Chapter Two
“How dare you,” Kate finally shot back when she could speak. “I have never threatened you, Zachary. How could you even…” she started but trailed off with a shake of her head.
She hadn’t thought she had ever threatened him so she truly wasn’t sure where that had came from.
“Right, okay,” Zac spoke sounding like he didn’t believe her words. “Keep telling yourself that.”
Kate once again shook her head, “I think you should go for awhile,” she snapped again letting her anger show. “I really don’t think I want to continue this conversation right now.”
“Oh no, I’m just getting started,” Zac replied because of course he had to be an insolent child and not let their argument drop like Kate wanted.
Obviously it was quite apparent who the adult in their marriage was right now and it wasn’t her husband. It was Kate who wanted to end an argument before it could get much more worse and much more out of hand.
“Do you really want to know why I’m hiding him?” Zac asked her almost with a taunt to his voice and his smirk proved to Kate now that it was indeed a taunt. The fucking asshole that he was.
“You had better choose your words very very carefully,” Kate warned him because he was clearly already on thin ice with her.
If he kept it up well the ice would break and he’d be drowning in cold water or even more of her anger.
“Maybe he is a bad influence,” Zac started his voice much lower now. “But he’s so good at it.”
Staring at Zac, Kate tried to make sense and even as he just stared her down her mind went sort of blank. Though it was also maybe going down place she didn’t want it to go. Places she knew were dangerous and just no.
Taking a step back from Zac, Kate opened her mouth to speak, “I want him gone Zachary. Now…out of my house!” she stated with an emphasis on this being her house.
“Excuse me?” Zac questioned her in disbelief. “Your house?”
“You heard me,” Kate replied as she crossed her arms being just a bit defiant now but after everything she felt like it was deserved.
“Yeah I did and it’s my fucking house too,” Zac shot back almost sounding like a whiny child to her.
A whiny child who was losing a fight that he wouldn’t let drop when she had suggested they drop it.
Kate only snorted as she kept her arms crossed, “For all the good you do around here,” she stated remembering what had started all this. His lack of helping and cleaning up.
“You mean like how I pay for all of the shit in this house? Like that?” Zac questioned her and again he sounded whiny.
Reminding her of one of their children which almost made Kate even more angry at him. That he was so immature when he wanted to be.
“Right,” Kate sighed with a roll of her eyes. “Because that’s what keeps a household together. Who cleans up the dishes? Who does the laundry? Who raises our children?” she asked him with venom in her voice and of course she wasn’t surprised when he fell silent.
Probably because Zac knew she was right.
“Who Zachary?” Kate continued in his silence. “While you’re off being a rock star, who is the one cleaning up your messes?”
“Oh, like you don’t just love that I’m a rock star,” Zac finally spoke snapping at Kate. “I mean I know I wasn’t your first choice but I’ll do right?”
Kate again felt in shock and like she had been hit in the gut, “How dare you…” she trailed off unable to even finish her words.
Yes, maybe she hadn’t dated him first but that didn’t mean she hadn’t loved him in her own ways. Because she had loved him he was just a bit difficult to love anymore.
“Just tell me,” Zac continued on in his evident anger. “Would you have kept trying if you hadn’t gotten me? Because really, I think Mac would been too young for you.”
“You…I…” Kate stuttered out feeling her own anger get worse. Enough that she was physically shaking now and Zac’s next words literally sent her over an edge she didn’t realize she was close too.
“No it’s fine. I get. Third time’s the charm.”
It was those words that propelled her to get closer to him again and slap him hard across the face.
“How dare you!” Kate spat at him angrily. Knowing if he had just shut up and stopped when she wanted him too that they wouldn’t be here right now in the middle of this argument.
“You’re mad at me?” Zac asked in disbelief. “You know what you did and you’re mad at me?” he questioned again and of course Kate was mad at him.
Why wouldn’t she be mad at him was the real question? Any woman who had been accused of what he said she would have done with Mac should have and would have been mad enough to slap him and tell him what she had told him.
It was common fucking sense Kate thought but obviously of course Zac lacked it.
“How could you…” Kate started as she felt tears in her eyes again. “You promised me you’d never..”
“That I’d never what?” Zac asked feigning innocence.
Kate narrowed her eyes at him, “What I did before we were together is none of your business Zachary,” she spoke knowing what had happened between her and Isaac was none of his business and he had no right to throw it in her face. “I thought you understood that.”
Zac laughed out loud at her words, “It is my business when it’s not one but two of my brothers,” he spoke and Kate felt as if her world had stopped because how did he know?
“But you neglected to tell me about the second one didn’t you?” Zac continued in her silence.
“I….I didn’t..” Kate stuttered as she tried to think of words. “There’s nothing to tell.”
“Taylor wouldn’t lie to me,” Zac told her simply and Kate flared her upper lip some because of course he had found out from Taylor himself.
That goddamn bastard that Taylor was.
