~Michael~


    After Val and her boyfriend leave the restaurant, I pay for my part of the meal. Even though I had invited them out to dinner, Val insisted that she pay for her and her boyfriend''s food. He didn''t offer to pay instead. JJ. What a fucking asshole. At least he acted like one. He gave me dirty looks, barely answered my questions, and was the whole reason they left early. Not to mention that he was on his phone the entire time. From what Zakk told me, Val and him met at one of the shady bars she frequents. He''s an alcoholic with no job apparently. JJ seems to live off ''family money''. Zakk and I are both worried about Valentina''s safety. When I walk into the house, Ronnie practically mauls me before I can even close the door.


    "So how was dinner? How''s Val? What vibes did you get from her boyfriend?"


    I sigh and head over to the couch, Ronnie following close behind, knowing that he wants full details. He still cares about her. And even though I''d never admit it to him, I would feel better if Val was with Ronnie, a lot better. Ronnie and I sit down.


    "Her boyfriend''s name is JJ. From what I heard he doesn''t have a job, well a legal one. He''s a regular at one of the bars Val goes to."


    "So he drinks a lot? Zakk said that he''s a dick."


    I nod my head.


    "Yeah, he''s not exactly the friendliest person. He really didn''t care about being there. They actually left early because he threw a fit."


    "Zakk and him really don''t like each other."


    "I don''t think JJ likes me either."


    Ronnie shakes his head.


    "What''s his real name?"


    I sit for a minute, thinking.


    "I don''t think Val even knows what it is. I don''t think she really knows anything about him."


    Ronnie sighs, becoming annoyed. I don''t blame him.


    "What are we gonna do about this?"


    I pat my best friends back. As much as I want to do something, I can''t.


    "Ronnie. I know this isn''t what you want to hear but we can''t do anything. Valentina is an adult and we have to let her make her own decisions. If we intervene she''ll probably shut us out again."


    ~Ronnie~


    "There has to be something we can do! He''s probably dangerous! Val could get hurt!"


    He looks down and continues patting my back. I bring my hands to my face and groan into them. I realize that there''s actually nothing we can do and it''s killing me. It''s obviously hard on Michael too. I mean since we met her, all he''s wanted to do is protect her and stop her from getting hurt.


    "All we can really do is be here for her and support her when she needs us."


    I rub my hands down my face and nod. I''m the last person she''d want in her personal business anyway. Especially with everything that''s happened between us. I''m not giving up though.


    "I talked to Willow today. She''s driving Chrissy crazy asking about Val."


    We both laugh and the tension that was in the room gets cleared out.


    "That bad? How''s Chrissy dealing with it?"


    "She said I''m taking too long getting Val to call. You''re not going to believe this.."


    I pause to laugh and Michael leans in closer, impatient.


    "Stop stalling. Fucking tell me."


    "Chrissy ordered a commission from Val for Willow and added a note with her number saying that she''d appreciate a call to Willow!"


    Michael starts laughing and it causes me to laugh harder.


    "But I thought Chrissy hates Val?"


    "She does! But I guess Willow won''t leave her alone about it. She''s desperate at this point."Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    "Well, call Val and ask."


    "Right now?"


    "Mhm."


    I start dialing and Michael motions for me to put it on speaker. When Val answers I can barely hear her. JJ must''ve been anxious to leave the dinner so he could go to the bar and do whatever he does.


    "Hello?! Ronnie?! Hold on! Babe?! JJ!! Fuck! I''m going outside for a minute!"


    I hear a guy yell something back but I can''t make out what he said. I wait until the music and voices become just background noise.


    "Jacky Vincent''s best friend speaking."


    ~Valentina~


    I hear Ronnie groan and I laugh into my phone. I can practically hear the eye-roll over the receiver.


    "2nd best friend. Alvin comes first."


    "Of course. I know that. Max comes first to me. Or Rob. Or Zakk. I don''t know."


    I laugh into the phone again. Honestly, I''m a bit tipsy and I can''t help it.


    "Anywhore, what''s up Ronster?"


    I hear a distant chuckle on the other end.


    "That Michael? Hi big brother!"


    "Yes hello! Have you been talking to Alva lately?"


    "Yes! How''d you know?!"


    It sounds like the phone switches hands and I''m back to talking to Ronnie. This smile I can''t seem to remove is hurting my cheeks.


    "You said ''anywhore'' and you called me ''Ronster'', which you have never done."


    "Ahh. Is that why you called?"


    There''s silence and I imagine Ronnie just staring down at his phone like an idiot. A cute one.


    "No. Have you looked at your recent commission requests?"


    "Not for a few days. Why?"


    "Chrissy sent you one."


    It''s my turn to stare at my phone like an idiot now.


