Raging Love Ch. 10

"Fuck!"

Before he even realized what had happened, a fist was flying to his face, sending him flying to the floor with a thud. It hurt like hell and he tasted his own blood. He quickly raised his head and saw another fist heading for him but he quickly rolled over and Travis hit the ground. He didn't care about the pain. He was too mad.

Bruce felt his heart begin to race. He scanned the whole area for something he could use but everything was far away from him and Travis was coming towards him. He furiously thrust his foot and kicked Travis, sending him flying to the floor.

Travis didn't care about the pain. He furiously got up and saw Bruce running away from him. He got on his feet and started running after Bruce as fast as his legs could carry him. Once he was near him, he gave Bruce a really painful jump kick on his back, sending him flying to a pile of boxes. It hurt a whole lot and Bruce groaned in pain, feeling like someone had just broken a big log on his back. He tried to get up but the pain was just too much.

He furiously rolled on his back and saw Travis coming towards him with a really stern face and his fists clenched. He'd never seen him so mad. He got so scared and his eyes widened. He knew the man wasn't gonna spare him. He took some pieces of wood and started throwing them at the man but he was still coming.

"Stay away from me." Bruce warned, sounding like a scared little puppy.

He furiously got off the ground but Travis caught his hand, pulled him closer and threw him to the ground near a wall where a wooden ladder was. He gripped him by the head, pulled him to the ladder and pinned his neck on a piece of wood, literally chocking the life out of him. Travis saw a piece of rope on the floor and he quickly picked it and started tying Bruce's neck together with the piece of wood.

Bruce couldn't breathe and the pain that he felt was from out of this world. He knew that if he didn't do anything, he was gonna be killed. He groaned in pain, his hands scanning the floor for anything that he could use against Travis. But there was nothing.

Bruce flexed his elbow and thrust it behind, hitting Travis in the abdomen. Travis groaned in pain but his grip just got tighter. Bruce hit him severally until Travis let him go. He quickly removed the rope and was about to run away but Travis kicked him in the legs and he felt to the hard concrete floor, hitting his forehead really hard. It broke and he could feel blood running down his face and he had a really terrible headache. He quickly wiped his face and grabbed a piece of wood that was on the floor.

He angrily got up, thrusting the wood towards Travis' head, screaming like a maniac. But he got the shocked when Travis actually gripped the wood and pulled it away from him. Before he realized what was going on, Travis hit him really hard on the leg, sending him on his knees. It was painful but he received another one that sent him flying to the floor.

His whole body felt like it had been crushed by a wrecking ball. His whole face was hurt and it was bloody too. He got on his back and started crawling backwards, getting away from the man that scared the shit out of him. That wasn't how he'd planned it. Antonio had ruined everything. He had to act fast.

"I have had enough of your stupid, evil stunts and your drama." Travis couldn't even recognize his own voice. "Do you think playing with our lives is all a game to you? I warned you to stay away from my son but you didn't listen."

Bruce groaned painfully. "Are you gonna... gonna kill me?" He asked in fear. "You're gonna murder me in cold blood? What about your..."

"Even the almighty has ways of punishing evil men like you." Travis was really mad. "I will never let you hurt my son or my family again."

He groaned angrily, making Bruce move further away from the boy. As he was moving, his hands caught something, something that made him feel alive. His pistol. He quickly gripped it and then an evil grin appeared on his face.

"Hahaha..." Bruce laughed. "...even the almighty knows that today you won't survive. Even that stupid god of yours won't save you tonight. Prepare to die."

With those words, he brought the gun forward, pointing it angrily at Travis. Travis felt a shiver go down his spine and his heart started racing. The next thing he heard was a really loud gunshot and a sharp pain in his arm. He held his arm, applying pressure on it. He knew the idiot had shot him.

He furiously looked forward and saw Bruce standing up confidently with an evil grin on his face. "What was that saying again?" He laughed, biting his lips. "Oh yea, 'legends do not die.' They only kill and are never defeated. My plans will still come into play."

With a manic laugh, he pulled on the trigger and got shocked when nothing happened. He felt like death had just hit him. He cocked the gun and tried again but nothing happened. He could have sworn that the gun had more bullets than he fired.

"You've played with my life for the last time, Bruce!"

