volatile

Rodrigo Victor Delgado • thirty senior vp of delgado enterprises

[dianaxdelgado]

“At least you’ve accepted it, although I don’t know how long that will last,” Diana responded, unsure of exactly how long the peace would last before he began to ask her again. “Amelia is my step-fathers pride and joy, he’d protect her against my mother and would always put her before that witch. When he once again denied that anything was going on, Diana forcefully rolled her eyes at him. Sometime he made it so difficult, but she always got it out of him. “You can tell me after you’ve checked on Cristian,” she added, before standing up. “I’m going to run myself a bath. I’ll leave the en-suite door open, so you can either talk to me from the bed or sit beside it - but you will tell me.” With those final words, Diana let out a heavy, tired breath. Every step she made felt heavy, her entire week pressing deeply into her mind and exhausting her. She would never admit that perhaps her husband was right, maybe she was taking on too much. But she refused to be weak, not anymore. As she entered the bathroom, she begun to run the tap as she selected her favourite Jo Malone bath oil and poured a generous amount in. Whilst the tub began to fill, she discarded her clothes and placed them in the hamper - something that she wished Rodrigo would do, instead of leaving his clothes around. A relieved sigh escaped her as she sunk into the water, waiting for her husband to tell her whatever the hell he was hiding from her. 

[rodrigodelgxdo]

Diana's assurance that Amelia would be well taken care of under Joseph’s supervision set Rodrigo's mind at ease. Amelia was a second sister to him and he knew it had pained his wife to leave her when she relocated to the other side of the Atlantic. The feelings would have been the same for him if he had to live far away from his own sister. Rodrigo respected Joseph, however. The man never gave him any reason not to and he actually seemed to genuinely care about his step-daughter. If Diana entrusted him with Amelia's well-being then there was no reason to question it, so he moved off the subject. "Stop rolling your eyes." He scowled, watching her stand up from the bar stool. The scowl only deepened when Diana dictated to him. Without causing another row, Rodrigo moved off in the opposite direction of his wife and into Cristian’s bedroom. Much to his relief, he found his son half hanging off the bed, toothpaste lining his mouth, and fast asleep with a stack of books strewn across the end of the bed. It wasn’t as if Rigo hated reading to his son at night, but lately Cristian always fought for one more story and then another and another. He always gave in and he hoped he wasn’t spoiling his son and turning him into the one thing he and Diana hated. After tucking Cristian in, putting away his book and flicking on the nightlight, Rodrigo entered their bedroom and paused for a moment--- he heard the water cease and then the splashes of Diana getting inside of the tub. The conversation was inevitable. It was like slowly ripping off a band-aid when he knew he should just tear it clean off to get it over with. Even after eight years together, he still had the habit of keeping things to himself and bottling it up until it clawed at him to get out. With slow, easy strides, Rigo walked to the master bath and opened the door cautiously. When he entered the room, he eyed Diana in the tub, staying quiet for a few moments before focusing the conversation on their son. “He’s asleep. I was thinking, should we start looking into enrolling him into a pre-school? He’ll be four next month.”

[dianaxdelgado]

The words that left Carmen’s mouth would often be ignored by Diana, she could rise above them and simply take them as petty complaints with little depth, which spring from the mouth of a jealous teenager. But what she didn’t want was for Cristian to ever hear it, or for it to even continue. Enough was enough now. “Okay, I’ll come to you if she says anything else.” Diana wasn’t sure how well this new level of honest with Rodrigo about his sister’s bratty ways would work out, but it was necessary step. “No, it’s not as if I am sad all the time. But I have lost a feeling in myself of the strength that I had built up, and I need to get it back. My job gives me inspiration,and I know you will always look for an opportunity to discourage me from doing it - but it’s enjoyable for me and I worked for it. It was something that I got off my own merit and I don’t want to give it up,” Diana explained, offering the smallest of smiles as he kissed her hand. “Amelia’s her project, her glittering ball who always had half a chance for than I ever did - in my mother’s eyes anyway. My mother is still selfish, and undoubtedly puts down my little sister. She needs to lose a few pounds, her hair is too dry, she hasn’t got enough lipgloss on…she’s got too much lipgloss on! Amelia provides my mother with a stronghold grip in the elitist society because she was born to it.” The disgust that pours from her mouth is filled with hatred and resentment. She swore that she would take down Caterina Moreno for she did to her, but Diana would also take her down for whatever she does to Amelia. “My step-father keeps my mother on a tight leash, it’s quite amusing to watch. In his presence she acts perfectly fine, never wanting to anger him or give him a reason to divorce him.” Diana giggles a little to herself, thinking of how truly pathetic it was of her mother. “Are you going to tell me what you’ve been avoiding telling me?” she questions, her head tilting, although she kept it on his shoulder. 

