled in and Cody released the clutch.

Mountain. Jarring climb, made only possible by the heavyweight suspension below us. ROUGH shit. Deep ruts.

The transmission was growling.

BDB looked over his shoulder at me with eyebrows raised at one point.

"He lives here."

Nobody could possibly want to do this every damned day to get home, right?

His eyes opened wide.

He shook his head.

I raised my eyebrows. "Wait."

We rounded the last curve and there it was, sitting on flagstone, illuminated by the headlights.

Cody's hard work.

I was exhausted. Brad was gleaming. Shocked a little, I think.

I didn't want to arrive tired. I like it here. I was so ready for bed.

This had worn me the fuck out.

"Code."

"Yeah, chief?"

"Y'all need to drop me on that truck frame. I am done."

Seriously, everybody wants the party to continue but at some point it's implausible. Impossible.

I don't care what the possibilities are, at some point the physicality just says. no.

I climbed sleepily out of the Jeep and, escorted by BDB and Cody I was placed on Code's daybed, drifting off into grateful much needed slumber. I heard the dog shifting by me grabbing a rug as I started to make sleepy sounds. I felt like I was abandoning Cody, but this had been a long fucking day. Sigh. Mmmm. Cody leaned down to my ear and said:

"I'm OK. rest."

Out like a light at the reassurance.

If I had wits about me I would haid "film it" but didn't even have humor left.

I was probably snoring before they even turned to figure out what they were going to do.

I know this.

Slightly damp, very warm bodies joined me in the night, and I got a reverse sandwich, BDB on one side, Code on the other. Brad snuggled up against my back, the big scrub brush tight against me. I could feel his dick against my ass soft, wet, like he had come recently and was still leaking. I missed out. Knew I was going to.

Cody had his back to me and was enjoying simultaneous Stuart and BDB hugs.

I nestled my head into the nape of his neck, and licked his hair line, sighing.

Hot fucking sandwich. I drifted back off into peace and... comfort.

Sometime in the middle of the night, someone pulled a comforter over us. It had gotten cool, and the fabric added another layer of sensualness to the encounter. Man cocoon. In a cabin safe high in the woods.

Phew.

I guess I have to say that in hindsight one of the things that had made me so tired was... making these two connections happen. In drifting in and out of sleep as Cody snuggled back against me and as Brad slumbered OVER the two of us (Yeah, he was THAT big. 8 full inches taller than me), I remembered the effort that Cody had taken. He was a lot of work. Careful consideration, experimentation, changes in course, just... a handful of belaboring but in the end delightful realizations and very intimate mental connections.

BDB was NO work at all.

That was a touch.

He just fucking made himself. Looked at him, and when I touched him, he just... became.

The work was all the extracurricular shit, being chased, escaping, getting his murderous ass to calm the fuck down after he was (gently) persuaded to stop being a bigot and helping him deal with his own personal realities. Watching him self realize. The happiness that accompanied that.

Cody was delightful. Brad was an ass. But oh what a beautiful furry big ass.

So we're linked, but there's no ownership, with the exception of one small detail. I have the ability to take it back.

"Never hurt anyone."

Somehow I thought what had happened in the past few days could never be taken back. Shouldn't be taken back. Couldn't be taken back, even if I wanted it to happen. Two very deserving critters.

This was luxurious, wrapped in these two men, the comforter nesting us on a mattress over Cody's rusty truck frame. Cool shit, smelling Cody's "come fuck me hard Daddy" scent and Brad's woody deep "I know you want to eat my dick but I'm gonna make you choke on it" scent.

So I drifted back off... and hoped the Cardinals would hold off on their morning song for a while. This was too nice and I wanted it to last.

I was looking forward to their stories in the morning, grateful they took my sleepy ass to bed, glad we got the big shit out of the way. There are moments you just never want to end. This dozy quiet comfort was one of them.

Birds came and calmed. The dog snuffled by our quiet slumber. She needed to go outside.

BDB rolled off of us, shaking the whole damned house in the process, scritched her, and opened the back door. Fucker left my fuzzy butt to take in the cool mountain morning. I reached to pull the comforter over my cold ass and he said from the door frame

"Don't cover that shit up."

OK

He reopened the door and she scrambled back inside, taking her spot back on the rug beside the bed.

