Kidnapped: Book 2

Chapter 18. Worthless.

Izzy's eye fluttered behind her bruised eyelids. It'd been a week since... then. Her bruises were fading, but now she seemed to glow green. Jack told me she looked like an alien. I told him not to say that to Izzy. She'd been better. Jack was no longer an issue. She was only sore in the mornings or at late at night. At least, that's the only time she'd told me about. She was trying desperately to return to normal. She still wasn't going to work yet. She wouldn't admit it, but she didn't like people seeing her and it was hard for her to be around a lot of other people.

"Jace, where are you?" Izzy yelled, shooting up.

"I'm right here, Iz." I whispered, offering her my hand. I wanted to pull her into my arms and hold her as tightly as I could and make her nightmares go away, but I couldn't.

"I had a nightmare," she mumbled, shoving her hands through her hair. I'd been able to keep her from picking at the scabs on her wrists and they'd almost healed completely. The scars were large and ugly, but they'd fade too.

I brushed a strand of her hair from her face and she flinched away. It was the only thing not fading. It hurt more than I'd thought it would. I couldn't understand why she wouldn't let me touch her. I couldn't understand, but I was trying as hard as I could.

A knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. Izzy had laid back down on the bed and seemed to be either deep in thought or restlessly sleeping. I climbed up and grabbed the bat that'd been sitting by our door since then. I carried it after me as I left the room. Jack was standing outside his door, his eyes large.

"Who's there?" he whispered.

"Don't worry Jack," I smiled at him. "Why don't you go sleep with Mommy? She's having nightmares again," Jack nodded and hurried into our room.

I went downstairs and saw Ryder and David standing in the yellow glow of the porch light. I sighed. I didn't understand why those two couldn't come during the day like normal people. It was almost eleven and here they were.

"What are you two doing?" I asked, opening the door. Ryder eyed the bat.

"Plan on playing some baseball?" David asked, stepping by me and into the house.

"Why are you here? Do you know it's almost eleven? Jack and Izzy are trying to sleep." I scolded them.

"Meow. Someone has been playing daddy to long," Ryder laughed, moving toward the kitchen.

"He even sleeps with a shirt on, we've got to pose an intervention." David said, handing Ryder a beer and whatever leftovers were inside the refrigerator.

"Strip club?" Ryder asked, hopefully.

"He's got a wife, that's out of the question." David sighed.

"Izzy doesn't have to know!" Ryder said. Both him and David looked at each other and laughed, knowing all to well that Izzy would find someway to find out.

"You don't have to pose an intervention, there is nothing wrong with me." I grumbled.

"He's whipped and he doesn't even know it," David laughed. Little feet shuffled down the stairs and Jack appeared. He looked at Ryder and David.

"What's up Jack?" Ryder called.

"Daddy," Jack said, pulling on my hand. "Mommy is crying,"

Ryder's and David's faces fell.

"Is she awake?" I asked, figuring it'd be like before, she'd cry herself out and not want me to see her like that anyway.

"No," Jack said, shaking his head. I sighed. I'd hoped Izzy wouldn't have nightmares like last time, but that was just a hope.