[rodrigodelgxdo]

“Fine. I guess I’m never gonna get you to stop working at that place. Unless I continually get you pregnant.” It was like being in between a rock and a hard place when it came to debating Diana’s career, and he was never going to win this debate. Well, he guessed that it was his own fault for marrying a woman who was so headstrong and instead of bending over and taking it like every other housewife, she put him in his place when he stepped out of line. “I think that’s all the more reason you should look into custody proceedings if Joseph is the one thing that is holding your mother back from tipping off the edge. Somewhere down the road she’ll try to poison your sister against you or worse your sister will begin acting like her. An elitist snob.” It was funny how different their relationships were with each others sister. Amelia never had any problems with him marrying Diana. Then again, she was just entering her teen years and was probably preoccupied with whatever it was that girls her age did. He took it as a sign he was in Amelia’s good graces the day he picked her up from school to come visit them for the day. She had taken him by the hand and dragged him over to a group of girls to introduce him as her brother-in-law. As if having one of these things somehow made her superior to this particular group of girls. The way Amelia had carried herself in that moment reminded him so much of Diana. He smiled at the recollection, however it faltered slightly at Diana’s words.  “There’s nothing to tell.” He lied, in hopes that she’d move on from the subject and forget about it. Rodrigo maneuvered himself off the stool, kissing the top of her head as he did so. “I’m going to go see what your son is doing. He’s too quiet. Which means he already fell asleep or he got into something.” 

[dianaxdelgado]

“Of course, but I expected that eventually she’d tell you that I was being horrible to her. I have tried Rodrigo, I tried so hard in the beginning to build a relationship with your sister. But it was never going to happen, she liked being the only girl in your world and in her eyes I ruined it. I don’t go out of my way to make her feel unwelcome, but when she’s running around saying that eventually you’ll throw me into the gutter, I am not going to sit back and take it. I don’t really think she should go and leave you alone, or whatever else she may have said, I just wish she’d stop with the constant verbal assaults that she gives to me” Diana gritted her teeth, pressing a hand to her forehead. “She’s your sister and I have never told you any of this because I didn’t want to upset you. I am just so tired, it’s exhausting. My life is exhausting and I am not happy,” she admitted, her head spinning with the mess that was her life. When she was in Spain plotting, her fingers tightly holding Rodrigo’s strings  - she’d thought it would be easy, all of it. She was no longer the gutter-rat, but a quiet storm with her volatile husband. “So you think what I do is insignificant and unnecessary? It doesn’t feel that way to me, and it hurts me that you put your job above mine. You may make more money that I do, you may have more control that I, but it doesn’t mean more.” Her eyes followed the fine glass as he moved it, slightly put out that he’d moved away the only comfort she felt that she had in that moment. ”Lo sé, pero me sentí solo esta semana…mi madre me quería en su bolsillo." Diana looked down at her hands, before leaning forward to rest her head on his shoulder. “She wants to see Cristian more. But it’s because a few ladies in her circle have started boasting about their grandchildren -according to Amelia.”

