Romero (The Moreno Brothers 4)

Romero took a deep breath. His whole life he’d been hearing his uncle talk about his anger issues like it was some kind of handicap. A handicap he’d hoped Isabel would never find out about. She’d witnessed it first hand last night, and just like he’d known she’d do all along—she ran the hell away.

***

Valerie came right over after Isabel broke down on the phone with her. Isabel insisted she didn’t have to but Valerie wasn’t having it. Isabel had been there countless of times when she gone through her roller coaster relationship with Alex. She even showed up with food from the restaurant.

“I had a feeling you probably haven’t eaten. I know you don’t when you’re depressed.”

As good as the food smelled, Isabel really didn’t have an appetite. Valerie had called her last night to tell her Romero was out and she’d waited for him to call. She couldn’t bring herself to call him. She remembered how possessed he’d been last night. She shuddered to think of what might’ve happened if all those people had not been there to stop him. He was probably still furious with her, and she didn’t blame him.

Last night had been horrendous. When she wasn’t lying awake crying, she was having a nightmare. In one of them, she’d seen Romero at the mall embracing and kissing another woman. She’d charged at them ready to attack the woman, but Romero had pulled the woman behind him and told Isabel he no longer loved her and to let them be. The entire dream, the woman’s perfume was everywhere, and so strong, it nearly suffocated Isabel so much so she coughed until she woke herself up.

“Do they know anything yet?”

Usually Isabel was the one that prepared the food but this time Valerie pulled out two huge burritos and fresh tortilla chips from aluminum containers of food she’d brought and poured them both soda. “Sit down, Isabel. You have to eat. I’ll tell you while we eat.”

Isabel sat down with Valerie at the small table, surprised that Valerie had anything to tell her. She thought Valerie would say she didn’t know anything it was too soon. “The last thing Alex told me today about it was that Romero was going to meet with his uncle’s attorney today. But his uncle called the guy last night and let him know what was going on. The attorney told him he could most likely be facing felony assault charges.”

Having a father who was a judge and siblings who were also attorneys, Isabel knew enough about the law to know that if convicted it would carry jail time. This could ruin him. She felt the wave of tears coming on again. Valerie rubbed her arm gently. “Isabel, they don’t know for sure. It all depends on the judge and he could try to fight it. Everyone there saw what an ass**le that guy was. He obviously instigated it.”

“I instigated it.” Isabel didn’t fight the tears anymore. “I knew he’d react violently and I still went along with Michael’s flirting, because I was mad at Romero. Now he’s probably ruined his life.” Isabel buried her face in her hands.

Valerie stood up to hug her while rubbing her back. Suddenly Isabel had a thought and lifted her head, wiping her face with both hands. Her dad knew people. Maybe he could help. She knew he was mad last night but he’d never refuse to help his own daughter, especially if she begged. “I gotta call my dad.”

She stood up and rushed to the counter where her phone was, grabbing it. Valerie stared at her but sat down then began to eat.

Her dad answered on the first ring. “Daddy, I need your help.”

At first, her dad refused. They went back and forth for a while, and he was steadfast about not wanting to do anything for Romero. He said he deserved whatever they slapped on him. “Maybe it’s for the best if he goes away for a while.”

Isabel hadn’t even thought that far ahead. She was still holding out hope that they’d be able to somehow work things out and they’d be together again soon. She already missed him dreadfully. What if he did go to jail—for years?

“Oh, Daddy,” she sobbed. “I don’t know what I’d do.”

There was a silence on her dad’s end, then she heard him breathe. “Please don’t cry, honey.”

“You have to help him. It was all my fault. I’ll never forgive myself—”

“First of all,” His voice was strong and deliberate again. “if I hear you blame yourself for his actions ever again, I’m definitely not helping.”

Isabel breathed in deeply, feeling a sudden hope. “Okay, I promise I won’t anymore. What can you do?”

“I really don’t think I can do much. If the plaintiff, in this case Michael, insists on going forward with this, the DA has no choice but move forward and prosecute. You saw how angry Michael was last night, and although he didn’t want to admit it, his injuries were extensive.” Her father stopped and took a deep breath. She knew he must’ve been thinking about how crazed Romero had been again. “Honey, I can’t do anything about it unless Michael files an affidavit of non-prosecution. Normally, I would never advise anyone to this. It’s irreversible once filed. But most importantly, the DA could turn around and press charges on him for bringing false charges against someone to begin with. That’s where I’d be able to help. I could make sure that doesn’t happen. But the impossible part is going to be getting Michael to agree to something like that. He’d be a fool not to press charges.”

This time Isabel took a deep breath, once again regretting the decision she’d made last night on a stupid angry whim.