Pull Me In

“Brian, I swear to god if you tickle me I will cut your balls off” Jimmy threatened, he had been picking on me the entire time we were together. I always knew he was joking, which is why I had leapt over the table to tickle him.
“Then stop throwing your trash on me, I'm not your trash can” I said puffing out my chest slightly, even if I was more built than him, he was definitely taller.
“Isn't your boyfriend going to wonder where you are? It's almost ten” Jimmy frowned and set down his phone. I didn't want to go home, I couldn't bear to look Zack in the face.
“No, I don't really want to go home” I pushed my food around on my plate slowly, my inner demons were screaming at me to go home.
“What did he do to you?” Jimmy said as he pushed himself away from the table roughly, his gaze focused solely on me.
“He didn't do anything, it's just, he's been very distant lately” my phone had rung over fifty times while Jimmy and I ate, I was too afraid to answer it and hear his voice.
“You just need to talk to him, lack of communication is what causes most relationships to fail” Jimmy had a look of “you know I'm right”.
“I guess, can you drive me home?” I would have to face my fears when we arrived, Zack would most likely throw me into the basement for a few days, I had to learn to obey him.

The drive back to Zack's house was quiet, the radio playing softly in the background as streetlights passed us slowly. Would Matt still be there when we arrived? Or had he left when he had gotten what he wanted from Zack?

“Don't be a stranger anymore and call, okay?” Jimmy had parked outside of the house and turned to face me. His expression wary as I stared at the dark house, not a single light on.
“I will, thanks for today Jimbo, I had a great time” I smiled weakly and stepped out of the car, Jimmy kept his eyes on me the entire time.

He didn't drive away until I was inside and the living room light was turned on. I picked up Pinkly and walked up to the bedroom, things were thrown around, the lamp on his bedside table was smashed on the floor. What happened when I left? I stepped further into the room and froze when I heard soft murmuring coming from the bathroom.

“Zack?” I spoke softly, I was too afraid to bring my voice above a whisper.
“Leave, you don't deserve to see me” Zack's voice cracked on the last word, my heart tore in two.
“What happened? The bedrooms a mess” I walked into the bathroom and turned the light on.

The sight I was met with would haunt me for a lifetime, Zack was curled up in the bathtub, his body littered with bruises of many sizes. Blood was covering his legs, chest, and arms. I was too afraid to look and find out if he had been cut, or if the blood had come from something else. Both mirrors were smashed, glass was strewn across the floor, as if Matt had made sure Zack wouldn't be able to run for help. Ichabod was whining outside of the tub, pawing at the air to get Zack to leave. His clothes were ripped apart on the floor, one of his handguns laid on top of the small pile.

“He got upset that you left, I should've just let him use the gun” Zack whispered softly, his eyes rimmed red as tears spilled down his cheeks, I hadn't noticed the black eye that was forming on his cheek.
“What did he do to you?” I asked, walking over to him slowly.
“He had his way with me, god there was so much blood, I'm surprised I didn't pass out from blood loss” Zack covered himself and sniffled.

I covered my mouth in shock, Matt had raped him?!

“Zack you need to get to a hospital, this could be serious” I grabbed his arms and pulled him up slowly, he screamed out in pain as he slumped against my body.
“I can't go! He'll find out and hurt me even more, I can't go Brian, please don't make me go” Zack was frantically pulling himself away from me, his eyes wide with panic.
“Zack, is there something you haven't told me about him?” I asked, watching Zack as he wrapped himself in one of the large towels, the blood staining the white cotton.

He dropped his gaze and frowned deeply, I was about to drop the subject before he looked up at me suddenly, his expression full of pain, and hatred.

“Him and Johnny use to take turns tag teaming me, I used to be a worker at that same brothel, they would tie me to the bed so I was face down and just do what they pleased” Zack's eyes darkened, fear raced through my veins, who could do that to someone? And then I remembered the pain that Zack put me through.
“I would pass out multiple times, only to wake up to them laughing and beating me some more, it was my personal hell, until Johnny offered me a job” Why would he agree to take a job from his abuser?
“He promised me good money, and a place to live, as long as I did all the dirty work for him” He stopped and chuckled softly, I noticed a cut in his lip as he smiled, a small line of blood leading down to his chin.
“Except I became more well known than him, and he didn't like that at all, I was the best mobster in the state, and he hated me for it. So he had a hit put out on me, except I was smarter than he gave me credit for, the man was dead within a minute, and by the next day he was dropped off on Johnny's doorstep” My heart was racing in my chest as I listened to Zack's story, he was a fucking mobster? How had I not noticed any of the signs? Hell he was ashamed to be seen with me as it was.
“Matt and him learned very quickly after that not to fuck with me, I hired the best men I could afford and trained them, I have men overseas for when I need a client taken out and I don't want to risk being caught, none of my men have ever been arrested or caught” Zack smirked and stepped closer to where I stood.
“And you, oh I remember the first time Matt told me about you, he was so proud of how scared he made you feel, how powerful he felt over you” Zack had pinned me against the sink, his eyes boring into mine.
“He used to feel the same way about me, so I decided to check you out myself, and god you made me feel so amazing, better than anyone else I've ever met before, but you had to be so fucking innocent, so fucking perfect” Zack growled and gripped his hands in my shirt roughly, I braced myself for what was to come.
“Except you pulled me in, I fell in love with you, and I didn't want that. So that's why I was so cold to you, why I tried to hate you, I couldn't get hurt like that again. I thought you had left for good, I knew you were too good to be true, I just didn't want to live with myself anymore” I glanced down at the shattered mirror and winced, had Zack destroyed more than Matt?

He placed his hands gently on my chest, his knuckles were covered in cuts and blood, I could hardly read the tattoos that were across his knuckles anymore.

“I thought you were sleeping with him behind my back, I couldn't bear to listen to you sound so pleasured from him” I held my hands over his and frowned, it was a horrible thought to remember.
“He had a gun to my head, he didn't want the neighbors getting suspicious and calling the police, although they did come when they heard my tantrum” Zack said gently laying his head against my chest.
“I should've come home sooner, I just assumed the worst, and left” I traced my fingers along his back and smiled as he shivered, he was always so sensitive.

Zack shook his head and frowned, I couldn't leave him again if this was going to be the outcome, I would just have to lie to Jimmy about the truth is all.

“Yes, now let's get you showered and get some sleep, okay?” I said looking into Zack's eyes, they softened suddenly. A soft sigh leaving his lips.
“Fine” Zack mumbled and kissed me gently.

I kissed back and smiled, it was time to pick up the pieces.