[rodrigodelgxdo]

“Well, Carmen’s going to have to get over it. I told her when we married that my feelings towards her wouldn’t change and they haven’t. So, I don’t know why she acts this way. I will talk to her about it when I see her next. I think if I was going to throw you in the ‘gutter’ I wouldn’t have taken eight years to do it.” A breathy laugh pushed past his lips and he raised her hand to his lips to press a kiss to it. “Soon she’ll be in college and it will take up most of her time. If I tell her to move past it, she will or you come to me if she says anything else, alright?” Now that he had been made aware of the situation he hoped that he could diffuse it before it carried on for another eight years behind his back. "Are you depressed? You see, you put yourself through too much. This vendetta you’re on is taking its toll. I’m not trying to sound superior with my position at Delgado Enterprises, but there’s no need for you to work, as I’ve said before. Maybe this is proof that you should let the job go if you’re so exhausted.” Any chance Rodrigo got to put in his two cents about her choice of profession, he took it. While it benefited the family in some ways that they had someone working in public relations, he was never going to be okay with it. “Well that’s too fucking bad for her. Maybe if she was a better mother she could have played the doting grandmother all she wanted. There’s something wrong with that woman, mentally. If anything ever happens to Joseph before Amelia turns eighteen, I suggest you file for full custody. With him gone, god only knows what she’ll do. Is she different now that she has her wealthy husband and his money? How does she treat your sister?” He realized that the two of them never broached the subject of her mother due to Diana never wanting to really talk about it. On one hand, he could count how many times he’d actually been in the same room as Caterina. “I would say file for custody now, but if she’s more subdue with your stepfather around leave it alone. I’m sure he’s leaving most of his fortune to your sister. You, best of all, know that your mother will squander whatever he leaves her and then go after your sister’s inheritance.”

[dianaxdelgado]

“You forget that I know you all too well,  Rigo,” Diana responded, pressing her finger forcefully her to her lip, only to pull it away and find blood. For the past two days she’d been gnawing at her lip, her agitation rising. The only person who hadn’t managed to piss her off was Cristian, but she imagined that it was only because he was the pearl of her world. “I have kept my mouth shut about your sister for so long, longer than you could even imagine. I did it to protect you, because it didn’t seem fair for you to know the truth about us. She treats me like I am some whore to eventually be disposed of, as if I am so slithering serpent infecting your mind and all I want is to destroy you or this family - I don’t even know. But what I do know, is that it’s all rooted from the jealously she feels. I understood it, in the beginning, but eight years is a long time to put up with the way she treats me.” Diana sat down on the bar stool, pressing her hands to her forehead. “You came home when he was asleep, you left before he was awake - he asked me why daddy didn’t come home. And don’t act like you wouldn’t be pissed off at me if I did the same thing.” She may have exaggerated the entire thing in the eyes of Cristian, but she felt as if she were losing all of her sanity. “You don’t say that, Rigo. But what you do is hound me on my choice to work, because I should be and home all the time for Cristian and you. I’ll tell you what, I’ll quit my job tomorrow, then wait for you to come home and present my mouth for fucking. Would that make you happy?” She questions, venom slipping from her words as she  takes another gulp of her wine. “The funny thing is, I didn’t even want to fight, but it seems to be the only way that you can understand how unhappy I feel. It’s exhausting, fighting everyone and this week I don’t feel strong at all. I didn’t realise how much I needed you, until you weren’t here.”

[rodrigodelgxdo]

