ATONEMENT Read Online Free PDF Page B

snapped back and he charged Alfonzo . T hey crashed against the rental car where Vincent sat and it shook under the force. Vincent stayed in the driver’s seat laughing. He bet his money on Alfonzo. The cousin was all brawn and no brains.
    The men scuffled and as Vincent suspected, Alfonzo came out on top. Alfonzo was beating the crap out of Domingo w hen Vincent noticed a police car fast approaching and honked the horn to get their attention. “Hey the cops are coming. S traighten up fuckers !” He yelled out the window.
    They scrambled to their feet a second before the squad car careened to the curb. The officers were out of the vehicle in a flash, “ W hat’s going on here? ”
    Domingo wiped the blood from his mouth , “No thing officer. Me and my cousin were just horsing around, why?”
    The officers were uncertain on how to respond . T hey received an anonymous call about two men fighting but they hadn’t actually witnessed the brawl . The mysterious caller as always, wasn’t anywhere around . Legally, their hands were tied unless one of the men chose to confirm they were fighting and seek to press charges. Both men had injuries, the one with blue eyes apparently fared better than the stocky one brandishing a bloody mouth and swollen eye.
    A n officer turned to Alfonzo, “Is that true?”
    Alfonzo’s shirt was torn, a cheek flashed red but h is composure was calm. He merely shrugged, “ Yep, just horsing around rookie, we do it all the time .”
    “All right, you guys get out of here. If I get another call about you two I’m making an arrest for disorderly conduct.”
    Domingo saluted and when the police cruiser pulled away, he laughed, “ Yo , you lucky they saved your ass, cuz .”
    Alfonzo snatched his jacket from the ground, shook it off and put it on. “ Talk to me about what’s go ing on. What’s the real deal?”
    Domingo licked the blood trickling from his lip then put a hand to his throbbing eye , “Damn, you were hitting like you meant it!”
    “I did.”
    “ That’s messed up, for real.”
    They were face-to-face again. No tension. No anger. Cousins.
    Domingo sulked , “I’ve been trying to keep the shop afloat, and the overhead’s a killer. The girls ’ private school, mortgage payments and the whole nine I can’t pay for sitting home . This nine to five shit is a different hustle, Teresa ca n’t seem to understand I gotta be there when the shop opens and stay there un til it closes.”
    Alfonzo nodded ; he understood.
    “ Teresa, w on’t cut me a break. She ’s constantly accusing me of cheating ‘ cause I got customers blowing up my phone, some of them are chicas . You know how it was at Al’s. It’s busier than ever now, cuz . I’m not gonna make the money unless I make sure the work gets done. I got tired of coming home to the questions and crashed at Raúl’s the other night. It’s been a war-zone eversince.” He shrugged, “I didn’t mean to hit her but she kept coming at me, cursing and throwing pots and shit then I lost it.”
    “ And now you’re at a strip joint. Smart . ”
    “It took my mind off my problems.”
    “But the problem’s at home. ”
    “Teresa’s crazy, I wasn’t going home.”
    “Call her, apologize.”
    “When I’m ready.”
    “Don’t take too long.” Alfonzo replied. Listening to Domingo made Alfonzo realize he’d slacked when it came to his cousin. He was always p reoccupied with his own mess and left his cousin to fly solo. They were family and he refused to let D omingo struggle alone. Whatever his cousin needed he’d give, money , an ear and a kidney, anything for someone Alfonzo considered a brother.
    The chill seep ed through Alfonzo’s skin and h e put an arm around Domingo’s shoulder, “We’re Diaz’ , we don’t beat women. Get cleaned up; make it right with Teresa and the girls . I’ll clear the financial crap . Make sure you patch things up before you come to PR. I really want you and the family there, together,