Bittersweet

~~ Expect the Unexpected ~~

The door was ajar as muffled voices caught my attention. I strained to listen, to hear Tony offering reassuring words to a woman. I gave one knock and pushed the door and stepped through.

They turned to face me and the memory of two years ago barged its way back into my head. I shoved it back—it wasn't the time, but it didn't stop my hands balling into fists.

"What the hell are you doing here. To what do I owe the pleasure?" his sarcastic tone didn't go unnoticed, not that it bothered me.

I spotted a woman's bag sitting in the middle of the floor. Weird. "Ma asked me to swing by, but it seems like I'm interrupting something." I flicked my head in the woman's direction.

She smiled at me; the whiteness of her teeth almost blinding. Caked in make-up.  She reminded me of one of those femme fatales characters that were beautiful, sexy but also deceitful, manipulative and totally untrustworthy. The sorts of men they usually hooked up with ended up duped or dead.

I tore my gaze away from her face, Jesus—the obvious bump disarmed me for a second. It can't be.

Pregnant?

Je-sus Christ. Please don't tell me he got this one pregnant? Goddamn—no wonder Jenna...

Tony rolled his eyes, muttering.

Motherfuc—

I swallowed down my retort. But the way he looked at me lit the fire-seed inside, and suddenly I was hungry... but not for food. No. I wanted to wipe that fucking self-satisfied look off his face. Stepping forward, the blonde spoke, her grating voice cut through my thoughts.

"Seeing as Antonio seems to have forgotten his manners, let me introduce myself. I'm Charlotte; Antonio's fiancée."

W.H.A.T?   She couldn't be serious? "He's already married, sweetheart." She had to be as crazy as he was an asshole.

Her eyes fell. As mine shifted to Tony's "Do you want to explain what the hell is going on here Tony?"

"What's going on here—is none of your goddamn business. So, I would suggest you report back to Ma, that you did your duty and fuck off out of here. Before I get security to remove you."

Jenna.  Had she walked in on these two—did she know what he was doing this time? "Does Jenna know about this... that?"  My hand motioned between the two of them, before pointing towards her pregnancy bump.

"That's none of your concern what happens between me and my wife. So I suggest you keep that nose of yours out of it."

"Soon to be ex-wife," chimed in the fiancée.

That was it, I saw red. All the rage came out faster than magma and just as destructive. I darted towards the bed. Tony tried to scramble backwards but with nowhere to go, my hands grabbed the lapels of his feminine pajamas. I brought his face closer to mine, shaking him by the scruff of his collar.

"Call security Charlotte." he yelped, his tone a pitch higher.

He shrivelled before me as my Ma's voice came booming over my internal loudspeaker.

Goddamn!

My jaw flexed, breathing heavily through my nose, itching to remove his head. I looked up then dragged my eyes back to his unsure ones. Stopping short of violence, I pulled back slightly but kept a firm grip of his clothing. "It's a damn good job you're in a hospital bed, Tony. Or else I would have put you in one. You disgust me. Honestly, I don't know how the fuck we're related. Asshole!"

I eyeballed him as slowly my fingers uncurled themselves, shoving him back down, stepping back.

"Security is on their way!" squeaked the blonde piece.

Like that would worry me.

My eyes flicked in her direction. Her fearful face, eyes wide, body stiff. Shit, I took no satisfaction in intimidating a woman, even if she was deluded enough to think that she would mean anything to Tony in the long run.

"I'm not staying." I looked at the bag on the floor. It had to be Jenna's. "Is that Jenna's?" I softened my glare,  forgetting her name already.

Her head bobbed up and down like one of those plastic nodding dogs you see in cars "Yes, she dropped it."

Stepping forward, bending to retrieve it from the floor. If I was quick, I could catch up with her.

Tony scoffed, running his hand over his hair. "Nothing changes does it, Gabe? You're nothing but a thug. I don't want to see your face back here. In fact, we're done here. Brother or not, were done!" He didn't even try to mask his distaste from me.

The laughter burst from my chest. "Thug? That's the best you can come up with?" He wasn't worth my time. "Don't worry, Tony. I not gonna waste my breath or time on a pathetic ass-stain like your good self." I clenched the bag tightly in my hand and headed towards the door. The anger inside me was nowhere near satisfied. I stopped, turning to face him. "Do you know what's really messed up here, Tony?"

He glared at me. "I was jealous of you—me jealous of you. You had the perfect life. Jenna is—" I shook my head. "And a kid too." I couldn't get my head around why he was such a dick. "I hope I'm there to see the day when all the hurt you've inflicted comes looking for payback." He narrowed his eyes, opening his mouth, but then thought better of it, shutting it.

"Good luck with that—You're perfect for one another." I smirked, pointing at the replacement. Not a patch on Jenna.

What an asshole.

Hearing her huff, I left him... them both to it.

I had to find Jenna.