UNLoved: a bay falls high novel, page 17
When we did, his motorcycle was gone.
“Fuck,” he whispered.
“Who would do this?” I asked.
It was kind of shocking.
Someone stealing from Pres? Whoever it was, was going to get their ass kicked. No, that wouldn’t be good enough. Remember, the first time I saw Pres, he was trying to drown someone in the ocean.
Pres looked up and down the road. He slowly shook his head. “Nobody knows about this place.”
“Obviously someone does,” I said.
He looked at me, pissed off.
I heard a horn honking and turned my head and did a double take.
There was a SUV coming up the road now.
Window down.
A familiar face and set of blue eyes looking at us.
Kip was smiling ear to ear, beeping the horn like a fool.
He cut across the road and stopped.
He leaned out of the SUV and looked at Pres, then at me.
“Need a ride?” he asked.
“How did you…”
I let the question trail off.
The smile on Kip’s face told me everything.
“Where’s Barr?” Pres asked in a cold voice.
“I think he went for a ride,” Kip said.
Pres shook his head. “That’s the game you want to play right now?”
“Me?” Kip asked. “Don’t look at me, brother. I’m here to save your ass. Well, mostly Ti’s ass. Hers is much nicer than yours.”
My jaw slowly dropped.
Brother? Kip saying Pres has a nice ass? Barr playing a joke on Pres?
My head started to swirl again.
It was like they wanted to show a different side of themselves to me.
Like they weren’t complete and total bad ass dickheads all the time. That they could let loose for a second and mess around with each other. As friends. True friends.
“Barr stole Pres’s motorcycle?” I asked.
“Appears that way, girl,” Kip said. “And last time I checked it’s a long damn walk home.”
“Come on, sugar,” Pres said as he put his hand to my back.
“This is crazy,” I said.
“You’ll see crazy soon enough when I get my hands on Barr,” Pres said.
He led the way to the SUV and opened the back door for me.
When I climbed in I didn’t expect him to follow me. I figured he would sit in the front seat next to Kip.
“Move over, sugar,” he whispered. “I’m not done with you yet.”
I swallowed hard and inched across the seat to make room for Pres.
When I went a little too far, he put a hand to my leg and stopped me.
He wanted to be extra close to me.
My teeth chattered for a few seconds as I tried to catch my breath.
Kip looked in the mirror at me, that wicked bad boy grin on his face.
“Let’s go find Barr,” Kip said.
Pres moved his hand to my inner thigh on my bare leg.
I sucked in a breath.
Pres stared at me. “Hey, Kip… take the long way home…”
seventeen
Kip drove fast.
Pres kept his hand on my inner thigh. He flirted in a way that was really unfair. Because I wasn’t only falling for it, I wanted it. I didn’t give a shit about their bet. I just wanted to feel… relief.
In more than one way too.
When I looked up at Pres, his eyes stared down at me with intention.
So I stared forward.
I put my hands to the seat and felt my grip going tighter as Pres decided to flirt more by inching up. His fingertips had no issue with cutting under my shorts. Reaching an area that was meant to be covered for good reason.
I tried to take a slow breath.
But that was impossible to do.
I turned my head to the right and looked out the window. The sight of everything whipping by so fast made my eyes hurt and my stomach feel sick.
So I had to stare forward again.
Pres’s fingertips brushed along the thin line of my panties. The only piece of clothing left that kept him from actually touching me.
I told myself I was fine. Staying calm. Not giving anything away.
Except my lower back started to arch as my body decided to have a mind of its own. Wanting Pres to touch me. Wanting Pres to give me the allusive sense of relief I was desperate for.
My cheeks warmed up as his fingertips began to move along the edge of my panties.
Kip quickly hit the brakes on the SUV, sending us forward.
I thought for sure that meant Pres was going to end up inside me. That thought alone made my cheeks burn hotter.
Instead, Pres took his hand away and reached for the seat to keep from crashing into it.
Kip then turned his head. “Sorry. Thought I saw a bear.”
“A bear?” I asked.
“Fucking asshole,” Pres said in a deep voice.
My heart picked up more speed.
They were really messing with each other.
All for me.
Because of me.
To get to me.
“Just fucking drive, Kip,” Pres said.
“You probably should sit over there, girl,” Kip said, nodding to the seat behind the passenger seat. “Safer there.”
A car behind us beeped.
“You’re in the middle of the road,” I said.
“Exactly,” Kip said. “I won’t risk your life, Tinsley. I couldn’t sleep knowing something bad happened to you.”
The car beeped again.
Kip looked at Pres and winked.
I let out a sighing scoff kind of sound and slid across the backseat.
Pres just stared forward, stoic and pissed off.
The car behind us beeped and kept beeping until they made a dangerous move and cut into the oncoming lane and sped off.
“I hope he threw you the finger,” I said to Kip.
Kip laughed and looked back at me one more time. “I bet you like getting the finger, huh?”
