PRES: a bay falls high novel

by Kidman, Jaxson

  That’s when I had a fist ready for his face.

  I hit him so hard he flew into the crowd. They threw him right back at me. I grabbed him by the shirt and lifted him off his feet.

  “Please, god, no,” he muttered, already crying.

  I tossed him to the side and he stumbled into more people.

  They did the right thing again by throwing him back to me.

  I punched him again and took him down.

  But I wasn’t done.

  I dropped to one knee and made sure that when Malcolm woke up tomorrow, he’d realize the pain in his head and face wasn’t from drinking too much.

  It also didn’t help that I was thinking about Cole too.

  BC.

  Their bullshit.

  The video of Tinsley.

  That they wanted something from Claire.

  I brought my right fist back again and someone stopped me.

  It was Kip.

  “We’re good,” he said to me.

  I came out of my daze and stood up.

  Everyone watching was in shock.

  I flexed my fist and showed it to everyone.

  A clear and silent message.

  Once again… do not fuck with the Rulz.

  I walked out of the ditch and went to find Tinsley.

  She was with Barr way over at the top. She didn’t want to see what I had done.

  The fire inside me was burning hot.

  Really fucking hot.

  I walked toward her and she was hugging herself.

  “Feel better?” she asked.

  I picked up just a little bit of a cocky tone.

  With the hand I had used to silence Malcolm, I touched her chin.

  “No, sugar, I don’t feel better,” I said.

  “Why not?”

  “Because you’re in danger, Tinsley…”

  * * *

  “This was not the way we wanted to do this, love,” Barr said.

  We had Tinsley surrounded as she listened.

  She looked in shock and ready to cry. But she kept her composure.

  Down in the ditch there were cheers from the current fight.

  “They’re full of shit,” Kip said. “Especially if Cole is acting alone.”

  “He’s not alone,” she said.

  “But it’s not BC,” Barr said. “If they find out, they’ll take them out.”

  “But we can’t say anything,” I said. “Not that I would anyway. We take problems on. Face them. Solve them.”

  “At my expense?” Tinsley asked.

  “No, sugar,” I said. “We’re going to protect you.”

  “They recorded me,” she said.

  “That will get avenged, girl,” Kip said.

  “Until then, we will be careful,” I said. “They gave it all away. They thought they tricked me…”

  “They did,” Barr said.

  “Fuck off,” I snapped. “They spilled everything to me. Coming into this town? Wanting to take us on? Without the approval of BC?”

  “You have it all figured out, huh?” Tinsley asked. “Yet I’m the one who is the target. Again. Remember that, Pres?”

  “You’re safe here,” Kip said.

  “I’m not safe anywhere,” she said.

  She turned and I went for her.

  When I touched her arm, she turned and pushed at my chest.

  “Feel better?” I asked with the same cocky tone she had given me.

  “No,” she said.

  I touched her arms. “I’m not going to let anyone hurt you. They’re doing something wrong. And whatever Claire’s purpose is, it’s in their way. They think they can push at her through you. It won’t work.”

  “That’s why you went to town on Malcolm?”

  “Maybe.”

  “You’re worried.”

  “I’m pissed,” I said.

  “What’s your plan, Pres?”

  “The same thing as always. To keep you safe. And in my arms.”

  She shook her head. “Why do I trust you?”

  “Because I’m always right,” I said. “And you have me, Barr, and Kip. I wanted to talk to you later about it.”

  “You’ve known for how long…”

  “Doesn’t matter,” I said. “It hasn’t been that long either. I’m running it through my head.”

  “I can’t take any more of this, Pres. Every time I think it’s going to calm…”

  “It’s going to calm,” I said. “I promise. I-”

  “Shit, Pres!” Barr yelled.

  I looked back and then heard people yelling.

  A second later, people were everywhere.

  Running for their lives.

  “Shit, we’ve got cops,” Kip said. “We have to get out of here.”

  “Cops?” I asked. “Since when do the fucking cops care about up here?”

  “Calm, huh?” Tinsley asked.

  I pulled her close and kissed her.

  I started to make out with her too.

  She pushed away. “What are you doing?”

  “Go with Barr and Kip.”

  “What?”

  “Go. Now.”

  “What are you doing, Pres?” Kip asked.

  “Saving everyone’s ass for the moment,” I said. “Keep her safe.”

  “No worries,” Kip said.

  “Pres!” Tinsley yelled.

  While everyone ran away from the sound of the police sirens I was going right toward them.

  They better have something stronger than cuffs to hold me back.

  Chapter 6

  I thought maybe a movie star was going to climb out of the back of the car.

  I mean, it was a fair thought.

  Judging by the way the car had a police escort.

  Two black SUVs in front of it.

  The police didn’t seem bothered that I was actually there though. Two officers stood with their hands on their weapons, their other hands outstretched at me as though they had magical powers to keep me away.

