Chapter 26 Nash
nash
My flesh and blood only wanted to tear me down and keep me there. I didn’t know if I should be angry or cry, but I knew this was the last straw. My father would never hold control over me or my wife again.
“Nash.” Iris’s soft voice pulled me from my internal struggle.
I looked at her beautiful eyes, hating the distrust I saw in them, put there by me. If I had only gotten my head out of my ass sooner, we could have skipped all of this and maybe she would have trusted me to do this with her.
“I’m not leaving you,” she said firmly.
“Iris, give me the deed, darling.” My father walked towards us.
“She will not be giving you the deed,” I said, standing in front of her. “You need to pay her the price of that land because that land was never included with the farm.”
“That is a part of the land, we have documentation that says those acres belong to the land,” Brooks said, stepping towards us. “The entire farm should be almost five hundred acres, and it’s not because we don’t have the deed for the ninety-nine acres she has.”
“That’s funny because I just had a surveyor measure Iris’ land and I had it appraised. That land is a hundred percent Iris’s, left to her by her Uncle Archie,” I said.
“How do you know that?” Iris grabbed my arm.
“I spoke with a few people regarding the estate,” I said to her. “Apparently when your grandparents died, they left half of the farm to each of the boys, but Archie sold some of the farm back to your—”
“Seriously, Nash?” Brooks laughed. “You expect us to believe that?”
“Yeah, I hoped my brother would believe me,” I said, attempting to keep my voice even, but even I heard the hurt in my voice. “But I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, you never really cared about anything except making your life easier.”
“Fuck you, Nash. You don’t know the shit I have had to put up with,” he snapped, stepping closer to me. “I made your life and everyone else’s easier, while I had to work hard.”
“Keep telling yourself that, Brooks, if it helps you sleep at night,” I said, stepping forward when I felt a small hand around my forearm hold me back. “I don’t need you to believe me, I have proof that land is Iris’s.”
“Bullshit,” Brooks growled. “This sounds like one of your many attempts at trying to sabotage Father.”
I laughed. “When have I ever sabotaged him? I have wanted nothing but to get away from him, but he always finds ways to keep me under his thumb, but not anymore. I’m tired of hoping one day he would be proud of me or treat me like a son and not some pawn he could control.
I was so close to being out on my own and he had one of his police buddies book me for a DWI because he couldn’t stand me being out on my own.
Father loves control and I wish you would see that. ”
“You wouldn’t even know how to be out on your own. You will always need me, Nash,” my father laughed. “I did you a fucking favor.”
“A favor? A favor?! You ruined everything!” I yelled, seeing Iris flinch out of the corner of my eye. “I had brand deals, I was on my way to the championships, I was doing so fucking good before you ruined everything.”
“You would have failed like—”
“Father, please tell me that’s not true,” Brooks interrupted our father.
“Brooks, you know your brother. All he does is cause trouble.”
“So, you gave him a DWI?” Brooks scowled. “He mentioned he had his suspicions it was you, but I dismissed him because I didn’t think you would do that to your own child. I defended you.”
“Brooks, it was bound to happen.” My father rolled his eyes. “Now give me that damn deed, Iris.”
“Iris get in the car and go home,” I said, ignoring my father, nodding at Beau who was already walking towards us with his bag.
“Nash, not without you,” she said, holding onto my forearm.
“I’ll be right behind you,” I said, pushing her towards the driver’s seat.
“No, get into the car with us—”
“That deed belongs to us, do not make me call the police,” my father snarled, grabbing my arm.
I turned around immediately. “Call them, Father, not even they can help you out this time.” I yanked my arm out of his grasp.
“Brooks, call the cops,” my father ordered.
“Nash, maybe we—”
“No, he will buy that land from you or someone else will,” I said, ignoring the arguing happening between my brother and father. “That land is yours. Archie gave it to you when he passed, and it has nothing to do with the farm.”
I helped Iris into the truck as Beau shut his door.
“Nash, I don’t want to leave you,” she said again, panic in her voice. “I don’t trust your father.”
“I don’t want to leave you either,” Beau said. “Get in the car, please.”
“Dad!” Brooks yelled.
“Leave before he does—”
The sound of a gun clicking made me freeze.
“The deed, Iris.” My father’s voice was steady with no room for discussion.
“Don’t give it to him, Iris,” I said, as Iris’ eyes grew wide. “He’s bluffing.”
“Dad, what the hell are you doing?” Brooks yelled.
“We need that deed or the entire Yarbrough empire we’ve worked so hard on doesn’t survive.” My father sounded desperate. “So, hand that deed over, Iris, so I don’t have to shoot your husband.”
“You mean your son, you fucking psycho,” Iris said, getting out of the car.
“Iris get back into the car,” I snapped.
“Iris,” Beau yelled.
“And risk you getting shot?” Iris shook her head.
“Give it to me, Iris,” Brooks said.
I looked over my shoulder in disbelief. After everything, he was still going to help my father.
“Listen to Brooks, Iris,” my father said.
I clenched my jaw in anger, willing to get shot to make sure the deed wouldn’t get into his hands, but Iris was too close.
“I can’t believe you would help him when he just told you what kind of man he is,” Iris said, handing over the deed to Brooks. “I really thought you were a better man but one day karma will catch up to you, I hope we get to see it.”
Iris grabbed my hand, pulling me away.
“Nash, you will stay here,” my father commanded.
“No, he is coming home with me, Asshole,” Iris stated, with no room for argument.
