tainted love (Niccolò Govender Rossi)

Holy smokes

After my heated argument with Honey, I couldn't shake off the anger and confusion. I needed to do something. I headed straight to Brando's place, where he and Vitto were hanging out.

When I walked in, Brando was sprawled on the couch, playing a video game, while Vitto was flipping through a magazine. They looked up as I entered, noticing the fury in my eyes.

"Whoa, Nicco, what's up?" Brando asked, pausing his game.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my voice. "I need to talk to you guys about something serious."

Vitto raised an eyebrow. "This sounds intense. What happened?"

I started to explain, "I saw Honey this morning, kissing an older man. It was... sick. We had a huge argument about it."

Brando leaned back, grinning. "Sounds like she's got herself a sugar daddy. What's the big deal? Girls her age do that all the time."

I shot him a glare. "It's not funny, Brando. This guy, Matteo, he's twice her age. He's taking advantage of her."

Vitto frowned, concern etched on his face. "Honey? Are you serious? She doesn't seem like the type to go for that."

"She's not," I said, frustrated. "But she's feeling lost and confused. She said he makes her feel good and she's not willing to wait for me to sort things out with Virginia."

Brando chuckled. "Maybe you're just jealous, man. She's moving on and you're stuck in the past."

"Brando, this isn't a joke," Vitto interjected, shooting him a serious look. "We're talking about Honey here. She deserves better than some old creep."

I nodded, grateful for Vitto's support. "Exactly. We need to find this guy and make sure he stays away from her."

Brando smirked. "Alright, I get it. You want to play the hero. What's the plan?"

"You the manager at the club Honey always goes to, don't you?" I ask, trying to stay focused. Brando nods"We can get some info there."

Vitto looked at me, his concern still evident. "Nicco, I get you're angry, but are you sure confronting him is the right move? It could backfire."

I sighed, understanding his worry. Vitto used to have a crush on Honey back in primary school, and I knew he still cared about her. "I have to do something, Vitto. I can't just sit back and let her get hurt."

Brando nodded, finally serious. "Alright, let's do this. We'll just scare him a bit. Make sure he knows to stay away."

It didn't take long. Brando's connection with the club manager, Fiore, proved useful. After slipping him some cash, Fiore gave us Matteo's address without much fuss.

As we made our way to Matteo's place, Vitto spoke up again. "Nicco, I know you care about her. We all do. Just... don't do anything you'll regret."

I glanced at him, appreciating his concern. "I'll try, Vitto. But I can't promise anything."

When we arrived, we found Matteo lounging in his lavish living room, completely unfazed by our sudden appearance. His arrogance was palpable as he eyed us with mild interest.

"What can I do for you boys?" he asked, a smug smile playing on his lips.

I stepped forward, trying to keep my voice steady. "We're here to talk about Honey. You need to stay away from her."

Matteo's smile widened, and he leaned back in his chair. "Ah, Honey. She's quite the wild one, isn't she? Maybe you boys should have a turn with her. She's very... accommodating."

Brando laughed, adding to the tension. "Yeah, who hasn't had a go with Honey?" He quickly shut up, remembering its no time for childish jokes.

That was it. The final straw. I lunged at Matteo, my fists connecting with his smug face. Anger and frustration fueled my every punch as I beat him down. Brando and Vitto stood back, letting me take out my rage.

By the time I was done, Matteo was barely conscious, his face a bloody mess. I stood over him, breathing heavily, my knuckles throbbing from the impact.

"You stay away from Honey," I hissed. "If I ever see you near her again, it'll be worse than this. And remember, our families can make your life hell."

We left Matteo's place, my anger slowly ebbing away. I felt a sense of grim satisfaction, but also a heavy weight of guilt and uncertainty. As we walked away, Brando tried to lighten the mood.

"Well, that went well," Brando said, grinning. "Nice to see you still have that punch, Nicco."

I shook my head, not in the mood for jokes. "It wasn't supposed to go that far. But he deserved it."

Vitto, always the quieter one, looked thoughtful. "You did what you had to, Nicco. Just... be careful. This could come back to bite you."

Brando laughed again, this time more serious. "And hey, Vitto here still has the hots for Honey. Always acts like he doesn't when you're around, but he's not fooling anyone."

I glanced at Vitto, surprised. "Is that true?"

Vitto shrugged, looking a bit embarrassed. "Yeah, I guess. But it doesn't matter. What matters is keeping her safe."

We walked on in silence for a bit, each of us lost in our thoughts. Despite the chaos of the day, I knew one thing for sure: I couldn't let Honey get hurt, no matter what.

After a few moments, I couldn't help but chuckle. "Why didn't you ever tell me, Vitto?"

He sighed, looking at me with a hint of a smile. "Because I saw the way she looked at you. I knew I didn't stand a chance."

Curious, I pressed further. "What else did you notice about her?"

Vitto seemed to ponder for a moment "she really cares about you, more than you realize."

Brando chimed in, more serious now. "He's right. You two have something special."

I sighed, the weight of my feelings pressing down on me. "I love her, but it's complicated. Virginia and the baby... it's a mess."

Brando put a hand on my shoulder. "We get it, man. But you need to be honest with yourself and with Honey. She deserves that."

I nodded, appreciating their support. "Thanks, guys. I'll figure it out."

Brando grinned, breaking the serious mood. "And hey, don't forget about her perfectly sized boobs. Seriously, Nicco, you're a lucky guy."

I couldn't help but laugh, pushing Brando slightly. "You're such an ass, Brando."

Brando laughed, undeterred. "Honey's ass, you mean. You've seen that ass? Holy smoke."

We continued walking, the camaraderie of the moment making the heavy burden a little lighter. Despite everything, I knew I could count on my friends. And with their support, I'd find a way to protect Honey and figure out my own complicated feelings.