I turned my head.
I was on fire.
Angry.
But not the kind of anger where you wanted to fight someone.
This was a whole new anger.
It was a… turned on anger.
I was so fucking turned on.
By all of them.
I could picture in my head Barr smoking a cigarette, speeding around on Pres’s motorcycle, knowing he was messing up Pres’s chance with me. And then Kip just casually showing up to save us. And knowing the exact moment when to slam on the brakes to make sure Pres didn’t go too far.
And Pres… he was just himself.
Not to mention the more human side of him showing really did something to me. Knowing he wasn’t just rich and perfect. That there was something else there too.
The ride back to Claire’s was in silence.
Kip parked the SUV sideways just outside the black gates of the driveway.
“Home sweet home,” Kip said.
“Where’s my fucking ride?” Pres asked.
He opened the door and got out.
Kip and I did the same and there was no hint of Pres’s motorcycle or Barr anywhere.
Of course my mind went worst case.
Thinking Barr got into an accident and got hurt.
That was put to bed when we all heard the distant cry of the motorcycle.
It grew louder and then Barr appeared… but only for a second.
He was flying down the road and went by in a blue blur.
Pres walked right out into the street and stood there.
“Oh, shit,” Kip said as he inched toward me.
“You’re an asshole, Kip,” I said.
“Wasn’t my idea, girl. I think Barr got a little nervous. Worried about you seeing the other side of Pres.”
“What for? You think I’m going to choose one of you? You’re going to be my boyfriend or something?”
Kip laughed.
And didn’t say anything else.
Barr turned around somewhere up the road and came speeding back.
Pres had no intention of moving out of the way.
I watched as the funniness of everything was stripped away in a second.
Barr sped toward Pres. Pres refused to move.
“Move!” I called out.
Pres didn’t listen.
I looked at Barr and yelled, “Slow down!” even though I knew he couldn’t hear me.
I ended up grabbing Kip’s hand, thinking the other two were going to end up killing each other.
At what felt like the last second, Barr slowed and turned the motorcycle. It skidded sideways and he spun around one full time before stopping completely.
Barr climbed off the motorcycle and took the helmet off, tossing it to Pres.
Pres caught it and dropped it.
Then he lunged at Barr.
“Ohmygod,” I said as Pres punched Barr right in the jaw.
Barr swung back, clipping Pres’s cheek.
They then got tangled up, pushing at each other, trying to win the fight.
“Stop it,” I said to Kip. “Make them stop.”
“I bet if you lift your shirt they will,” he said.
“Fucking asshole,” I said and broke away from Kip.
I ran out in the street but stopped.
What the hell was I going to do?
They were huge. Strong. And angry.
“You know what?” I called out. “Fuck you both. All three of you actually. I hope you kill each other.”
I walked from the street toward the gates.
They made a click sound and started to slowly open.
I had to get out of the way.
When I saw the approaching car, I looked over my shoulder and realized something.
I needed the Rulz to protect me.
* * *
I ran to Kip and he quickly put his arm around me.
“Look, they’re fine now,” he said.
Barr was lighting up a cigarette. He took a drag and rubbed his chin.
Pres walked his motorcycle from the middle of the road.
I slipped to get in front of Kip.
“Trying to hide?” he asked. “Or rubbing on me?”
“The car that’s coming…”
The car had to maneuver around Kip’s SUV.
Which it did.
I made the mistake of looking.
When I did, the man behind the wheel looked right at me.
Again.
And it was the same feeling as always.
This strange, creepy feeling.
He stared right at me, slowing down to get a good look at me.
“Who the fuck is that?” Kip asked.
“I don’t know, Kip.”
Kip looked back at Pres and Barr and nodded.
They forgot all about their fight and came rushing to my aid.
The three of them blocked me.
I could see between them as the car started to speed up.
The man behind the wheel must have realized who Pres, Barr, and Kip were.
“What the hell was that about, love?” Barr asked me.
“I don’t know who that man is,” I said. “But he scares the hell out of me.”
“He knows Claire?” Pres asked.
“He works for her I guess,” I said. “That’s what she told me. He’s never said anything to me though. I’ve never actually met him either. But when he sees me…”
“He slows down like that?” Barr asked.
“Yeah. He slows down and stares at me. It freaks me out.”
“We’ve got you, sugar,” Pres said.
“You sure?” I asked. “You two were ready to kill each other a minute ago.”
“That was for fun,” Barr said.
“Always for fun,” Kip said with a wink.
“You’re all jerks,” I said.
“You hear that, Barr?” Pres asked. “She called you a jerk.”
“You too, Pres,” Barr said.
“And me,” Kip said. “That’s a lot of jerks.”
I backed away and shook my head.
They went from cool friends to douchebag rich boys in the blink of an eye.
“Fuck off,” I said to all three.
I walked away and walked up the driveway by myself.
I knew damn well they were following me too but I didn’t care. And I sure as hell didn’t look back either.
