"Can you come out with me tonight please? Aaya and a couple of friends are going. I want to drink and we don't have a designated driver," Rory asks and grabs my hand.
"I have work to do," I mumble.
"But what if your only sister gets kidnapped? What would you then? Would you even care?" She asks.
"Are you trying to gaslight me?" I ask.
"Is it working?" She asks.
"No. You're a terrible gaslighter. Stick to being a surgeon."
"You owe me from when Valentina shot you in the leg and I had to leave work, then later get yelled at by my boss."
I roll my eyes, "fine," I grumble.
"Don't get all sassy with me. Maybe if you wouldn't of kidnapped her you wouldn't have to owe me anything."
I ignore her little comment, "if you're not ready in an hour i'm not coming."
She runs out my office, "thanks Rico!"
I finish up a few emails and documents before Rory comes in my office. I make a face and she frowned, "you don't like it?"
"If you like it, I love it," I mumble.
"It's a little windy outside. You sure you'll be warm enough in that?" I ask.
"Yes! It'll be hot in the club. I don't need any extra layers anyway. I'll probably be sweating. Anyways, let's go!" She grabs my hand and tries to pull me up out my chair.
I get up on my own and Rory practically runs to the car and gets in the passenger seat. I get in and we make our way to the club.
I sat in the club watching over Rory and her friends when Aaya and Valentina come in the door. Rory runs to them and they say a few words. Valentina goes to the bar.
•TIME SKIP•
I get a call from Rory. I look up and notice she or her friends aren't anywhere in sight. I pick up the call, "hey big bro!" she yelled with a giggle.
"Listen I couldn't find you, but then I remembered I have a phone," Rory giggles. "Phone is such a funny word."
"Where are you?" I ask.
"In a uber. We went to our friends house. Aaya passed out and was throwing up everywhere so we all went to our friend's house."
"You have-"
"Yes. I have all of my defensive shit. Also check if Aaya's sister is there. She said she was going home after she finished her drink, but her car was still outside when we left."
"Alright. Be safe," I tell her.
"Don't worry Rico, i'm not that drunk," she yells into the phone, giggles, then hangs up.
Not that drunk my ass.
I stand up and look around the club. I spot Valentina at the bar with her head nodding off. A man grabbed her arm and she weakly tried to pull away, but he forced her out her seat and grabbed her purse.
He had a smug smirk on his face and nodded at the bar tender. The bar tender smirked and nodded his head.
You've gotta be fucking kidding me.
Valentina looked close to being unconscious.
I push past drunk dancing people and get to the bar. The man tries to pass me with Valentina and I stop him.
"Give her to me." I demand.
Even though I didn't like Valentina, I wasn't going to let her be taken advantage of by a disgusting guy.
"What? Are you fucking crazy? I paid four thousand dollars for her!" He argued.
I got out my gun and pointed it at him, "give her to me now," I grit out.
"Wait your fucking turn man!" He yelled.
I shoot him in the knee. He screams in pain, "fuck man!" The music was too loud for anyone to pay attention.
I grab Valentina and her purse. I get out my phone and take a picture of the man and the bartender.
I pick Valentina up and carry her out the club. I put her in the passenger seat and put on her seatbelt. I go to the other side and get in the car. I start the car and drive off.
I grab her purse and and look through it. I grab her phone and curse when her phone was dead.
I put it back in her purse and drive to my penthouse.
When we arrive Valentina was a little responsive. I carry her into my penthouse and set her down on the couch.
I get a bottle of water and sit down next to her. I tap her cheeks, she stirs. "Valentina," I call out and tap her cheeks with a little more force.
She groans and grabs my hand. I uncap the water bottle and put it to her lips. "I need you to drink Valentina," I mumble and grab her jaw.
I tap her cheeks again and her eyes open a little. "Drink Valentina," I order and put the bottle to her lips again.
I tip the bottle and she opens her mouth and takes a couple gulps. I take it away and she licks her lips. "More?" I ask.
She opens her mouth and I pour more water in her mouth. She drinks the entire bottle and I sit with her until her eyes open a little more. She sits just staring at me for about twenty minutes.
She finally moves and sits up. She puts a hand on my cheek, then strokes my beard. "Wow your skin is soft," she mumbles. "Are you a model? You're handsome."
What the fuck?
I stare at her in confusion.
"I'm a model too. I'm Valentina. What's your name pretty boy?"
"You don't know who I am?" I ask.
She shook her head. "Did we go to high school together?"
What the fuck did they drug her with?
"Fredrico," I answer.
She frowned, "aw shit. You have the same name as that asshole Fredrico Rossi. Don't worry. I'll just call you Rico," she smiles. "Problem solved!"
"We're going to be friends now since you're cute. My friends call me Val or V. You can choose either or," she says.
"Out of all the ways she could've reacted to the drug she reacted this way? What the fuck?" I mumble underneath my breath.
"Valentina-" she put her finger on my lips. "Call me Val." She insists.
She then makes me lean back and my back hit the couch. She climbs on top of me and takes my face into her hands, "we should get tacos!"
I clear my throat and try to wrap my head around this. "I know this place, it stays open all night. The have the best tacos in L.A."
She grabs her purse and rummages through it. She grabs her phone and frowns when it doesn't turn on. She looks through her purse, "aha! Found it!" She pulls out another phone.
She types in her password and looks up the taco place. "See? Doesn't those look good?"
She comes closer, her face just an inch from mine. "God your skin is perfect," she whispers and touches my face again.
"You're so beautiful. What's your skin care routine?" She asks.
I stare at her. My brain is still trying to process this.
She giggles, "you don't talk much do you? That's ok. I can talk all day long."
Did this woman just giggle?
She runs her hands through my hair, "I love you new friend."