Finding out that his wife and sister didn’t actually get along, for all these years, hurt him in a way. It also annoyed him that their feud had gone on so long behind his back. There was no need to shield him away, to protect him. If he’d been made aware of it years ago, he would have put an end to it. Nonetheless, the protective older brother in him felt the need to excuse his sister’s behavior.  “Carmen’s always had me all to herself. And she’s a teenager. You weren’t over dramatic and angsty at that age? She’s had it rough.” As rough as a daughter to a wealthy diplomat could possibly have it. The Delgado children were given the ends of the earth with a silver spoon placed in their mouth at birth, but that didn’t stop fate from fucking up their lives in one way or another. “She told me a few weeks ago that you were making her feel like you didn’t want her here and I had to reassure her that you did. Was I lying?” He hoped, no prayed, that the two of them had enough respect not to try to pin him against one another, or make him choose. If it ever boiled down to that, the two of them were in for a rude awakening. “Diana.” He scolded, although the smirk playing on his lips contradicted his tone. As much as that offer appealed to him, he knew his wife was never one to back down and conform like the other married women in their society. “We both know that you would never let that happen. Our professions are different, Di. Not in a ‘different fields’ sense, but in a way that mine is a necessity and yours is not. So, yes, I would be pissed if you were spending so much time at a job that is insignificant and unnecessary.” Rodrigo reached for the wine glass that sat in front of her on the counter and moved it away from her grasp. Then sitting down on the opposite bar stool, facing her, he brought her hand into his own. “Siempre estoy aquí para ti, cariño. Ahora --- lo que dijo tu madre... o quiere?”

[dianaxdelgado]

“Well, at least you take her out for a nice romantic evening, ” she muttered dryly as she takes a generous sip of the wine that she is drinking. Diana felt as though she may be angry for the sake of being angry, but for the past two days she was made to feel like neither she nor Cristian  even existed. It was something that she’d known before, but she never wanted her son to feel that way. “Occupy myself? How thoughtful.” Diana rubbed her fingers together, anger pulsing in her veins. “My attitude, sweetheart, comes from the fact that I haven’t seen my husband in two days. Now, I know you well enough to know that you’re avoiding telling me something,” Diana responded, her expression stormy. “And whilst you’ve been off avoiding me, I’ve had to put up with your darling sister, my bitch of a mother and a missing husband. How do you expect me to have another baby with you, when you can’t even be around for your son?” Diana knew that she was hitting him below the belt, but her anger was getting the best of her. After hearing about Nadia and John, putting up with Rodrigo’s bratty sister and receiving several calls from her unwelcome mother - she was not in the best of moods. “So tell me, does it seem like I’ve had a bad day?”

[rodrigodelgxdo]

“I haven’t been avoiding anything, Diana. I had Lena call you and then I texted saying I was going to be home late. The office is busy, it’s almost the end of tax season, and I had to deal with our accountants!” Rodrigo attempted to find anyway to excuse his elusive behavior for the past two days. While it wasn’t a bold faced lie, dealing with DE’s accountants wasn’t as demanding as he was trying to make it sound. He felt that he needed some space and time to think. Diana had a sixth sense, or maybe he was just that obvious when something was wrong, and would pick at him until he finally gave in and told her. She was like a shark smelling blood in open water and he wanted to avoid that for as long as he could. There wasn’t exactly a handbook on how to deal with finding out your thirty-something year old best friend has been sleeping with your underage cousin. “What about Carmen?” He asked, following the question with a sigh. This back and forth that was apparently going on between his wife and sister needed to come to an end. He ignored it in hopes that it was just banter between two women in close quarters. It was always just he and Diana until Cristian came along. Now, Carmen was added to the mix. He hadn’t expected their sudden move to another country to be smooth sailing. “Excuse me? Are you trying to say I neglect my son? It was two days and I came home every night. I’m sure he didn’t even notice I was gone. He’s three.” His eyes narrowed at her accusation. As if she didn’t know how his father had treated him his whole life. Ignoring him and making him feel worthless unless he was attempting to achieve the unachievable. Never in a million years would he put Cristian through that kind of mental head game. It was insulting because he knew if he turned the tables and brought up Caterina, suddenly he would be out of line. “Don’t you ever fucking tell me that I’m not around for my son. Do I say that to you when it comes to your job?"

[carmendelgados]

“No- Just no, not a chance.”

“Papá promised that I wouldn’t have to if I kept being good. You can’t imagine what it’s like in those meetings, Rigo. Hola be damned, I can take their shit articles without ending up like those people.”