  So I stood there, respectful, truthfully just wanting to know what the hell was going on. There were plenty of wrong doings up at the ditch. Shit that could get a lot us into serious trouble, but that wasn’t the point. Anything we did at the ditch was our business. Things rarely went too far. It was all our way of burning off some steam. Living in this world of money and perfection, not to mention all of us knowing that our parents weren’t the people they claimed to be… that took a toll. And the thing was, it wasn’t even about secrets. It was about the shit standing there in plain sight that never made sense until now.

  The driver of the car raced around the back door and opened it.

  My father stepped out of the car.

  Now my fullest attention was on the scene.

  The first thing I thought… Mom’s dead.

  My heart sank a few inches as I swallowed hard.

  I debated with myself as to why the escort if Mom was dead, but knowing the way my father was, it wouldn’t have surprised me. He was waiting for it to happen so he could play the victim. He could be the mourning widower and use it to his advantage.

  My hands curled up into fists.

  My father approached slowly, his shoes way too fancy to be walking on dirt, sticks and leaves.

  “Jerry, come here,” he said as he curled his finger over and over.

  Jerry…

  One of the top cops in town.

  A big wig.

  Shorter than my father. Much rounder. The kind of guy that probably dreamed of being a cop and made it happen, but somehow stepped into the shit pile called my father.

  “You have your men ready to attack my son,” my father said. “I mean, was there a crime up here?”

  “Trespassing,” Jerry said. “I mean, you know, technically. Plus, we never know what we’re walking into. There’ve been stories about up here…”

  My father slipped his hands into his pockets.

  He was dressed like he was heading to a boardroom.

  And h
is eyes were the kind of evil where he would take pride in shutting a company down to watch employees suffer without paychecks.

  Which was the kind of shit he did my entire life.

  And in some sick way, my mother tried to balance that out.

  “My son is up here doing the same thing as me,” my father said. “Smart kid. I mean, smart man. He’s a man now, Jerry. Did you know that? Can’t believe how fast time flies right by.”

  I didn’t say a word.

  I just stood and stared.

  All I cared about right then was that Barr and Kip had Tinsley far away from this scene. I needed her safe.

  “In other words, give us some fucking room, Jerry,” my father barked.

  Jerry gave a hand signal and all of the officers went back to their vehicles.

  My father then began his walk toward me again.

  “I just want to know two things, Preston,” he said.

  “What’s that?” I asked.

  “Are you drunk? And… are you high?”

  “No,” I said. “To both.”

  “I believe you, Preston,” he said. “I mean, we have to trust each other, right? Father and son. Parent and child. And even beyond that. Two adults. Right? That’s the big thing for you now. You’re an adult. You know…” my father laughed. “You know, I remember when you were three. And all you wanted was for your mother and I to call you a big boy. That was the thing then. You wanted to be a big boy so badly.”

  My lip curled.

  I wasn’t going to fall into his family memory trap.

  Because I had the real memories.

  Not the cut up ones he had. The ones where he could take a few years and piece it together into one decent memory to tell everyone. So he looked good. So we looked like a happy family.

  “What do you want?” I asked. “You found me. Good for you. Is Mom dead?”

  “Well, well,” my father said. “That’s harsh.”

  “What? It’s not like you care.”

  “It’s not like I care,” he said. “Why don’t we take a walk for a second, Preston? Have a little father and son time? A walk through the woods.”

  I looked at Jerry. The police cruisers. The black vehicles.

  I wasn’t sure I had a choice in the matter.

  And that was one thing I didn’t like…

  If you tried to put me in a corner, I was going to attack to get out.

  * * *

  He walked right to the top of the ditch.

  He grabbed the pole of one of the tiki torches and gently shook it, testing to see how well it was placed into the ground.

  “My grandfather used to take me hunting,” my father said. “I hated it. Seemed so pointless. Walk through the woods or sit all day waiting for a defenseless animal to stumble across your path. And then you kill it.”

  “That sort of seems like something you’d enjoy,” I said.

  My father laughed. “Come on, Preston. I’d rather go face to face. If I’m going to kill something… I’m going to look it in its eyes…”

  That’s when he turned and faced me.

  My father was about the same height. And he was about the same build. A handsome businessman with a ruthless record. Then again, what would you expect from a man whose wife was dying of ALS while he was traveling the world, fucking other women?

  When I looked into his eyes, I thought about Claire.

  The fact that he was sleeping with her. The fact that she was sleeping with him. Knowing what was happening at home. Claire was just as ruthless. Whether it made her feel strong, powerful, whatever… it was a shot against my mother. A woman who could not defend herself.

  I thought about what happened with Cole.

  He wanted to go after Claire so bad…

  I grinned.

  “Are you facing me to kill me?” I asked.

  “My own son?” my father asked. He gently patted my cheek. “I’m not going to kill you. If there’s too much death around you, you look cursed. But a little death is good.”

  “Like the death of your wife?”

  “Exactly. See, you get it.”

  “And that works for you,” I said. “The sad and secretly lonely man who has been dealing with a dying wife… it’s like you beg for them to fuck you.”

  My father smiled. “You and I, Preston. If you didn’t have so much of your mother’s hippie heart…” He shook his head. “She was so beautiful. And I had her for so long. But, that’s not why I’m here.”

