CHAPTER 14
Kyle
“Hey Uncle Pres.”
“You know I hate when you call me that.”
Gabe lifts his head from his coloring and stares Preston down. “Sorry Uncle Penis.”
I laugh because Gabe’s funny as shit. Where the hell does he come up with this stuff?
“Listen kid, I’m not your uncle.”
“Dad said you are brothers.” Gabe’s not backing down.
“Like brothers.”
Gabe looks over at me with a can you believe this guy look. “Penis is cranky today Dad.”
I burst out laughing as Preston scowls at me. I’ve been spending the day with him, my first alone day. Surprisingly it’s gone smooth and I haven’t been as nervous as I thought. Sophie called me this morning in a bind having to be at the Inn with her Mom trying to power through getting it ready for the grand opening this weekend.
“Hey, can you keep an eye on him for a minute? I have to run out to my car and get my protein powder.”
“Sure, do I need to do anything? Change his diaper?”
I give him an are you kidding me look.
“I got it, take your time.”
When I get back inside a few minutes later, Gabe and Preston are in the middle of an epic stare down. Christ, what now? Preston notices me and intensifies his stare.
“Remember our deal.”
“I’m a man of my word.” Gabe replies like he’s a 50-year-old mob boss and now I want to know what the fuck just happened.
“Care to fill me in?”
“Nothing to see. Nothing to report. I’m actually going to head out because I have a meeting. A meeting you should be at because it’s with two high profile endorsement companies.”
“Can you picture him in the meeting calling everyone shit heads? I have faith in you my man.”
I really don’t but what else can I say. I’ve been thinking harder and harder about our relationship. Both work and personal. The snide comments he makes towards Sophie whether to her face or behind her back do not fly with me. I can find anyone to run my career, I just need to think on it and figure out if I’m being too sensitive. He’s been my best friend forever and if I fire him it’d do some serious damage to that.
“You know where I stand on the matter. I’ll call you later with good news hopefully.”
“No doubt.”
“Don’t forget, you need to be in Vegas in a couple weeks. Get your head in the game. Once you get on that plane you leave all of this behind for the fight.”
“What the hell’s wrong with you? Yeah, I’m gonna go back to Vegas and live the life I had before all of this. Bang bitches and party hard until I pass out.” I roll my eyes and sweep my arm towards Gabe.
“Why the fuck not? You had no problem with your life before. You know the saying, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” He finishes his little monologue off with a wink.
“Just get out of here Pres.” I don’t mention that I asked Sophie last night to come with me to Vegas, both her and Gabe. It’ll only set him off and I’m not sure if they’ll come. I want them there but she didn’t sound too excited about it.
He salutes me and leaves my house. That’s it. I need to find another manager and hope that our friendship can withstand it. I’ve known him since I was a kid, he’s the only person that’s been around me that long that’s not my family. Hopefully without the added pressure of managing my fighting career, he’ll be able to take a breather and see that my life has changed. Drastically. I have a son now and he has to come to terms with that. I make up my mind to do it right after my fight. No need to stir stuff up when I need to be focusing on defending my title, not finding a new manager.
My phone rings and I look down and see Sophie’s name flashing on the screen. A smile forms on my lips as I answer.
“Hey babe, are you almost done? Me and Gabe were thinking of bringing you dinner.”
She takes a deep breath so I know its bad. “Don’t be mad.”
“Depends what you say.”
“You know how crazy its been lately. Hiding Gabe when we’re out. Barely going out because we need to hide.”
“Yeah…”
“So… I did a thing.”
“Did a thing?” I repeat as my heart rate picks up at the possibility.
“I contacted a charity and gave them five million dollars.”
“Why Sophie, do you have a sugar Daddy I don’t know about?” I chuckle.
“No but I may have sold a picture of the three of us to a tabloid and sent all the money to charity.”
“YOU WHAT? I thought you were kidding when you mentioned it the other night!”
“You said you wouldn’t get mad.”
“No, I didn’t! Shit Soph, this is stuff you need to talk out with me before you do it.”
“Technically I did…there’s more.”
“Christ. Hit me.” What else could she possibly tell me? I thought she was joking the other night when she brought up releasing a picture of us to the press. She’s shown no interest in the spotlight so this is all catching me off guard.
“We’re giving an interview.”
“Son of a… Sophie, Maggie’s going to annihilate me.”
“I don’t care, I’ll talk to her. I can’t keep living this way Ky. Gabe can’t keep living this way. I figured once it’s out there, people will leave us alone, we’ll become yesterday’s news.”
“It might not work that way.” I pinch the bridge of my nose in frustration. She has no idea what she just did.
“But there’s a chance it will. You asked me last night to go to Vegas with you. A whole two weeks in your world.”
“I’m aware, I was there.”
“Don’t be a jackass. I figured the pressure would be ten times worse so I needed to do something.”
“Are you saying you’re coming to Vegas?”
“I’m saying I’m leaning in that direction. But I have stipulations.”
“We’ll talk about them later. I need to call Maggie and warn her. She’ll want to fly out and be here for the interview as a buffer in case it goes bad.”
“Then get on it sugar Daddy! I’ll be there soon! Give Gabe a kiss for me.”
I hang up and sigh. Maggie is not going to be happy.
***
As expected Maggie was completely bullshit. But she also did what she does best and pushed the interview off for a bit. She figured the exposure with my upcoming fight wouldn’t hurt, so we’re doing it while we’re in Vegas now.
I pull my sunglasses down and stare at the tabloid that has a candid family picture of me, Soph and Gabe. We’re all smiling and we look… happy.
Damn. I’m happier than I’ve been in a long ass time and I don’t know how I made it five years without Sophie at my side. I’m a dumb ass for not realizing it sooner.
