POV: Raphael
I didn’t want to deal with Dominic now because I knew that he must be so furious with me for keeping him in the dark all this while. I have not been sending updates to him as he instructed. I’ve been too busy to even think about him. As expected, he was angry with me, and his tone was so rude when I called to inform him that Miguel and I were crashing at his house tonight.
I thought he was just being unnecessarily angry. I mean, I know I didn’t call him to give him updates, but he should have called me to, right?
When he didn’t hear from either me, Carl, or even Miguel, he should have known that something was wrong, and he should have called to find out what was happening. He knows the enemy we are facing is so cunning and evil. He should have called us to check up on us and see if we were okay. But he didn’t call either, and now he is pissed at me for nothing.
I was getting ready to give him a piece of my mind, but when I set my eyes on him, I immediately felt guilty for blaming him earlier. Merely looking at him is enough to make me feel like a fool for yelling at him on the phone when he stressed his worry about me not calling to update him. I had no idea that he had been occupied; I thought he was just waiting around for an update. And now I feel so fucking stupid!
“What happened to you, Dom, who did this to you?” I asked him, yelling so furiously that everyone turned to look at us.
“I’m fine, let’s not discuss it out here. Come on inside, we can discuss this over s bottle of wine.” He told me firmly as he turned around and walked into his house. We followed after him, and as we walked in, I noticed that he was struggling with the bandages around his arm, and he was limping slowly on the left side, trying to put more of his weight on the right leg.
He looks hurt and his house is disorganized. I didn’t involve him in this case all along because I thought he was busy with his war with Carlos. I had no idea that they had a faceoff in the street and it was a blood bath on the streets. I had no idea that he was even ready to engage his mortal enemy, Carlos Gonzalez.
“What the hell happened here, Dom, who did this?
Tell me who did this, tell me who hurt you and I’ll fucking…”
“Oh shut the fuck up and quit the Pretence, Raphael. You had all the time you needed to stand up for me and defend me. But you betrayed me and sided with Carlos. Now I’ve handled it myself, and you want to pretend to care about my issues. Oh, please, just quit the Pretense and tell me what you did to Claire. Joe, could you be so stupid?
I left her in your care because you promised to take care of her; how did she slip through your fingers, Raphael? Why did you let that bitch take her to such a remote island when you knew you don’t have what it takes to get her back. You let her kidnap her right from your house, right under your nose. And what did you do?
Nothing!
Absolutely nothing!
You didn’t even tell me about it, you just sat there debating with a lunatic, trying to make her see reason with you. Have you not learned your lesson, Raphael?
Have I not been a good teacher to you?” he asked me, sounding so pissed and disappointed. I ignored him, waiting calmly for him to finish yelling at me so he could finally calm down and tell me what was going on. He continued yelling at me, and then he switched to Miguel, and he yelled at him for being so fucking dumb and weak despite his enormous wealth and status.
He talked about Raphael’s businesses in this city and how he’s been neglecting them and causing so much trouble with that little mistake of him. He called us incompetent and stupid, claiming we were not fit to be seen by his side. I smiled within me when Miguel took the hint and kept mute as well.
In this situation, we had no choice but to wait patiently for him to let out his grievances, letting him vent his anger on us. It’s the least we could do for him seeing as we weren’t there to help when he needed us the most. I noticed that his injuries were still bleeding, and I tried to help him, but he shrugged me off roughly, his eyes glaring at me.
“Hands off me!” he scolded me, swatting my hands away. We tried to find out what he did with the intruders that broke into his house. But Dominic is still nursing injuries from the fight he obviously had with Carlos Gonzalez. He hadn’t told any of us about it, but I could see it in his eyes and I felt even more guilty for not being here to help when I knew in my heart that I was the reason why Carlos was able to defeat him the first time and steal his position and influence in this city.
“I don’t care what you guys think you have been doing to save those ladies, I and my guys would be going to that island tomorrow. I’m saving the girls with or without you two pussy’s!” he told us, glaring at us. I don’t think this guy understands what is going on here.
First of all, he can’t go on any mission with such severe injuries all over his body. Secondly, there is no way we are going over to that island as if it’s just a little trip to the next street. What am I missing, why is he speaking with such confidence?
“We can’t handle this, Dom. What if we lose our lives in the process?
We need to think this through before we act. We can’t just go running into her hideout like that; she will not hold back from killing us.” I told him, trying to bring him back to reality because it seemed like his emotions were getting the better of him. I just have to caution him before he gets us all killed.
“We can’t pull it off without careful planning. So I’m begging you Dominic, don’t go rushing to that island without us. We have only one shot at this, and we have to get it right. One silly mistake may be the end of Victoria and Claire. Don’t go charging over there like an angry bull. We have it under control already, we’ll get them back, I promise. Just follow my lead and stick to the plan, and everything will be fine.” I told him.