“I think you forgot—”
“Oh, I didn’t. My husband is coming home with me, where he belongs,” she said.
“Oh, now he is your husband” my father laughed. “We will have papers drawn—”
The sound of paper ripping shut my father up.
“Iris, please forward me your realtor’s information,” Brooks said, ripping the deed up even more. “I’d like to purchase the piece of land if you’re willing to sell it and keep the farm.”
“Excuse me?!” My father yelled. “The farm is ours!”
Brooks scoffed. “No, the farm is mine and if I remember correctly, we did it that way so the IRS couldn’t touch it.
You were going to use this money to get you out of debt and you know what, I’m so fucking sick of this bullshit with you.
Every fucking day, I have to see you make more and more idiotic choices.
I’m done. You dig yourself out of this whole mess but leave your sons out of this shady business you’ve got going. ”
Iris and I stood still, in shock. The gun was still in my father’s hand, not pointed at anyone, but that could change.
“Nash, would you give me a lift into town? My car is at the hotel,” Brooks asked, like he didn’t have a care in the world.
“Uh, yeah,” I said, eyeing my father warily who was focused on the deed that was torn up on the floor.
“I think it’s too late to drive back home,” Iris said. “Beau, are you up for driving home?”
“Whatever you guys want,” he said, taking his phone out of his pocket, scowling.
“We could make it to Amarillo,” I suggested.
“Ok, that’s fine, I'll text you where we end up at,” she said, getting into the truck as Beau walked around getting in too. “Go on, get in your truck.”
I chuckled, shaking my head. “Ok, Petal.” I opened the door, grabbing her by the neck and kissing the hell out of her.
It was a gamble that she might not want to, but I needed it. I was almost sure that my father wouldn’t have shot me, but I don’t think my body had gotten over the adrenaline rush. Our tongues brushed together, a dance we had done a hundred times, and now never seemed enough.
“I’ll see you guys soon,” I said against her lips.
“Ok,” she said breathlessly.
I glanced over her shoulder to see Beau still distracted by his phone. Things had been so crazy I hadn’t had time to say much to him. I closed Iris’s door, walking around to Beau’s side, opening his door; he startled, his green eyes going wide before they settled on me.
“Hey,” I said, stepping up on the running board.
“Hey, you ok?” he asked, looking confused.
“Are you ok?” I cupped his face.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” he said, his voice unsteady.
I studied him for a few seconds, wondering what had happened.
“Ok, I’ll see you soon, ok,” I said, pulling him in for a kiss that I wanted to deepen, but he pulled away too soon.
Beau blushed as I stepped back, closing his door. I smirked, loving the look on him.
“Seriously, Nash?” Brooks shook his head as I walked to my truck.
“Don’t judge,” I said, feeling my father’s eyes on me.
We got into the truck silently, both of us wary of our father, wondering if he was going to do anything. Only once Iris had backed out and we followed her out of the long driveway did I feel the anxiety leave my body.
“I’m sorry,” Brooks whispered. “I don’t know why I had always hoped he…he was a better man.”
“Well, now you know he isn’t,” I said, wanting to say more but didn’t know how to say it.
“I think I’ve always known,” he sighed. “I just always had this insane need to make him proud of me and—”
“Have him say he was proud of you or at least acknowledge it,” I finished his sentence.
“You get it,” he said, running a hand down his face.
“I do, but I never got it. I craved his acceptance and just one time for him to tell me he was proud of me,” I said, shaking my head.
“It was like, no matter what I did, it was never good enough, so I stopped trying. I became what they hated. What was the point of trying? Even when I was good, I got yelled at.”
“I know my words mean nothing,” Brooks said, as I turned into the parking lot of the hotel. “I probably would hate you if the roles were reversed, but I am sorry that I didn’t see it sooner or let myself see it.”
I nodded. “I can’t say I forgive you yet. You let him do a lot of shit to this family even if you think you were doing right by us.”
I stopped behind his truck.
“I know. If Iris is ok with it, I’d like to keep the farm and purchase the land, I think I need to work on a few things,” he said, looking thoughtful. “There’s a lot of mending I need to do, and I think I need to go back to my roots.”
“I’ll let you know what she says,” I said, clapping his shoulder.
“You called her Petal,” he said softly.
I clenched my jaw hating that I called her that in front of them.
“Papa used to call Mimi that,” he said. “That’s pretty romantic.”
“Don’t,” I said sharply.
“I take it, you took my advice?” He sounded too damn smug.
“She’s not what I expected,” I clipped. “Are you happy now?”
“Are we not going to talk about him?” Brooks smirked. “Is he your boyfriend too?”
“I don’t know, things are complicated between us, but if I’m being honest, I want all of us together,” I said.
“All of you?” Brooks' eyes widened.
“Yes, all of us,” I said, enjoying Brooks attempting to comprehend what I was telling him.
“You mean Iris is with him too?” He attempted to not sound shocked.
“Yeah, things kind of just happened. Iris and I found Beau attractive, we all slept together, the sex was amazing and we’ve been in this situation-ship for a little over a month,” I said, feeling good about finally talking about it. “I want them both and I know it’s not normal and—”
“Love has no rhyme or reason,” Brooks said. “If it feels right, then who cares what anyone else says? If you’re happy, then that’s all that matters, Nash. You deserve happiness.”
I clenched my jaw, not prepared for his words. This felt like a do-over for us and I was glad that this might be a new beginning. Now all I needed was my wife and the handsome man who had enraptured us both.