Chapter 1 #2
“The most valuable thing I own.” I scoot closer to her, press the side tab on the shank, and it triggers the barrel, and then I twist it until the key bit pops out.
“That did not just happen.” The light dances in her eyes, and her lips part.
And it hits me that I’ve told her too much. I don’t want anyone to know about the charm being a key or for anyone to know about the casita back home. “Hey, do you mind not sharing that?”
Her fingers drag across her mouth, and she makes a twisting motion with her finger. “My lips are sealed.”
Her face is so close I can’t help but stare into it. “Diablo, qué carita tan bella tienes.”
“Stop,” she says but doesn’t pull away.
“No, I’m serious.” I brush the backs of my fingers over her velvety soft cheek.
She sucks in a breath, and her lips press together, like preparing for mine. I lean over.
“Rio, let’s go,” Niko calls out. “Vampiro is ready.”
But I am lost in the gloss of her eyes, the lingering sigh she releases, and the warmth that radiates from her skin. It’s entrancing. I reach for her face.
“Rio, come on. Where are you?”
I drop my hands, and I clear my throat. “I’m sorry, I have to go record.”
She blinks fast a few times, slowly shaking her head and looking away. When our gazes meet again, she shoots me a tentative smile and pushes to her feet. “Thanks for the chat. It was nice to meet you.”
She walks away, and I start following Niko.
No, I can’t let it end like this. It’s been a while since I felt connected to anyone, and I don’t want this moment to end. I rush back after her, and I grab her hand. “Luna.”
She turns, and we’re facing each other. The question is etched in her expressive eyes.
Yeah, I need to see her again. “Can I get your number?”
* * *
Luna
ME
OMG, Sel. I have so much to tell you. Where are you? I’m coming to you.
I cannot wait to tell my cousin about meeting Rio Castillo. I didn’t know he would be here. He’s hotter in person—as if that were possible. That full mouth, that pretty boy face, lashes for days, brown-almost-black eyes, and those lips—the videos do not lie. He’s got me so giddy.
That part is probably not okay. I’ve been around enough celebrities to know that some are complete assholes. Not him, though. I’m still smiling as I run downstairs. Adina’s waiting for me outside the building, and I’m ready to go.
I can’t believe that just happened. I just wanted to tell Rio how much I loved his music, but when he turned around and looked at me so mean, I made the excuse of trying to get a drink.
But he turned out to be so sweet. He even flirted with me!
His eyes seemed so sad, a little dull, and he was awkward, but that went away as we spoke.
And he almost kissed me. My chest still burns, thinking about him.
I even got his number. And he’s already texting me!
Rio
To make sure you got my number. Text anytime.
I open the door to the street, and my friend Adina Belmont, also known as Adi in the City, stands there in all her glory—tall, beautiful, 10/10 body, glorious black hair, and a scowl so mean it could bring a star down from the sky.
“Where the hell have you been?” Her tone is harsh, as it usually is when she’s ticked off.
“I was upstairs. Where were you? You disappeared on me. I was looking for you for a while,” I say.
But that’s how I ran into my favorite artist and then figured she would find me. No regrets.
“Working on setting up a collab. I’m here to network, too.” Now she’s got her back up and won’t look me in the eye.
“Okay, you were doing your thing. Why are you mad?”
She rolls her eyes. “Who says I’m mad? I just couldn’t find you.”
“Well, here I am.” There’s no way I’m going to engage in whatever mood she is in now.
I’m not letting her bring me down this time.
I’m flying too high. I need my hype woman right now, my cousin Sel, because she’s going to die when I tell her I met Rio Castillo.
I just need to make sure Adina gets home first. “Are you ready to go?”
“No. Rio’s here. I want to meet him.”
His name stirs a fluttering in my belly, and words rush out of my mouth. “He’s in the studio. But don’t worry, you’ll get to meet him soon.”
She frowns. “What? How do you know?”
Her eyes bulge, her words suddenly overpronounced.
It’s what kills the fluttering and puts out the excitement.
I know her well enough to know something went wrong—someone stepped on her toe, or had the same shirt, or maybe a guy she liked said hello to someone else—and now she is in a bad mood.
It’s a signal that I need to get away from her.
Growing up together, I’ve learned that I love this chick with all my heart — she’s my sister in my heart — but sometimes I need to love her from another borough.
“It’s no biggie. I was talking to him upstairs. He has my number. We’re probably going to hang out, and I’m definitely going to make sure my bestie gets to meet him.”
Her gaze narrows, and her face goes red. She takes a step toward me. “Lulu, what the fuck are you doing?”
I blink a few times, my mouth drifting open. Huh? “I…what?”
“I’m talking to him. I was supposed to meet him inside but got caught up in business.”
I’m stunned. Is this a joke? She never mentioned this.
“You told me earlier that we came to see Niko and Chico Sparx. You never mentioned him.”
“It was between him and me. Do I have to tell you everything? Like, Jesus, you’re my friend. You heard me talk about him. I thought I could trust you around my dude.”
Has she been snorting again?
I touch her arm, pulling her a few steps away from the entrance. “Adi, I didn’t know he was your dude. We talked about his music. How can I know if you didn’t tell me?”
She shakes my hand off.
