“I better go, son,” my father said. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
The call went dead.
I tossed the phone to the counter and jumped down.
I flexed my right hand and studied my knuckles. I pictured Tinsley’s fingers dancing across my knuckles when we were in bed together. No clothes. No worries. Just us and some love.
That’s what I was fighting for.
That’s what I was going to win.
No matter how bloody it got, and no matter how many people got hurt in the process.
Chapter 9
I had no intention to see Claire or be at Claire’s house. The idle threats from Cole weren’t going to make me run to Claire and run my mouth. I was able to think beyond what Cole was trying to do. The second the Rulz started doing favors for anyone like Cole or BC then the game would change for good. If Cole wanted to take down Claire, hurt her or scare her, it was up to him to do it.
Of course that in itself presented a tricky balance because of Claire’s connection to Tinsley. And hell, maybe Cole pulled me into this plan for that reason. Out of respect for Tinsley.
Not a fucking chance…
The relationship between Claire and Tinsley was simply leverage.
I walked along the edge of the pool and stared down at the water, going through every possible thought I could find. My mind replayed memories. Ones with Tinsley in the swimming pool. Or sitting on the edge with Gi and Iris. Watching Tinsley slowly becoming herself in this world of money and power. Every little thing about that kind of life amazed her. The size of the pool. The temperature. The color of the water. The fact that there was a pool itself.
I stopped pacing and saw Tinsley coming outside from the kitchen.
Claire stood in the kitchen, wearing a fancy looking women’s suit. Holding a martini glass. Looking like she was ready to rip the beating heart of a man right out of his chest. I wondered if she knew what my father was up to. If she knew I was hours away from actually fighting the man who created me. Or maybe by now my father had moved on. Used Claire for what she was good for and was with someone else.
That was the logical answer.
And if Claire had the mean streak and street level capability I had heard about, then I hoped she would finish burying my father once I started it up at the ditch.
Tinsley opened her mouth to say something, but I cut her off.
“Where did you swim before here?” I asked.
“What?”
I pointed to the pool. “You didn’t have a pool, did you?”
“Oh, yeah, we had a pool.”
“You did?”
“You know those plastic ones?” she asked, smiling. “With like crooked dolphins and crabs printed on the inside? Where you’d get grass in the water in about four seconds?”
I shook my head.
“That’s right,” she said. She patted my chest. “Rich boy.”
“Not funny,” I said.
“One time, Ruby’s mom’s boyfriend got a pool. It was this inflatable one but it was big. Not a real pool but not a cheap pool. Kind of in between. That was fun.”
“What happened to it?”
“Ruby’s boyfriend at the time got high and wanted to do wrestling moves on his friend. That guy had a crush on me and was trying to show off. So Ruby’s boyfriend tried some move and the guy hit the side of the pool and busted it. Water… everywhere…”
“Losers,” I said.
“It was kind of hot,” I said. “Ruby’s mom’s boyfriend came running outside in his undies. Chasing after all of us. That guy who was trying to impress me? He stopped and tripped Ruby’s mom’s boyfriend. To save me. I thanked him properly later on that night…”
I slowly touched Tinsley’s arms. “Thanked him properly?”
She started to laugh. “You’re easy.”
“Excuse me?”
“That guy was a loser,” she said. “He didn’t do anything to help me. He slid in the water and fell. When Ruby’s mom’s boyfriend caught up to him, he started to cry. Ruby and I ran, laughing our faces off because her boyfriend tried to fight her mom’s boyfriend and lost. It was a crazy night for sure. Ruby ended up getting grounded for a month, but I would sneak over and we’d hang out all the time. Why are you asking me this?”
“Do you miss Ruby?” I asked.
Why the fuck do you care about her past life, Pres? Her life before BFH means nothing to anyone or to the world. It’s all just memories.
“I don’t know if I do or not,” she said. “She and Amelia were like best friends to me. Then everything got weird when I came here. I guess in a way I decided to be greedy for once. And if you didn’t like that, then kiss my ass.”
“They were jealous of you,” I said. “Makes sense.”
“You still didn’t answer my question… why are you asking me this?”
I moved my right hand to her chin. “Maybe because I want to know everything about you, Tinsley Ditkiss. I’m here for the present. I know the future. So maybe I’m curious about the past.”
“You know the future?”
“Yeah.”
“And what is it? Where’s your crystal ball, Pres?”
“You are my future, sugar,” I whispered. “And I’m yours. Truthfully, I was looking at the pool and just wondered what it was like for you. I’ve never had a day in my life where there wasn’t a pool. And probably plenty of other things. I was thinking about you in the pool. Knowing how cool it was to you to have a pool when you never did before.”
“So you really do care,” she said. “Wow. I’ll make sure nobody finds out that truth.”
“That’s why I love you, sugar,” I said.
I pulled her close and kissed her.
It was just a quick kiss because behind Tinsley the door opened and Claire came outside. She was without her suit jacket now, showing off a killer curved body that would send any half decent businessman missing his wife into a tizzy of temptation.
“Don’t mind me,” Claire said. “Just leaving these here for you, Tinsley.”
