Case File 82

Case File Name:
Any Insane Person.

♤Chapter Eighty-Two♤

"Yes, that one's good," I said, eyeing the gold Rolex watch, "Can I get it wrapped up and in a gift bag?" I asked as I slid my wallet from my Chanel purse.

The man immediately nodded, "Of course ma'am," he said, walking over to the register where he got me ringed up for the expensive watch he later wrapped and perfectly boxed up.

Luckily, this was the only store I planned to go to today—considering I had been at the mall nearly every day since I could properly drag myself out of bed.

I only allowed myself to stay in bed for a maximum of twenty-four hours—crying until my eyes ached and I was forced to fall asleep.

But eventually, I got up and began cleaning.

Everything.

And then I began shopping.

But not for myself...

I shopped for Tazmin instead, deciding to send her endless gifts until she decided to talk to me.

It was my attempt to match her love language even if my therapist suggested giving the entire situation some space.

Which I partially did...

I mean, it's been a week and my apartment is stacked with luxury shopping bags—filled with things I had picked and chosen for Tazmin.

I think I'll start sending things to her house tomorrow and pray that she tries to talk to me.

She eventually will... right?

I quickly shook my head, not wanting to spiral again for the third time today.

But the truth is, I'm going insane.

I genuinely can't live without her.

I need Tazmin more than I need fucking air.

A deep sigh fell from my lips as I slid into the driver's seat of my Mercedes, setting the Rolex bag to the side and starting the car.

Luckily, Marie is coming over tonight for cocktails and dinner so I can at least take my mind off everything.

Because for once, work isn't distracting me.

If anything I space out during meetings and can't focus during the day to save my fucking life.

But it will all be okay soon—Tazmin will talk to me soon.

She has to right?

We can't leave things like this—we can't leave things at all.

What would that even make me?

A lonely defense lawyer who can't physically or emotionally be attracted to anyone except for the one person who refuses to speak to her?

Sleeping around and being the single aunt is no longer appealing anymore.

If anything it sounds so fucking sad and lonely.

I want to build something and I only want to build it with Tazmin.

"Oh you're already here," I said as I approached the door of my apartment that Marie stood by.

Who eyed the shopping bag in my hand.

"New watch?" Marie asked me as I unlocked my front door.

I nodded happily, "It's for Tazmin," I said as we walked into my apartment where Marie sat the liquor bottles in her hands down on the kitchen counter.

But not without glancing over to my sectional couch covered in shopping bags.

And as soon as I sat the Rolex bag down on the couch, Marie raised a sharp brow, "All for Tazmin?" she questioned almost hesitantly.

I nodded a few times, adjusting my baggy jeans, which I wore with a black bodysuit tank top and matching kitten heels.

"Lena you are aware that um..." Marie slowly trailed off, tilting her head slightly, "Like you know that you guys aren't together right?"

I smiled slightly, "Yes, I'm not going insane Marie," I said, waving her concerns off, "These are just gifts I've gotten for her over the last week."

Marie pursed her lips, "Right and you think she'll accept these gifts?" she asked, opening one of the bottles of red wine.

I nodded, "Yeah, my therapist said to give it time, so I decided to give it a week," I explained, walking over to her as she grabbed a wine glass for me, "I'm planning to send some of the gifts over tomorrow."

Marie nodded silently to herself as she poured me a glass of wine.

"I mean, she'll at least try to talk to me after she sees the effort I put in," I said, gently taking the wine glass from her as she began working on her typical martini.

"But if she doesn't then that's okay too," Marie said in a reassuring tone, "Like you can move on and—"

"I'm not moving on," I firmly cut her short with a narrowed look, and upon realizing how tight my voice had suddenly gotten, I quickly cleared my throat, "I mean I don't have to since she'll talk to me," I clarified with a forced smile.

Which earned a hesitant nod from my best friend, "Okay..." she trailed off, pouring more of the alcohol into her metal shaker.

"Gia and I only kissed," I said, taking a long sip of my wine, "And once Tazmin realizes that then we can smooth this all over," I added as Marie began shaking the metal cup.

"Look I'm your best friend and I love you so fucking much—but in all honesty, it looks like you guys slept together," Marie admitted, setting the metal shaker down, "Like you could've at least told me Lena, but now I can't even vouch for you."

I blinked a few times, "We just thought it would be better to never speak of it, you know," I said, setting my wine glass down.

Marie raised a brow, "I'm sure Gia loved that idea," she said insinuatingly, now grabbing a glass for her martini.

