As I walked back to my halfway house, I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. The dinner at Alex's house had been a welcome distraction, but my mind kept wandering back to my younger brother, Liam, and the crime he had committed. I had thought that I had finally put the past behind me, but it seemed that it was still lingering, waiting to pounce on me when I least expected it.
Suddenly, a car screeched to a halt beside me, and the door swung open. A group of rough-looking men jumped out, surrounding me and forcing me inside the car. I tried to struggle, but they were too strong, and I was quickly overpowered. One of them grabbed my arms, twisting them behind my back, while another covered my mouth with a cloth, muffling my cries for help.
I was trapped, and a sense of panic set in as the car sped away from the curb. The men didn't say a word, their faces hidden behind masks or hoodies. They just kept me pinned down, their grip like a vice. I was at their mercy, and I knew I had to stay calm if I wanted to survive.
The car wound through the streets, taking me deeper into the city. I lost track of time, my mind racing with worst-case scenarios. Where were they taking me? What did they want? Was this some kind of kidnapping? Were they going to hurt me?
As the car turned off the main road and onto a dirt path, I knew that we were leaving the city behind. The buildings around us grew more rundown, the streets increasingly narrow. This was a part of town that I didn't know, and I had a feeling that I wasn't meant to be here.
The car finally stopped in front of a dilapidated house, its windows boarded up, the door covered in graffiti. The men dragged me out, still keeping me pinned down, and pushed me towards the entrance. I stumbled, my eyes adjusting slowly to the darkness.
As we stepped inside, I was hit with the smell of smoke, sweat, and something else - something acrid. The air was thick with tension, and I could feel the weight of eyes upon me. I knew that I was in a place where I didn't belong, a place where the rules of the outside world didn't apply.
The men led me through a maze of dark corridors, the only light coming from flickering candles and dim bulbs. We finally stopped in front of a door, adorned with symbols and markings that made my skin crawl. I knew that this was no ordinary house, no ordinary gang.
One of the men knocked three times, and a low voice growled from the other side, "Enter." The door creaked open, revealing a dimly lit room filled with smoke and the stench of stale air. A figure sat on a throne-like chair, shrouded in shadows.
The men pushed me forward, and I stumbled, my eyes adjusting slowly to the darkness. As I looked up, my heart sank. The figure on the chair was my younger brother, Liam, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of triumph and malice.
"Jackson," he said, his voice dripping with condescension. "Long time no see. I see you're still as gullible as ever."
I tried to speak, but my voice caught in my throat. Liam's presence was like a punch to the gut, bringing back all the memories I'd tried to suppress. I thought about the years I'd spent in prison, the sacrifices I'd made for him, and the pain he'd caused me.
Liam chuckled, a cold, mirthless sound. "I see you're still loyal, still willing to take the fall for me. But let me tell you something, Jackson. Those days are over. You're not in prison anymore, and you're not bound to me by loyalty or duty. You're free to make your own choices."
I swallowed hard, trying to process what Liam was saying. What did he want from me? Why had he brought me here?
Liam leaned forward, his eyes glinting with a sinister light. "I want you to work for me, Jackson. I want you to use your skills, your experience, to help me expand my... business ventures."
I felt a wave of revulsion wash over me. Work for Liam? After everything he'd put me through? No way. I thought about all the times he'd used me, all the times he'd manipulated me. I thought about the years I'd lost, the opportunities I'd missed.
But Liam just smiled, his eyes never leaving mine. "You don't have a choice, Jackson. You owe me. And I always collect my debts."
I knew then that I was in grave danger. Liam had me right where he wanted me, and I had no idea how to escape. I thought about Detective James, about Alex and his family. I thought about all the people who seems to be coming into my life lately.
As Liam's words hung in the air, I felt a surge of anger and frustration course through my veins. I had sacrificed so much for him, spent years in prison for his mistakes, and yet he was still continuing down this path, still involving me in his illicit activities.
"How dare you, Liam?" I spat, my voice trembling with rage. "How dare you ask me to work for you after everything I've done for you? You're still doing the same thing, still involved in the same old crowd. What about all the promises you made to me, all the promises you made to mom and dad? What about all the sacrifices I made for you? Did you ever stop to think about how I felt, how I suffered, while you were out here living your life, making your deals, and breaking your promises?"
Liam's expression didn't change, but I could see a flicker of annoyance in his eyes. His men, however, didn't take kindly to my outburst. They stepped forward, their fists clenched, ready to pounce on me.
"Shut up, you," one of them growled, raising his hand to strike me. "You don't talk to the boss like that."
But Liam held up a hand, his voice calm and authoritative. "Let him be. He's just going through a lot of emotions right now. He's been through a lot, and he's entitled to his feelings."
The men hesitated, then backed off, their faces still twisted with anger. I glared at Liam, my chest heaving with emotion.
"You're still doing it, Liam," I accused, my voice shaking with anger. "You're still using me, still manipulating me. You're still involved in all this... this... mess. And you're asking me to join you? You're asking me to be a part of this? After everything I've been through, after everything I've sacrificed for you?"
Liam sighed, his expression softening slightly. "Jackson, I know you're angry. I know you feel like I've let you down. But you have to understand, I'm not the same person I was back then. I've grown, I've learned. And I'm trying to make a better life for myself, for us."
I laughed, a harsh, mocking sound. "A better life? You call this a better life? You're still involved in crime, still hurting people. You're still using me, still manipulating me. That's not a better life, Liam. That's just more of the same old crap. You're just using different words, different excuses, to justify your actions."
Liam's face darkened, his eyes flashing with anger. But he took a deep breath, composing himself.
"I know you don't understand, Jackson. But I'm trying to make a change. I'm trying to leave the past behind and start fresh. And I want you to be a part of it. I want you to help me build a new life, a better life."
I shook my head, feeling a sense of disgust. "No, Liam. I won't be a part of it. I won't be a part of your games, your schemes. I won't be a part of your life. You've hurt me too many times, Liam. You've used me too many times. I'm done with you, Liam. I'm done with your games. I'm done with your life."
Liam's expression fell, his eyes clouding with hurt. But I didn't care. I was too angry, too hurt.
"You're making a mistake, Jackson," he said, his voice low and menacing. "You're making a big mistake. You're going to regret this, Jackson. You're going to regret walking away from me, from this life."
I laughed again, a cold, hard sound. "I'm not afraid of you, Liam. I'm not afraid of your threats. I'm not afraid of your men. I'm done with you, Liam. I'm done with your games. I'm done with your life. And I'm not going to let you hurt me again. I'm not going to let you use me again."
The room fell silent, the only sound the heavy breathing of Liam's men. Liam's face was pale, his eyes cold and hard. I knew I had crossed a line, knew I had pushed him too far. But I didn't care. I was done with Liam, done with his games. I was done with his life.
Liam's men shifted uncomfortably, their eyes darting between Liam and me. They knew that something had shifted, that the dynamics of the situation had changed. They knew that Liam was no longer in control, that I had taken a stand.
And then, without another word, Liam turned and walked away, leaving me standing alone in the dimly lit room. His men followed him, their faces twisted with anger and frustration.