Claire carried a vase with a dozen white roses in it.
I lifted my eyebrow as Tinsley patted my chest again and walked to table.
“Claire. Wait.”
Tinsley plucked one of the white roses from the dozen and then gave the vase back to Claire.
“What is this?” she asked.
“Give them back,” I said to her. “He’ll understand what it means.”
“You know…”
“I know who gave these,” she said. “You two were talking real estate, right?”
Claire looked at me for a few seconds, then back to Tinsley.
“Should I tell him you said hello at least?” Claire asked.
“No,” Tinsley said. “He knows what it means.”
“Okay,” Claire said. She looked at me again. “Preston.”
I nodded to Claire.
Still fucking my father while my mother is slowly dying?
I figured the grin on my face could ask the question better than I ever could.
With Claire gone, Tinsley came back to me, carrying the single white rose.
I pointed to it. “Still doing that, huh?”
“He still wants back in,” she said. “Or in to begin with? I’m not sure how to word it.”
I swallowed hard. “I don’t trust him, sugar. The shit he and Claire are doing is not… legal…”
“I know,” Tinsley said. “You can call me crazy, Pres, but somewhere in my mind and my heart I keep thinking about the fact that I have both parents alive. Maybe they’re not exactly well but they’re alive. My mother is still clean. She’s actually living for once. I kind of hope she stays where she is. Or maybe she can go to school or something for recovery. Help others. And my father… well, if he’s really doing some bad things, then it’ll catch up to him. He’ll either get killed or go to jail. In a way I should probably try and enjoy some time with him. But I’m not going to make it easy.”
; I covered my hand on her hand as she held the single white rose. “You belong here, sugar. And not just because I love you. And not just because I would lose my mind if you weren’t here. Think about everything you just said. Think about all you’ve done. You’re the most important person here. And whatever you need to do with that rose, and all the other roses, I support you. I’m in your corner.”
I lifted her hand to my lips and kissed her hand.
“I want to do something,” she whispered.
“Like what?” I asked.
Tinsley side stepped and walked to the edge of the pool. She threw the single white rose into the water. It gently hit the water and floated.
“You wanted to do that?” I asked.
She shrugged her shoulders. “Yeah. Saw it in a movie or show or something. I think if it was red, the color would bleed. I’m a simple girl to please.”
She looked back at me and winked.
I slowly eyed her up and down.
Shoes, jean shorts, t-shirt.
A dream already for me.
“You know what… I want to do something too,” I said.
“Like what?” Tinsley mimicked.
“Saw it in a movie or show or something,” I mimicked right back.
Tinsley laughed.
I jumped toward her and pushed her into the pool.
* * *
When Tinsley popped up out of the water I thought she was going to literally jump up and out of the pool. She looked that pissed off.
I slipped my hands into my pockets and stared down at her.
“What. The. Fuck. Pres.”
“Move to the left, sugar,” I said.
“Why?”
I leaned and fell forward.
Tinsley screamed and jumped out of the way as I slammed into the water.
Yeah, this wasn’t really my thing, but screw it. There was enough tension and bad shit to go around for everyone to have seconds and thirds. Plus, I was just a little while away from fighting my own father. The sun was beginning to set. There wasn’t much daylight left. Then I’d cruise up to the ditch and handle some really personal business.
So what was the big deal of a little swim… with all my clothes on…
I put my feet down to the bottom and pushed myself up.
I stood up out of the water and felt my clothes clinging to my skin and weighing about fifty pounds each.
Tinsley looked more surprised than pissed.
She jumped toward me and I reached for her. I pulled her across the water and picked her up so she was eye level with me.
Her dark hair dripped with water and her lips tasted sweet with a touch of chlorine.
She wrapped her arms around my neck and her legs around my body.
I walked backward through the pool, eyes locked to hers.
“Since when does Pres jump into a pool with his clothes on?” she whispered.
“Since he fucking felt like it, sugar,” I said. “Is that a problem?”
“Not at all.”
We kissed again.
And again.
And again…
I lowered us down into the water. Right to our chins.
With each passing minute of kissing, it started to get darker out.
It was the time when I felt most alive.
At night. With Tinsley.
“Hey, sugar,” I said in between kisses. “I made you wet. Really wet.”
“Tough guy,” she said.
“I bet if I touched somewhere else…”
“Stop,” Tinsley said. “Don’t ruin this.”
“Ruin what?”
“This. This is fun. This is… like forget about everything else happening.”
“That’s why I did it,” I said. “Forget everything.”
Tinsley bumped her forehead to mine. “I hate this stuff. That it’s still going on.”
“What did you expect?” I asked. “This isn’t a book. It’s not like you get to the last chapter and it’s all over. It’s life. But at least we’re doing something about it.”
“Fighting your father?” she asked.
“Fixing things that are wrong,” I said.
“And I can’t be there?”
“No, sugar. I don’t want you to see anything.”
“But you’ll come here when it’s over?”
“Yes. I’ll be here. I promise.”
“And when you get here…” Tinsley licked her bottom lip. “We can swim again… right?”
“I’m sure we can do that,” I said. “Just a swim?”