"Okay, but I wasn't aware she had feelings for me in that moment, Marie," I quickly said.

I never actually expected Gia to develop feelings for me—I mean the way she danced with me makes sense now, but in the moment I didn't see her in that light.

I assumed she only viewed me as a sister-in-law as she claimed before.

And it didn't help that I desperately wanted everything to be normal around her so I went along with it.

Now I don't even want to speak to Gia.

Mostly, because she lied about her feelings and only made everything look worse by partially admitting them to Tazmin. 

"It's just weird is all I'm saying—and you know I'm not the type to lie to you," Marie said as she poured her martini into a glass.

"Yeah but it was all just one big misunderstanding," I said, picking my wine glass up for another sip.

Marie nodded, but as soon as her phone began buzzing with a call, she immediately set her filled martini glass back down.

And I couldn't help but feel my heart quickly race in my chest when I read Vic's name.

I haven't laid eyes on the twins since I last saw them on that awful night.

But I didn't expect them to willingly hang out with me after what happened with Tazmin.

"No you're good babe—seriously just have fun," Marie said as she picked her martini glass back up to take a sip, "Just keep your hands to yourself," she said firmly, even if a laugh followed the statement.

And I couldn't help but grow curious at her words, wondering what he had called her about.

"Okay—yeah I love you too," Marie said before she ended the call.

Which made me purse my lips slightly, clearly wanting to ask her what the phone call revolved around without actually asking.

Because we both know I'm only asking due to one person.

"So... what was that about?" I hesitantly asked, forcing myself to look nonchalant as I sat down in one of the chairs at the kitchen island.

"Vic was just checking in with me," Marie said, shaking her head with a smile, "He's at this strip club and..." she quickly trailed off, freezing slightly as if she realized what she had said.

Which immediately made my brows furrow.

Until I realized why she had froze like that.

Tazmin's with him.

She's at a strip club.

"But less about him—how was work?" Marie awkwardly asked, blinking a few times as she rounded the kitchen island to sit next to me.

But I could only shake my head, suddenly feeling physically sick at the idea of another woman touching Tazmin.

Or her touching another woman.

Even the idea of her throwing money at a half-naked woman was enough to make me suddenly stand from my chair.

"Lena," Marie sighed, suddenly standing from her chair with me.

I slipped my heels back on, "I want to know the name of the strip club," I said, grabbing my glass of wine to pour out.

Marie shook her head, "It's not a good idea to go there—"

"I think it's a perfect fucking idea," I quickly cut her short, grabbing my keys, "It's technically almost been a week—she can hear me out tonight," I said, walking towards the front door as Marie quickly slid her heels back on and followed behind me.

"Tazmin doesn't want to talk to you Lena," Marie said as we walked out of my apartment, "Vic made that very clear to me—"

"She doesn't have to talk, I just need her to hear what I have to say," I cut her short, not bothering to budge on my idea of at least explaining everything better, "After that I'll leave her alone," I said, even if it was a full-faced lie.

I don't think I could actually leave her alone.

I could keep my distance but she'll always be somewhere in my head—it'll never not be her that I want.

"Do you promise?" Marie asked as I clicked the elevator button, "After this, you'll truly leave it alone and try to move on?" she clarified.

And I didn't hesitate to nod as the elevator dinged open, "I promise," I said as we walked into the elevator, "Even if it means I'm stuck waiting for her."

Marie sighed, "I guess I'll take that," she mumbled as I clicked the parking garage level, "They're at Scarlett's," she finally told me, which earned a firm nod from me.

And as soon as the elevator later dinged open on the parking garage level, I headed over to my car with Marie by my side.

Luckily, I only had three sips of wine so I didn't even feel close to buzzed.

But it still gave me somewhat more courage to walk into this strip club.

Which was already really fucking packed for a Thursday night—it took us over thirty minutes to get past the long line.

And even then, I didn't know where Tazmin could be.

Except maybe in a private section or V.I.P. room.

So I decided to walk around the entire club with Marie by my side—subtly peaking into each room that we passed as my best friend fed into what felt like my own delusions.

Because why am I at a strip club searching for someone who wants nothing to do with me?

"In there," I suddenly said to Marie, leaning into her ear so she could hear me over the music.

Marie nodded as she eyed the small opening in the velvet curtain.

Where I could easily make out Mav's familiar form who sat beside Vic.