My eyes find another tabloid with a different picture on the cover and it has me seeing red. Who the fuck sent that picture? Sophie says she gave one!
I pull out my phone and quickly dial her number.
“Hey, are you almost home?”
If I weren’t so pissed I’d revel in the fact that she calls my house home.
“You said you only released one picture to the press, right?”
“Hi, I’m fine and how are you? Of course, it was just the one picture.”
“Then someone hacked my phone. I’m looking at four different tabloids right now and three of them are pictures from my phone and I can say with 100% assurance that I didn’t send them in.”
“I know you didn’t. You were pissed when I released my picture a week ago!”
“I need to call around and get them all pulled. I’ll be home as soon as I deal with this babe.”
“See you soon.” She whispers before hanging up.
After buying the chocolate chip cookies I know my boy loves, I head to my car and make some phone calls.
“You’re sure?”
“Yes Mr. Cage. We spoke with him the other day.”
“Thanks for your time.” I hang up and pound my steering wheel. Now he’s gone too far.
After a quick text I run by Z’s house and grab him because if someone’s not there to intervene Preston may die.
“Hey man, what’s going on?” He looks at me and whistles. “Uh oh, someone’s in a mood.”
“Preston.” I growl then explain the whole sordid details of what transpired.
“Fuck man, we always knew he was a dumb ass. Okay so why am I going to this confrontation?”
“I need you to make sure I don’t do something stupid.”
“I can handle that, although I wouldn’t mind if you got a few hits in on him.”
“Fuck, I knew I should have went with Josh.” I laugh.
“I’m kidding. I won’t let you do anything that’ll ruin your fight in a few weeks.”
Ten minutes later, we pull up in front of Z’s gym and I see Preston’s rental car already idling at the curb. I planned this all out in my head. We’d go inside, talk like civilized adults and get down to the issue at hand. Then we’d part ways as gentleman and never see each other again.
What I didn’t count on was the overwhelming rage I felt when I saw the pompous ass get out of his car. Also didn’t think the betrayal would hit me as hard as it did. Nor did I think I’d fly out of my car in record time and have him pinned by his throat up against his car.
“Why the fuck did you do it?”
“What are you talking about?” Preston’s scared and I revel in it. He looks over towards a now approaching Zander for help and it makes me laugh.
“Why did you steal those pictures on my phone?” I squeeze his throat a little tighter as his breaths come out in choked gasps. Zander steps in and pulls me off of him pulling me backwards.
“Let’s go inside out of the view of prying eyes gentleman.”
Shit, I look around and thankfully see no paps around. How could I be so reckless? Then I laugh thinking about my choice of words.
Preston straightens out his suit coat and walks in the gym.
“What’s so funny?”
“I was thinking I was being reckless.”
“I knew it was a matter of time before you started telling Dad jokes. Although the way you got your name was fucked up, you earned that shit.”
“You go crazy in your first fight and people dub you Reckless.” I shrug my shoulders.
“Crazy? You practically ripped that guys arm from its socket.” He pats me on the shoulder as we enter the building. “Hey, keep a level head.” I nod my head and take a deep breath.
Preston’s checking his neck in the mirrors that run along one wall. “Fuck man, that’s going to leave a mark.”
“I’ll leave more than that I promise you.” I growl like a man possessed.
“Okay, it looks like I’m playing mediator. Preston, did you leak pictures from Ky’s phone to the press?”
“Leak no. I sent them myself and we got paid for it.”
“We?” I growl again.
“Yes man, we! That bitch can release a picture of your brat but I do it for money, big money I want to add, and you try to kill me!”
I lunge at him but Zander grabs me.
“Where the hell is the so-called money?” Zander asks.
“It’s already in his account. After I signed the contract they deposited it… I took my share of course.”
“Of course. Is that all it’s about Pres, the money? And call Sophie a bitch one more time and you won’t be able to walk again!”
“She’s going to ruin your career man. I’m just looking out for your best interest.”
“You mean your best interest. As long as there’s money involved for you it’s in my best interest.”
“You never had a problem before. It’s your family, they’re brainwashing you. I knew this would fucking happen if I wasn’t here with you!”
“You’re fired. Pack your shit, go back to Vegas and get your shit out of my place.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“He’s deadly serious Preston, and I’m going to personally reach out to my connections and make sure you don’t work another day as a manager.”
“You can’t do that!”
“Are you sure about that Pres? He’s Hitman, he knows a lot of fucking people.” I smile.
Preston storms towards the door.
“Hey Pres, I want all the money from those pictures in my account, every last cent. Otherwise I’ll go to the magazines you sold them to and tell them you forged my signature.”
His face goes red but he keeps his mouth shut and leaves the gym.
I don’t know what to do with myself so I start pacing. Back and forth over the length of the gym more times than I can count.
“Come on man, I’ve got some clothes in the back. You need to work out your aggression and what better way than an extra workout?”
“Fuck, you’re right. Let’s do it.”
I shoot off a quick text to Soph letting her know I’ll be a little while longer and that I’ll explain everything later.
“Hey, I know all that just went down but if you need help with managing just let me know. I know the ins and outs of the business better than anyone.”
“I might take you up on that, I’ll never be able to trust someone again. Christ, he’s been my best friend since the sandbox. How did I not see it?”
“Because you were just like him, sorry to say it. That little stint with the prostitute is just what you needed so you could come home and find yourself again. I’m proud of you man.”
“Thanks, even if I feel like a dumb ass. Hey, I’m sorry if I ever made you less than proud of me. I’m sure there were many times… just know I’m sorry.”
“Water under the bridge, now give me 100 pushups K baby.”
Ugh.