A Rose Amongst Thorns

Chapter Seventeen

"Good evening Master." Oat greeted Master Tanawat with a glass of bourbon on a silver tray.

"Evening Oat. Thank you. Is he here?"

"Yes sir. He's in your study." Master Tanawat sighed deeply and handed his briefcase to Oat. "Is he drunk?"

"I don't believe so sir. He has only asked for one drink...thus far."

"Good. Be sure to serve him nothing else. If he asks, send him to me Oat. Understood?"

"Yes sir."

Master Tanawat entered his study, walked past his son and seated himself behind his desk. The room was well appointed in dark oak and grandiose dark leather furniture. Antiques inhabited every corner and the artwork was priceless.

"So, you've returned. I believe our agreement was for you stay in New York and run the American arm of our operation. Was it not? And take your feet off that table. It's a priceless antique."

"That was your  plan. I never agreed to it."

"I didn't need you to agree. You ceded the privilege to make your own decisions when you attacked that boy in his flower shop. When are you going to man up and stop acting like a beast? It's bad enough you like boys. Must you act like a deviant in public."

"Ah, I see. You aren't upset at my actions you're upset that people saw the scion of the Tanawat empire publicly declare his love for another man. So honorable father."

"Shut your mouth. How dare you speak to me with such disrespect? Do you know what it took to get that taken care of? I spent political capital I didn't want to and now I owe favors I don't want to owe. I don't care where you put your dick but you will damn well act like a human being. I don't know where you get such behavior."

Mike laughed loudly and lit another clove cigarette.

"Really? You have no idea? Where's my mother? That's right, you beat her to within an inch of her life and she escaped the first chance she got. Once she was gone, you turned your hand to me. You're laughable."

Master Tanawat roared at his son, bounding from his chair to tower over his son. He closed his fist and landed a solid punch on Mike's face causing the cigarette to fly from his mouth and blood to spill from his split lip.

"You shut your goddamned mouth about your mother! Were it not for the burden of having you she would still be here. You were a mistake when you were conceived and you should never have born. You've been nothing but trouble since the moment you took your first breath."

Mike's mouth twisted in anger as he licked the blood from his lips.

"That's right Master Tanawat. Maybe I am a mistake that needs to be remedied, but I'm YOUR mistake, and I will NEVER let you forget it. I am not leaving. I love Arthit and I will get him back or kill us both trying."

He stood, shoving his father out of the way storming out of the study. Master Tanawat picked up a book from the coffee table and threw it across the room shattering a vase in the process. Oat rushed into the room to see what the disturbance was.

"Is everything alright Master Tanawat?"

"Clean that mess up and have the car brought around. I need to meet someone."

"Yes sir."

"Hello?"

"Is this Kongpob Suthiluck?"

"Yes. Who is this?"

"Sir I'm calling from Bangkok Hospital in Chiang Mai. A Ms. Achara Nattapol has been admitted. There's been an accident and you were listed as her next of kin."