We Come Out At Night 5

One Week Later…..

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Shadows
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I’m a little pissed off still to say the least. Even after a week, it still bothers me the way that Gates spoke about Izzy. More for the fact that she was so upset about it afterwards.

“How’s Izzy?” Gates asked after walking into my office and taking a seat in front of my desk.

“As if you really fucking care.” I didn’t even bother looking at him when I replied. I just kept my gaze on my computer screen and continued my research for her birthday present.

“I never said I didn’t care.” He brought one leg up and rested his ankle on his other leg.

“You didn’t have to say it. If you cared, you wouldn’t have done what you did. You didn’t even have the common decency to come to me when we were alone and tell me how you felt about Izzy. I would have been more than happy to address your complaints and issues, but you had to go and humiliate her even more. Yeah, you care about her.”

My door opened and The Rev walked in with Vengeance and Christ following behind, but I paid none of them any mind. My primary focus was to find Izzy’s present. So far, I had no luck. I knew what I was looking for, but it was just a bitch to find. The entire week long, I had given her one gift a day, but her birthday was tomorrow and I needed to have this one specific gift.

“So, I’m taking Marisol out for dinner tonight and was wondering if you and Izzy wanted to join us.”

“No.” I spoke flat out and I was serious. I turned away from my computer and folded my hands on the desk top. One by one, I looked at all of them before my eyes finally landed on Gates. “Do you know what it’s like to love someone who asks "why" every time I say “I love you” to her because she doesn’t think she deserves my attention anymore? Do you know what it’s like to have a vibrant and happy girlfriend one day and then the next, have her shy away every time you try and touch her because she doesn’t think she deserves affection any more?”

Every single one of them had their eyes lowered unable to look at me. “Tomorrow is her birthday. I asked her to let me throw her a party and she begged me not to because she doesn’t want to be the center of attention. Is that fair?

Still none of them would look at me. I was angry now. Izzy may have made a few mistakes, but she promised me she would fix them and they never gave her the chance to do it. Instead of giving her a chance and letting her try, they made her feel like an outcast. I hate that she’s so sad. “So, tomorrow, Izzy and I are spending her birthday at the beach. Just her and I alone followed by a quiet dinner also.. alone. I hope that none of you ever have to see the pain that I see when I look in Izzy’s eyes everyday in any of your girls.”

Now it was time to give them all a little dose of reality. I turned my attention to The Rev first. “You know, you surprise me. You married the daughter of Marco Montes, who came here under false pretenses. She had every intention of two timing us and yet, she’s still here and still being treated like she’s one of us. In truth, I should have broken her damn her neck for what she did.”

The Rev had yet to make eye contact with me so I turned to Vengeance. “and you, your girlfriend is also the flesh and blood of Marco Montes. Need I also remind you that she broke into MY mansion and by all counts she should be in jail right now. Instead, she is going out to dinner with you. How fucking quaint!”

I slammed my fist down on my desk. I was really starting to get even more angry with them. “Christ.” I startled him when I said his name. “I don’t know what the hell Chelsea did wrong or even if she did anything wrong, but as far as I can see, she has been nothing but loyal to me and to Izzy. I also know that Izzy is truly sorry for the way she treated Chelsea. Unfortunately, you probably won’t ever be in the same room with Izzy ever again to hear it from her lips, so you’ll have to accept it from mine.”

“Ok.” He nodded.

“And you.” I nodded my head towards Gates and leaned back in my chair. “You apparently forgot the fact that Kristina once went by the name of Ruby and Ruby was playing both sides of the fence. That girl, if anyone, shouldn’t have even been given the time of day from me, yet I offered her a job as your assistant and welcomed her into the casino with open arms.”

I can’t explain how angry I was at Gates and maybe it wasn’t fair to everyone else that I took it out on them too, but Izzy was paying a high price for their selfishness. I sat there shaking my head looking over each one of them.

“Izzy suffered more than any of you or "your girls" will ever be able to imagine or understand. She didn’t get a stab in the stomach that heals in time. Marco mentally and physically abused her and none of you cared how she was doing psychologically. All you saw was how she was acting. He drugged her, raped her and used her for his own personal gain. So if she acts out once in a while or if she needs just a little more attention than the others, she shouldn’t have to be called out for it and made to feel like she’s insignificant to everyone, because she isn’t insignificant to me.” By now, I had gotten myself so worked up that my voice actually started to crack.

