Bekah

The next few weeks flew by and before I knew it we were at the doctor’s office getting Zack’s cast removed. Zack could hardly contain himself as we waited for our turn. I knew he was excited and I understood why. I didn’t know what I would do if I had been stuck in a wheelchair as long as he had.

After the doctor’s office we went home…and for the first time in five months we had sex. And Jesus fucking Christ it was probably the best sex we had ever have and if not the best then probably in the top three. We could have had sex sooner probably but I was so nervous about doing any damage to his leg so we never did no matter how bad we wanted to. So, instead once he got his cast off to make up for it we had lots and lots of mind blowing sex. We had you’re-no-longer-in-a-wheelchair sex, you’re-home-from-tour sex, this-has-been-the-longest-five-months-of-my-life sex, I-love-you sex, I-love-you-too sex, how-much-sex-is-too-much-sex sex, there’s-no-such-thing-as-too-much-sex sex…the list went on and on and on. God, I missed sex, I was so glad I was able to have it with Zack again.

Eventually, Zack and I pulled ourselves away from each other and went back to work. Zack had been doing an exceptional job managing Vengeance University at home but I knew he was excited to get back to work. I don’t know why he didn’t go back sooner. Okay, yes, I did; I knew it was because he didn’t want to go out and about in his wheelchair much. I guess he didn’t want anyone to pity him or something but it didn’t matter anymore because he was officially back on two legs!

And so, we worked, and worked, and worked and then we worked some more. It was like every kid with an internet connection ordered something from VU all at once. It was great. Zack and I were happy that VU was so popular, he had worked so hard on it, but fuck we were so tired.

When we weren’t working, eating, sleeping or having sex we were being social and going out to parties, barbeques, and spending time at the beach. Zack has started to try and teach me how to surf and by teaching I mean he shows off and laughs at me every time I crash and burn. Slowly, our life began to go back to normal. Well, as normal as Zack and I ever had. For the first time in such a long time I was happy with life! I was in love with someone who loved me as much as I loved him, I had amazing friends and family, I had a very handsome godson. Life was good. It was great.

“Hey, Bekah,” I heard from behind me at the Vengeance University warehouse. “Can you help me out for a second?”

I turn and recognize Nick standing next to a box with a clipboard. “What’s up?” I smile at him as I approach.

“Hey, I’m just having a hard time figuring this out. This shirt is supposed to be shipping out with this girl’s other stuff but I can’t find it in any of the boxes,” he explains.

I take a glance at his forms and then reply. “Okay, just leave a copy of her order and information on Zack’s desk and I’ll email her and let her know a part of her order is on back order and we’ll throw in some stickers or something for the inconvenience.”

“Okay, so do you want me to go ahead and ship the rest of her items out or…” he lets his question trail off as I hand the clipboard back to him.

“Yeah, yeah. Ship the rest of it out, definitely. We want her to get her stuff as soon as possible, so no need to hold the rest of it for a few weeks until the shirts come in.” I smile.

“Okay, great.” Nick grins back before he lightly touches my arm. I give him a nod before turning away from him and going back to what I was doing before.

Nick was one of the first and very few people I hired while Zack was on tour. We had some people quit and Zack told me to take charge and fill their spots in his absence and so I did. Finding employees for a company like this was difficult. You wanted someone who loved the apparel and had respect for the designers. Zack being in a popular band complicated things even more. I knew I had to be careful not to hire someone who would take advantage of the job to fangirl/fanboy over the boss. Sure, being a fan of the boss is great until you become a nuisance.

None of my hired were that, I made sure of it. I spent days and days deliberating until I came across the perfect three. I hired Nick, Jasmine and Tito with complete confidence and for good reason too - they haven’t let me down once.

“Who is that?” Zack asked, breaking me from my thoughts.

“You scared me, ass.” I gasp, clutching my chest, hoping my heart didn’t jump free from my body. “How was your meeting?” I pecked him lightly on the lips.

“Fine,” he mumbled. “Who is that?”

I follow his gaze. “Oh,” I say once I realize he’s looking at Nick. “He’s one of the guys I hired, remember? I told you about him. Have you not met him? He’s an amazing worker, I’m sure you’ll be impressed.” I smile, confident that I did my job well in Zack’s absence.

“I don’t like him.” Zack tells me. I frown.

“Why not?” I asked. I know Nick and the other two were exceptional workers. Zack had no reason to not like them. “He might have just been really nervous meeting you, baby. You can be real intimidating sometimes, you know.”

Zack shrugged. “I just think you could have done better, Beks. I think you could have found someone better.”

I scoffed. “Boy, that meeting has you in a sour mood.”

“It’s not the meeting. I just think you hired wrong.” Zack rolled his eyes.

I stared at him for a long moment wondering if he was serious or not and then decided not to argue with him, not here anyways. “I’m going home.” I grabbed the paperwork I had been working on and then grabbed my purse. “Make sure you’re in a less pissy mood before you come home,” I demand before walking off. Nick is exiting the copy room and stops me on my way out.

“Here’s that copy, Bekah.” He smiles.

I forcefully return the smile and take the papers into my hand. “Thanks Nick. Hey, I’m taking the rest of the day off so if any more orders need to be backordered just send me a text, okay?”

“Okay,” Nick says. “Have a great day.”

“You too,” I tell him before walking off and to my car.

---

Zack didn’t come home until after six o’clock that evening. I had decided not to continue theargument when he arrived. I wasn’t sure why Zack didn’t like Nick but I knew Nick would prove Zack wrong. He was an excellent employee. Zack was just having a bad day; he must have gotten bad news at the meeting or something, that’s all. Once Zack got home he would explain what was wrong and we would work through it.

