Stained Red Chapter Thirteen
Taylor wasn't sure how long he stood there after Isaac's confession but it sure felt like a lifetime. "You slept with Nikki?" he asked wanting to make sure he had heard him right though deep down he knew he had. He had heard Isaac perfectly clear. Isaac had slept with his fiancee. Isaac had slept with Nikki way before Taylor had even slept with Natalie again.
Shaking his head when Isaac didn't answer but just stood there in silence Taylor balled his hand up and before he knew it he had hit Isaac square in the nose, watching as Isaac fell back some into the wall before holding onto his nose. "You slept with Nikki and are just now telling me?" he asked another question feeling his anger boiling. Just how many more secrets did Isaac have up his sleeve right now.
Holding his now bloody nose Isaac looked at Taylor, "I wanted to tell you," he answered as he looked at his brother a frown growing on his lips. "I wanted to tell you the night I found out but she warned me not too. She knew about Theo because when I was drunk I told her. She used the threat of it getting out against me."
"And you still could have told me and let Nikki reveal the stuff about Theo. I needed to know about that anyway," Taylor snapped his voice raising slightly.
"But that was before we were sure that Theo was yours. That was when Natalie also thought Zac could have been the father," Isaac shrugged. "Nikki would have told you and Zac and Kate."
Closing his eyes at Isaac's words Taylor hated that he could see reason in this, especially when he wanted to be mad at Isaac. He was mad at Isaac. "And Kate can never find out," he sighed before running a hand through his hair. "Kate can never find out."
"Kate can never find out what?" a voice asked from the now open door and both Taylor and Isaac turned to see Zac standing there. It was obvious he was confused by why they had been talking about Kate.
"And what the hell happened to your nose?" Zac asked before stepping in the room. "Did you punch him?" he asked another question as he turned to look at Taylor.
Isaac nodded as he held his still bleeding nose, "Taylor did punch me," he confirmed wondering if Taylor would fill him in on why when Zac asked the inevitable question that Isaac knew was coming from their brother.
"Why?" Zac asked now confused as to why Taylor punched Isaac and why they had been talking about Kate.
Taylor laughed some when Zac asked why, "Does it matter as to why?" he asked though he knew that answer. "Well I guess to you it does," he continued before chewing on his lip. "If you must know Isaac told me he slept with Nikki. He slept with her the night before I asked her to marry me," he muttered letting some of his anger show now.
"And that has to do with Kate not knowing something?" Zac asked still confused as to how Kate was involved in all of this. Was there something his wife was keeping from him too?
"Because I wanted to tell Taylor but I couldn't," Isaac continued the story for Taylor. "Nikki knew some things. She knew that Theo might not have been mine. That two more men could have been the father and she threatened to tell both of them."
Swallowing hard at Isaac's words Zac knew who those other two men were. Himself and Taylor. "I could be Theo's father?" he asked not even caring about the fact that Nikki knew he had dated and slept with Natalie. It wasn't like Kate was good friends with Nikki, in fact he was sure neither woman had met yet.
"Could have been," Taylor corrected Zac. "Isaac and Natalie had a DNA test done. I'm Theo's father," he said still not used to saying those words out loud. He was a dad. He had been a dad for ten years now.
Zac sighed in relief at the could have been part. Being Theo's father would have ruined everything he had with his wife, though a part of him was pissed that he was just now finding out. "How long did you know Isaac?"
At Zac's question Isaac shrugged, "Since last month when Natalie confirmed it but I suspected it awhile before that after reading fan gossip that he never looked much like me."
"And you didn't think Taylor or I should know?" Zac asked feeling as if they should have found out when Isaac did. "We deserved to know before now."
"It wasn't my secret to tell Zac," Isaac reasoned as he locked eyes with his younger brother. "Anyway what would you have done if you knew? Went home and told Kate? I'm sure she'd love to know you lied about being a virgin before marriage."
Zac chewed on his lip at Isaac's words knowing he couldn't have done that. Hell he had been nervous just finding out now about it. Finding out when Isaac had and then having to wait to know the truth would have been torture. "I still think there was another reason you didn't tell us," Zac smirked as he stepped closer to his injured brother.
Raising his eyebrow when Zac stepped closer, Isaac looked at him expectantly waiting for him to reveal whatever reason he believed that Isaac had for keeping the secret about Theo's paternity for much longer.
"I think you were scared that if we knew one of us would swoop in and steal your family. Steal your wife," Zac finished as he crossed his arms. "I mean I know if it was Kate and Shepherd I'd feel that way, even if we were in the process of a divorce I would be scared of losing her and my kid because I would still love her."