“I’ll be the one that will stand up and be there for her when no one else will. I’ll be the one that will let her know that no matter what happens, she can always come to me. I’ll be the one that will believe her when she says she’s afraid and not reprimand her for needing attention. I’ll be the one that will sit up with her all night because she has nightmares and doesn’t want to go to sleep. I’ll take care of her. So, none of you have to worry about it anymore. Izzy’s not your problem and as far as she’s concerned, I will personally see to it that you and “your girls” never have to deal with her ever again. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m trying to find my girlfriend a present for her birthday.”

I turned my attention away from all of them and back to my computer. Not a single word came out of any of their mouths. I could hear them shuffling out of my office and while they each got a piece of my mind, all I could think about right now was finding that damn snow globe.

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Gates
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The four of us left Shadows after getting our tongue lashing from him and went to the bar. We grabbed a table and sat there after ordering our drinks from Jason who had somehow become a permanent part of the bar.

“He’s pretty ticked off.” Vengeance spoke and Christ nodded his head in agreement.

“No shit, Sherlock.” The Rev replied.

“Ok, knock it off. There’s no point in getting all pissed off at each other over it.”

“Whatever. I have to go get Mari. We have reservations.” Vengeance said his goodbye and left. The things that Shadows said really weren’t sitting well with me. I do care about Izzy. Hell, I’d even go so far as to say that I loved her. Everything I said the night at Marco’s reception was fueled by anger. Kristina was upset by the fact that Izzy hadn’t said a word to her since she was back. So, like Shadows, I acted on behalf of my girl. Granted, I felt like a selfish bastard right now.

He was right. I was inconsiderate and I should have talked to him alone and not in front of Izzy. None of us ever once took into consideration why she was so needy and why she was acting out to get attention. Something was wrong and we chalked it up to her being a spoiled little bitch. What fucking friends we are. Shadows must think the worst of all of us right now. As much as I hate to say it…poor Izzy.

“I don’t know what to say” I told The Rev and Christ, who remained after Vengeance left.

“Me either. I made the poor girl puke on purpose.” The Rev was never kind to Izzy, so I just rolled my eyes at his comment. I’m sure it was sincere, but judging by the way he treated her, I was finding it a little difficult to believe. Sure, there was a moment of weakness once after he found Izzy in the torture chamber at The Maker’s Marc, but other than that, he was the furthest thing from kind to her. The fact that he made her puke on purpose, now that I could believe.

“Izzy’s not a bad person.” The way Christ spoke it was if he was trying to convince the two of us. “She’s just a little misguided. Aren’t we all at one time or another? We’ve never turned our backs on each other no matter how bad it got. This is just fucking wrong.” He slammed his beer bottle down on the table and walked out of the bar. The Rev and I both looked at each other. Christ had found himself some balls lately.

“This sucks.” I ran my hands through my hair in frustration. “I need to go see Kristina.” I stood and finished the last of my beer and after I set my empty bottle down on the table, I said my goodbye to The Rev and walked out.

When I got upstairs and walked into my place Kristina was sitting on the couch looking at a magazine. “Hey cupcake.” I sat down beside her and put my arm around her shoulder. “What are you reading?”

“Just a bridal magazine.”

“Picking out your dress?”

“No.” She shook her head and set the magazine on my lap so I could see. “I was looking at brides maid’s dresses and was just struck by how much that model looks like Izzy. I kinda makes me sad that she wont be in the wedding.”

“Maybe you should ask her.” I knew it was a long shot, but I had to try.

Kristina sighed and closed the magazine. “Shadows said she isn’t up for visitors.” When she looked at me I felt twice as guilty. “Brian, can I tell you something without you getting mad at me?”

“Ok.” I nodded, but with the way my temper has been flaring lately I couldn’t guarantee that I wouldn’t get mad.

“Don’t you think you were out of line just a little?”

Sure, because Shadows getting on my case wasn’t enough. Now, I had to hear it from her too. “Kristina, it’s not like everyone wasn’t thinking it.”

“That may be true, but you said it out loud. It was probably hard enough for Izzy to be there and you made it impossible for her to want to be around any of us ever again.”

Bite your tongue Gates. That was the thought that was running through my head after she finished speaking. “Kristina, I know you’re upset. I’m sure Izzy will be fine.”

“No she wont!” Kristina shook her head. “You wanted her to apologize to everyone, but now you owe her an apology too. You know what they say Brian, two rights don’t make a wrong.” I nodded agreeing with her even though I know that the correct saying is “Two wrongs don’t make a right.”

“I’m hungry.” I stood up and grabbed her hand. “Come on, let’s go get some food.” She rolled her eyes and walked with me down to the café. I may have felt guilty, but I wont apologize. I knew that Kristina was right and she meant well, but I too have a stubborn side. Besides, in a few days it would probably be water under the bridge....At least I can hope.