Chapter 26 Fist and Defense
“Arggg,” I winced in pain, staggering back as I placed my hand over my mouth.
“THEO!” Joan screamed.
I looked up and saw Theo truly. That little boy who always followed me around when we were young.
JOAN COLE’S POV
I was barely two steps away after opening the door when everything happened at once.
Alex stood there, looking tired and determined like he had driven straight to my place without thinking it through.
Within the twinkling of an eye, Theo appeared out of nowhere and landed a fatal blow on his mouth.
“THEO!” I screamed while Lena gasped.
Alex shifted back, his steps unsteady while he let out a sharp groan as he held his face.
Blood immediately came out between his teeth and at the corner of his lips.
Theo stood there breathing loudly with clenched fists.
“What the hell do you think you are doing showing up here?” he snapped.
“That’s enough!” I yelled, stepping between them without thinking.
“Get out!” I said firmly as I turned to Theo.
“Sis…” he muttered, his voice low as he looked at me like I had betrayed him.
“I said get out,” I repeated, my voice shaking but firm.
Alex wiped his mouth with the back of his hand as he winced.
“It’s okay,” he muttered, slowly tapping my shoulder.
“No, it’s not,” I said quickly and grabbed his wrist.
“Come inside.”
“I will deal with you later,” I said to Theo, already pulling Alex towards my room.
“Unbelievable,” Theo scoffed loudly.
He cursed under his breath and stormed out of the house, banging the door so hard that the walls almost came down.
Once inside, I pointed to the bathroom so that Alex could spit out and rinse the blood in his mouth, then I pushed him to the edge of my bed with shaky hands.
“Sit,” I said and reached for my drawer.
“I didn’t mean for this to…” he said quietly.
“I know,” I cut in gently.
I brought out the first aid kit and knelt before him. I examined the cut, and it wasn’t too deep but it was already swelling.
“I’m so sorry. Theo shouldn’t have done that,” I added.
“It’s fine… I walked into it,” he chuckled softly despite the pain.
I dabbed the wound carefully, my fingers brushing his skin.
He inhaled sharply as I was still cleaning the cut.
“Sorry,” I murmured, my brows squeezing as if I was feeling his pain.
“It’s fine,” he said again, his eyes now on me.
His gaze dropped slowly to my lips then back to my eyes.
My cheeks flushed and I immediately focused back on the cut, pretending I didn’t notice.
Then I applied the ointment carefully.
“There,” I said softly.
“That should help.”
“Thank you,” he replied, just as quietly as I did.
Silence followed.
“I should go,” he said, breaking the silence.
“Before he comes back and finishes the job,” he added.
“Yeah… you should,” I nodded and stood up.
He stood slowly and tested his jaw.
When he got to the door, he paused and turned to face me.
“We still need to talk.”
I nodded in affirmation and watched him leave.
I heard Lena’s voice in the living room also apologizing to him on Theo’s behalf.
Then she walked into my room.
She didn’t say anything at first, she just stood against the door and stared at me.
“You should take it easy on Theo,” she finally said.
“He was only trying to defend you,” she added.
I turned slowly to look at her, the words irritating my belly.
“That doesn’t give him the right to act that way,” I said firmly.
“You know how Theo is… and you know he dislikes him more than anything in this world,” Lena continued.
“Theo knows who I am too,” I replied, folding my arms.
“I’ve told him before… I told him not to ever try it the day he mentioned it,” I added, my voice sharper now.
“He probably acted on impulse,” Lena sighed and pushed herself off the wall.
“He took a decision that wasn’t his to take!” I said, almost loudly.
“I can handle my own situations… and if I can’t, I will say so.”
“I know… I just don’t want this to turn into something bigger than it is already,” Lena said softly as if trying to pacify me.
I took a deep breath and looked at her.
“I don’t either, but I won't excuse that stupid behavior of his,” I said.
“I will talk to him too,” she replied and nodded.
“Thank you,” I said simply.
She smiled and turned to leave, but paused as she was about to open the door.
“You handled that very well though,” she said, looking at me over her shoulder.
Then she left.
ALEX HART’S POV
I drove back home with one hand on the steering wheel and the other probing my cut as I winced.
I thought about why Theo acted that way and concluded it was related to what Joan had said earlier that day.
“What happened then? Did I miss something?” I thought to myself.
I was still battling with my thoughts when I got a flashback of how she apologized on Theo’s behalf and how our eyes met while she was attending to the cut on my lip.
“She still cares,” I smiled, the movement pulling at my lips.
“Arrggg! Fuck!” I winced.
Just then, Marcus’s voice sounded in my head.
“You should ask Joan what she meant.”
But how was I supposed to ask when every time I stepped closer, I seemed to make things worse?
I didn’t know how to feel and at that moment, I just wanted to go home and rest my head.
I let out a sharp breath and turned into the lane that led to my house.
As I drove into my garage, I noticed a figure in front of my house but I wasn’t quite sure.
Then I parked carefully and stepped out of my car, rolling my shoulders as I walked towards the entrance.
That was when I realized that a person was truly standing in front of my door.
My jaw tightened instantly.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, my voice sharp.