He moved his eyes forward and was welcomed by a huge blow. His nose broke and it hurt so bad. He was about to fall to the ground but Travis' hands were quick to grab his hand and pull him back. He was thrown hard to a wall where he hit his back and felt the impact on his body. It was like someone had placed pins all over his body. He cried out in pain.

"You'll pay!" Travis yelled.

He gripped Bruce by the neck and hit his head hard on the wall. A deafening cry escaped Bruce's throat but Travis closed his mouth for him by giving him a really huge blow on the jaw. Bruce could have sworn he lost some of his teeth. Blood filled his mouth and he spat it out.

He tried to run away but Travis gave him a really hard kick in the stomach, sending him back to the wall. He took a metal rod from the ground and hit Bruce's right hand really hard.

"Ow!" Bruce cried but before he removed his hand, Travis hit it again and Bruce felt the skin ripping. "Ow!"

Bruce had never felt such pain his entire life. He moved his hand and screamed when he saw the blood that was there. He knew it had fractures and he felt like his heart had been torn to pieces. His face was wet and the cries escaping his mouth were just horrible. He knew there was no defeating Travis so he had to escape.

Travis thrust the rod to hit Bruce's head but the man ducked and started making it to the staircase, nursing his broken hand while moaning like a bitch. But Travis wasn't gonna let him go just like that. Bruce started going down the stairs but Travis gave him a really hard kick that he started rolling dangerously down the stairs all the way to the floor.

By the time he reached the ground on the next floor, he was bleeding terribly and he was really scared. His body felt like it had been crushed into pieces. He tried to breathe and he felt his heart beat in his neck. He cried softly, crawling on the ground like a little kid. His heart pounded sharply in his chest and he was losing blood.

He slowly rolled on his back and saw Travis slowly coming down the stairs, staring at him like he was ready to kill him. Bruce started crawling with his hands, going away from the man that was coming towards him.

"Tra... Travis... I... I... I am so sorry." He muttered, his mouth shaking terribly. "Please... forgive me for everything. I... I know that I don't deserve your forgiveness but I am sorry."

All that was playing on Travis' mind was the picture of his son tied up and Bruce threatening to shoot him and also Antonio getting shot right in front of his eyes. It hurt him so much and he just wanted to end the life of the man that had caused him so much pain.

"You kidnapped my little son..." He shuddered as he neared the idiot. "...you almost had me killed six years ago. You're the reason why my father is not with me today. You're the reason why my son got hurt in the first place. You're also the same reason why Antonio and I are not together. You shot... You shot Antonio and you've got the nerves to plead with me?"

Bruce shook his head as he cried like a baby. "It was the devil's work. I... I am so sorry. Please, give me another chance."

"No!" Travis snarled. "Why the fuck do you deserve another chance? So that you can try to kill me and my family again?" Bruce shook his head abruptly. "Men like you can never change. Your only goal on this earth is to give bad names to other people. You've got no remorse."

"N-no!" He stammered. "I swear, I will change. Call the police and let them take me to prison. Please, spare my life. I will change."

Travis got closer to the man and just looked at him. "You don't deserve to live. You deserve to die and I should be killing you right now for everything that you've done to me. But..." He sighed in frustration. "...I am not God to judge you. I am not like you and I will not stain my hands with your dirty blood."

With a hiss, Travis furiously turned and started going away. But he barely took three steps when suddenly, he felt a really sharp pain at the back of his head and a sound of something falling to the floor. It was really painful and his vision blurred for a second. He touched his head and slowly turned to find Bruce standing with a huge piece of wood and part of it was broken. He looked really unstable.

Before Travis even realized it, the crazy man was charging at him. He gripped the wood hard, stared into the man's eyes and groaned.

"I was very wrong about you." He muttered.

With those words, he pulled on the wood together with Bruce and gave him the hardest kick in the stomach yet. Bruce let go of the wood and went staggering behind. But unfortunately for him, he reached the edge of the floor. He missed his step and went flying down, screaming like a mad person.

"Bruce!" Travis screamed and ran towards the edge of the floor.

But it was too late. Bruce fell to his death on some pieces of metal that pierced his body, killing him instantly. His lifeless body was lying on the ground. It was a really horrible death and Travis felt his heart begin to race while he got pale. Right at that moment, a police car arrived and he saw about three armed policemen including the detective rushing to the dead body.