BDB lumbered across the small room and laid down behind me again, sliding his bicep under my head, wrapping an arm over me and grasping Cody. Soft warm, sweet Cody sounds.

"Mmmm."

"Big dude."

"Shhhh"

Old quote from the past couple of days, very sleepily uttered: "I'm awake you fuckers."

Code.

The start of a new day.

Light began to spread across the beautiful maple floors, beckoning little girls that liked their sunbeams. She stirred and sought one, lay down in it and looked back at the mass of male flesh on the bed with one eye. sighed, put her head down and stretched... started to snore.

I really did want to know what went down last night. I didn't feel jealous or left out. I just wondered if there were any new discoveries or revelations. Brad's almost finished, and I can sense something very different from other folks about him. A kind gentle spirit, passive in some ways (Yes, the guy who wanted to tear me to pieces).

I heard a noise. Humming from the back wall. Quiet.

"Cells?"

"Yep. The day is waking."

"How's it heated?"

"Passive solar. There's a heat sink under the floor."

"Smart man, Code."

"Nope."

"Just a cheap ass."

I just sniffed the nape of his neck harder and ran my hand down his chest to his ever present erection and wrapped my hand as far around him as it would go and slid the skin up over his head and let go, allowing it to pucker back perched over his big blunt dickhead again. It was sticky. These two had gotten busy last night. I grinned and sighed against him.

"Y'all have a good time?"

"You want details," BDB responded.

"You got that right."

"We devised a plan to show you some things after you lit out on us."

"Shocked."

Holy shit. Today should be different.

"Gentlemen,"

"I suggest we get our asses to my place, pick up my truck, get Cody's buddy's Jeep home, and head back north. "

"Waffles."

We all three laughed, just before the thundering thud of BDB's big foot hit the floor.

Yep. He was a big cuss.

I hadn't had the opportunity previously to experience Cody's bath. While this was one big open room there was a space off it in a lean-to on the back side of the cabin, built of wormy Chestnut, likely salvaged from a 1930s barn, planed, sanded, finished a golden hue. I already knew Code was into tech, but when I walked into that room my jaw dropped.

The roof of the lean to was all glass, supported by slender aluminum rectangular mullions. Bathed in daylight. Burnished concrete floor the color and tones of tanned brown leather, with a (go figure) flagstone floored shower in one corner. Those stones sloped away from the rest of the floor to a drain in the corner of the room. Big fucking shower head, a foot in diameter, protruded from the wall. Every gay man's necessity, a shower shot, was hung from the wall with a mixer beside it. No curtain.

The wall behind me as I walked into the room housed the vanity, made surprisingly of what appeared to be a walnut log, hollowed out, polished with care, and coated in layers of epoxy. I wondered how many years it had taken it to cure. A single faucet extended from the wall above it with a stem above that, and I couldn't resist. Yep, it was a mixer but depending upon the position it delivered variable volume, hot, and cold. Cool.

The wall opposing the shower, well, it had a 1940's war time look, a dark green metal wall above the chestnut with a big assed LCD in the middle of it, recessed behind the finish. Big, brawny reused subway tiles outlined a floor mounted urinal you could actually step into. Tall as my chest. It would envelope you when you stepped up to it. The toilet next to it was ... cantilevered off the wall, and was a floating cube.

This was unbelievable.

I walked up to the urinal and let go, still taking this hard work in.

As I turned to return to the main room, my eyes fell upon the toiletries and accessories. Gay men always look at those. A bottle of soap, a tube of toothpaste, a hair brush, a toothbrush, a small mirror, a bottle of mouthwash saved in a glass bottle from a french beverage maker. A tube of hair gel. A washcloth. There. On the corner of the sink, sitting on a little plate. A surgical soap dispenser.

Cody was like me. No deodorant, but he didn't like to stink.

I was having my own revelations before these two even showed me theirs. I walked back into the big room to the smell of wood smoke. Brad's big fuzzy naked ass was leaning into the fireplace pulling out one of Cody's contraptions, probably full of something delectable.

"Nice shitter, Code."

It was meant as the biggest understatement a man could make about another man's work. Mission accomplished.

He turned to me with big deep dimples, grinning wide, and said: "Have a good piss?"

"I was so distracted I wanted to stay all day, buddy."