Isaac shook his head at Zac's accusations. "I don't still love Natalie. I never really loved her," he muttered as he kept eye contact with Zac. As the words left his lips he knew they were a lie and he was sure that Zac and Taylor could tell too. He also knew that for the past month he had been lying to himself. He still loved his wife despite her lies to him.
Biting his lip as Isaac spoke with Zac, Taylor watched as Isaac denied being in love with Natalie. He could tell his older brother was lying. Hell he could tell that the day Isaac told him in the office last month when he revealed what they had fought about. Yet knowing Isaac was lying hadn't stopped Taylor from being with Natalie a second time. Hell it also hadn't stopped him from the shower sex either. As much as he hated to admit it he knew then too that he also felt something for Natalie. He had tried suppressing it for years but when he had been drunk it had came out and this time it had stayed.
"I need to go," Taylor said before turning to leave the room. "I have a fiancee to confront," he sighed knowing he needed to go confront Nikki with her lies and then he needed to go and get drunk. He needed to forget that he had feelings for the woman Isaac still loved.
After Taylor left Isaac looked at Zac before pushing his way out of the room as well and walking down to the bathroom. Getting in the bathroom he moved his hands off his nose, making a face as he looked in the mirror at the dry blood on his face. Grabbing a napkin he wet it and cleaned his face off before leaving the bathroom.
He soon regretted leaving the bathroom as he came face to face with Zac again.
"You need to stop lying about your feelings for Natalie," Zac spoke as he eyed Isaac. "Because you will lose her and it won't be because of your brothers. It will be because too much time has passed and your divorce will be final and she'll be ready to move on with another man. As much as you don't want to admit it you hate the idea of her moving on with either Taylor or I but just imagine if it's a stranger."
Isaac swallowed at Zac's last comment not wanting to imagine that scenario in his head. "She had sex with Taylor the night she found out Theo was his," he spoke not sure why he was telling Zac this. "I tried to play it cool but it made me jealous. It made me so damn jealous to know that and also finding out they share a son. I'm scared I am losing her to my brother. It won't be any stranger."
"Then fight for your wife," Zac stated simply as he walked past Isaac. "I mean who would chose Taylor the guy who is always chasing pussy over the hopeless romantic?" he mused before going back into the offices.
Isaac watched Zac disappear before walking down the hall to leave. Maybe he would take Zac's advice. He'd fight for his wife and make her love him again.
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Several hours later Isaac parked his car in front of his house before getting out. Grabbing his bags from the backseat he then walked to the porch and knocked. He knew he could just let himself in but he didn't want too. He wanted to be polite and let Natalie invite him in. He wanted to let her be in charge right now. His fate rested on her now.
Natalie had been about to start dinner when she heard the knock on the door. Looking at Theo she crossed her arms, "Can you start dinner for me? I mean you were going to help me anyway."
Theo looked at his mom and nodded, "But that means you owe me an extra five cents in allowance."
"Good try," Natalie laughed before turning to leave the kitchen. Going to the door she opened it and froze when she saw Isaac standing there with a bandaged nose and his suitcase laying on the porch. "What are you doing here?" she asked as she stepped outside and shut the door behind her.
Looking down at the porch Isaac shrugged, "I want to come home," he said honestly before looking up. "I want to come home to my wife."
To say she was surprised by Isaac's words would be an understatement for Natalie. She was surprised and shocked. She hadn't expected that Isaac would want to come home, not after everything that had gone down lately. "I'll let you move back in if you tell me what happened to your nose," she bargained before smiling.
Letting Isaac move back in was an easy choice. With him here then maybe they could fix things. Maybe they could work on their marriage and stop this divorce. God knows she didn't want it, even if sleeping with Taylor a few days ago had left her confused.
"Taylor punched me after finding out about Nikki," Isaac offered as he looked at her before picking up his suitcase. "I went to the hospital before coming here. The doctors think it's broke," he laughed as he went inside the house.
Following behind Isaac, Natalie couldn't help but laugh as she shut the door behind her. "I'm sorry he broke your nose," she said as she looked up at him. "A bandage isn't the best look for your nose," she teased before heading back into the kitchen. At least she knew Theo would be happier having him here because whether he admitted it or not he still missed Isaac. Hell all the kids would be happier to have their dad back now.
Even Natalie was happier that he was home again. It gave her hope and she needed that. She needed hope that things would be okay again somehow and this was the first step.
