Stained Red Chapter Twenty-Five
Zac smiled as he woke in bed beside Natalie. Watching her sleep he pulled her closer to him kissing her shoulder softly before sighing. He was sure he could get used to waking up to her beside him every morning especially if it followed a night like last night where they had made love all night.
He hadn't been sure at first he could go for so long or so many times but each time she had given him a certain look or rubbed his chest just the right way he knew he could go just one more time. That was something even he hadn't been able to do with Kate.
"I love you," he whispered to her sleeping form before kissing her shoulder lightly one more time and slipping out of her bed. Grabbing his boxers he slipped them on before heading out of her room and down the stairs. She'd be awake soon and well he kind of wanted to make her feel special especially since she had made him feel so damn good last night.
Before he could make it to the kitchen though he froze when he heard a loud knock on her front door. A knock that made his heartbeat faster and caused him to gulp. He couldn't help that his first thoughts went to his mom being on the other side of the door. If she caught him here in just his boxers she'd know. She'd just fucking know and she'd be even more pissed at Natalie than she already was and she'd be pissed at him. She'd disown him.
As the knocking continued and there was no sign of Natalie waking up Zac sighed and walked towards the door. Pulling it open without even checking he froze when he came face to face with Taylor. A part of him had really been hoping for his mom right about now. At least with her there wasn't a chance of fists being thrown or anything like that.
"Zac?" Taylor asked as he eyed his younger brother standing in Natalie's doorway in just his boxers with his hair all a mess. "I mean I know I saw your truck here but I guess I wasn't expecting you to actually be here. Why are you here?" he asked as he moved closer wanting to come inside.
Sighing Zac moved aside so that Taylor could come in. "I stayed the night," he said shutting the door knowing that's all Taylor needed to know. It wasn't any of his business that he and Natalie had been together. He wasn't Natalie's soon to be ex-husband. All he was, was Natalie's sperm donor to two of her children. One who was here and one who was on the way.
"Oh," Taylor spoke as he looked around the living room. "Did you sleep on the couch then?" he asked figuring that was why Zac had answered the door. He had heard it over Natalie who was probably still asleep after dealing with the kids yesterday. He figured she was probably having it rough taking care of three kids on her own while also being pregnant.
"No," Zac muttered feeling aggravated at Taylor questioning him. "I slept in a bed," he said before rolling his eyes. "A very comfortable bed."
Taylor furrowed his brows but nodded unsure of why Zac was getting angry, "I was kind of in the neighborhood and saw your truck here. I was going to stop anyway and apologize to Natalie. I've kind of been an ass."
"So I've heard," Zac crossed his arms as he walked to the couch and sat down.
"Natalie told you?" Taylor asked as he followed behind Zac sitting down on the couch as well.
Shaking his head Zac kept his arms crossed, "Mom told me but she only knows because Natalie went crying to Isaac about it. Natalie told Isaac everything. How you kissed her and she rejected you. Then you call her up saying you can't be a dad," he said as he glared some. "That was pretty shitty of you."
Taylor shrugged, "I know it's shitty that's why I came to apologize," he said as he ran a hand through his hair. "And maybe hope that she reconsidered things. That maybe she'll give me a chance."
Before Zac could say anything to tell Taylor that wouldn't happen he chewed his lip hard as he heard footsteps coming down the stairs followed by Natalie telling him that she was wearing his shirt because all of her clothes were still in the kitchen.
Taylor who had stayed silent felt his eyes grow wide at the realization on why Zac had stayed the night here. He had been here having sex with Natalie. He had slept with Natalie knowing all the shit that was going on between her and him. Between her and Isaac.
Stopping when she made it to the bottom step Natalie froze when she saw Taylor sitting on her couch beside Zac. From the look on his face he had heard every word she told Zac on her way down here.
"You two fucked?" Taylor asked looking between his brother and Natalie as he stood from the couch. "You sunk low enough to fuck that slut?!" he spat out of anger.
Zac glared when Taylor called Natalie a slut, "She isn't a slut," he defended her as he shook his head before standing from the couch as well.
Taylor laughed bitterly, "Really? What would you call a woman who has been three with brothers? It's not her first rodeo doing this either Zac. Dropping Isaac first then coming to me then going back to Isaac before dropping him again before going to you. She'll just do it again because she doesn't give a shit about anyone but herself."
Glaring more Zac stepped closer to Taylor, "You keep it up and I'm gonna punch you," he warned his brother. He hated hearing Taylor talk about Natalie like he was. He knew how Natalie had been but he also knew he loved Natalie and if last night was any indication then god he hoped she loved him too.
"I dare you to punch me," Taylor muttered as he crossed his arms.
"Then you asked for it," Zac snapped as he rared his fist back and soon connected it with Taylor's eye. "Now get the fuck out of Natalie's house."