I stare blankly at her.
Confused isn't even the word to describe what the hell I am right now.
"Oh shit, I have to pee. Where's your bathroom?" She asks.
"Down the hall to your left," I answer.
She pats my cheek twice, "thanks friend." She kisses my cheek and gets up.
I grab her arm when she stumbles. She lets out a small 'woo.' She doesn't bother fixing her dress. She takes a few steps before turning back around, "which way is left again?"
I sigh and stand up, "i'll show you."
I put my hand on the small of her back and show her to the bathroom. I stand outside the bathroom and try to call Derek, but he doesn't answer.
Valentina comes out of the bathroom with just her underwear and bra on.
"Where the hell is your dress?" I ask.
"It's uncomfortable," she whined.
"Do you have any clothes I can wear?"
I sigh and rub my forehead, "yes, follow me."
She skips in front of me up the steps while I try to keep my eyes glued to the damn floor.
We get to Rory's room and I look through her closet. I get her shorts and a tank top to wear. She puts them on and I give her flip flops to wear.
She skips back downstairs and grabs her purse. She links arms with me, "to get tacos we go!"
"I'll pay if you drive," she said and bumped her hip into mine.
•TIME SKIP•
Valentina moans loudly as she took a bite of her Birria taco. Her eyes roll in delight, "this is amazing!"
I watch her scarf down a taco in fifty seconds while I drink my water. She takes a bite of her second taco then holds it to my mouth. "Take a bite, i'm telling you they're amazing!"
"I'm fine Valent- Val. I'm not hungry," I tell her.
She frowned, "just one bite?"
I sigh and take a bite. She smiles, "good right?" I nod my head.
In all of my twenty-seven years of living I have never seen a woman scarf down five tacos in ten minutes until today.
She drinks her water and sucks off her fingers. She cleans her face and sits back and pats her stomach. She groans, "I feel pregnant."
"Well, you did just eat five tacos," I mumble.
She leans forward and puts her elbows on the table. She leans her head on her hand, "hey friend?"
"Yes Val?" I ask.
"How old are you?"
"Twenty-seven," I answer.
She scrunched up her face, "you're old."
I raise a brow, "how old are you?"
"Twenty-three."
"I'm only four years older than you," I say.
"You're still old." She reached across the table, "boop." She taps my nose then laughs at my reaction.
"I love your face," she mumbles.
"Uh thank you?" I mumble.
She runs her hands through my hair, "your hair is so soft."
I gently take her hair out of my hair. "Are you full?" I ask.
She sat back with a thinking face. "I'll get three to go."
I paid and left a tip.
I get up and wait for Valentina to get up. She sighed and pouted. She put her arms up like a child, "can you carry me friend? I'm tired."
"You've gotta be kidding me," I mumble and pinch the bridge of my nose.
She stood up, "piggy back ride!" She yelled with a huge smile and shoved her takeout box in my hand. She then went around to my back and hopped on.
"Back to your lovely home friend! Bye everyone, I hope you have a lovely night! I love you all!" She yells.
•TIME SKIP•
I open the front door and Derek and Simone come through. "What the hell happened?" Derek asks.
I turn around and start to walk. They follow me. We stand at the entrance of the living room and watch Valentina whip her hair and sing to Beyoncé.
"That's what happened," I mumble.
"I'm so confused right now. Doesn't she hate you?" Simone asks.
I catch them up on every thing and when I finish they look even more confused.
"I've never heard of someone reacting that way to a drug that was supposed to make you pass out," Simone mumbles.
I heard Valentina squeal then a crash. I whip around and find her trying to spin on her head. "Oh god," I grumble and sprint to her.
I grab the remote from her and turn off the music. I grabbed her feet and put them down on the floor. I help her stand while she sulks in defeat.
"How many times do I have to tell you spinning on your head is dangerous?" I scold her like a child.
"But it's fun!" She argued back and crossed her arms.
"No spinning or i'll take away your tacos," I say and fold my arms to mimic her.
She glared at me, "you're a meanie. Friends aren't supposed to be mean to each other."
"Be nice Rico," Derek said amusingly. I glare at him.
The damn bastard finds this amusing, but when I tell his wife that he crashed her favorite car i'll have the last laugh.
Valentina looked at them and gasped. She grabbed my arm and with more strength then necessary she dragged me over.
"Hello! This is my new friend Rico," she hugs me and I stoically stand there.
"He has the best skin and the cutest face I have ever seen," I grimace when she pinches my cheeks.
"He has the same name as that asshole Fredrico Rossi, but I gave him a nickname so I won't have to think about him," Valentina rambled.
"You're so hot," Valentina says.
Simone furrowed her brows, "excuse me?"
She pointed to Simone, "are you married?"
Simone nodded and grabbed Derek's arm, "this is my husband Derek."
Valentina points to Derek, "Damn your wife is hot. I would say I would love to have sex with your wife, but that would be inappropriate."
Valentina yawns, "jeez i'm sleepy."
"Lovely to meet you all. I feel so dizzy. I have to-" Valentina starts to fall back. I catch her in my arms and pick her up bridal style.
What the fuck just happened?
"Jesus Christ, what the hell did they give her?" Derek mumbles.
I shrug, "I need you to get information for me," I say and put Valentina gently down on the couch.
I cover her with a blanket and turn off the tv.
I get out my phone and send him the pictures. "I need everything you can find on these two men. I need it in a few hours."
He nods, "and Valentina?"
"I'll deal with it. Tell my assistant to cancel my morning meetings."
I let him know a few more things before they both leave out.
I stare at a knocked out Valentina, wondering what the hell did they use on her. "She better wake up normal, I don't have time for this bull shit," I grumble and turn off the lamps.