Taylor wasn't sure how long he stood there after Isaac's confession but it sure felt like a lifetime. "You slept with Nikki?" he asked wanting to make sure he had heard him right though deep down he knew he had. He had heard Isaac perfectly clear. Isaac had slept with his fiancee. Isaac had slept with Nikki way before Taylor had even slept with Natalie again.
Shaking his head when Isaac didn't answer but just stood there in silence Taylor balled his hand up and before he knew it he had hit Isaac square in the nose, watching as Isaac fell back some into the wall before holding onto his nose. "You slept with Nikki and are just now telling me?" he asked another question feeling his anger boiling. Just how many more secrets did Isaac have up his sleeve right now.
Holding his now bloody nose Isaac looked at Taylor, "I wanted to tell you," he answered as he looked at his brother a frown growing on his lips. "I wanted to tell you the night I found out but she warned me not too. She knew about Theo because when I was drunk I told her. She used the threat of it getting out against me."
"And you still could have told me and let Nikki reveal the stuff about Theo. I needed to know about that anyway," Taylor snapped his voice raising slightly.
"But that was before we were sure that Theo was yours. That was when Natalie also thought Zac could have been the father," Isaac shrugged. "Nikki would have told you and Zac and Kate."
Closing his eyes at Isaac's words Taylor hated that he could see reason in this, especially when he wanted to be mad at Isaac. He was mad at Isaac. "And Kate can never find out," he sighed before running a hand through his hair. "Kate can never find out."
"Kate can never find out what?" a voice asked from the now open door and both Taylor and Isaac turned to see Zac standing there. It was obvious he was confused by why they had been talking about Kate.
"And what the hell happened to your nose?" Zac asked before stepping in the room. "Did you punch him?" he asked another question as he turned to look at Taylor.
Isaac nodded as he held his still bleeding nose, "Taylor did punch me," he confirmed wondering if Taylor would fill him in on why when Zac asked the inevitable question that Isaac knew was coming from their brother.
"Why?" Zac asked now confused as to why Taylor punched Isaac and why they had been talking about Kate.
Taylor laughed some when Zac asked why, "Does it matter as to why?" he asked though he knew that answer. "Well I guess to you it does," he continued before chewing on his lip. "If you must know Isaac told me he slept with Nikki. He slept with her the night before I asked her to marry me," he muttered letting some of his anger show now.
"And that has to do with Kate not knowing something?" Zac asked still confused as to how Kate was involved in all of this. Was there something his wife was keeping from him too?
"Because I wanted to tell Taylor but I couldn't," Isaac continued the story for Taylor. "Nikki knew some things. She knew that Theo might not have been mine. That two more men could have been the father and she threatened to tell both of them."
Swallowing hard at Isaac's words Zac knew who those other two men were. Himself and Taylor. "I could be Theo's father?" he asked not even caring about the fact that Nikki knew he had dated and slept with Natalie. It wasn't like Kate was good friends with Nikki, in fact he was sure neither woman had met yet.
"Could have been," Taylor corrected Zac. "Isaac and Natalie had a DNA test done. I'm Theo's father," he said still not used to saying those words out loud. He was a dad. He had been a dad for ten years now.
Zac sighed in relief at the could have been part. Being Theo's father would have ruined everything he had with his wife, though a part of him was pissed that he was just now finding out. "How long did you know Isaac?"
At Zac's question Isaac shrugged, "Since last month when Natalie confirmed it but I suspected it awhile before that after reading fan gossip that he never looked much like me."
"And you didn't think Taylor or I should know?" Zac asked feeling as if they should have found out when Isaac did. "We deserved to know before now."
"It wasn't my secret to tell Zac," Isaac reasoned as he locked eyes with his younger brother. "Anyway what would you have done if you knew? Went home and told Kate? I'm sure she'd love to know you lied about being a virgin before marriage."
Zac chewed on his lip at Isaac's words knowing he couldn't have done that. Hell he had been nervous just finding out now about it. Finding out when Isaac had and then having to wait to know the truth would have been torture. "I still think there was another reason you didn't tell us," Zac smirked as he stepped closer to his injured brother.
Raising his eyebrow when Zac stepped closer, Isaac looked at him expectantly waiting for him to reveal whatever reason he believed that Isaac had for keeping the secret about Theo's paternity for much longer.
"I think you were scared that if we knew one of us would swoop in and steal your family. Steal your wife," Zac finished as he crossed his arms. "I mean I know if it was Kate and Shepherd I'd feel that way, even if we were in the process of a divorce I would be scared of losing her and my kid because I would still love her."