Taylor who had grabbed his eye instinctively after Zac hit him just glared and turned to leave. Stopping when he reached the door he turned to look at Natalie, "You know what you don't want me well I don't want our children either. Find someone else to raise the new bastard with and keep raising the old one with Zac," he nodded before leaving her house in a huff.
Natalie watched Taylor leave and she frowned slightly, "I don't know what has gotten into him," she said as she shook her head. "Being like this just because I don't want him," she frowned as she shook her head and went to the couch where she sat down.
"I think he is using again," Zac told her honestly. "He's been messed up ever since he found out about Theo and what Nikki did and then her losing the baby. He's had moments off and on these last three months that just remind me of how he used to be. He's using again and he isn't telling us though he didn't tell us last time. We didn't find out until he had overdosed and was taken into a hospital."
"I remember that," Natalie laughed as looked up at Zac. "That was the night I found out I was pregnant. Kate was off visiting you and I had just taken the test and gotten the results back when I got the call."
Zac sat down beside Natalie on the couch, "I know you've fucked up," he said honestly. "I know your history and I know you lied to me too but I'm in love with you Natalie. I never stopped and I don't regret what happened last night. I refuse to let my brother who is probably back to his drug addiction ruin what I feel now."
Being stunned at his words Natalie looked at him before smiling slightly, "I am in love with you too," she spoke being honest as well. "I never stopped even if I wanted too after you got back with Kate. I never could stop. I tried though and I did get comfortable with Isaac. Convinced myself I could love him."
"I thought I could love Kate but I always regretted letting you go and taking her back," Zac admitted as he ran a hand through his hair. "Maybe if I hadn't you'd be my wife today and we could be raising Theo and our babies."
Hearing him say he regretted letting her go Natalie crinkled her forehead some, "But you regret letting me go then you'd regret your kids."
Zac shook his head, "I don't regret Shepherd or Junia. They are best things Kate gave me but I do regret letting you go."
Natalie smiled again as she reached out for his hand pulling him down on the couch beside her, "I regret lying to you and to everyone. I want to make things right and I want to be with you when I do it."
"And how do you make things right?" Zac asked her as they locked eyes.
"By telling Isaac the truth. That I'm in love with you and letting him go once and for all. Letting him know the divorce is the right thing and it's time for him to find someone to love him the way I can't," Natalie said as she leaned in to kiss Zac on the lips. It was the best solution she had for now. Let Isaac go so he could be happy. Hell that seemed the easiest part. It was the Taylor part of her life she was scared about.
Zac smiled as he woke in bed beside Natalie. Watching her sleep he pulled her closer to him kissing her shoulder softly before sighing. He was sure he could get used to waking up to her beside him every morning especially if it followed a night like last night where they had made love all night.
He hadn't been sure at first he could go for so long or so many times but each time she had given him a certain look or rubbed his chest just the right way he knew he could go just one more time. That was something even he hadn't been able to do with Kate.
"I love you," he whispered to her sleeping form before kissing her shoulder lightly one more time and slipping out of her bed. Grabbing his boxers he slipped them on before heading out of her room and down the stairs. She'd be awake soon and well he kind of wanted to make her feel special especially since she had made him feel so damn good last night.
Before he could make it to the kitchen though he froze when he heard a loud knock on her front door. A knock that made his heartbeat faster and caused him to gulp. He couldn't help that his first thoughts went to his mom being on the other side of the door. If she caught him here in just his boxers she'd know. She'd just fucking know and she'd be even more pissed at Natalie than she already was and she'd be pissed at him. She'd disown him.
As the knocking continued and there was no sign of Natalie waking up Zac sighed and walked towards the door. Pulling it open without even checking he froze when he came face to face with Taylor. A part of him had really been hoping for his mom right about now. At least with her there wasn't a chance of fists being thrown or anything like that.
"Zac?" Taylor asked as he eyed his younger brother standing in Natalie's doorway in just his boxers with his hair all a mess. "I mean I know I saw your truck here but I guess I wasn't expecting you to actually be here. Why are you here?" he asked as he moved closer wanting to come inside.
Sighing Zac moved aside so that Taylor could come in. "I stayed the night," he said shutting the door knowing that's all Taylor needed to know. It wasn't any of his business that he and Natalie had been together. He wasn't Natalie's soon to be ex-husband. All he was, was Natalie's sperm donor to two of her children. One who was here and one who was on the way.
"Oh," Taylor spoke as he looked around the living room. "Did you sleep on the couch then?" he asked figuring that was why Zac had answered the door. He had heard it over Natalie who was probably still asleep after dealing with the kids yesterday. He figured she was probably having it rough taking care of three kids on her own while also being pregnant.
"No," Zac muttered feeling aggravated at Taylor questioning him. "I slept in a bed," he said before rolling his eyes. "A very comfortable bed."
