Chapter 7
Caleb returned into the living room smelling nice and fresh, "Looks like you've seen a ghost, what’s wrong?" Debating with herself Mariyah didn't know whether or not she should tell him.
"I ah... I just got three strange calls. Nobody answered me, but it was that same dial tone I used to hear when you called me from prison." Caleb's face darkened. It was better to be honest with him.
"You think it was Zak?" Mariyah nodded, who else would be calling from prison?
"I think so, only thing is he didn't say anything and that doesn't seem like Zak, I don't know maybe I'm hallucinating."
"Mariyah, if he calls again you need to tell me, if he is after you we need to leave, he is deadly and will stop at nothing to get his way.
He will more than likely find a new way to blackmail you into seeing him again.
No matter what he says he'll do you cannot agree to his conditions.
Try not to talk to him at all. I need to find somewhere for us to go. "
"Caleb, I can't let you leave everything you've worked for here. What if it wasn't even him? Let's not jump the gun okay?"
"Mari, I'm glad you told me, I know this must be difficult for you but honey, we can't be unprepared if he is after you.
I've seen what he does and he is on the inside.
He has that many fuckers working for him that he's capable of anything.
Please trust me on this. If he does try and make contact you need to tell me okay? Promise me?"
"I promise." If it really was Zak who called, what could he possibly want with her?
Caleb was right, it took her a long time to see how wrong the whole situation was and even though she did love him still, it wasn't enough to be in a relationship that started on threats and abuse.
Mariyah needed to keep away from Zak Michaels if she wanted to keep her sanity.
She didn't want to be one of those girls who was too stupid to see how abusive their relationship was.
Mariyah thought better late than never to wake up and smell the coffee.
***
During the weeks Mariyah took Brent up on his offer for him to be her personal trainer.
They would jog every morning for an hour, followed by stretches, that's as far as Mariyah was willing to go.
She was enjoying the company more than anything else and it kept her mind busy.
Brent was a gem, he was sweet and thoughtful, he never made any advances on her and their friendship grew.
He helped work her mind to think of things that didn't give her anxiety, it worked for a little while but not when she was alone.
Taking Brent's advice, Mariyah did what she was putting off, she returned to her doctor and explained that nothing was working.
Her anxiety level was just growing. Doctor kept asking what would trigger it off and she would reply that she didn't know.
Mariyah was almost certain that the doctor did not believe her.
Still she was prescribed some anti-depressants along with anti-anxiety tablets.
She didn't care what they were she took them as directed hoping to get her mind back on track.
"Mariyah, you can do this without the pills you know? You can speak to people who can help you." Mariyah was sitting on the floor at the park after an intense work out. Brent was stretching.
"Brent its way too complicated. I can't say anything, a lot of people would get in trouble if I did. Not only that it's not safe..."
"What about the authorities?" Mariyah gave him a bitter laugh
"Brent trust me on this, no authority will get involved."
"Tell me what happened. I will not say a word, I'm an outsider, somebody who is going to listen and not judge, sometimes all it takes is talking about it to make you see clarity.
Give it a go." Brent sat beside her. She really did want to talk to somebody other than Caleb about it.
With Caleb she had to hold back a lot of the information.
What the heck, she needed to get it off her chest.
"Before I start, you have to promise me that this stays between us, please."
"I swear to you not a soul will hear it from my mouth." She nodded, okay here goes nothing...
Mariyah started telling Brent her story, how Caleb was arrested and how it was her fault.
She told him about the court case and the sentencing.
When she starting talking about the day she visited Caleb for the first time in over a year at prison, she noticed Brent's eyes fill up with sympathy.
She wanted to laugh, if he thought that was the worst of it, boy did he have another thing coming.
She replayed the entire event, how Caleb warned her not to look at Zak, that he was bad news and how maybe she got Zak's attention by looking into his dark eyes and making him notice her.
Like she did to that guy at the beach the day that Caleb got arrested.
The more Mariyah was retelling her story, the more she realized that perhaps she was looking for the attention, although she was unaware of it at the time, looking back now she saw it differently.
"Keep going, you’re doing great." Brent encouraged her.
So she did, she explained to him how Zak threatened to hurt Caleb if she didn't do as he wanted.
Mariyah couldn't get to the part where he slept with her the first time, she found it very hard to tell him about finding out it was a personal visit, not your normal visit. She stopped.
"I'm sorry Bret, I can't do it, I need time." Brent put an arm around her shoulders giving her the comfort she needed now.
"Mariyah, you’re doing fantastic, we'll talk more tomorrow, it's fine, baby steps…" She nodded grateful he understood.
***
As soon as Mariyah walked into her house heading straight for the shower her phone rang. Her heart started beating, she picked up and to her horror the beeping sound came up "Hello…" She wanted to know if it was Zak
"Mariyah..." And oh my lord it was him!
"Zak? Is that you?"
"It's me..."
"What do you want?"
"I want to you to come visit me, I want to see you." Mariyah shook her head to herself.
"Not going to happen. Goodbye Zak, please don't call again." She ended the call before she lost her nerve. Fuck it was really him. Not a minute after and her phone rang again. She picked up and it was from the prison.
