Gio
Gio walked out of the bathroom fully dressed. The room was still dark. He’d set his alarm so he could get out of there early. Knowing Felix, he’d be feeling like shit about what happened last night. His suspicions about Bianca had nothing to do with Gio—yet.
If Gio didn’t hurry to miss him this morning, Felix would probably be all apologetic about his behavior last night. Although it hadn’t happened in a long time, this wouldn’t be the first time one of them got drunk and stupid and had to be held back or dragged out of a party or club. Whoever it was always felt stupid the next day. Gio wasn’t about to stick around and have Felix apologize to him.
Sure, Gio had swung at him and landed a good one, but it was justified. All the other guys agreed. Although, they all might’ve just given Felix a good shove in the chest to shut him up and maybe told him to have some respect. Felix’s anger and unreasonable fit of jealousy seemed to stem from him overdoing the shots and nothing more, so his calling Bianca a whore was seen as way out of line by everyone. That meant Gio’s infuriated punch didn’t raise any eyebrows, except Noah’s, of course.
He’d packed his bag the night before and wrote Felix a short note thanking him for everything and telling him he’d call to explain why he had to leave. That wasn’t something he wanted to cowardly write in a note or a text. Besides everyone was here to witness what would probably get very ugly. Most importantly, Gio had done enough damage. He didn’t want to embarrass Felix in front of all their friends. As angry and betrayed as he’d probably feel, his ego and pride would likely be taking a hit. Gio wanted to spare him any possible humiliation and do it in private.
Noah rushed in the room. “Hurry up, let’s get you out of here.”
“What?” Gio was surprised Noah was even up. Abel had agreed to get up early and take him home, but Gio didn’t know anyone else was leaving so early. “You don’t have to leave so early, Noah. And why you rushing?”
“I’m not leaving, but your dumb ass needs to get out of here now.” Noah grabbed Gio’s bags and started shoving Gio toward the door.
Gio tried taking the bags from him. “Give me those. I can carry them.”
Noah gave him one but kept the other. “Just hurry, will you?”
Not wanting to argue, Gio hurried out of the bedroom. A very concerned-looking Roni was already in the kitchen as he walked by. “What’s going on?” he asked, glancing back at Noah.
“You fucked up. That’s what,” Noah said, picking up his pace as they walked to the front door. Noah turned to him just as they walked out the front door, his voice lower now. “Really, dude? In a fucking van? On a night when he took us all out? ” Noah shook his head, hurrying down the stairs toward a very sleepy looking Abel, leaning against his car with the trunk open. “You couldn’t wait?”
Hector was already in the car. Jack would be driving back with Noah later. Both brothers seemed unaware of the news that Noah had obviously gotten so early in the morning.
“It’s all over the Internet, G,” Noah said as he slammed the suitcase in the trunk.
Gio lifted the other suitcase in as well. “I didn’t plan for that to happen.” But he wasn’t about to throw Bianca under the bus either. “It just happened.”
“Leaving so early?”
Both Gio and Noah turned at the sound of Felix’s voice. He stood at the front door still in yesterday’s jeans and a t-shirt but wearing snow boots. Obviously, he planned to come all the way out and confront him. He held up his cell phone as he walked down the stairs. “Or do you wanna stick around and explain to me about all these pictures everyone is sending me? My agent, my publicist, even my mother. Photos of you and my fucking girlfriend.
“Get in the car,” Noah said, coming around and standing in front of Gio.
“No,” Gio said, moving over and standing next to Noah.
Gio knew what Noah was thinking. Felix was the middleweight champion of the world for good reason. His fists were lethal. But last night, he’d taken a punch from Gio and hadn’t swung back—didn’t because he knew he deserved it. Now Gio, too, would stand here and take like a man whatever he had coming to him.
“I’m sorry, Felix. You didn’t deserve this, but—”
“Did you fuck her in my house too, asshole?” Felix spat the words loudly as he stalked toward Gio.
“No. I never touched her in your house. I swear. And I didn’t fuck her, okay. I love her.”
Gio saw it coming, but, unlike in the ring, he didn’t attempt to dodge or even block it. Felix landed a solid hook right on Gio’s eye, knocking Gio on his ass. Abel and Noah were immediately on Felix and Hector jumped out of the car. “What the hell?”
Gio’s hand was on his eye, shaking his head to rid him of the stars he was now seeing. He was ever grateful for his friends or Felix might’ve beat the shit out of him, and Gio would’ve let him. Doing what he had with Bianca, wrong as it may’ve been, was totally worth the well-deserved ass kicking.
He grabbed a handful of snow and brought it to his already swelling eye. Felix sure as hell could pack a punch. Gio would probably be sporting a shiner for at least a week, maybe longer. Of course Felix’s fat lip would probably be around for just as long. Gio was surprised he hadn’t knocked a tooth out with as much force as he’d hit him last night.
“You’re fucked up, Gio!” Felix yelled, still being held back by Abel and Noah. “To come here to my place and fucking do this. I’d never do something like this to you.”
“I know you think you wouldn’t. I didn’t think I ever would either.” Gio frowned as Hector helped him up, still feeling a little woozy. He spoke again, hoping somehow they all could understand. “I didn’t do this to you, man. It just happened.”
“Fuck you!” Felix pushed Abel and Noah away, looking completely disgusted. “Did you guys know about this?”
“No!” Gio yelled before Noah dared implicate himself. “Nobody knew.”
Felix stared at him, still utterly disgusted. “Get this piece of shit off my property.” He turned back to Gio just before heading back up the stairs. “Don’t ever call or even text me again. You hear me? You’re dead to me now.” He stopped and turned to face him again. “And tell that whore there are plenty more boxers at 5th Street. She can work her way down the line.”
Gio jumped, ready to go at him, but Hector stopped him. Abel and Noah readied themselves to stop Felix if they had to. Gio pointed at him infuriated. “Say whatever you want about me, dude, but leave her out of this.”
Felix scoffed. “Yeah, I have so much respect for that bitch now. I wouldn’t dare say shit about her.” He threw his hand in the air. “Get the fuck outta here!”
Gio wanted to yell back that he had a lot of nerve calling anyone a whore—wanted to push Hector aside and charge at Felix for even implying the nasty things he had about Bianca. She may’ve betrayed him, but Gio knew she wasn’t that kind of girl. She was as much of that kind of girl as Gio was the kind of guy who would betray a friend as he had Felix. This whole thing was something completely unexpected that had just happened to the both of them. But Gio knew it was pointless. Regardless of why or how it happened, Felix had every right to be angry—hurt. He’d trusted them both completely, and they’d both stabbed him in the back.
So, he didn’t spew out all the angry words he had for Felix for disrespecting Bianca, even though he’d do anything for her now. He leaned against Abel’s car and said what he really meant from the bottom of his heart. “I’m sorry, Felix. I really am.”
Felix’s only response, without so much as turning around, before walking back into his cabin was an outstretched arm and his middle finger up in the air.
Gio exhaled loudly and glanced at Noah, who shook his head. “All right, I get why you didn’t block his punch, but goddamn, Gio. You better make sure you buy an icepack before you start down the hill. That shit is gonna swell shut before you even make it out of this driveway.”
Noah examined his eye. Both Abel and Hector stared at him like they didn’t know him. Gio could only imagine what they were thinking. He knew he had to explain to them on the way home. He didn’t want them thinking he was just an asshole who’d screwed a friend over—a friend who could’ve just as easily been one of them.