|
Antonio stepped through the door as Ricardo spun around to face him. Antonio could see that Gabi was afraid and he wanted to direct Ricardo’s anger at him now.
"What did you say?" Ricardo said quizzically. "I said, why don’t you ask me." Antonio returned Ricardo’s stare directly. "Antonio, I asked you to leave me and Gabi alone. This doesn’t involve you." Ricardo turned back to Gabi. Antonio looked at Gabi. She was slowly shaking her head no at him with a terrified look in her eyes. "Yes, Ricardo, it does," he said calmly without breaking Gabi’s eye contact. Gabi closed her eyes anticipating the hell that was about to break loose. Ricardo stood up straight and stepped toward his brother. "It involves you?" "Yes, it involves me, Ricardo," he said with authority. He paused to gauge Ricardo’s comprehension of what he had said. "Why, because Gabi came to you to confess her sins and beg God to forgive her for getting knocked up?" Ricardo said smugly. Gabi opened her eyes and saw Ricardo standing a few feet in front of Antonio. "Ricardo, I’m warning you." Antonio was glaring at his brother. "Don’t be so protective of her, T. She’s just your average slut ... she isn’t worth your time. I guess that father of hers must have taught her a few tricks…" Antonio grabbed Ricardo by the shirt and threw him back against the wall. He pushed against Ricardo’s chest with his fists as the anger flared from him uncontrollably. "I told you to stop, Ricardo. I won’t let you say that about her." Antonio shook Ricardo. "Do you hear me?" Ricardo was stunned by Antonio’s behavior. His brother had never challenged him this way before. Antonio could hear Gabi crying behind them. His heart was pounding violently. He had never felt this kind of pure rage against his brother, against anyone - ever. "T, I told you she’s just a gutter whore from..." Before he could finish his sentence, Antonio balled up his fist and slammed it into Ricardo’s jaw. Ricardo was thrown to the side and fell to the floor. Antonio dropped on top of him and the two brothers began wrestling to gain control. Gabi screamed for Ricardo to stop. She was terrified that he would get the upper hand and hurt Antonio. He had only been out of the hospital for a day. The adrenaline was coursing through Antonio’s veins as he struggled to free his arms from Ricardo’s hold. Ricardo’s fist blasted him in the stomach and took his breath for an instant. Ricardo managed to nail Antonio in the side and the nose while he was catching his breath. Gabi was crying hysterically as she watched the anger flourishing between the two of them. She tried desperately to climb out of bed, but the pain of her injuries was too much to bear. Antonio landed a punch into Ricardo’s side sending him hunched over to the floor. Antonio struggled to stand up wiping the blood that dripped from his nose. He looked quickly to Gabi, seeing her pleading for them to stop. He started to walk over to her when Ricardo reached out and grabbed him by the arm pulling him down hard directly on his knee. Antonio cried out in pain as his knee popped from the blow to the floor. Ricardo jumped up followed quickly by Antonio. Antonio grabbed Ricardo by the shoulders throwing him back into the wall as he raised his knee and slammed him in the stomach. Ricardo doubled over in pain as he gasped for air. Antonio stepped back without dropping his guard and waited for Ricardo to straighten up. Ricardo raised his eyes and looked directly into Antonio’s. "It was you, wasn’t it, you bastard?" Ricardo’s eyes flared with rage. "Get out, Ricardo. Get out now," Antonio’s voice was strong and vicious. Ricardo shot a look of hatred at Gabi. "How could you do this to me?" He shot the same look to his brother. "Both of you?" "I love her, Ricardo," Antonio said without hesitation. "I love her." Ricardo stood silently for a moment, grabbed his coat and walked quickly out the door. Antonio turned to Gabi, her cheeks soaked with tears. Antonio had blood dripping from his nose staining his white t-shirt. "I love you, Gabi," he said quietly, his eyes filling with tears.
|