"Mariyah, not smart..."
"Zak you need to stop calling. Nothing is going to make me visit you, nothing, you have done enough to me, I will not allow this to continue."
"You’re making a mistake Mariyah. Consider yourself warned." Her heart was pounding.
"What? Your officer friend isn't pleasing you anymore Zak? You’re bored and need a new challenge?" He laughed, Mariyah felt her body shake, she knew that laugh, it meant he was pissed as hell.
"Your smart mouth is going to land you in so much shit kid. Listen carefully, if you do not come to see me, I’ll have to show you how serious I am."
"Goodbye Zak." She hung up and pulled the phone cord out of the wall socket. Shit she needed to tell Caleb. This was bad.
***
Caleb looked exhausted when he returned from work. Mariyah didn't have the heart to tell him about the phone call she received from Zak, at least not tonight, she would allow him to eat and rest and if he seemed a bit better maybe then she would let him know.
Question was what the hell was she going to do?
Zak was dead serious, she knew that, he didn't make empty threats, he was going to do something to hurt her or to make her go see him.
What the hell was she going to do? Mariyah wasn't going to let this get the better of her, she was going to pretend that she never got the call and would continue life as normal.
Day after day Mariyah was looking over her shoulder, maybe she was just a little paranoid. "Come on slow coach!" Brent called out as he jogged ahead of her, she tried to catch up but it was useless.
"Brent, hold up, I'm done..." Mariyah stopped and tried to catch her breath. Brent stopped and jogged back to her.
"What's with you today? We haven't even started." Mariyah just shrugged
"I'm hungry, I can't do this today, can we go have a huge coffee and a doughnut please?" She put her hands together as if praying. Brent laughed
"How about some juice and muesli..."
"Not on your life." They laughed as they made their way to the cafe across the road.
Enjoying her coffee and her chocolate doughnut Mariyah was in heaven. "Okay spill." Mariyah looked at Brent and pouted
"Brent trust me it's just too complicated."
"It's either you spill or we train..." Mariyah rolled her eyes
"Don't say I didn't warn you."
"Go we have half an hour."
So Mariyah completed here story about Zak and what he did to her and how she fell for him, she told him that she was genuinely in love with a monster and couldn't help herself.
What was worse was her hearing how pathetic she was.
She almost cringed to herself. Finally she got to the part of the last phone call and why she was a little off her game today. Brent was wide eyed
"Mariyah this is serious, you need to do something to protect yourself."
"Brent I know this already, I don't know if he was just reminding me he has the control or if he was serious, I mean he never made empty threats but it's been so long I don't get why he is calling now."
"Whatever the reason you need to watch your back. Maybe have your number changed and privatize it. That way he will have no contact with you." Mariyah agreed with Brent, it seemed like the best idea.
"Do you think I should go visit him, not a private visit, just see what he wants?" Brent shook his head.
"Don't be stupid, if you go to see him, you are giving him and opportunity to threaten you again. Just ignore him for now and see how it goes?" Mariyah nodded, maybe she would actually listen to some good advice.
***
The next week was pretty much uneventful, Mariyah had changed her number and now it was unattainable to anybody unless she gave it out. It was the only way. Now when the phone rang Mariyah wasn't worried.
As Mariyah was about to get ready for her morning jog Bent called her. "Mariyah, I need to cancel training for the week, I'm sorry."
"No it's okay, are you okay? You sound sick."
"Got mugged last night, he did a number on me. My knee cap has moved out of place and I have broken ribs. Its fine, I should've known better then to walk alone at night." Mariyah’s heart dropped, it was Zak's doing. Of course it was fucking Zak’s doing.
"Where are you now Brent?"
"I'm at the hospital, its okay don't worry, I will be fine. I'll catch up with you next week okay?" Mariyah was certain it was Zak, it couldn't be coincidence Mariyah knew Zak too well. Let it go Mariyah, it could just be your paranoia, it could have happened to anybody.
She literally jumped when her phone rang, Mariyah was hoping it was Caleb and she would be able to ask him if he thought it was a coincidence or not. "Hello."
"Stupid move Mariyah, you think I can't get your number? I'm no amateur kid." How the hell did he get her number?
"How did you get my number?" Her heart was thumping
"Let's try this again, I want you to come and see me. Its simple enough."
"And I already told you no, I'm not coming."
"Mariyah, it's up to you, if you think Brent wasn't warning enough, I could always make sure he never walks again. Then I can start on Caleb who I hear is doing great in his new job. Balls in your court." Mariyah closed her eyes and held her breath.
"Zak why are you doing this? Why are you trying to hurt me?" She heard him exhale a breath.
"Mariyah, I want to see you. Just come for a visit and we can talk then. Nobody else needs to be hurt."
"I will come to the prison Zak, but I will not meet you in the room, I will visit you in the normal visitation room, that's my condition. If they try and take me to the room I will turn back." Zak paused obviously trying to see if it will work for him.
"Fine, as you wish Mariyah, tomorrow at noon."
"That’s the last time Zak, I'm telling you now, I will not be visiting you ever again." She hung up the phone, then she pulled the phone out and smashed it. What could he possibly want?