Defender's Heartbeat 2

Chapter 17

Manuel

I don't know how many hours I've been in this dark basement. Gerado's bodyguards, who are my friends, beat the crap out of me at his command. I knew none of them wanted to do that, but none of them would dare defy their boss's orders.
I completely forgot about Rachel and Miguel when I tried to save Enzo. I can't believe he jumped in front of me to protect me. He wasn't supposed to do that. This is all my fault. I grew too close to him, and now he's suffering because of me. No one has told me how he is. I begged them to tell me, but none of them said a word.
"Please, tell me how he is. If you want to kill me, fine, but at least tell me how he is," I screamed. But they remained silent.

Wounds cover my body, and I'm bleeding. The physical pain is excruciating, but the mental anguish for my son, Enzo, is even worse. The image of him lying on the floor keeps haunting me, bringing tears to my eyes. Why did he do that? My foolish boy, why did he act so recklessly?

I prayed fervently to God while stuck in that dark room, pleading for my baby's life. It's the only thing I can do now. The thought of something happening to him because of my actions is unbearable. This wouldn't have happened if I had just stuck to my job description as it was written. I broke the rules and put his life in danger. Sobs wracked my body as I thought about him and our past memories.

The door suddenly swung open, and my eyes shot up to see Louis standing there.
"Boss, please, tell me... How is he? Is he okay? Please, tell me, please," I pleaded desperately, crawling towards Louis and clutching at his trouser legs like a beggar.
He attempted to pull away, but I held on tightly, unwilling to let him go.
"Please, boss, tell me. Is he okay? Don't leave without answering me," I cried out, my voice raw with fear.

"Just clean yourself up and get ready to go to the hospital. He wants to see you," Louis replied in a strained voice before hastily lighting a cigarette.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. He was okay, and I could finally go see my baby.
"Thanks, boss. Thank you," I exclaimed, bowing gratefully.
"Stop it, Manuel. You don't have to do all that. What's wrong with you? Are you losing your mind?" Louis said, pulling me up and giving me a strange look.
"He's fine, man. Just get ready," he added, and I hurried back to my room. Despite the pain from the beating, I pushed myself to walk faster. I couldn't wait a moment longer to see my son.

I cleaned myself up and washed the blood from my face. Applying some plasters to the wounds, I tried to hide the extent of the injuries. I didn't want Enzo to see me like this and worry. Opting for a long-sleeved shirt to cover most of the wounds, I swallowed a painkiller to dull the ache.

Louis

I had Enzo's phone with me, having found it on the library floor during the altercation. His phone kept buzzing with messages and calls from his friends. While I recognized most of the names, there was one unfamiliar contact labeled 'Mia ❤️'. I couldn't help but wonder if Enzo had a girlfriend, although I hoped not. I resisted the urge to answer any of the calls, but my curiosity got the better of me when Mia called again. This time, I decided to answer.

"Enzo? What happened to you?" A soft, melodic voice came through the phone. So, this was Enzo's type? It was completely different from what I had imagined for him. He had chosen a girl who sounded exactly like Mama—soft, innocent, with a warm voice.

"Hey, I'm his brother. How can I help you?" I replied, sensing her surprise at hearing my voice through Enzo's phone.

"Oh, I was wondering why he suddenly left the trip and why he's not sending any messages or answering my calls. Is he okay?" she asked with concern.

"He's fine. We had to take him home because he got sick. I think you're his girlfriend?" I inquired.

"Yes," she confirmed. Okay, Enzo, you've messed up again.

"He's okay. Don't worry. I need to go now. Bye!" I said, and then I ended the call.

Manuel arrived after getting ready to go to the hospital. Despite the wounds on his face, he still looked handsome, not showing a hint of pain.

When I went into Enzo's hospital room, it really hit me hard to see my little brother looking so weak. He seemed so small and pale against the bright white sheets, with tubes coming out from his arms. I felt a lump in my throat as I sat down next to him, softly holding his hand in mine. His eyes opened slowly.

"Hey, bro, just relax," I whispered, trying to sound calm. "We're all here with you." Enzo's eyes shifted towards me, showing a hint of recognition despite the drugs clouding his mind. He tried to speak, but no words came out. Frustration crossed his face, and I gently squeezed his hand to reassure him. "Look who's here," I said, gesturing towards Manuel.

Manuel

When I saw Enzo for the first time, I felt my strong exterior beginning to weaken. Even though the surgery was successful, seeing my beloved boy, whom I cared for deeply, looking injured and frail—he meant the world to me. His eyes opened slowly, but all he could do was make a slight grimace.

As I walked up to Enzo's bed, I felt a heavy burden on my shoulders. Seeing him up close, he seemed fragile and tiny, surrounded by tubes and wires as he recovered. A lump formed in my throat as I looked at all the medical equipment needed—a stark reminder of how I had let him down by not keeping him safe.

Seeing Enzo lying there, weakened because he bravely took the bullet meant for me, filled me with guilt. I was supposed to protect him, not the other way around. But there he was, suffering because of my mistake.

As I looked at the tubes running from his arms, I felt a pang of guilt. Enzo's weakened condition was a result of his brave but reckless decision to protect me, when it should have been the other way around.

Seeing Enzo, the child I promised to protect, so helpless made me feel emotions I usually hide. He was trying to recover from an injury he shouldn't have gotten, all because he tried to protect me, his bodyguard. I felt like I didn't deserve to be there next to him.

As I softly moved Enzo's hair away from his forehead, I stayed there for a moment, feeling his skin. Even though Pedro and Louis were there, I couldn't hold back my feelings. At that moment, I was just a dad, scared that his child wouldn't get better.

"Why did you do that, Enzo?" I whispered softly, letting out emotions I usually keep hidden. "I can't bear to lose you..."

Enzo's eyes shifted towards me, still tired and weak from everything he had gone through. Enzo was strong, my brave son. Placing a shaky kiss on his forehead, I tasted the salty fear of a father desperately holding onto his son's fragile life.

"Papa," Enzo croaked out, his face contorting with pain after uttering just one word.

"Hey, don't try to talk right now, alright? You can speak once your throat feels better," I reassured him, gently squeezing his hand. I kissed the back of his hand, feeling him hold onto mine in return. It seemed like he was asking me not to leave.

"I'll stay here with you, Enzo. I'm not going anywhere," I promised, seeing a faint glimmer of relief in his weak expression.

I wanted to apologize to him, but I knew it might upset him further. I felt like I didn't deserve to be his guardian. I had failed to keep him safe.