"I have nothing to lose anymore. I want revenge with every fibre of my being."
"Okay then, I'll text you an address and the time. Don't be late. And practice before then. Do some warm ups and stretch. No guarantees yet, but you already know the type of assets I manage, and what may be required of you even on your first day. So be prepared. And don't tell anyone where you're going."
"If I didn't know better, I would say you were setting me up to be kidnapped and sold off." Zachary said with a chuckle.
Jay used to be his cell mate and they had bonded. They swapped stories, though it was mostly Jay doing the talking since he had more life experiences. He was a decade older than Zachary who was 28 now, soon to be 29. It was during this time that he had found out that Jay was only in Jail to cover up for a bust gone wrong. He had been promised a promotion and several perks for his family if he agreed to stay a year in jail despite being innocent, which he had agreed to.
He had connections to the top Mafia family in the country, so he was safe in prison, and since he was trusted, Zac was also safe in prison. Even after Jay left, no one tried to harm Zac, because they knew he was under the protection of the Kings, the Mafia family Jay worked for. Zachary knew that asking for a job meant he was also going to be initiated into the Kings Mafia, but he didn't care. All he needed was money and power, and this was the fastest way to achieve that. For both his old self and his new life.
He found his way back to Thomas and Hannah's house after that.
"Oh my God! Zac! What happened to you?" Hannah said as Thomas opened the door when Zac knocked.
"You're in really bad shape. I fucking warned you, man. I knew this wouldn't end well." Thomas said as he walked with Zac to the guest room.
"I'm fine. Just a little shaken up. I should have listened to you. I'm sorry.
"How did this even happen? In the video from the wedding that we saw, you beat up the guards then they carried you out. Justin said he wouldn't send you to jail. I assumed that meant he would let you go. Obviously he didn't mean you would leave in one piece." Hannah said as she got the first aid box and set it beside Zac.
"Justin just said all that for the camera's sake. I got beat up after I was taken away from the wedding. He told me himself that he planned it all. He even told me why. Apparently, he was sleeping with Gaby even while we were dating. She was pregnant for him even when I proposed to her. I didn't even know she gave birth, because you both didn't tell me. Setting his wedding on my release day was his doing as well. He must have been keeping track of me while I was locked up. Maybe he would have even killed me if I hadn't made a strong alliance in jail that kept me safe. He has always hated me, even when I thought we were best friends." Zachary said and then winced as Hannah began to clean his wounds.
She cleaned his bruised face and cut lip, then Thomas did his chest and back. He had bruises around his ribs and she guessed that he must have been kicked several times.
"Nothing seems to be broken, else you would be in much more pain. I guess you're lucky in that aspect." She said when they were done.
"I learned how to take a punch in prison." Zac chuckled.
"I thought you said you were safe because you made an alliance. How did you get beat up then?"
"Training. Being protected doesn't mean I wouldn't train myself. It kept me busy." He replied.
"Now you need to rest. I'll give you some meds for the pain, so you'll feel better when you wake up."
It was dark when Zac woke up several hours later, and he met Thomas and Hannah watching television together.
"Zac, you're awake." Hannah said as they both stood and walked to him.
"You shouldn't be moving around, go back to bed."
"I need something to drink." Zac said gruffly as he walked to the kitchen to rummage through the drawers.
He felt much better after the nap, and was glad they had insisted on putting him to bed.
"I'll get you a glass of water if you're thirsty, just sit." Thomas said as he moved towards Zac.
"No, not water. Something strong." Zac said as he continued searching.
"It's not advisable to drink when you're supposed to take pain meds. I was just waiting for you to wake up so I can be sure about the medication I'll administer. What part of you hurts? And how bad is the pain?" Hannah asked.
"Everything hurts, but I don't need the pain medication."
"It will help you feel better, give you relief."
"I don't want to feel better, I want to feel the pain, it's easier to deal with. Where do you keep the damn alcohol? I need a drink before I lose my mind. Don't worry, this pain is bearable. If it gets worse, I'll inform you and take whatever meds you choose." Zac huffed in frustration.
"There's no alcohol in the house. Tommy got hooked for a while, and had to go to rehab. After that, we stopped buying alcohol."
He ran his hands through his hair and took a deep breath.
"Look man, I know this isn't easy for you and I understand…"
"No, you don't, you can't possibly understand, Thomas."
"Maybe, but I know what it feels like to be at a low point in life. Drinking will not solve your problem, Zac. It will make it even worse, trust me, I know. I don't want to watch you throw your life away instead of trying to build it back up. It's so easy to get addicted at times like these, but you must fight it. If you become an addict of whatever, alcohol, or drugs, then Justin has truly won." Thomas said.
"I hear you."Zac said as he turned towards the door.
"Where are you going?" Thomas asked.
"I'm going to get a drink." Zac said.
"You don't even have any money on you, Zac, and I'm not going to give you money to drink. Be more reasonable."
"I don't need your money. I grew up in the streets, remember? I'll be fine. Don't worry, I won't come home drunk. But staying here feels suffocating. I need some air. You're just going to have to trust me not to drink past my limit."
Zac was actually going to meet Jay but he didn't want them to know that he was getting himself involved with a mafia member that he had met while in prison. If he told them where he was going, they would try to dissuade him from going.
Nothing and no one would stop him from getting his revenge.