The Joy of Revenge

CHAPTER 49 Soldier
Dan
After cautiously stepping out of my Subaru SUV so I wouldn’t get my expensive leather shoes wet, I fixed my black trench coat and pulled up the collar to hide my face. I disliked this neighborhood. It was exactly like the one I grew up in.
I knocked on the door of the Emery household. Jack had turned off his phone and now we
had to do our meeting at his house.
His house was built in the 1980’s. Everything was outdated especially the smelly brown carpet that ran throughout the household. I would have preferred to have had the meeting at Cris’ newly renovated modern-styled home, however, there was the peculiar case of the Undersheriff. Jack’s massive truck was parked beside the small hybrid compact car his mom
drives, so I had no doubt he was home.
A stout middle-aged woman swung the door open, allowing us to enter. Mrs. Emery was our third grade teacher when we were kids.
“Good evening Mrs. Emery,” I greeted her with a smile. “Tell Jack we’ll be downstairs in the basement when he’s ready.” She nodded her head without complaint, knowing full well why
ere there.
estured to Cris and Liam to follow me inside. I walked towards a door beneath the stairs
to the second floor and opened it to reveal another set of stairs that led to the basement. I switched on the lights and carefully walked down the short flight of steps with the other two slowly following from behind. This basement used to be Jack’s bedroom and a place we
would hang
ng out after school when we needed a place to chill or goof around. Now, it was an empty space with a small chalkboard and a table surrounded by four chairs. We took our seats and waited for Jack to come down.
When he finally showed up, he was wearing pajamas and his hair was still wet from his
shower.
“What are you guys doing here?” Jack asked. I rolled my eyes. I hated it when he played.
dumb.
“We wouldn’t be here if your phone wasn’t off, dufus.” Liam answered back, obviously
peeved; a clear reflection of what all three of us were feeling.
1/5
CHAPTER 49 Soldier

“Guys, can we please get on with the meeting? I need to get some sleep. I have meetings tomorrow,” Cris said impatiently.
“Yeah, I know. You have a meeting with Virtue,” Jack said.
“She told you?” Cris asked, feigning ignorance. “I forgot… You went shopping with her. Did you enjoy carrying her stuff around looking like her driver?”
Jack laughed. “Why would you care? You’re married, Cris.”
“Knock it off, will yah?” Liam exclaimed, taking charge. “Jack, you and I have to talk. Cris, you can’t afford a scandal so near the election, so lay off Virtue and Dan, I need you to pay off
our friends.”
I took out two thick envelopes from my inner coat pockets and threw it on the table. While Cris enthusiastically took his, I saw Jack hesitate.
“I can’t keep doing this, Liam,” Jack said. “I want out.”
“Have you finished paying off your father’s medical bills, Jack? Have you even started fixing this house like you promised your mom you would?” I asked.
but I’m almost done with the medical bills and I can take a loan out to fix the house,”
eplied.
ou do know the cost when I inform the boss of your, uhm, exit, right?” Liam asked, staring
at Jack.
“I won’t tell anyone about the business. You know I’ll keep quiet. Please, I don’t want to do this anymore,” Jack pleaded. “Abigail is in a coma and I-”
“Jack, why the sudden change of heart?” I asked, puzzled. “Is this because of Virtue? Are you already falling for her?”
“I just want a chance at a normal life with her- raised a finger to cut him off. I was surrounded by im beciles.
“Do you
think she’ll want to be with you when she finds out you’re in debt?” I asked, crossing my legs and leaning back against my chair. “Do you actually think she’ll get married to you and invite you and your mom to move in with her? Do you think someone as beautiful as her will play caregiver to your mom at her old age? Are you f ucking insane?”
2/5
CHAPTER 49 Soldier
“I don’t know, but-”
“That’s right. You don’t know,” I said, looking at my nails. “She drives a Mercedes-Benz, bought a house on her own, even renovated it, and is planning to open a business of her own. Do you know the dress she wore last night was Armani? Do you know that small white Louis Vuitton bag she was carrying with her at the hospital costs more than what you make in a month? You seriously think your sparkling personality will win Virtue over? You are f ucking dumb.”
“So basically you’re team Liam,” Jack scoffed, taking the brown envelope in front of him. He opened it and peered inside, nodding his head appreciatively at the gracious amount.
“No, Jack. I am rooting for our team. We’ve been friends a long time,” I said. “A woman shouldn’t be the reason why we stab each other in the back. Maybe… the three of you can share…just like what you guys did with Joy Taylor.”
Jack’s face darkened with rage. “Don’t you ever say her name in this house ever again! If it weren’t for my dad’s cancer, I wouldn’t have agreed to that.”
“But your d ick surely agreed,” I argued. “If I remember correctly, you came after you f ucked her. Sorry, my mistake. You came after you raped her.” I leaned on the table and stared directly into his eyes so I could get my point across. “Before you ever think of leaving the
m, remember I have evidence against you. I can walk to Virtue Sullivan’s house and tell
you are a rapist. Do you think she would want to have a relationship with you after I spill e beans? She will never ever want to speak to you ever again. Got it, Jack?”
Jack nodded his head and sighed, looking defeated. “Anything else on the agenda? I have to be up early in the morning.”
“We have a problem,” I said. “After doing some digging, the boss himself says Virtue checks out and just like the three of you, he has taken an interest in Virtue.” I heard the sharp.
intake of breath from all three men.
“That is a problem,” Cris said. “He isn’t the type Virtue would go out with even if you him up. So what do you propose? Don’t tell me you want us to play matchmaker?”
dressed
I sighed and looked up at the basement ceiling, praying for a miracle. Even I couldn’t do the
impossible.
“I can only do so much,” I said. “Virtue isn’t the type to take money for a one-night stand. She isn’t desperate.”
3/5