“Anyway, you can’t talk to him. You will not do this to me. I can’t be friends with someone I can’t trust,” her voice rises, drawing stares from people. How long will it be until someone pulls out their phone, and we end up in one of the gossip rags?
“Calm down. We can talk this out.”
“What is there to talk about, Lulu? Stay the fuck away from him. He knows you’re my friend, because I talk about you. He can’t help it. He’s a flirt. But me and you know better.”
She’s not making any fucking sense, but I don’t care anymore. I’m over it. I want this night to end.
“Fine. I will stay away. Can we go now?” I already regret not going out with Sel to come here. I should’ve known better when she invited me and I got that uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach.
“No, I don’t want to leave. Let’s go inside so you can tell Rio not to talk to you anymore.”
Hell no. This bitch has lost it. I’m not making an ass out of myself. “Adina, it’s not that serious. It was innocent flirting. I’m not ruining a friendship over a dude, but I’m also not going in there to cause a scene. You’re an influencer, and I’m in PR. Those people inside could end our careers.”
“You don’t even have a PR job yet. No one knows you like that. I said we’re going inside!” She grabs my arm.
I inch forward and point at her. “Get your hand off me. I said I’m not going back in there. In fact, you can go inside by your damn self!”
She releases me, stepping back with bulging eyes.
I walk away from her.
“Lulu,” she calls out, but I keep walking until I turn the corner. I’m seething and pull out my phone to order an Uber. My face is so hot, and I’m so angry that I could chew glass and not bleed. This all could have been prevented. She could’ve just said she was talking to that man.
Then the phone starts to ring. It’s Adina. I hit the side button. But she calls again and again. I ignore every call.
A message from my cousin comes through.
Sel
I’m in The Heights. Dropping a pin. Get your ass here.
Adina
I’m sorry. Come back. Please.
You’re my best friend. I love you.
I would hate it if this got between us.
The Uber is right around the corner, and I walk down the block to the light to meet the driver.
Five minutes later, we’re headed uptown.
I lay my head back against the leather seat of the sedan and breathe, letting everything settle inside me.
I’m so mad, and I don’t know if it's all Adina's fault.
Rio is obviously a player who was trying to mess with me while talking to my friend.
There are plenty of guys in the world she moves in who think talking to or messing with an influencer gives them free access to her friends.
He got you with those sad eyes and the 'key to the most valuable thing I own' story. You forgot what Perla, his ex, said about him. He’s emotionally unavailable and a cheater.
I just know Sel is going to tell me that my first mistake is to trust any man. You would think I would know that after my last two pathological liars I dated.
Adina keeps calling, but I put my phone in do-not-disturb mode. I keep an eye on the messages in case Sel says anything else, but when it pings, it’s a message from him.
Rio
I may be done sooner than expected. Where do I find you?
I close my eyes and see a crimson tide behind my lids.
Me
You don’t. Do not message me again.
Rio
Huh?
Me
Adina is my best friend.
And then I block him.
I open the window, and even the October air doesn’t cool me off.
When I arrive at the club where Sel is hanging out, I find her chatting with a group of guys, oblivious to how some of them are staring at her.
Her jeans are tight, but she’s wearing an off-the-shoulder shirt and flats.
Her makeup is natural over her golden, amber-toned skin.
She takes one look at me and walks away from them.
Her hand hooks around the same arm Adina snatched earlier, but my cousin secures it against her side.
Ten minutes later, her jaw is working, and her hands are flexing into fists. “You see? That’s why she doesn’t want me to come when you two hang out. She can’t pull that shit on you with me around. Is that bitch snorting again?”
“I don’t know, but I’m ignoring her and have already blocked him. I’m not losing a friend over him.”
“You know what I always say: men are good-for-nothing dogs. And no, you don’t turn your back on your homegirl over dick. But your girl is trippin’ big time, as always. To yell at you like that when she never told you, like fuck, it’s definitely giving coke.”
Her tone yanks a laugh out of me despite the headache brewing in the back of my head. “I think I need to eat something.”
She tilts her head to the door. “Let’s hit the Yaroa food truck.”
We head to the food truck spot, and the smell of seasoned meat and fried plantains layered with cheese is so comforting it dulls the throbbing at my temples. But I’m still…annoyed? Disappointed? “He seemed so sincere.”
“Maybe he was. Maybe your girl was bugging like she always does when guys pay you attention. It’s also possible that he’s used to selling that carita de nino lindo to everyone.
You know he’s always knee deep in panties.
And he probably saw you and wondered what you were doing with that huevo sin sal.
Let’s forget him and her tonight. After we eat, we’ll go back and dance our asses off.
They have 90s reggaeton followed by Anthony Santos’ hour. ”
Jesus. How am I going to survive an hour of dancing to Anthony Santos—no relation to me—with this headache? Every single one of his songs is pure cardio, and they last more than five minutes. But I need a distraction, or I’ll get in a funk. “Yeah, let’s do that.”
He didn’t seem like a conceited jackass or entitled, like some of the people in Adina’s circle can be.
That’s what is so freaking annoying. I wish I had walked away faster.
It would’ve stayed a cute fantasy. The big star pays attention to me, and the connection is instant enough for me to still feel his breath on my lips.
I could kick myself. I don’t want to talk to him or see him.
I don’t even want to hear his music. Rio Castillo can go straight to hell.