Travis was dumbstruck. He kept on looking down, wondering why Bruce had to face a horrible death. He only got back to the real world when he heard his son's cries. He shook his head and started rushing upstairs.

Reaching his son, he quickly untied him and hugged him tightly, sobbing softly.

"Daddy!" Sean cried softly. "I am so scared."

Travis didn't know what to say to his son. The little boy had seen something terrible, gunshots and fights which Travis hadn't wanted his son to be exposed to.

"Shh..." He soothed his son, kissing his cheeks. He could still feel him trembling in his arms. "Everything is alright, baby. I am right here. Daddy is right here."

He held him tightly and kissed him severally, praying to the almighty that everything could just go back to normal.

"Trav... Trav..." He heard a weak voice.

Travis quickly moved his head and looked behind him. He saw Antonio trying to move and that expression on his face screamed nothing but pain. His heart started racing and his fear intensified. He could see that the man had lost a lot of blood. He needed to do something.

"Baby..." Travis cupped his son's cheeks, trying his best to smile. "I want you to just stand here, okay. I will be back."

"Is handsome uncle gonna be alright." Sean asked with tears in his eyes.

Travis nodded and kissed his son.

Then he quickly moved to Antonio and slowly placed his head on his lap while holding his hand tightly. Shit! The man's body was growing cold and his eyes were blood red. He was breathing harshly and he was still bleeding. Travis couldn't help but cry.

Antonio on the other hand knew that his time was near. The pain he was experiencing was just too much. He had lost lots of blood and his vision was blurring. He slowly raised his bloody hand and caressed Travis' cheek, trying his best to smile.

"Where's... where's Bruce?"

"He's gone." Travis said softly. "It's all over now. You need to hold on, Antonio. You'll be fine."

"I am okay." He smiled and then groaned in pain. "As long as you're okay and our son is safe, I am absolutely fine. I can even die in peace."

"No!" Travis sobbed, shaking his head. "You're not going to die, Antonio. Don't say that, please. You're gonna survive this. Please, for the sake of your..." He paused and cried uncontrollably. "...for the sake of your son. He's just... he's just a little boy and he can't lose you, Antonio. Please!"

"I... I... am so sorry." He said softly, tears going down the side of his eyes. "I... I know that I had hurt you terribly and maybe... maybe this is the Lord's way of punishing me. I... I saved you and that's what matters to me. You and our son are safe."

"Don't say that, Antonio!" Travis cried.

"I don't have any regrets for taking this bullet." He chuckled in pain. He was starting to shiver and his vision was becoming worse and worse by the second. "I couldn't stand up for you six years ago and I was a fool. But I would never allow that again. That's why I saved your life."

"No!"

"Please... I... I want you to be happy." He quivered. "Find happiness and... never lose that wonderful smile on your face. I... I wouldn't want to see tears in your eyes again. I want you to find the happiness that I couldn't give you." He slowly rubbed Travis tears but they came flowing again. "Although I will not be with you physically, I will always watch over you and protect you. I swear by the almighty's..."

"Please, stop it!" Travis wailed. "Stop saying that. The police are already here. We'll take you to the hospital and..."

Antonio chuckled painfully. "I was starting to wonder what was taking those idiots long." Antonio was starting to sound crazy. "There's no need because my Praveen has already taken care of it."

"Please..."

"You don't have to cry because I am happy right here in your arms. I will go to heaven smiling because I will die in your arms while looking at your beautiful face." Travis was still shaking his head. He was really scared. "Please, take care of our son." Antonio sobbed. "Take very good care of him and tell him about me."

"No! Please, help!" Travis screamed at the top of his voice. "Hurry up. He's dying."

"I love you so much!"

With those words, Antonio's hand moved from Travis' cheek and fell to the ground. Even the one Travis was holding, he felt Antonio's grip loosen. He quickly dropped his eyes on the man and saw that he had even dropped his neck.

"Antonio!" He furiously shook him, screaming like a maniac. "Antonio! No! Antonio!"

He started crying, holding the man tightly in his arms. He tried to move him but the man had already given up. Travis was crying like a little kid and little Sean too was crying. By the time the police came to the floor where they were, Antonio had given and Travis was mourning. He couldn't believe it. It was all a lie. Antonio couldn't die like that.