I heard Zack's car pull up followed by its door closing the chirp of the cars alarm being set. I shifted on the couch as I heard him unlock and open the front door. The automated voice of the houses security system spoke to him as he unarmed the system and then walked into the living room where I sat. We avoided each other’s gaze but I watched him out of the corner of my eye as he put away his keys and laid a stack of papers down on the coffee table. Neither of us spoke to one another as he walked out of the living room and into the kitchen, I heard him crack open a beer once he emerged. After a long drink and another few seconds, he broke the silence.

“I fired Nick,” he said simply.

My eyes short towards him and I realized he was already staring at me. He didn’t look angry but instead he remained relaxed. “Why? I asked him. It was clear by my tone that I was surprised, angered.

“He wasn’t right for the company,” Zack told me taking another mouthful of beer.

“How? I worked with him, I know he has a great work ethic. I know he hasn’t made any mistakes and if he has it hasn’t been anything major. I mean, he’s not perfect but he’s a great worker.”

Zack shrugged. “Well, I disagree.”

“But why?” I press. I didn’t understand. I didn’t hire him on a whim, I did my research.
Zack rolled his eyes. “Why does it even matter, Rebekah?” I wince at the use of my full name.

“Don’t call me that.” I mumble. He knows I hate it, that’s what Jake called me when I was in trouble with him. And I was always in trouble with him. I hated my full first name.

Zack either didn’t hear me or chose to ignore me. “He’s just a new hire,” he continues. “I came back and decided I didn’t like him. It’s not a big deal, so just fucking drop it.”

“I will not!” I exclaim, standing from the couch. “I worked hard to find the perfect people to hire, Zack! I did my research and background checks. Nick is perfect for the job and as far as I’m aware he has done great. So, if you don’t like him, fine, whatever, but at least give me a good fucking reason!” I wasn’t sure why I was so angry at Zack's decision to let Nick go. I guess it was because I knew Zack was in the wrong and I did a good job hiring. I worked my ass off to find people like Nick. He was going to give me a reason why what I did and who I hired was wrong.

“He can’t keep his fucking eyes off you, or his hands, apparently. Maybe you fucking enjoyed the attention while I was gone on tour, fine whatever, I’ll allow it because I get women throwing themselves at me all the time, it gets lonely I understand but…”

This is why he fired nick? Because he thought I was – what? – cheating on him? Was he fucking serious? “Are you fucking serious?” And did he just say he let women throw themselves at him because he gets lonely on tour? Did he really just try to justify me “cheating” on him with him cheating? Was he fucking serious? “Are you fucking serious?” I repeated.

Zack must have been in the middle of saying something because he snapped his mouth closed and then opened it again. I wasn’t ready to allow him to speak. I wasn’t ready to hear his reasoning. “I haven’t even flirted with another guy since I’ve started dating you, Zack! You seriously think I’ve been entertaining someone else while you were off on tour? Are you fucking serious? I love you; I want to be with you. I would follow you on tour before I cheated on you because I was lonely and now you’re telling me you entertain females on tour because you’re lonely? After all we’ve fucking been though?”

Tears began to sting my eyes and I knew I should listen to his side of the story, let him explain but I couldn’t. What is he told me something I didn’t want to know? “You should stay somewhere else tonight,” I tell him, breaking my gaze and staring at the wall. I don’t mean it. I don’t want him to leave. I want him to stay, to explain what he said wasn’t true and he didn’t enjoy the company of other women in the three months he was gone. But I was scared. What if he had cheated? Would I stay with him? Would I leave? Where would I go?

“Beks,” Zack whispered, reaching for me. I step out of his reach and glue my eyes to the floor.

“Please go,” I choke out. “I don’t want you here.” The words are in the air before I can stop them and I want him to stay. I want him to refuse to leave but after a few silent moments he nods and turns to leave.

“I’ll be at Matts,” he tells me as he opens the door. He hesitates for a moment, before walking out, closing the door behind him. I collapse on the couch. The tears don’t come immediately but when they do they refuse to stop.

I’m still crying an hour later when I decide to go to bed. My stomach rumbled with hunger even though I have no appetite. Once in bed I lay there for what feels like hours. Twenty-four hours ago, Zack and I were fine. So how did this happen? Eventually I fall asleep.

---

I’m awoken sometime later by extra weight in the bed. I smile, happy that Zack has decided to come home to me despite my pleas for him to leave.

Zack wraps his arm around my waist. My back is to him and feel him gently kiss my shoulder. I don’t say anything and neither does he. I assume he thinks I’m sleeping and I decided to leave it at that for now; we could talk more in the morning.

I begin to doze off before I feel Zack begin to run his hand against my thigh and towards my butt. “Stop,” I mumble pushing his hand away.

He responds by finding my hip with his hand and pushing his hand upwards, beneath my shirt. His hand finds my bare breast and he squeezes it roughly. “Zack, seriously!” I groan shoving his hand away once again.

Zack grips my wrist and flips me onto my back. Moonlight peeking through the curtains shine onto Zack’s face as he mounts me.

Except it’s not Zack that’s in bed with me. “Jake,” I whisper.

Notes

Ohhh shit. What the fuck is going on?

Thank you so much for reading! Feedback is appreciated!
Thank you, Cheyenne16 and kaylakakes for commenting on the last chapter.

Title credit: Halsey "Hurricane"