Chapter Twenty-Four

Zach

The next morning, Zach was up early. He managed to get out of bed on his own, without too much trouble.

Now he wanted to take a shower, but first he needed to take those bandages off, which was not so easy, considering they were on his back and he couldn’t reach them. He heard a knock on his bedroom door.

“I’m in the bathroom,” he shouted.

Ethan strolled in. “Morning,” he said, with a sleepy voice. “You’re up already.”

“Yeah, couldn’t sleep anymore. This sleeping on my stomach is not really comfortable. I’m more of a side and back sleeper.” Zach looked at Ethan. “Did you need me for something?”

“No.” Ethan yawned. “I just wanted to check on you. See if you’re alright. Which you are, I see.”

“Well, now that you’re here, could you get these bandages off for me? I want to take a shower.”

“Do you think that’s wise? Aren’t your wounds still open?”

“I have a feeling that they are a lot better today. It still hurts, and I still can’t lie on my back, but they feel a lot less tight than before.”

“I’ll have a look,” Ethan said.

Zach turned around to show Ethan his back. Ethan pulled everything off and was surprised to see that the wounds were almost closed. They were still raw and fiery red, but they were almost healed.

“Wow, Zach, you are right. It looks a lot better. I wish you could see it in the mirror.”

Zach turned to see for himself in the mirror; from a certain angle, he could see a little part, and he was also surprised when he saw how well it looked. “Well, I’ll take that shower now.”

He smiled. “Then we’ll have breakfast and after that, we’ll be on our way home. What do you think?”

“Sounds good to me.” Ethan laughed. “We can’t keep my pretty lady waiting for me for too long, now can we.” Ethan gave Zach a wink and stepped out of the bathroom.

“I’ll get breakfast ready. Don’t take too much time under that shower!” he called from the bedroom.

The shower did Zach some good; he felt refreshed when he got out. With the great breakfast Ethan made for him, he felt like one lucky bastard.

Zach was thinking about the reason for his happiness for the whole ride home. When the compound came into sight, he sighed.

“It may just be for one night that we’ve been gone, but I’m so very happy to be home,” he told Ethan.

“I know you’re the happiest here. I am too.” Ethan gave Zach an understanding look. “No place is better than home.”

When Zach stepped out of his car, he was still stiff because of his back. When he looked up, he saw Adrian and Jackson walking over together.

“Hey, man,” Adrian gave him a hug. “I heard you were confined to your bed, so I decided to come over to see how you were doing.”

“When I got here and they told me that you weren’t here, I thought I’d help our little brother out with managing all the things he took over from you.”

“It’s good to see you, brother. Thanks for coming. I don’t know what they told you”—his gaze went to Jackson—“but there were some highly important issues that I had to take care of.”

“And those couldn’t wait until you were fully healed?” Adrian raised an eyebrow, giving him a stern look.

“No, they couldn’t wait. The life of Mr. Saunders was at stake. How long are you staying? Now that you’re here, I would like to discuss some issues with you.”

“I can stay as long as you need me.”

“Alright, then we’ll discuss it later. I think I need to rest now.”

“Not so fast.” Jackson broke into the conversation. He stepped right in front of Zachary. “You really went. You really went against my advice and just went off.” Jackson was pissed, his arms crossed in front of his chest.

“Brother, it’s good to see you too.” Zach smiled and wanted to give him a pat on the back, but Jackson stepped away from him.

“No! Don’t do that!” Jackson was furious. “You promised to not treat me like a child anymore, and here you are, just doing what you want. You don’t consider what others think and how others feel!”

“Jackson.” Zach took a step closer to him, held Jackson by his upper arms, and looked at him.

“I am alright. I had Ethan with me for protection. You know, you don’t have to worry about me. For your information, my back is almost healed. It still hurts, but all the cuts are almost closed.”

“Still, you didn’t even think about my feelings, I am your brother!” Jackson pointed a finger at Zach, right in front of his face.

His face was red with anger. “I am your brother! Your actual brother. Not just a part of the family you’re the boss of!”

Zach held his hands up to ward Jackson off. “Please, I understand you were worried. I understand you feel like I didn’t take your feelings into account, but I had no other option, Jackson.

“The problems aren’t solved yet, but at least Mr. Saunders is safe now. I—”

“I don’t want to hear it anymore!” Jackson dared to interrupt Zach. “I am sick and tired of all your crap!

“I thought you really gave me the chance to show that I can be responsible, but when it came down to it, you still don’t trust me. You still treat me as a little kid!”

Zach was getting pissed. He knew he couldn’t do good for everyone and, with being responsible for a lot of people, you couldn’t keep everyone happy at the same time, but Jackson was taking it too far right now.

Looked like Jackson’s puberty wasn’t over yet. “I don’t have to listen to your little tantrum here. Go to my office, and we’ll continue this conversation there. I don’t want to have this dispute in front of everyone here!”

“No, Zach! I am your brother. You don’t get to order me around like that!” He folded his arms in front of his chest again, not scared of his brother.

“Jackson! Office! Now! I won’t ask again!” Now Zach was furious, his patience gone. His brother just disrespected him, the boss, in front of the family!

Jackson turned around and walked away with long strides.

“What was that about?” Adrian raised his eyebrows, looking a little taken aback. He had taken a step back when he noticed Jackson had a bone to pick with Zach. Now he watched Jackson leave.

“Little brother wants to be treated like an adult but doesn’t realize how much responsibility I have. He doesn’t understand that I am not just a brother to him, I am also the boss.

“If things don’t go as he wants them to go, he reacts with tantrums. Not very mature.”

Once in his office, he saw Jackson sitting in one of the chairs, his arms folded in front of his chest. His eyes could light a fire. Zach stood next to his desk, bending over it for support, facing Jackson.

He pointed a reprimanding finger at Jackson. “Jackson, now you have to listen to me very carefully! I’m not going to repeat this! I am not only your brother, but I am also a businessman and the boss on top of that.

“I am responsible, not only for you and me, but also for the people that live here and the employees that work for me.

“Mr. Saunders is the only guy that makes sure that you and I and all the rest of the people here have food on the table. I pay him to make money for me.

“Now whether you like it or not, I deem the person that makes sure that my future is safe especially important to me.

“If that means that I must put my own safety and my health at risk to keep that man safe, I’ll do it, without a doubt.”

Jackson looked down at his feet, a bit embarrassed, but still a bit angry as well.

Zach continued, a bit gentler. “I know you were concerned. I know you care for me, and I deeply appreciate that. But sometimes I must give up my own health and safety to protect that of others.

“That’s just part of being a boss. You don’t have to agree with that, but I hope one day you will understand.”

Jackson drooped a little, and his head lowered even more.

Zach turned around and sat on the corner of his desk. “Now, for your reaction in front of everyone just now. That has to stop.

“Seriously, I don’t take that behavior from anyone in this family, so I suggest you watch your mouth next time. I won’t always be as nice as I was just now.

“If you want to be treated like an adult, I suggest you lose the tantrums and act like one.”

Jackson nodded.

“Now leave, I need to rest.”