    "The fuck. Why?"


    "Willow misses you. So Chrissy bough a commission for her and out her number on it so you could call and talk to Willow."


    I nod at my phone. That''s really sweet of Chrissy to look past her hate and contact me for Willow. She''s a good mom. I admire that. Still don''t like her though. I''m sure she''ll like me more now knowing that I''m in a relationship and not banging Ronnie. Ha! I end up laughing out loud and remember that I''m still on the phone with Ronnie.


    "Valentina? Still there?"


    "Haha yeah. I''ll search for hers tomorrow. I gotta do the commissions in order by date but I''ll call. Omg."


    "What?"


    "What if Chrissy and I became friends? Like your baby mom chatting it up with... Uh, what even was I? Your fuck buddy?"


    "I really hate that."


    "Your friend with benefits?"


    "Can we not talk about this?"


    "No, I''m just saying. Imagine the horror. Chrissy and I being friends. Talking. Discussing. Comparing."


    I laugh just thinking about all the tea and drama that would be spilled. Ronnie sighs and I hear Michael trying to cover up his laughter.


    "I''d kill myself."


    "Ah, no you wouldn''t. Don''t be so dramatic Ronnie-poo."


    "You''re right, I''d just kill you."


    "Aw sweetheart, you''ve tried that before."


    He huffs into the phone and I laugh more. On no level am I scared of Ronnie. Even when he''s angry. It''s refreshing how comfortable I am with him. When I first met him I was obviously scared. But I got to know him. He''s nothing like Arthur and he''d never intentionally hurt me.


    "Take your drunk ass home, Valentina."


    "Ahh. The sweetest goodbye darling. Bye Michael! I love you!"


    "Goodnight Val! I love you too!"


    ~Flashback~


    It''s been about 2 months since I chose to quit school. I filled up my spare time by picking up extra shifts at my various jobs. I still haven''t told Arthur and it''d be suspicious if I spent more time at home than normal. I''m going to tell him, I just need to figure out the right way to do it. He''s become increasingly aggressive and angry lately. I do my best to tiptoe around him. I get home from a shift to find Arthur home early. He''s sitting at the kitchen table, drink in hand, with papers in front of him. I don''t need to step near him to know he''s wasted.


    "Arthur?"


    "When were you gonna tell me?"


    "Wha-?"


    He tosses the papers across the table at me. Luckily, he hasn''t moved towards me and I feel a hell of a lot more comfortable with the table between us. I glance at the papers and see that they''re from my school.


    "I was gonna tell you, I just needed to find the right time."


    "So who are you fucking when you''re pretending to be out in class?"


    "No one! I''ve been picking up extra shifts."


    "Oh? With Gio?"


    I roll my eyes, not this again. I turn to walk out. In an instant, Arthur is up and he grabs my wrist, violently jerking me back.


    "Where the fuck do you think you''re going, Valentina? You belong to me bitch."


    I try pulling away but his grip is too strong. He raises his arm and I flinch just seconds before his hand connects to my face.


    ~Robert Ortiz: Bonus Chapter~


    It''s the middle of May and I''m rushing to get to the hospital. I didn''t explain anything to the guys, I don''t think I even hung up my phone. I just shoved it in my pocket and got in my car. I give the front desk my name and they send me up to the 3rd floor. They explain that she''s in surgery and I take a second to breathe and pull out my phone to call Jacky.


    "Hey Jacky."


    "Rob? What''s wrong? It sounds like you''re crying?"


    "The hospital. I''m an emergency contact. You need to get here. Now."


    It only takes Jacky 20 minutes to arrive. Even with all the LA traffic. When he steps off the elevator, he spots me and starts running. He has a t-shirt and sweats on. He must''ve been asleep. He reaches me and nearly collapses, trying to breathe.


    "What. Happened."


    He takes a deep breath in between the two words. I''m kind of worried that he could be having a panic attack. I sit down on the floor with him. After a couple seconds, he nods, letting me know that he''s good.


    "I just got a call saying that I was the emergency contact and that I needed to come down here right away."


    Jacky nods and spots a nurse. I stop the nurse and manage a hopeful smile.


    "I was just wondering if there was any news?"


    "She''s still in surgery, one of the doctors will be out later to explain."


    "One of?"


    She gives us a sympathetic smile and continues on her way. Jacky and I exchange looks.


    "You have to call them."


    "I know Jacky. I just don''t want them to freak out."


    "Just call them. Michael isn''t going to understand why he''s not the contact."


    I nod and dial. Michael cheerfully answers his phone. This breaks my heart.


    "Hey Rob! Long time, no talk! You gotta come over to hang out! What''s up!"


    "Michael. You need to come to the hospital."


    "Wh-Why?"


    "It''s Val."