"Hey Code?"

"Yeah?"

"You don't have any closets."

"Bullshit."

No. really. It was just one big open room. A table, chairs, a sofa, a wall of cabinets lovingly crafted out of wood from someone's barn, requisite sink in a stone counter, the small fridge, but nothing. else.

Cody walked over to the truck frame.

Leaned over, pressed a wood panel on the wall.

The goddam thing raised itself off the floor. No... a whole platform carried it off the floor, elevating into the air.

Holy shit.

Walk in closet. Drawers with socks, undergear, neatly placed hanging jeans and "WTF?" suits, ties, dress shirts. It lit up with (low voltage) LED lighting.

dress shoes, boots, and ... a harness were a couple of things I noticed before the panel was pressed again and it disappeared into the floor.

Fuck. Me.

I love minimalism but that was fucking ridiculous.

"Show me more, Code."

Bathroom.

Simple, really.

Big thick wall between it and the main room. He pressed on a wormy chestnut plank and it eased open, down to horizontal. Towels. Washcloths. Sanitary products.

"More?"

"Just the exterior. And personal protection gear."

Brad's breakfast was waiting.

"Hey Brad!"

"Breakfast is ready you bastards."

"OK."

"Check out Cody's dump station!"

He giggled, high pitched like a schoolgirl that had been hugged for being cute.

The table was fucking perfect. Brad had found pesto and olive tapenade, and had spread them over a colorful concoction of egg whites, peppers, onions, all laid on a bed of basil.

Well holy shit. We were made to hang out together. God this was good.

"Brad has a surprise for you today Stuart."

"If it's going to take over an hour I think we better wait."

They both smirked.

"OK" said Cody.

"Snick"

Wall panel opened and I grabbed a towel.

Wet, soaped, dry, snagged a razor, lathered up in the same soap, shaved, ready to go.

Boots. Clean(er) socks. Jeans. Tee shirt. The Vanson was hanging on a chair by the door.

I busied myself cleaning in the kitchen while they took turns getting wet and dry.

I discovered that Cody DID have a washer and dryer, and a dishwasher. They were disguised behind cabinet fronts.

Everything stowed and ready to be cleaned as soon as the showers were finished.

Cody emerged.

"OK?"

"Yeah. different today."

"How?"

"I may have changed Brad a little last night."

"It was scary."

"It always is."

"What's the change?"

"I'd rather he show you."

"OK."

Fine with me. We have the evening.

"Let's pick up after the night."

Cody wanted to cover the hot tub.

I grabbed a scraper and cleaned out the fireplace, removed two blankets from chairs and folded them. I thought for a moment about going up and looking for evidence of orneriness on the upper patio but thought better of it. I gathered beer bottles and deposited them in the recycling container by the trash can.

The little cubby Cody kept filled with split wood was diminished. I walked around the house and found the wood pile, placed wisely way far from the foundation. Took two armloads around and filled Cody's masonry work back up with fresh stock. Saw a broom by the back door and swiped the flags on the patio.

Cody stamped down onto the patio and grinned at my work.

Thundering footsteps on hardwood.

Brad emerged out of the back patio door, in jeans, black tee shirt, boots.

"Did either one of you see a bottom around? I seem to be missing one."

The effect was instantaneous, like BDB had flipped a switch.

Cody stopped and stared at him.

The ever present hardon bulged under his jeans and started leaking. I could see it under his zipper.

I already knew what was happening aft, but what I didn't expect was to see his shirt start filling up with Cody milk. Two big wet spots formed over those big succulent nipples and he started to leak, and the trail of liquid started dripping through the fabric and down the front his shirt, but he was transfixed by BDB.

Staring.

Well... he had changed him.

Brad was wet.

Not the big log leaking down his left leg. His chest.

Oh. SHIT.

DADDY milk.

Brad sneered at him and turned his eyes to me

"He LIKES this. A LOT, Stu."

"Wanna see?"

I thought about the time, briefly, but I was so taken I didn't give a flying shit if we never made it back north.

"Mmm hmm."

Cody still hadn't taken his eyes off BDB.

Brad reached down and pulled his damp tee off his chest, his big fucking nipples pulsing. He glinted at Cody, staring up at him. Cody had a look of entrancement in his eyes I had never seen before.

