Defender's Heartbeat 2

Chapter 19

Manuel

Enzo fainted before I could punch Louis in the face. We carried him to his room, making sure he was comfortable in bed, then stepped outside the house. Pedro had seen everything and was already blaming both of us for making Enzo even more miserable.

Louis and I stood there, staring at each other with rage.

"Don't forget who the hell you are, Manuel," Louis spat, making my anger flare up.

"What if I do?" I growled, grabbing his collar again.

He shoved me back. "I told you, I didn't mean to!" Louis shouted.

"Why can't you just stay away from him?" I yelled, pushing him again.

"Stop it!" Pedro yelled at us, stepping between us before things escalated further.

"Think about your family before you ever try to lay a hand on me, dog," Louis said, completely ignoring Pedro's warning.

I lunged at him, fists flying, punching him relentlessly until Pedro pulled me away. Louis was bleeding, but before I could catch my breath, he attacked me again.

"You'll see what I'm going to do, Manuel. You'll regret this," he threatened as he punched me. But I was stronger, and we wrestled, trading blows until the bodyguards rushed in, pulling us apart. Both of us were left bruised and bleeding.

"You've crossed the line, Manuel," Pedro said sternly, his eyes narrowing at me. I knew I had, but at that moment, I didn't care. I was ready for whatever came next.

"Both of you, just leave him alone. And tell your Patrón Perez Papa to stay away from Enzo too," I snapped, my voice hard and unforgiving.

"Manuel, we've put up with you because of Enzo, but don't think we'll do it forever," Pedro warned, his tone just as sharp.

"Isn't it ironic, Pedro? I'm the reason your brother is still alive. Without me, he wouldn't last a year. You're all monsters. He just got out of the hospital, and you're already hurting him again," I shot back angrily.

"I told you I didn't mean to hurt him, you jerk," Louis said, shoving me again.

"Papa," a weak voice cut through the tension.

We all turned to see Enzo, pale and exhausted. His eyes were heavy with weariness.

"Why did you come downstairs?" I rushed over, grabbing him gently as he swayed on his feet.

"I wish I was dead," Enzo said, his voice strained and empty. His face was dry, the tears long gone, as if he had cried too much to shed any more. "I'm tired of all this. I just can't take it anymore, Papa. Why didn't you just let me die? Did you save me so you could keep hurting me?"

His words cut deep, filled with pain and exhaustion.

"Let's go to your room, son," I said softly, trying to guide him back upstairs. He tried to resist, but he didn't have the strength. His body sagged against me, and I held him close, feeling the weight of everything he had been through.

With a heavy heart, I led him back to his room, wishing I could somehow make the pain go away.

Pedro

Louis and I exchanged tense glances. Louis was bleeding, and if Enzo hadn't interrupted, I had been seriously considering ending Manuel right then and there. He had crossed the line.

"What did you do to him?" I demanded, my voice low and dangerous.

"Just pulled him away," Louis replied, wiping the blood from his lip. "I forgot, okay? I didn't mean to," he tried to justify himself, but I wasn't convinced.

I felt torn over the situation. Manuel was acting like he was in charge, issuing commands, while Enzo was weak and vulnerable, thinking we had saved him only to hurt him more. Was he really serious? My head was spinning with frustration.

"Just stay away from them," I finally decided, my tone firm.

"Really? You're not going to do anything about Manuel?" Louis questioned, disbelief etched on his face.

Enzo

I lay in bed, utterly drained of energy. Papa was in the bathroom, cleaning up his blood. Checking my phone, I noticed a bunch of missed calls and messages from my friends and Mia. I ignored them, feeling too weak to respond. Witnessing Papa and my brothers fight only added to my misery.

Perhaps Papa (Gerado) was right. Maybe Mama died because of me, and I was paying the price for that sin throughout my whole life. Maybe it was all my fault. Maybe I was bad, and that was why they were punishing me. Maybe I was actually a bad person, and that was the reason I was suffering like this. I didn't know how to fix it. It felt like there was no way out of this misery.

Overwhelmed by these thoughts, I didn't want to see Louis, Pedro, Juana, or Papa (Gerado) ever again. I wished I could run away from here, but I knew I wouldn't survive on my own. I was too accustomed to this lifestyle and wouldn't know how to live a normal life. I felt weak, unable to handle being on my own. But at the same time, I couldn't leave Papa. He would be sad if I left him, and I couldn't bear to see him cry.

As Papa emerged from the bathroom, I sensed him approaching the bed. His strong arms enveloped me, pulling me close. I felt his warmth and the steady rhythm of his breathing against me, making me feel safe. With him near, my depressive thoughts began to fade, replaced by a sense of comfort and security.

Closing my eyes, I surrendered to the tranquility of his presence and soon drifted into a deep sleep.

Manuel

I wrapped my arm around Enzo, who was struggling to sleep. After a few minutes, I felt him finally drift off, his breathing becoming rhythmic and calm. I remained still, afraid to disturb his rest; he needed a good night's sleep. My anger simmered toward his callous brothers, and I hoped they would stay away from Enzo until he fully recovered.

Old memories of Enzo flooded my mind incessantly: the first time I laid eyes on him, the first time he called me Papa, and that day he went to kindergarten with me while other kids arrived with their parents. In elementary school and kindergarten, none of the family attended his talent shows or sports games except me. I was the only one in the stands, and every time he spotted me watching him, his face lit up with a smile.

Memories surfaced of how I cuddled him to sleep when he was sick and patiently fed him when he refused to eat. Sleep eluded me as I was consumed by these reflections, my heart heavy with love and affection for my son, Enzo.

Engaging in a fight with Louis and Pedro was a reckless decision, akin to playing with fire. But I couldn't care less about the potential consequences for myself. The weight of my anger toward them overshadowed everything else. Yet, amidst that storm of emotions, a sudden realization struck me: I had forgotten about Rachel and Miguel.

God, I completely forgot that I have a wife and a son. The thought of them hit me like a cold wave, flooding my mind with guilt.