ASCENSION (15 page)

“Alfonzo, I don’t want another argument. I came out to enjoy myself. I can do
that can’t I?”

“You can do anything you want
…
” There was pain behind the eyes and hurt in his voice,
“
except
disrespect me by putting on a public exhibition with your lover.
Are you trying to punk me or what?
”

She stopped, “
He’s not my lo
ver so
cut
th
e crap.
You’re drunk.”

“Am I?” He moved her easily, “Drunk or not I
have eyes.
You look guilty as hell, if you weren’t doing anything wrong why the sneaking
around?
Why not tell me you’re going?
Name a time I’ve
gone out the house
without
having the
courtesy to say bye
, huh?”

She thought about it.
He had not.

“
Go ahead…think
hard I’ve got nothing but time and why you’re checking that gorgeous brain of yours also come up with a time I disrespected you by flirting with another woman
in your presence
.”

“I wasn’t flirting. We were dancing. Dancing is not screwing.
You’re being paranoid!
”

His calm demeanor splintered, “Don’t treat me like I’m fucking stupid.” H
e
p
ound
a fist to his heart, “
B
e a woman and say
it.
You want that motherfucker, then tell me…g
ive me
respeta
…
no
jodas
con mi esposa la
cabeza
!
”

The pain in his voice
was evident. She wasn’t intentionally messing with his head or seeking to make him jealous, she simply wanted the truth.
“
This isn’t
about
Franky
, it’s really about
you
. You’re t
rying
to push
your guilt on me because you’re the one who’s unfaithful!
”

He almost laughed at the absurd statement instead he gave her a rough kiss then released her. In the heat of the moment he didn’t trust himself. The anger was winning. If she wanted to justify her actions then so
be
it; he
sought distance
before an explosion
erupted.
It was coming, oh yes, it was coming!

He spotted a pretty
chica
dancing alone and fell in step to
begin a sexy Bachata.
She smiled
in welcome and the tension ebbed as the rhythmic
guira and bongos echoed in the club. As they danced the young woman gyrated and with flowing waves of her hips stepped between his legs. He smiled as the music filled him
and
distract
ed
his murderous thoughts.

Th
e
sultry dance was provocative and flirtatious
. The couple drew attention with their steamy rendition of the Bachata and one
patron
in particular was sickened by
the sight. He smirked at his wife’s shocked expression to telepathically relay,
we’re dancing not screwing, remember?

F
our
years
ago
he’d taken himself out the game
to be with her
. He’d been faithful, loyal and a damn fool. He allowed her to possess his heart and now she took a butcher knife to it, c
arved
it open
for everyone to see
and let it petrify.
He would give her a taste
of her own medicine then perhaps she’
d
understand the nature of his
foul countenance
. The young woman extended her hands to his chest and one leg wrapped around his waist
. He
held her spine as she dipped
her torso to the floor
then swiveled into his crotch. It was then he saw his wife’s stricken face and knew he’d gone too far.

Selange darted from the club with Franky in pursuit. The message he sought to convey was amply received but what he hadn’t an
ticipate
d
w
as
the
thick
lump
forming in his throat. He stepped back from the woman thanked her for the dance then hurried to find his wife. He was
conflicted
about a lot of things except his love for her. He’d struck back, sought to hurt her and he did. A horrible guilt ensued because she was the last person on earth he wanted to injure.

The lavender silk peered from the side of a decorative column outside the
hotel
. H
er distress
ed
voice was raised
animatedly
at Franky as she pointed
to
the entry.
“
Please go back inside
a
nd get
Shanda. I’ll get a cab home!”

“
I
can’t let you stay out here like this. My job is making sure you’re safe
…”

Alfonzo
interrupted their conversation, “Franky,
g
o
take care of Shanda
I
want to
t
alk
to my wife!”

Franky wrestled with
whether
to leave or stay
. H
e opted to
stay and
try
to
cool
Alfonzo
down
.
Y
ou’
ve been drinking
.
I’m sure you don’t want to make a scene
out here.
”

“
I’m not drunk and I don’t want you in my face. This is not your business
!”
Alfonzo
scowled.