And the closer Marie and I walked, the more my stomach grew with anxious knots—feeling my palms quite literally fucking sweating at the idea of walking into that room.

"We're with their party," I politely told the bouncer, flashing him an innocent smile.

"Go on in," the bouncer said, openly eyeing me and Marie from head to toe, which made me cringe internally.

But I only forced the feeling away, smiling tightly as I walked past the velvet curtains.

And almost immediately I pinpointed so many different people I didn't know.

I only recognized the twins—and Tazmin who sat in the middle of it all.

And by all, I mean the half-naked girls dancing for them.

There was cash everywhere and even an ice bucket holding bottles of Don Julio that everyone seemed to be drinking.

I glanced over to Tazmin, who looked more bothered than surprised at my presence.

And I swear she looked so fucking attractive—especially with her iced-out jewelry shining under the flashing lights.

Her blonde hair was down and she had on her usual minimal makeup, wearing baggy jeans and an oversized t-shirt tucked up to expose her sharpened ABs.

I clenched my jaw as soon as Tazmin slid cash into the side of the random topless woman's g-string.

"Get the fuck off of her," I said as I approached Tazmin, noticing the woman now lowering down to straddle her lap.

"Don't listen to her," Tazmin told the woman, leaning into her ear as she guided her hips.

"Lena," Vic suddenly stood with Mav, clearly about to try and escort me out.

But I had already begun walking toward Tazmin, stepping over the table—and yanking the random Asian woman back by her dark hair.

"What the fuck!" the woman nearly yelled over the music as I shoved her off to the side, forcing her to stumble over her obnoxiously high heels.

Tazmin shook her head as she stared up at me, "You're acting fucking crazy," she said, taking a sip of her drink in the clear plastic cup.

"Because I want to talk to you and you're getting danced on by random fucking bitches?" I said, snatching the cup out of her hand.

Which immediately made Tazmin's jaw tighten, "You just might have Adriana fucking beat right now, Milena," she said, her harsh words digging deeper than I wanted them to, "You should leave before you embarrass yourself even more."

I only crossed my arms over my chest, "Not until you talk to me," I said, firmly standing my ground, and out of my peripheral I could see both Mav and Vic shaking their heads at me.

"Don't you have my sister to fuck?" Tazmin asked, her dark eyes never once wavering away from mine.

I shook my head, feeling my face burn with a rough fire, "We never fucked, it was just a kiss—"

"Can someone get her the fuck out of here?" Tazmin cut me short, glancing over toward the velvet curtains behind me.

And as soon as the familiar bouncer came into the room—I felt my jaw tighten, refusing to leave this room without Tazmin at least hearing me out.

So I did what any insane person would do.

I sat on Tazmin's lap.

Marie suddenly stepped forward, "Lena—"

"I'm not leaving," I said, wrapping my arms around her neck as Tazmin kept her arms strictly by her side.

"You're being fucking childish, Milena," Tazmin said as I clung to her even tighter, "Get off of me."

I only shook my head, hating the tears that burned in my eyes, "I love you Tazmin please just talk to me," I forced out, hiding my face in my arms away from all the random eyes of everyone, "I swear it was only a kiss."

Tazmin still didn't bother to touch me once, "Yeah, get her off of me," she said and I could feel the presence of the familiar bouncer behind me.

"Nah we'll get her," Vic suddenly said before the random man could pull me off Tazmin.

This is not how I imagined this all fucking going.

Especially not in front of so many people.

But I'll do anything for her to hear me out.

"Tazmin I just want to talk," I said, hugging myself closer to her with hopes that she would give me a chance to explain.

"Rita, you can come back over here," Tazmin said as the twins approached us, which only made more tears burn in my eyes.

I didn't want to let her go.

I just wanted to stay right here until she talked to me.

She has to talk to me right?

I shook my head as soon as Vic gently grabbed one of my arms, "No—please no," I said, staring so deeply into Tazmin's eyes.

Which held absolutely no remorse for me.

"I can't do this without you—please just talk to me," I forced out as Mav gently grabbed my other arm.

And as soon as they both lightly tugged at my arms—they unraveled from Tazmin's neck.

Which nearly made me break down all over again, especially as they pulled me up from her lap by my arms—nearly dragging me towards the exit of the room as I squirmed and struggled in their hold.

And just like that, the woman I had previously pulled off Tazmin's lap—sat right back in my place, resuming her previous dance on her.

Which left more tears burning in my eyes as the twins guided me through the club with Marie following behind us.