[rodrigodelgxdo]

“Papá also put me in charge of you. If I find out you’re using again... I’m sorry, I’ll have no choice and will have to put you in with those people. I worry and I’m not trying to be unreasonable or threaten you, but I won’t allow you to fall back in with anyone in that drug scene and take advantage.”

[rodrigodelgxdo]

carmendelgados:

“Fine. I just really wanted a line today.”

“There was another bullshit article about Miguel, this time with the exclusive testimony of one of the bitches he was sleeping with.  Cigarettes were the only thing I could think of to fight the urge. I’m sorry I didn’t think about Cristian.”

“What paper is this now? I thought coming to America would get rid of all this bullshit, but it’s just followed us over here. Madre cogida!” A heavy weight of guilt fell over him for his earlier words, and Rodrigo quickly changed his demeanor. “I’m sorry, Carmen. Do you want to talk to anybody... like a doctor? Or go to one of those meetings? We don’t have to tell anybody. I just don’t want to see you relapse. I won’t fail to protect you again.” 

[carmendelgados]

“I thought you were - Never mind.”

“You’re overreacting. Lorenzo’s friends smoked around me when I was a kid and I turned out just fine.”

[rodrigodelgxdo]

“Carmen Delgado. I don’t give a shit what Lorenzo’s friends did. If they had told you to jump, would you have said how high? Clearly, he’s not as responsible as papà always claims he is, if he allowed his friends to smoke around you like that. If you’re going to live in my house, I will tell you what will and won’t be exposed to my son. Put it out now.“

[dianaxdelgado]

There was a methodical routine to the evenings that she went through, getting home from work meant spending an hour with Cristian before bathing him and putting him to bed - although three stories was usually necessary. A late night call from Rodrigo’s office to say that he needed to stay late had come the night before, and she’d barely noticed as he got into bed at god knows what time —or when he left the following morning. But Diana knew that something was up, she could read her husband too well to think any different. Once Cristian had been dressed in his favourite pajamas she’d been unable to catch him as he scurried out of the room giggling. Rolling her eyes, Diana had picked up his wet towel and diposited it in the hamper as she mentally planned her evening. After putting her baby boy to bed, she would grab a large glass of wine, run herself a bath and loose herself in a good book - her latest favourite being Gone Girl. The sound of Rodrigo’s voice caused her to pause, as she rolled her eyes and walked out of Cristian’s bedroom. 

“Your girlfriend let you come home tonight?” she jested, as she walked into the living room. Her eyes immediately spotted the discarded tie - causing her eyes to roll  “Make sure you put it away, I am not cleaning up after you.” Diana looked at him pointedly, before wiggling her finger - practically ordering him to follow her as she walked into the kitchen to pour herself a glass of wine. “Are you going to read to your son tonight?”

[rodrigodelgxdo]

Snatching the tie off the couch cushion, Rodrigo scowled in response to his wife’s unwarranted hostility. The tone of her voice told him that this night was going to go two ways. Either they went to bed without speaking, or one of their explosive arguments would erupt. “Actually, she wanted me to change clothes before we go back out and have a nice romantic evening.” He answered, dryly. Her little quip shouldn’t have even warranted a response, but he felt the need to bitterly interject. Another tell tale sign that a fight was possibly brewing. Rodrigo entered the kitchen, following Diana a few steps behind, and folded his tie neatly within his hands. With a nod of his head, his attention turned to the bathroom door just down the hall where their son was all too quietly occupying. Hopefully, brushing his teeth and not squeezing the tooth paste all over the sink... again. He would read the three selected stories and then evade a fourth that Cristian always tried to negotiate him into. He just hoped it wasn’t another night of three stories featuring Calliou. “Si. I will read to him while you... occupy yourself.” His eyes followed her closely as she went in the direction of their wine cabinet. “From your very welcoming attitude I take that it’s been a bad day?” 

[carmendelgados]

“Think twice before you speak, cariño. Lecturing me about smoking today will get the cigarette put out in your fucking face.”