***

Emilia came rushing into the hospital, running like the hounds of hell were after her. God knows the woman was literally dead. She was shaking uncontrollably from fear and her face was already flooded with tears. She was together with her family and they were equally in a terrible state.

They went to the emergency room and found Travis seated on the floor, covered in blood with tears on his face. He was trembling in fear... he looked disoriented and he couldn't even blink. Just the way he was looking like was able to kill their hearts and put the fear of the Lord in them.

"Travis!" Emilia screamed as she rushed to him. She knelt in front of him, holding his hands. "Travis, where's my son? What happened?"

Travis robotically moved his head and looked at Emilia and the moment he saw her, the pain that he felt was from out of this world. More tears flooded his face and his mouth began shaking. He didn't know what to say to her.

"Travis..." She shook him slowly.

Travis gasped. "I... I am so sorry, Mrs. Gonzalez." He sobbed uncontrollably. "It's my fault. It's all my fault."

Emilia felt weak when she heard Travis' words. Her heart started racing and more tears flooded her face. She fell to her knees and looked pale suddenly, holding her chest. The pain she felt was blinding and she was hyperventilating.

"Travis!" Celine gasped, kneeling down. "What are you saying? Are you trying to tell us that Antonio is... he is..."

Travis burst into tears and cried uncontrollably. "Antonio's life is in danger, Celine. He took a bullet for me and he is in a critical condition. He's been in the emergency room for over an hour now. I am so sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen."

Celine sobbed and held Travis' hands. "You're not at fault here. I am sure..."

"No, Celine!" He shook his head. "Had Antonio not been there then none of this would have happened. Bruce didn't wanna hurt him. He was after me. It was me that he wanted. He doesn't deserve this. And Bruce..."

"He got what he deserved." Ethan said harshly, clenching his fists. "That bastard deserved what he got and even if he had made it, I would have killed him myself. He's made all of us suffer for so long. And you don't have to blame yourself for this, Travis. You're not at fault."

"No, Ethan. I am at fault."

"Ethan is right." Emilia said, slowly rubbing her tears. The woman couldn't even mask her pain. "I am sure Antonio doesn't regret what he did. He loved you too much to see you suffering again. Even if my son dies today..." She sobbed uncontrollably. "...I am sure that he'll still be happy because he saved your life. He saved two of the people that he loves the most. So you don't have to blame yourself."

Travis slightly closed his eyes and cried, not even bothering to rub them.

Celine held his hand. "By the way, where's Sean. I hope that bastard didn't do anything to him."

Travis shook his head. "He's with a doctor who's checking to see if he's completely fine!'

"Thank God!" Celine breathed. "Now you don't have to worry. Antonio will be fine."

There was a long moment of silence for the Gonzalez family. All of them were in tears. None spoke to the other. The only things that could be heard were sobs from all of them. That was probably the most difficult time they'd ever faced and the most painful too.

"Travis!"

Travis quickly rose from the floor when he saw Vanessa rushing to him with her arms wide open. She was with Santiago who had a bandage wrapped around his head but both of them looked super worried.

"Mom!" Travis threw himself in her arms. "Mom!"

"My baby..." Vanessa cried, kissing his head. "...Oh my God, I was really worried. You've got no idea how I prayed for your safety. Where's my grandson?" She asked when she pulled away from the hug.

"He's fine!" Travis muttered. "It's Antonio, mom! He's in a really bad shape and the doctor hasn't come out. I am so scared, mom."

"You don't have to worry." Santiago rubbed on his back. "Antonio will make it. All of us are here for him."

Travis looked at Santiago and cried even more. He wanted to hug him when all of a sudden, the door to the emergency room opened and the doctor came out. Antonio's family rushed to the nervous looking doctor while Travis remained standing there. He could feel his heart pumping through his ears. He'd never been as scared as he was at that time.

"Doctor, what's happening?" Emilia gasped, breathing heavily. "Tell me the truth."

The doctor gave a gloomy sigh, wiping the sweat off the forehead. "I will be honest with you. Mr. Gonzalez is in a very critical condition. He had lost lots of blood but we have his blood type fortunately. We're struggling to remove the bullet but my fellow doctor is in there and he's still trying."