Taylor furrowed his brows but nodded unsure of why Zac was getting angry, "I was kind of in the neighborhood and saw your truck here. I was going to stop anyway and apologize to Natalie. I've kind of been an ass."
"So I've heard," Zac crossed his arms as he walked to the couch and sat down.
"Natalie told you?" Taylor asked as he followed behind Zac sitting down on the couch as well.
Shaking his head Zac kept his arms crossed, "Mom told me but she only knows because Natalie went crying to Isaac about it. Natalie told Isaac everything. How you kissed her and she rejected you. Then you call her up saying you can't be a dad," he said as he glared some. "That was pretty shitty of you."
Taylor shrugged, "I know it's shitty that's why I came to apologize," he said as he ran a hand through his hair. "And maybe hope that she reconsidered things. That maybe she'll give me a chance."
Before Zac could say anything to tell Taylor that wouldn't happen he chewed his lip hard as he heard footsteps coming down the stairs followed by Natalie telling him that she was wearing his shirt because all of her clothes were still in the kitchen.
Taylor who had stayed silent felt his eyes grow wide at the realization on why Zac had stayed the night here. He had been here having sex with Natalie. He had slept with Natalie knowing all the shit that was going on between her and him. Between her and Isaac.
Stopping when she made it to the bottom step Natalie froze when she saw Taylor sitting on her couch beside Zac. From the look on his face he had heard every word she told Zac on her way down here.
"You two fucked?" Taylor asked looking between his brother and Natalie as he stood from the couch. "You sunk low enough to fuck that slut?!" he spat out of anger.
Zac glared when Taylor called Natalie a slut, "She isn't a slut," he defended her as he shook his head before standing from the couch as well.
Taylor laughed bitterly, "Really? What would you call a woman who has been three with brothers? It's not her first rodeo doing this either Zac. Dropping Isaac first then coming to me then going back to Isaac before dropping him again before going to you. She'll just do it again because she doesn't give a shit about anyone but herself."
Glaring more Zac stepped closer to Taylor, "You keep it up and I'm gonna punch you," he warned his brother. He hated hearing Taylor talk about Natalie like he was. He knew how Natalie had been but he also knew he loved Natalie and if last night was any indication then god he hoped she loved him too.
"I dare you to punch me," Taylor muttered as he crossed his arms.
"Then you asked for it," Zac snapped as he rared his fist back and soon connected it with Taylor's eye. "Now get the fuck out of Natalie's house."
Taylor who had grabbed his eye instinctively after Zac hit him just glared and turned to leave. Stopping when he reached the door he turned to look at Natalie, "You know what you don't want me well I don't want our children either. Find someone else to raise the new bastard with and keep raising the old one with Zac," he nodded before leaving her house in a huff.
Natalie watched Taylor leave and she frowned slightly, "I don't know what has gotten into him," she said as she shook her head. "Being like this just because I don't want him," she frowned as she shook her head and went to the couch where she sat down.
"I think he is using again," Zac told her honestly. "He's been messed up ever since he found out about Theo and what Nikki did and then her losing the baby. He's had moments off and on these last three months that just remind me of how he used to be. He's using again and he isn't telling us though he didn't tell us last time. We didn't find out until he had overdosed and was taken into a hospital."
"I remember that," Natalie laughed as looked up at Zac. "That was the night I found out I was pregnant. Kate was off visiting you and I had just taken the test and gotten the results back when I got the call."
Zac sat down beside Natalie on the couch, "I know you've fucked up," he said honestly. "I know your history and I know you lied to me too but I'm in love with you Natalie. I never stopped and I don't regret what happened last night. I refuse to let my brother who is probably back to his drug addiction ruin what I feel now."
Being stunned at his words Natalie looked at him before smiling slightly, "I am in love with you too," she spoke being honest as well. "I never stopped even if I wanted too after you got back with Kate. I never could stop. I tried though and I did get comfortable with Isaac. Convinced myself I could love him."
"I thought I could love Kate but I always regretted letting you go and taking her back," Zac admitted as he ran a hand through his hair. "Maybe if I hadn't you'd be my wife today and we could be raising Theo and our babies."
Hearing him say he regretted letting her go Natalie crinkled her forehead some, "But you regret letting me go then you'd regret your kids."
Zac shook his head, "I don't regret Shepherd or Junia. They are best things Kate gave me but I do regret letting you go."
Natalie smiled again as she reached out for his hand pulling him down on the couch beside her, "I regret lying to you and to everyone. I want to make things right and I want to be with you when I do it."
"And how do you make things right?" Zac asked her as they locked eyes.
"By telling Isaac the truth. That I'm in love with you and letting him go once and for all. Letting him know the divorce is the right thing and it's time for him to find someone to love him the way I can't," Natalie said as she leaned in to kiss Zac on the lips. It was the best solution she had for now. Let Isaac go so he could be happy. Hell that seemed the easiest part. It was the Taylor part of her life she was scared about.