  “I’m still waiting for you to tell me why you’re here.”

  “This place fascinates me. What do you do down here?”

  “I don’t know,” I said.

  “Ah, come on,” my father said. “Let’s check it out.”

  He walked down into the ditch.

  When he got to the middle of it he took off his suit jacket and placed it on the ground. Then he rolled up his white sleeves. He slowly turned, taking it all in.

  I walked down into the ditch.

  “Amazing here,” he said. “I can feel the energy. What you do here. It’s pretty obvious, Preston. And that’s okay. I just hope you can enjoy it before I fill it in and finish the land off.”

  “What?” I asked.

  My father looked dumbfounded. “What do you think I’m here for?”

  “I don’t… know…”

  He grinned.

  I shook my head. “No.”

  My father pointed at me. “There’s a lesson in life you need to learn, son. A really hard lesson. So my advice is to listen really fucking close right about now.”

  He put a hand to my shoulder.

  He squeezed.

  I stared.

  “When you get what you want… or you get too much at once… you lose focus, son. Everyone claws to get to the top. Then they get there, they look around, and they smile. Or laugh. Or celebrate. And the second they take their focus off of it, someone is there to take them down.”

  “And your point?”

  “I’m not a fool, Preston. And I’m not mad at you for it. I know why she did what she did. Her way of protecting herself and her son. You were always her baby. I wanted to have a big family, Preston. I wanted a bunch of kids. Boys. Girls. Take big vacations. Go sailing as a family. But your mother wanted one perfect precious baby boy. And she got it. That was it. She wanted you as her little surfer baby and all that shit. I guess I’m starting to ramble, huh? Point is… I know everything. You’re her prince. And the prince gets everything. So it’s only fair I get something out of it too.”

  “And what is it that you want out of it?” I asked.

  “I mean, I have to take care of myself. I’ve given everything to my family. That’s the part you won’t see, Preston. The part you refuse to see.”

  I shook my father’s hand away. “If you have a point, make it. I have somewhere to be.”

  “Exactly. What’s the name of thebeautiful young woman that’s living with Claire. T… Tanya… Tess…”

  “Tinsley.”

  “Tinsley,” my father said, snapping his fingers. “Tinsley. That’s right. This tragic story of a young woman. Her mother messed up on drugs. Almost dying. Then Claire swooping in and sending her mother to a fancy rehab center. Taking Tinsley in. And leave it to my son to take to her. That’s your mother’s heart right there at work.”

  I felt my lip starting to curl.

  My fists were balled up even tighter.

  “Calm down a second, Preston,” my father said. “I’m not here to talk about Tinsley. I’m here to talk about you being distracted. Taking your eyes off the prize for a second. To teach you a lesson.”

  “I’m still listening.”

  “Good. Because I need you to walk away. Now.”

  “Now?”

  “You’re trespassing.”

  I laughed. “Excuse me?”

  “That’s why I brought Jerry. To make sure this doesn’t go the wrong way, Preston.”

  “What would go…”

  “And my i
nvestors are here,” my father said. “So last thing I need is some father and son squabble. I bought this land, Preston. I own it. I’m going to tear everything down. Fill in this little hole of yours. I’m going to put up some condos. Townhouses. Rentals. Not sure yet. But I am looking forward to watching it all happen.”

  “You bought the land,” I said.

  “That’s right,” he said. “And if I find anyone up here ever again, I will press charges. To the fullest extent of the law. As a reminder too, son, I own Jerry. What I say to him, happens. This is what happens when you get what you want and you lose focus. You’re too busy watching your mother die and falling in love with Tinsley. Damn shame too. Women aren’t meant to be obsessed over. They’re more like items. They serve a purpose. Then they can be placed on a shelf.”

  I didn’t respond.

  He was trying to get me pissed.

  I was already pissed.

  But I knew how to swallow it down.

  “Lesson learned, son,” my father said. “Never take your eyes off what you want. Ever.”

  I slowly nodded. “So you bought the land. You did all that to prove a point to me.”

  “Shows how much I care,” he said and he started to laugh.

  He backed away, slipping his hands into his pockets again.

  His suit jacket on the ground.

  Sleeves rolled up.

  He looked evil.

  He was evil.

  And I was a part of him.

  I came from him.

  “You can try and pretend this isn’t eating you alive right now, Preston,” he said. “But I win. I always fucking win.”

  “Enjoy it,” I said. “Hope you don’t take your eyes off the prize for a second either.”

  I turned and started to walk out of the ditch.

  “Hey, son,” my father called out.

  I looked back. “What?”

  My father grinned. “Maybe you could do something to distract me…”

  * * *

  I opened the door to the guesthouse and Tinsley was sitting on the kitchen counter.

  Her feet dangled off the edge.

  Barr on her left.

  Kip on her right.

  A clear glass with amber liquid in it.

  The second she looked at me, she dropped the glass, jumped off the counter, and ran to me.

  “Shit,” Barr said. “That’s expensive whiskey, love.”