I had a point to prove.
And I did so by folding my arms, staring forward, and focusing on the house.
Just as I was about to get to the steps, Kip made a daring move with his SUV and cut me off.
He had the window down, showing me that Barr was in the passenger seat.
The back window slowly went down and Pres was sitting there.
“You left without a goodbye kiss, girl,” Kip said.
“Very funny,” I said.
“We’re not laughing, sugar,” Pres said.
“I guess you’ll have to figure that out for yourselves then,” I said.
I sidestepped and Kip inched forward.
“Seriously, love,” Barr said as he leaned over Kip. “That guy in the car…”
“What about?” I asked.
“You really don’t know who he is?” Kip asked.
“I swear on my life I don’t,” I said.
“Answer truthfully,” Pres said.
“I just did.”
“No, not to that. To this… when you asked Claire about him, did she seem off at all?”
“What kind of question is that?” I asked. “I don’t know how Claire acted. I’m the one on edge around her most of the time. I’m crashing at her house.”
They all nodded.
“We never want you to feel the way you just did,” Kip said. “You were scared, girl.”
“I scared myself,” I said.
“Something about that guy bothers you though, love,” Barr said.
“Yeah? Your point?”
“We’ll make sure that doesn’t happen again,” Pres said.
“Oh yeah? How? Are you going sit outside the house and my bedroom window?”
“Something like that, girl,” Kip said.
He winked at me and started to drive away.
And he didn’t stop.
I laughed to myself.
So much for waiting and protecting me, huh?
* * *
“You know, Ti, if you were any more distant you’d need a life raft to get home,” Iris said to me.
I was caught staring at my feet in the pool water.
Watching the water ripple and seeing how different my feet looked in the water.
Yet my mind was out to sea.
“She’s in love,” Gi said.
That got my attention. “Love?”
“I’m kidding,” Gi said, showing her hands. “Whoa.”
“Sorry,” I said.
“Don’t be,” Iris said. “If she’s acting like a bitch, tell her.”
Iris winked at me and nudged the bottle she brought toward me. It was fruity with a burn that went from your throat to your stomach.
It was good.
The only flaw it had was that no matter how much of it I drank it didn’t chase away the Rulz.
How stupid of me to waste a perfectly good night with friends thinking about those assholes. The thing was… each one had a certain something that just made me hooked. I loved that Barr had a secret world of music. Watching him play piano and seeing the way people reacted to him… he could do something with that. He could play shows. Or clubs. Or something.
And then with Kip.
Seeing him even more loose and flirty and funny. Surfing like he was competing. Oozing a sexy confidence. Taking me to his favorite and secret place. Even when he pulled me on top of him and was being goofy, it was still so hot. He was comfortable. Inviting. Warm. And the way his eyes looked at me. Gi wanted to talk about love… I couldn’t help but seriously think that Kip loved me.
And Pres.
Oh, damn you, Pres. Damn. You. To. Hell.
“Hey, say something,” Iris said. “You look like you’re going to pass out.”
“Too many thoughts,” I said. “And this isn’t helping.” I waved the bottle at Iris before taking another sip.
“Let’s go down to the ocean,” Gi said. “Run through the water and the sand. Maybe the sound of the ocean will help.”
“Fuck that," Iris said. “The ocean sound?”
“I don’t know,” Gi said. She started to laugh.
I looked at Iris.
We both nodded.
Gina.
I pulled my feet out of the water and stood up.
The ground and the world started to move a little but I kept my balance.
“I want to know about them,” I said.
“Who?” Iris asked.
“The Rulz,” I said, wiggling my fingers. “Give me it all.”
“Like what?” Gi asked.
“Where did they come from? When did they become the Rulz?”
“I don’t remember,” Iris said. “They just did what they wanted. All the time. I could remember Kip beating someone up in fourth grade.”
“Always in trouble,” Gi said. “One time, Barr was sent away. Remember that, Iris?”
“Yeah I do,” Iris said. “That was a big deal.”
“Sent away where?” I asked.
“A place called Brooks Crest,” Gi said. “That’s where really bad kids are sent. Scary place.”
“You never want to go there,” Iris said.
“Why did Barr come back?” I asked.
They both shrugged their shoulders. “He just did. And it was right around then that they were called the Rulz. They didn’t make up the name either. Everyone else did. Just because of how they were. Who they were.”
I shook my head. “I don’t get it.”
“You don’t have to,” Gi said. “They back up everything with action. You’ve seen it.”
“Why are we talking about this?” Iris asked. “It’s simple, Ti. You’re either going to fuck with them or not. Everything they’re doing right now is to get your pants off. So whatever they are saying or doing isn’t real. It’s a game to them. A joke. And trust me, if you decide to not do one of them, they’ll move on. So fucking fast too.”
I swallowed hard and looked at Gi.
She nodded. “Iris is right.”
“Shit,” I said.
I walked away from the pool, hugging myself.