[rodrigodelgxdo]

“Where do you get off talking to me like that? This is my house, so you will put it out right now. Or do you wish to pollute your nephew’s lungs with second hand smoke? What’s the matter with you?”

[rodrigodelgxdo]

The ding of the elevator signified his arrival and, on cue, he was greeted by his son. Fresh out of the bath and donned in his favorite Batman pajamas. Rodrigo scooped Cristian up from the marble floor and kissed his cheek, taking in the crisp scent of his bubble bath. “Dónde está mamá?” It had been yesterday morning the last time he had seen both his wife and son. In typical Rigo fashion, he was avoiding the inevitable discussion of John Knight. Brooding in his office for a full two days, making an excuse to stay at DE late, arriving home late enough to know she was in bed, and then leaving early the next morning. He was certain Diana didn’t know and he was unable to think of a way to tell her without blowing a gasket. “En la otra habitación.” Was Cristian’s very descriptive answer before pulling away from Rodrigo signifying he wanted to be put down. He set his son back down on the floor, giving his behind a firm pat, and motioned towards the hallway. “Ve a lavarte los dientes." He ordered, watching Cristian’s shoulders slump as he turned to trudge in the direction of the bathroom, begrudgingly. A scuffed hand moved to pull the knot in his tie and remove it from his neck. It was still sore days later from his altercation with John. The man was lucky he didn't knock his head off and only walked away with a few bruises and a bloody nose. He could hear movement somewhere in the penthouse, but he chose to hang back in the living room and stall instead of greeting Diana like he normally would.

[theknight-john-deactivated20150]

John had expected a punch to come as soon as the words left his mouth but instead it seemed Rodrigo was taking the words in, perhaps not believing him and maybe even expecting for John to yell that it was all a prank and laugh it off but of course that wasn’t about to happen and while he was grateful to have someone who believed in him, a part of John was angry to be put on such a pedestal, to be deemed so saintly, the kind of man who doesn’t make mistakes. No one can be that good. No one can be scandal free forever and if everyone else fucked up then why coulnd’t he? He hadn’t aimed to hurt anyone, hadn’t hurt anyone as far as he could tell from what very little Nadia was willing to let transpire of her emotions. “She was probably not in her right mind after what happened to Claudia, I didn’t see it in the moment but maybe I was meant to be a distraction to her. I let it happen because I was lonely and I didn’t think but it’s over now.” he continued to explain, no amount of lies could have shed a better light on him anyway and he wasn’t about to paint Nadia as some seductress, she was a young woman who had just been looking for a bit of fun. John knew he’d been used but didn’t believe she had done it intentionally and he had used her too in a way. They were both guilty, had both been stuoid and reckless but he should have known better being the older of the two.

“I’m not going to give you any excuses because I screwed up and no excuses will change that. I shouldn’t have slept with your cousin, she’s way to young and I know that but in the moment I didn’t care enough to stop. Now if you want to punch me, yell or hell maybe even do to me what you did to Zachary, go ahead. I’m not different, Rigo. I’m the same man, I just made a mistake. I hope you know that.” John pleaded, although the last of his sentence wasn’t to deter Rigo from urting him, in fact most of him hoped for pain, for a few broken bones because at least he would feel like had had paid for his stupidity in a way and it would make it so much easier to move forward. He didn’t care for absolution, what he wanted was punishment which really told a lot about his martyr complex.

[rodrigodelgxdo]

It started with a slight irritation simmering in the pit of his stomach, laying dormant and tucked away until it ripped away at his composure. The feeling only became worse when John kept talking, trying to reason with a man who was incapable of thinking clearly. Rodrigo tuned out everything his friend was trying to explain to him. John’s voice quickly faded into background noise, the sound carrying far off into some void. Not in her right mind. That, in Rigo’s own reasoning, translated to John taking advantage of a grieving seventeen-year-old girl. This man in front of him was now a stranger, an unwanted guest. He was a leech clinging onto the Delgado name for his own benefit and sucking them dry in favor of his campaign. A campaign that was now in jeopardy. It made sense seeing as John had been shunned from the Calloway family and conveniently made his way over to the Delgado’s once they had settled in New York. Now, Rodrigo was all but willing to throw him away like the piece of shit that he was and onto the street for his next host.