"Come on buddy." He said quietly.

Cody seemed to unfreeze, still looking up, and took the few steps forward to be right in front of him.

"Take a taste."

Cody leaned forward to Brad's left pectoral and stuck his tongue out. At first contact the nipple grew, elongated, the now wide areola contracting, and Brad sighed.

"Suck it Code."

I regarded Cody's jeans, and Brad's. We were going to have to do laundry again. Cody had serious dampness in the vee of his ass. He was sucking on Brad's chest really hard, and Brad was starting to grunt. Brad grabbed him by the nape of the neck and pulled him off, scrubbing his face across his chest and attached the suckling orifice to the other nipple. Cody never stopped sucking. There was a vacant, hypnotized look in his eyes. Brad groaned. His face turned up and he said "YES!!!"

He came, the shit shooting down his leg.

Man. I knew Cody could do that. Now apparently Brad could as well. He pulled Code's lips off his pectoral with one hand, tilting his head up at him. Cody was totally vacant, grinning.

"He's addicted to it, Boss."

There. The evil Brad, leering at me.

Nope. Not gonna let it happen.

"I already dropped a fucking steel boat on you, left you for dead, HOPED you were dead, and in return for a second chance and this gift you do this to this sweet man who's probably a gift to us all??"

Cody didn't hear a fucking word we were saying. He was still staring up at BDB's eyes, waiting for direction, vacant.

I was pissed.

"Well FUCK YOU BRAD."

I didn't think THIS was going to be the result of my being inattentive last night.

"What... you don't think he likes this?"

Cody's chin had Brad's man milk still dripping off it, Brad still held his neck. Cody was grinning, but there was no coherence in his eyes. He was gone. No Cody.

"Stop it you big fucker."

"Let him go."

I looked around. No weapons. Well, except for one, maybe two.

I reached out and caressed Cody's back. The vacant eyes departed, the smile faded, he turned his eyes to me, now full of tears, and said "Make him stop."

"OK"

I looked at Brad.

I just looked at him. I didn't DO anything other than glance at him, with a look that said everything about this was wrong. That taking a human's free will away was wrong.

Fucker just... fucking vanished.

WHAT THE BLEEPING FUCK WAS THIS SHIT?

Karma's a bitch.

"Never hurt anyone."

The dog was scritching the door. Something she never does.

I walked down and opened it and she ran out surveying the patio, now Bradless, looking at us warily. She departed into the undergrowth to fertilize. I watched her for a second, then

I turned to Cody and touched his shivering chin with a thumb and forefinger.

"OK, buddy?"

"He wouldn't let me tell you I wasn't."

"You don't seem hurt."

"I just don't EVER want to see that creepy sadistic sonofabitch again."

OK. This was going to take more time but now, Bradless, we had it.

I grabbed a chair. He did, as well. Nice day, sunlight gleaming on us through the trees.

"What the fuck happened?"

"The usual. Beers by the fire. A walk up to the hot tub. Trou drop. Towels, conversation, all seemingly innocent, and then..."

Cody looked down, no sparkle.

"What?"

"He's really strong, Stu."

"He should be. He's a fucking man mountain."

"No I mean he's really fucking strong."

I knew what he meant, but I had intended for Cody to be the Alpha. Stronger than me. I gave him my entire history and he was supposed to carry this. Like, with me. After the bathroom door incident I might trust him less a little bit. Maybe that's the chink in the Armour. Maybe it's my fault this happened. Maybe BDB sensed that and got inside it, wormed his way into Cody's psyche and found that break... took advantage.

The fact is... Brad had remained.. an obstacle, and a vengeful prick, and a hindrance.

Fuck, ... his truck.

This shit will wear you out.

"I don't know to hear the details but you can relate them if you're comfortable with them."

"I'm not comfortable with many of them, but I will say the slut bottom thing is something I enjoyed way more than last night."

"That was playful."

"Looking back... Yes, it was."

"Brad... wasn't playful."

Cody was sitting there in beautiful dappled sunlight on a flagstone patio in these gorgeous mountains, the river rushing below us, and he said:

"He broke my right arm."

I looked down.

"He has your healing ability."

"I was screaming."

I needed to get my wits about me.

The dog returned to the patio and started to sniff bowls.

Shit. Dog food.