The next morning when the men were getting ready to leave, they dropped the key by and thanked Carmen and Felipa for their help. Rob was silent, a large white patch across his nose. He didn't look at Carmen.
Alex said nothing, his brooding gaze mostly on Rob, studying him, maybe sizing him up. Rob finally gave him a scorching look.
"What do you want?"
Alex eyed him distastefully, every muscle in his body tense, as if ready to pounce on Rob. Yet when he spoke, his tone was conversational.
"I'd like to black both your eyes."
Carmen and Felipa both caught their breath. Gerald and Aaron looked suddenly alert.
Rob's eyes flashed fire, but his tone was cold. "Just bring it on - any time."
Gerald eyed the two of them and then spoke to Alex.
"Take it easy, buddy. We're leaving." His stern gaze turned to Rob. "You might discover you bit off more than you could chew."
Whether he meant Alex was a formidable opponent or he would side with Alex wasn't evident. Size alone would give Rob second thoughts about tangling with Gerald. Carmen had reason to know Alex could and would defend himself admirably.
Rob eyed Alex skeptically and shrugged, turning an accusing gaze on Carmen.
"Yes," Alex said. "She told me. You're lucky she didn't file charges."
Rob's attention shot back to him. "For what, telling her the truth about you?"
Alex glanced at Carmen and then focused on Rob, his voice calm as the air before a tornado.
"You molested and terrorized my wife."
Gerald and Aaron both turned a startled look on Rob.
Rob turned red. "I didn't hurt her."
"You humiliated her," Alex said, his voice still cool.
"So did you," Rob shot back.
Alex nodded. "Possibly - probably. But I didn't do anything illegal. You did."
Rob stared at him a moment. "Battery is illegal too."
Alex looked amused. "Are you trying to say my wife beat you up?"
When Rob's gaze came back to Carmen, it had lost the arrogance. For a moment he actually looked remorseful. His attention dropped to the floor.
Aaron finally spoke, as his focus shifted from Rob to Carmen.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know. I thought you were saying it was good that I was taking him to the hospital. I thought you acted a little strange, but …"
"It's alright," Carmen said. "It isn't your job to control him."