There was a rhythmic, thundering noise pounding in his ears. He couldn’t remember a train being so close to this place. It was only when John continued to speak under the roar of the train, his voice drowned out by the sound, did Rodrigo realize it wasn’t an actual train. The beat of his heart was pumping so loud in his ears it was deafening. His breathing had picked up and his jaw was clenched so tight it was a surprise his teeth didn’t crack under the pressure. Something finally clicked inside him, like upturning a switch, and he lunged forward in John’s direction. Without hesitation, Rodrigo’s fist collided square into John’s nose. He pulled his arm back for another blow, but his fist paused in midair. If this had been anyone else, their body would have been sprawled out on the floor, bloodied.

The fact that John had been Rodrigo’s only friend for so many years was the only thing stopping him from going any further. A part of him wanted to continue, he fought with holding back the urge to pummel this man in front of him, hand shaking at his side, and release all the frustration he’d been feeling since arriving in New York. He wanted to go back to the safe comforts of Spain where he didn’t have to deal with Calloways and Billings and Grants. His only worries back in Madrid were Diana, Cristian, and whether or not he was living up to his father’s standards. “We’re through.” He spoke through gritted teeth, the collar of John’s shirt clenched tightly within his other fist. “You stay the fuck away from my family. If I ever fucking see you again, or hear you’re paying my cousin any kind of visits, I’ll fucking kill you. You’re no better than the scum you’ve promised to be nothing like.”

[delgadoryan]

Reeling back from the sudden disturbance, Ryan took a moment to realize what had just happened before allowing a smile to grace his lips. “Shit, sorry I didn’t see you man.” He chuckled raking his fingers through his dark hair. “Uh, yeah I guess I’ve gotten into a kind of bad habit of just walking around with those things in. How have you been? Haven’t seen you around in a while.”

[rodrigodelgxdo]

“Well, be careful. I don’t need a phone call that you walked out into oncoming traffic because you were listening to... whatever that was you were just listening to.” Rodrigo placed a hand on Ryan’s shoulder and motioned for him to continue walking. “Things have been better. The office has been busy, among other things, I’m sorry I haven’t called to see how you’re doing. ¿Qué hay de ti? ¿Ha sido mantenerse fuera de problemas ? ¿Necesita dinero?"

[theknight-john-deactivated20150]

“Not with what, with whom. ” John clarified, frowning. He should have known this was coming, he’d never been a good liar and he couldn’t, would not lie to a man he considered his brother in all but blood. He knew, of course what the end of the lies implied, he knew he would be creating a divide between him and Rigo and he could take the punches, the yelling but there was the dreaded possibility of this being the point of no return, being the one fuck up Rodrigo could not forgive and John Knight may have not been a man wealthy in friends but e sure as hell wasn’t ready to lose this particular one. Still he braced himself for the upcoming confusion and rage, took a deep breath and spoke in a small voice barely above a whisper really because he had not say that out loud to anyone, not even to himself, he was too much of a coward to face the truth. “I slept with Nadia. Several times and it’s over now but it’s time you knew. It’s time I stop lying to you. I’m sorry, I did in the first place. I didn’t want anyone to know how stupid, I’ve been.” he said, uncrossing his arms. He wouldn’t fight Rigo if it came down to that, he deserved what was coming to him, he didn’t waste energy kidding himself on that part.

