Carnal Desires

34

The Fray - Look After You

"Just let the children go, por favour hijo." Emmanuel Torres pleaded with his eldest child, his son moulded from the same template. Their resemblance was clear.

Gideon's eyes trained on the children, two little boys, cradled in their mothers arms who was bleeding profusely from a head injury. She was crying, clutching them to her chest. Crying because she was dying tonight.

Gideon stood over the mess. His father's SUV turned on its side, its content spilling out - bags, food and children's toys. They were near the Ecuador border where his father intended to run away.

He was running away with his new family. Running with the money he sold from them, leaving them with nothing.

"Hijo, I beg you please let them go."

Emmanuel Torres never begged only demanded. What happened to that ruthless man? The man that made him into the killer, the man that beat him to teach him a lesson. Where was he now?

"Do you love them?" Gideon asked stoically.

"Yes, yes I do." He admitted, nodding desperately.

Pathetic. He was so weak for a man who used to prey on other people's weakness for fun. He said love was a weakness and he laughed at the people who crumbled at its feet.

And, here he was, falling from grace.

"Did you love mom? Me? Gabriela and Luciana?" He spat but he already knew the answer. He didn't love them, not because he never said it - he never acted like a father. With them, his new sons, he did.

Emmanuel averted his eyes and favoured staring at her ground instead. He was avoiding the truth. He loved his children, all of them, but not like the way he loved those two little boys. They were born from love not convenience.

"Gideon let us go." Emmanuel demanded. "Let's forget about this and walk different paths so, that we will both find our happiness."

"No!" He yelled venomously. "You betrayed your family for some whore and two bastards! You stole from us, from mom and left us with nothing!"

Emmanuel swallowed, guilt raising goosebumps on his skin. He had drained his wife of all her money - it was the only way he could secure his sons future. Making sure the mafia did not come after them for his betrayal. Most of all, he ensured that they'll never have to work for the rest of their lives, stuffing their pockets with money they won't ever spend in this lifetime.

In the process, he tore out her heart too, crushing it with his palms. Not only hers but their children as well. The intention hadn't been on purpose. When you fall in love, you fall blindly - always.

He remembered the way Gideon looked when he caught them - when he found out about his younger half brothers. Betrayal, hatred and heart ache combined into one. It was haunting.

"Gideon please." He begged, and tried reasoning with him. "You'll understand when you find someone you love. You would do anything for that person, you'd give everything up for them."

Emmanuel fixated his eldest son with a fierce gaze, filled with determination and fire. He was going to do everything to ensure his family's wellbeing. Even if it meant, he'd had to cut down his own flesh and blood.

Under his jacket was a gun. He snaked his hands being, feigning pain as he gripped onto the cold metal.

"I hope you find someone you love one day." He smiled, "It's an amazing thing."