Selange wiped tears from her face, “
G
et out of here Alfonzo and return to
your slutty friend
!
”

Alfonzo’s lip curled as he mocked her, “
Aren’t you
over-reacting babe
, we were dancing
?”

“
Go to hell you bastard
!”
She spat then
slapped
him
with such force his cheek
actually turned crimson.
T
ears
descended heavily across her
cheeks and her eyes blazed, “I don’t know who you are. You’re not my husband.
My husband
would never humiliate me
like
that
!”

The slap sobered him. He stared at her in disbelief.
Had she just slapped the shit out of him?
Oh, yes…she did!

He reached for her and she recoiled in anguish. “Go, leave me alone. Leave me alone!”

“You can dish it out but what happened you can’t take it? How the hell you think I felt seeing you dancing with this motherfucker, huh…answer me goddammit?”

“Go away…leave me alone!”

She was crying hysterically, making a scene, making him the object of contemptuous stares from onlookers. Her anguish was palpable and the forlorn sobs a testament of her despair. He
tried to make it right, request forgiveness
for his jealous behavior
but Franky intervened.

Once
Franky got in
the
way
Alfonzo
saw red!

“Mister Diaz I don’t think you want to cause a scene out here. Why don’t you let me take your wife
home.
She’s upset, you both are.”

Franky stood
as a shield
between him and his wife. He spoke as h
er
protector
a
nd implied her husband is a
man she
fear
ed
.
This incensed
Alfonzo
because he
’d
never strike his wife or any woman.
“
Paso
!”
Alfonzo warned.

Selange was behind
Franky
and the pillar.
His
intention was to deescalate the
situation. His boss was enraged and the combination of alcohol made for a volatile cocktail.
Franky reached
for Alfonzo’s arm, “Let’s
…
”

Franky
didn’t finish the sentence or see Alfonzo’s fist
but
i
mmediately
felt
the impact
. His head flopped back like a
ragdoll
under
the
force
of the blow. Unbalanced
and dazed
he
dropped
on
one knee
in
a
poorly executed
recovery.
Alfonzo’s fist caught him again in the mouth and rattled
his jaw
. A tooth
loosened and he tasted blood.
Th
e
third powerful strike
sent
Franky s
prawling to the ground
and experienc
ing
a
moment
of
spatial
confusion
. H
is eyes
flickered
from
the blackened sky
to
the
ground
in an attempt to
optically
readjust
. H
is vision
blurred and he
blinked several times to
clear
it.
Franky
wondered
i
f this
is
how it fe
els
when
struck
by
a professional boxer.

Selange
shrieked
loudly as she
pull
ed on her husband
’s arm
. He was advancing on Franky and by his expression
, in
a murderous
rage and
intent on beating the shit out of her friend.
“Stop
,
stop…stop
it!”

Alfonzo
shrugged her
off.
His mood
was
a homicidal one.
Franky had it coming
. He raised his fist to strike and she grabbed his
wrist,
yank
ed
at his clothes,
while
shouting
for him
not to do it
!

Her arms circled
his waist and she pleaded at his back for Franky
’s
life. She cried for him to show mercy and he r
ealized she
defended her lover
for the
second
time today.
He
peeled her
hands loose and stood upright. “This is what you want?
Fucking take the piece of shit!”
He
retreated in disgust.
He required a stiff drink to wash down his wife’s treachery.

He
stormed toward the club where a small
crowd
formed. They moved aside for the well-dressed male with blood on his knuckles and a murderous gleam in his eyes. He heard one whisper, “
That’s the guy from the news. The one they
call
jefe
de la mafia.
”

Jefe
de la mafia in English meant mafia boss. Alfonzo scowled. He didn’t give a shit what they called him. Fuck them all!

V
incent
arrived at the club
past
dawn
to collect Alfonzo
. The manager ushered
him to
the
VIP
Lounge
where a
n extremely
in
ebriated
Alfonzo
held a
private party
.
V
incent
shook his head
at the sight of
Alfonzo’s
disheveled
appearance and
the
bevy of
female companions.
He was kissing a blonde seated on his lap and groping her breasts like a drunken fool.
This was uncharacteristic
behavior
for the
young man.