And at this point, I truly felt fucking pathetic—especially with how everything just went down in that room.

I really didn't expect her to reject me like that. 

"I just wanted her to talk to me," I forced out, stumbling away from the twins on the sidewalk that lingered with random people.

But Vic only pulled me right back by my arm, nearly giving me whiplash in the process.

"Look Lena," Vic said as he held me in place by my arms, staring down at me with nothing but seriousness, "I care about you so I really need you to fucking hear me when I say this."

I rapidly shook my head, feeling more tears burn in my eyes as Vic held me firmly in place.

"There is no you and Tazmin anymore—there's not going to be a you and Tazmin anymore," Vic emphasized, which only made my stomach grow even more hollow, nearly feeling nauseous at his words.

Marie suddenly took a step forward, "Vic—"

"No because we can't keep doing this shit with her," Vic cut Marie short, not once glancing away from me, "You seriously need to let her go, Lena. It's getting unhealthy at this point."

Mav nodded, "Yeah, this is insane, I can't lie," he added, awkwardly pursing his lips.

I quickly shook my head, "But I-I can't," I forced out, hiccuping once.

And then hiccuping again.

"I love her," I whispered, feeling more tears burn in my eyes as I avoided Vic's serious stare.

"Well, you're going to have to love her from a distance," Vic said, letting go of my arms, which made me stumble on my feet slightly, "Because Taz is deadass over this Lena."

I hiccuped again, "I just need her to talk to me, please?" I said, quickly wiping my tears away even if they came back ten times worse, "Can you please get her to talk to me?" I whispered, taking a step toward Vic.

Who immediately took one step back, "Lena you fucked her sister—there's genuinely nothing to talk about," Vic said, which made my stomach twist even more unbearably.

"But I didn't..." I trailed off, holding my hand to my lips as soon as my nausea grew around me, "I didn't sleep with Gia—"

I cut myself short as soon as I turned away from them all—vomiting anything that could possibly be taking up space in my stomach.

"Oh fuck," Marie whispered as I kneeled on the ground completely, allowing myself to throw up anything on my stomach.

Because maybe I deserve that.

Maybe I deserve all of this.

I squeezed my eyes shut as I coughed even more, allowing the vomit to rise up my throat as I felt Marie gently guide my hair back.

But I quickly realized it was Vic leaning over me to hold my hair back while Mav handed me a napkin.

"I'll go get the car," Marie suggested, and I could feel her reaching in my pocket for my car keys.

And as soon as she got them I was alone with the twins who waited patiently by me as I finished throwing up—nearly full-on sobbing between each breath I took.

"Lena," Vic said, his voice entirely calm with me.

I nodded a few times, not bothering to spare a response as I wiped my mouth with the napkin Mav handed me.

"You gotta let this go—I'm not saying it'll be easy, but you can't be showing up like this," Vic said as he carefully helped me stand onto my feet, "You can still wait for her or love her from a distance maybe but this just isn't going to work."

Mav suddenly sighed, "You played in Taz's face—there's really no coming back from that," he said, shaking his head in disapproval.

"We still love you and you know we got you from a distance, but we're with Taz on this one," Vic said as Marie suddenly pulled up in front of us.

I silently nodded, not even bothering to piece together the words for a response.

Because all I felt was broken and so fucking drained.

Somehow, I feel worse than that night just a week ago.

I didn't even realize I could feel fucking worse but here I am reaching an all-time low.

"Thank you guys," I forced out in a broken whisper to the twins, turning on my heel to walk over to the passenger side of my car.

And as soon as I slipped inside, I buckled my seatbelt and stared forward with even more tears burning in my eyes.

"I really imagined that going differently, Marie," I whispered brokenly, leaning my seat back as Marie maneuvered my car out of the parking lot.

"We all have our moments," Marie said, giving my shoulder a soft squeeze, "But you gave it your best and that's all you can really do at the end of the day."

I nodded a few times, wiping my tears away, "Yeah I just..." I trailed off, shaking my head a few times, "I guess I can try to move on—but I swear it will always be her," I forced out, drawing in a deeper breath when tears blurred my vision yet again.

Marie nodded a few times, "Maybe we could take it one day at a time? You could try focusing on something new instead," she suggested, which earned a deeper sigh from me.

"Yeah, that feels like my only option at this point," I whispered, staring out of the tinted windows at the city passing by.

But I knew wholeheartedly that I would wait as long as it took for her to come around.

I'll always be right here for Tazmin no matter what.