“Is it ever just a swim with you, Pres?”
“Never,” I whispered.
Our lips gently touched.
“Holy fuck, Pres is swimming.”
I turned my head and saw Barr and Kip standing outside the pool.
Barr smoking. Kip in his classic sleeveless shirt.
“She pushed you in?” Barr asked.
“Tried drowning him,” Tinsley said. “Couldn’t bring myself to do it. I’d miss him too much.”
“You’d miss something, girl,” Kip said. “But… you never had the rest. Yet.”
“Never,” Pres said.
Kip jumped forward and tucked his knees, slamming into the water.
“Ah, fuck it,” Barr said. He flicked his cigarette into the air and dove forward into the pool.
Now it was the Rulz with Tinsley. All of us clothed. In a pool.
But Tinsley was in my arms.
Where she belonged.
“What are we talking about?” Barr asked.
“Tonight,” I said.
“Worried?” Barr asked.
“I am,” Tinsley said.
“No need, love,” Barr said. “Worst case, we all jump in.”
“No,” I growled. “You two do not step in on this. Ever.”
“Hey, is that a flower in the water?” Kip asked.
“Yeah,” Tinsley said. “Pres deflowered me…”
“Oh, don’t start that again, girl,” Kip said. “Do we need to go through that…”
Tinsley cheek’s turned red.
I chuckled. I pulled Tinsley tighter.
It was fucking amazing how everything played out with the four of us.
“So nobody is going to tell me what the flower is about?” Kip asked.
“Do I tell him the truth?” Tinsley asked me.
She winked so Kip didn’t see.
Barr saw.
He grinned.
I nodded. “Fuck. If you think you should.”
Tinsley turned, putting her feet on the bottom of the pool, but she didn’t move away from me. I held her against my body, my hands playfully moving under the water, feeling her clothes stuck to her skin.
“Before Claire lived here,” Tinsley said. “Did you know the people who lived here?”
“Shit,” Barr said. “Yeah. You’re talking about Kerri.”
Tinsley nodded.
“Who’s that?” Kip asked.
“You don’t remember Kerri?” I asked him.
Kip lifted his eyebrow. “What does that have to do with the rose in the pool?”
“Man, you’ve been hit in the head too many times,” Barr said. “She died here.”
“In the pool,” Tinsley said. “Drowned. She fell and hit her head and couldn’t move. She was in the water, staring up. Watching the sun hit the water.”
“Can’t imagine going like that,” I said.
“The rose thing came from her mother,” Barr said.
“Her mother?” Kip asked.
“Yeah,” Tinsley said. “Her mother blamed herself for not paying attention more. So each day for a month straight, her mother would put a white rose in the pool. And she’d cry.”
“She thought about killing herself,” Barr said.
“But she sold the house instead,” I said.
“Which made sense,” Tinsley said. “But Kerri missed her mother.”
“White rose…,” Barr said.
Kip looked at the
rose. “What does that mean?”
“I didn’t put the rose there, man,” Barr said. “Neither did Pres or Tinsley.”
“Get the fuck out of here,” Kip said.
“Happens all the time,” Tinsley said. “I’ll come out and there will be a rose floating in the water. I used to clean them up but stopped. Usually by the next morning it’s gone.”
“If I was getting Tinsley flowers it wouldn’t be one fucking rose,” I said.
Kip looked around at all of us. Then he turned and moved toward the white rose.
I looked at Barr and nodded.
Barr grinned and snuck up on Kip.
He grabbed Kip by the shoulders and screamed, “Don’t touch my rose!”
Kip lunged for the side of the pool and jumped out faster than I’d ever seen in my life. He was out of the pool and running toward the house as the rest of us laughed.
When he finally turned around and realized what was happening, he looked pissed.
“Fuck you,” he said. He pointed at Tinsley. “And you, girl. What the hell?”
Tinsley kissed her hand and blew it at Kip.
He swatted at the air. “No way.”
“That was pretty sad, man,” Barr said as he walked to the steps and climbed out of the water.
“That was a good story,” Kip said. “You should write it down. Sell it. Fuck.”
“Someone is afraid of ghosts, huh?” Tinsley called out.
Barr dug a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and squeezed the water out of them. “Shit. I ruined my cigarettes.”
“Moron,” Kip said.
“I need to get some before the fight,” Barr said.
And just like that, everything came rushing back.
Tinsley put her head back to my chest. She turned her head and I looked down at her. She frowned.
I nodded.
It was time to settle this for good.
Chapter 10
The words really hadn’t sunk into me yet. And for good reason. I didn’t want to be distracted by the words and what they meant. Because they were so far out of the norm. But that’s how my entire life was.
I’m fighting my father.
I stood at the top of the ditch and looked down at him.
He stood in suit pants, fancy shoes, and a white t-shirt that was tucked in. If there was one good thing I could say about my father it was that he kept himself in great shape. His arms were aged but they were cut with muscle. The death stare in his eyes was probably the same he gave when sitting at a table negotiating a deal. He had the capability to go from rotten asshole to a soothing person in a second.
PRES: a bay falls high novel Page 8