Fall into Fire (Shamans of the Divide, Book 2)

Chapter Fifteen

It hadn't been easy to convince Cody that it was okay and he could head home.

"Bull," he said. We were sitting in the living room of the guest house. I never used the living room and didn't know where the remote to that small television was, so mostly we spent a good hour just sort of staring at each other. I could tell Cody had a lot of questions by the way he drummed his fingers on the arm of the couch and how he adjusted the way he was sitting every few minutes. His mind must have been working as fast as his body was fidgeting, poor guy.

The scratches really weren't that bad, but I'm pretty sure seeing a man he'd known most of his life lose it like Clint was probably pretty unsettling.

"I can't answer your questions right now, Cody," I'd put him off again and I could see a slight mask of hurt feelings on his face.

"I get it," he said, nodding but looking away.

He didn't get it. I'm pretty sure I didn't get it, but I still wasn't in any position to tell secrets that weren't mine.

"Do you ever question the reason you're caught up with people who obviously don't like you?"

The question hit me square in the chest and sort of deflated the breath out of me.

Blunt. Honest. Very much like Cody.

"Every single day."

The answer was immediate and unpolished, but I couldn't help it. I wanted to tell Cody everything. Mostly for selfish reasons—I was dying for someone to be on my side and to tell me I'm not crazy. But I also felt like Cody was in danger just being around the ranch. If he were told the truth, he could choose not to believe (which he likely would) and then choose not to associate with a bunch of crazy people. At least he'd be safe. But Cody was stubborn and he saw a problem to solve and most likely, he saw a competitor to beat in Renn.

I wasn't dumb. I saw the way they sized each other up and it really had very little to do with July Henry.

This was testosterone versus ego.

I heard Cody sigh in his chair.

"I had a great time at the shooting range," I said, trying to take his mind off this council madness before he could stew too long on it. "And I'm sorry I was too young to go to the fun side."

It sounded like I couldn't get into a club and had to go to the movies instead. I mentioned it to Cody. It made him smile.

"I wouldn't know much about clubs, either," he said. "I'm only 20 and the people I hang out with don't have time for clubs."

That was different. In Colorado, it was all my ex Taylor and his meathead friends could talk about. Not that Cody was a meathead, but I was pretty sure that all high school boys dream of becoming college men just for the partying.

"What do you guys have time for?"

He smiled at me, a shot of electricity buzzing at the base of my neck.

"We're busy with rodeos, mostly," he said. "Manage to fit a class or two in there between breakfast and dinner and there's most of our days. We travel to a lot of shows as much as we can because there isn't a huge number in Wyoming."

Talking about rodeos must have sparked something he'd forgotten to ask me earlier.

"That girl, what was her name? The one who looked like she'd take the skin off your face if given the chance," he said.

"Asha."

I didn't need any more explanation, thank you.

"I meant to ask you about her," he said and I rolled my eyes. He laughed.