Blood.
My gaze shifts to Rafael, to the crimson-stained shirt that matches the blotches on the envelope. It doesn’t take much to piece it all together, to grasp the horror of what’s happened. Rafael killed my brother. My Fabiano.
My body moves before my mind can catch up. Grief, rage, and despair explode inside me, surging from the soles of my feet to my brain in less than a second. A vivid image of my brother’s innocent eyes flashes in my mind, and without hesitation, I launch myself at Rafael, ready to tear him apart with my bare hands.
I don’t care about anything anymore. I don’t care that he’s twice my size or that I stand no chance against him. All I know is that none of us are walking out of this night alive.
TWENTY
Tony
Lucia lunges at Rafael with a fury that doesn’t match her swollen belly. I immediately move toward her, but before I can wedge myself between them, she reaches her target. Her nails rake across Rafael’s face as she screams, her voice raw with grief.
“You bastard! You killed my brother. You killed my brother!”
Rafael doesn’t so much as raise a hand to defend himself. He just stands there, taking every slap and punch she throws. Despite being inches away, I’m paralyzed for a moment, unsure of how to intervene without risking harm to the baby. The instinct to protect my kid is so strong, I hesitate to even touch her.
When a couple of her wild swings land on my face and neck, I realize there’s no choice, I have to act. I move behind her and wrap my arms around her torso, careful not to touch her belly. I apply just enough pressure to pull her back, but her strength shocks me. Adrenaline has made her terrifyingly strong.
She thrashes wildly, kicking and clawing. Pressing my face close to her ear, I try to soothe her, my voice low and steady. “Calm down, baby. You’re pregnant. You’re going to hurt yourself.”
Her hand flies back and her nails rake across my cheek as she screams, “You bastards killed my brother! You killed him! I’ll kill you, I swear to God, I’ll kill you!”
I ignore the burning sting on my face, tightening my grip on her to keep her from falling.
“Your fucking brother is alive, Lucia!” I growl, this time, with more anger in my voice. “But if you keep fighting and hurt yourself, I’ll take his head off myself!”
My words have no effect. She screams back at me. “You’re lying! You killed him!”
“I didn’t kill him! He’s in Chicago. He came here to see you. Calm the fuck down, and I swear I’ll bring him to you tonight so you can see for yourself, everything is intact, from his balls to his hair.”
This time, my words seem to register. She’s still sobbing and gasping for air but slows her struggle slightly.
“That envelope was his,” she wails through her tears. “I gave it to him myself. Why was it bloody? Why is this bastard’s shirt covered in blood? You’re lying to me!”
I glance at the “bastard” she’s talking about. Rafael has grabbed a cloth and is calmly wiping the blood from his face and neck. The scratches on his neck and parts of his face are still bleeding. I gesture toward him to leave the room. He obeys, taking a step toward the door, but Lucia thrashes again.
“I’ll kill you! I swear I’ll kill you!”
Never in my wildest dreams did I think Lucia could be this wild. She fights with the strength of a man, battling me with everything she has. For a split second, she slips out of my grasp, but I quickly wrap my arms around her again, pulling her back.
I finally lose my patience. “Goddamn it, woman. Calm the fuck down!”
Miraculously, she falls silent. Strands of her hair have come loose, falling across her face and blocking my view. I look at Rafael. He’s standing still, staring at the floor with deep concern. I follow his line of sight and see a puddle spreading across the floor.
Confused, I whip my head back to Lucia. I gently brush her hair aside and turn her face to me. Her skin is flushed red from the struggle. Her beautiful eyes, now bloodshot, are brimming with tears that trail down her cheeks, pooling at her chin and neck. She places a trembling hand over her stomach, her voice breaking.
“I can’t overpower you two…but tonight, you’ll lose me and your daughter, Tony. That’s your punishment for killing my brother.”
I shake her gently, trying to bring her back. My anger, laced with fear and helplessness, rises like a tide. “Stop talking nonsense. Your fucking brother is alive.”
She only shakes her head weakly, refusing to believe me. Before I can argue further, Rafael steps closer.
“Tony, we need to get her to the hospital.”
I frown. “Why?”
He points toward the floor. “Can’t you see? Her water just broke.”