Kate narrowed her eyes again, “Oh that’s right,” she muttered sarcastically. “Your perfect big brother.”
“Yes that is right,” Zac replied as he crossed his arms in what Kate saw as defiance.
“You worship him even more than you do Carrick,” Kate added on almost under her breath but loud enough that Zac could heard. “It’s sick, really.”
After she said that Kate eyed Zac watching as he shook some before speaking.
“You…you have no idea how I worship Carrick,” he said and just the way he said it Kate felt a sick feeling in her gut.
Like she knew what he meant but she didn’t want too..she couldn’t have been understanding him right.
“You…” she started but stopped as she tilted her head trying to tell herself that she was crazy. “You don’t mean…” she sighed before trailing off unable to even speak the thoughts she had.
Thoughts that made her feel a bit sick inside now.
“But I certainly do get down on my knees for him…” Zac added on and Kate’s sick feeling grew though again she kept wanting to deny it.
Shaking her head she continued to look at him, “You can’t mean…”
“Can’t I?” Zac asked interrupting her and it was then that Kate let her emotions show. The biggest one being disgust.
“Zachary Walker Hanson, that is not funny,” Kate told him now realizing she was the one who probably sounded like a whining child but really this had had to be some sick joke.
“Funny isn’t the first word I’d use for it, no,” Zac replied so calmly. So serious sounding and reality finally set in for Kate.
Kate finally realized her husband was gay. “So…” she started as she searched Zac’s eyes for a moment as tears once again welled up in her eyes. “Is that why? Why you can’t…” she continued again unable to finish what she wanted to say but clearly Zac knew what she meant.
That she meant why he was unable to get it up most of the time.
“Would you prefer it was just you?” Zac asked his voice softening some though his words sounded crass to her. “Or the entire gender?”
Kate’s eyes widened again at his last words, “You disgust me,” she told him honestly. “Get out of my house.”
“It’s not your house,” Zac growled at her though he didn’t actually scare her.
“Oh yes it is!” Kate shot back as her voice went higher. “It’s more mine than yours, you…you…” she muttered out unable to use the curse word she wanted because as much as she cursed in her head she despised cursing out loud.
Which she knew made her a hypocrite but well that was between her and God. Obviously not between her and Zac.
“Say it,” Zac told her after she went silent and Kate did open her mouth at his words but before she could speak that sick feeling from earlier hit and she gagged.
Having to turn away from Zac after gagging.
“Get out,” Kate finally told him once she could speak and really what else was there to say to him?
He was gay obviously and that was that and she really didn’t want to see him. Nor did she want him to see the kids.
Which caused her to laugh as she finally turned to look at Zac, “I hope you liked seeing your kids, Zachary.”
“Kate, no,” Zac pleaded and for once during this whole thing she could see fear in his eyes which gave her a tiny thrill.
Now somewhat maybe the tables were turned and it was her who could make him feel like shit.
“You’re sick,” Kate told him plainly having her mind made up. “I don’t want you twisting them.”
“Kate,” Zac repeated saying her name again and now he was the one with tears in his eyes. “I’m not…that’s…”
“You’re not what?” Kate asked him before looking around afraid that someone would overhear her next words which was crazy because the only other person here who could was Carrick and obviously that bastard already knew. “Gay?” she finally spoke.
“No I’m definitely gay,” Zac said and even though he looked scared he still sounded confident. “But that doesn’t make me twisted.”
Kate wanted to laugh bitterly at his words but she didn’t. Choosing to bite her lip briefly before speaking. “Oh yes it does,” she spat as a shudder ran down her back. “God were you just using me?”
“You’re one to talk,” Zac replied letting a snort out.
“What was I, your cover?” Kate questioned again and she was honestly curious how long he had known he was gay.
How long he had been so sick and fucking twisted.
“Kate, it’s not that fucking simple,” Zac replied and again Kate wanted to laugh but didn’t.
“Oh yeah?” Kate asked sarcastically because how could it not be so fucking god damn simple?
“It took me years to figure this out, okay? And so you got your claws in me in the meantime. Good job.”
Kate felt anger again as she just eyed Zac intently because no. She still stood by that at one point she had genuinely loved her husband. But that had stopped and the love had became difficult and after tonight she was really sure any love she had for him was dead.
“Nice to know you value your wife so highly,” Kate told him after taking a deep breath.
“Because you value me so very much, right?” Zac questioned her and Kate knew maybe he had her there but she was stubborn to admit it.
Rolling her eyes she just sighed, “Don’t be stupid Zac. You’re my husband.”
“I’m your meal ticket,” Zac replied in response to her words and Kate just looked at him shocked. “You have never, ever missed an opportunity to insult me, belittle me, tear me down any way you can. Don’t you even fucking deny that.”
Kate took in Zac’s words briefly and he was right. She couldn’t deny it.
“Well, maybe if you would learn from your mistakes, I wouldn’t have to keep pointing them out,” Kate shrugged doing what he said and not denying his claims.