[rodrigodelgxdo]

At John’s words, Rodrigo felt his whole body tense. With whom. Just by the way those two words fell from his best friend’s mouth, he knew that this unnamed person was going to cause a hitch in the campaign trail. It was disappointing to say the least. In many ways, he looked up to John, admired his composure and self-restraint, envied the charisma that exuded from the older man with such ease. John Knight was the brother Rodrigo should have had. Not the three that burdened him with the lies, betrayal, and uncertainty. Nevertheless, Rigo would stand by his friend... no matter what. If John didn’t have the means to give what this person was demanding, if they were blackmailing for a large sum, the only question Rodrigo would ask was ‘how much?’ Nothing could have prepared him for what came next.

It was almost humorous how fast his opinion changed. Rodrigo was leaning forward in his chair, bordering on the edge, straining to hear John’s words that were barely even above a whisper. At first, he wasn’t even sure if he had heard him correctly. He wanted to believe he hadn’t heard him correctly. “You-- what?” His tone was flat, null, with no emotion. John Knight was quickly knocked off the pedestal Rigo had placed him on, no longer the genuine and sincere John Knight. No longer the one man he could trust around his wife. Fuck, he was no longer scandal-free John Knight. In his mind, Nadia was still a little girl. Far from innocent, but she was still his baby cousin. The term slept with shouldn’t have been slipped into that sentence with such ease. Rodrigo stood up from his chair so fast he thought his head would spin. His jaw tightened, a fist clenched at his side as he looked over to his ‘best friend’ and try to process all of this. “You did what?"

[50shades]

[delgadoryan]

Storming through the party like my name was El ninio When I’m hangin’ out drinking in the back of an El Camino As a kid, I was a skid and no one knew me by name. I trashed my own house party cause no body came. 

Headphones in and the world fallen away to white noise. Ryan was utterly oblivious to any passerby.

[rodrigodelgxdo]

"Ryan. Ryan... Ryan!" He pulled at the boy's headphones in the least delicate way possible. "You're becoming a true New Yorker. Buildings could be falling down around you and it's just another day."

[theknight-john-deactivated20150]

In the midst of Rigo’s compliments, one word and a sentence stuck out like a sore thumb. Sincere and scandal free, yeah right! Maybe off the record because he did have a scandalous secret, even better it was an illegal one and he hadn’t been sincere with the people close to him for months. And he was able to lie to everyone around him, even other members of the Delgado clan but when his best friend was pledging his faith to him, John couldn’t help but feel like he was nothing but a fraud and the lies had gone on long enough. He had always envied the Delgados, they were a united bunch when push came to shove and he had no siblings, he considered them his family now and if the choice was to continue to lie to his grave to the people who gave him unconditional support or tell the truth then he’d rather tell the truth. At least to the people he could trust with it, he knew Ana-Lucia would just flip, he couldn’t call her a friend after that, she’d want nothing to dow ith him but Rigo might react marginally better. He could expect some rage and a fist to his face but in the end, he would be more concerned about containing it, about damage control. “I made a mistake, Rigo. I fucked up and you’re not going to be happy but I want to tell you. I need to tell you because keeping this to myself any longer is going to drive me mad.”, he finally said with a sigh, the topic of Roslyn long forgotten.

[rodrigodelgxdo]

"What do you mean fucked up?" John did not fuck up. He was sure of that. If it was anyone out of the two, Rodrigo was the one to fuck things up, to make mountains out of mole hills, and throw a punch during a situation that did not call for unnecessary violence. Rodrigo and John were as thick as thieves and even during their wild late teens into their early twenties, John was always the one to keep a level head. Whatever it was that was bothering his best friend couldn't  be that bad. He was New York's White Knight and nothing like the scandalous politicians that were being weeded out left and right on the 10 o'clock news. Surely, it was nothing, Rodrigo tried to tell himself. There wasn't gambling debts to one of the New York crime families, there wasn't a dead hooker in the back of his trunk, and there was no love child currently being birthed in the Harlem slums. Rigo's gaze was locked onto John's, his hand came up to rub at his chin, nervously. He took a deep breath before speaking, feeling that familiar agitation of anxiety begin to creep up his spin. There was nothing to worry about, he continued to reassure himself. "Fucked up with what, Johnny?"