Isaac shook his head at Zac's accusations. "I don't still love Natalie. I never really loved her," he muttered as he kept eye contact with Zac. As the words left his lips he knew they were a lie and he was sure that Zac and Taylor could tell too. He also knew that for the past month he had been lying to himself. He still loved his wife despite her lies to him.
Biting his lip as Isaac spoke with Zac, Taylor watched as Isaac denied being in love with Natalie. He could tell his older brother was lying. Hell he could tell that the day Isaac told him in the office last month when he revealed what they had fought about. Yet knowing Isaac was lying hadn't stopped Taylor from being with Natalie a second time. Hell it also hadn't stopped him from the shower sex either. As much as he hated to admit it he knew then too that he also felt something for Natalie. He had tried suppressing it for years but when he had been drunk it had came out and this time it had stayed.
"I need to go," Taylor said before turning to leave the room. "I have a fiancee to confront," he sighed knowing he needed to go confront Nikki with her lies and then he needed to go and get drunk. He needed to forget that he had feelings for the woman Isaac still loved.
After Taylor left Isaac looked at Zac before pushing his way out of the room as well and walking down to the bathroom. Getting in the bathroom he moved his hands off his nose, making a face as he looked in the mirror at the dry blood on his face. Grabbing a napkin he wet it and cleaned his face off before leaving the bathroom.
He soon regretted leaving the bathroom as he came face to face with Zac again.
"You need to stop lying about your feelings for Natalie," Zac spoke as he eyed Isaac. "Because you will lose her and it won't be because of your brothers. It will be because too much time has passed and your divorce will be final and she'll be ready to move on with another man. As much as you don't want to admit it you hate the idea of her moving on with either Taylor or I but just imagine if it's a stranger."
Isaac swallowed at Zac's last comment not wanting to imagine that scenario in his head. "She had sex with Taylor the night she found out Theo was his," he spoke not sure why he was telling Zac this. "I tried to play it cool but it made me jealous. It made me so damn jealous to know that and also finding out they share a son. I'm scared I am losing her to my brother. It won't be any stranger."
"Then fight for your wife," Zac stated simply as he walked past Isaac. "I mean who would chose Taylor the guy who is always chasing pussy over the hopeless romantic?" he mused before going back into the offices.
Isaac watched Zac disappear before walking down the hall to leave. Maybe he would take Zac's advice. He'd fight for his wife and make her love him again.
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Several hours later Isaac parked his car in front of his house before getting out. Grabbing his bags from the backseat he then walked to the porch and knocked. He knew he could just let himself in but he didn't want too. He wanted to be polite and let Natalie invite him in. He wanted to let her be in charge right now. His fate rested on her now.
Natalie had been about to start dinner when she heard the knock on the door. Looking at Theo she crossed her arms, "Can you start dinner for me? I mean you were going to help me anyway."
Theo looked at his mom and nodded, "But that means you owe me an extra five cents in allowance."
"Good try," Natalie laughed before turning to leave the kitchen. Going to the door she opened it and froze when she saw Isaac standing there with a bandaged nose and his suitcase laying on the porch. "What are you doing here?" she asked as she stepped outside and shut the door behind her.
Looking down at the porch Isaac shrugged, "I want to come home," he said honestly before looking up. "I want to come home to my wife."
To say she was surprised by Isaac's words would be an understatement for Natalie. She was surprised and shocked. She hadn't expected that Isaac would want to come home, not after everything that had gone down lately. "I'll let you move back in if you tell me what happened to your nose," she bargained before smiling.
Letting Isaac move back in was an easy choice. With him here then maybe they could fix things. Maybe they could work on their marriage and stop this divorce. God knows she didn't want it, even if sleeping with Taylor a few days ago had left her confused.
"Taylor punched me after finding out about Nikki," Isaac offered as he looked at her before picking up his suitcase. "I went to the hospital before coming here. The doctors think it's broke," he laughed as he went inside the house.
Following behind Isaac, Natalie couldn't help but laugh as she shut the door behind her. "I'm sorry he broke your nose," she said as she looked up at him. "A bandage isn't the best look for your nose," she teased before heading back into the kitchen. At least she knew Theo would be happier having him here because whether he admitted it or not he still missed Isaac. Hell all the kids would be happier to have their dad back now.
Even Natalie was happier that he was home again. It gave her hope and she needed that. She needed hope that things would be okay again somehow and this was the first step.
