Chapter 24
Rio
I pace my living room.
“When I grow up, I want the mental maturity Rio has developed over the last seven months.”
I never wanted to hurl something at my TV screen so badly but my fingers are itching to launch the glass on my coffee table at it. I’ve been listening to the Tigueres and G’s podcast for the past ten minutes and growing more aggravated every passing second.
“Shiiiiit, me too, man.” The podcast anchor guffaws. “Thierry straight up said he’s out to sample the goods first chance he gets.”
His cohost pfffffts. “And talking about that kiss that everyone saw. I’m risking a relationship for that. That’s the type of shit that has all the tigueres questioning shit about you.”
“Yeah, ‘cause Thierry is a big-ass dude. I would think about it twice before I tussle with him. He gets physical on the field. Rio’s a singer…”
They all laugh.
“But seriously, he trusts his girl. When you’re secure in your manhood and relationship, you don’t live scared.”
The other man purses his lips.
“Let’s recap. Thierry is so bold he knew Luna and Adina were besties, and when Luna was drunk, he made his move, at a concert, WITH HIS GIRL LIKE 200 FEET AWAY!
” He yells the last part. “You don’t think he’ll try to wear Luna down?
Couldn’t be me.” He shakes his head to illustrate the silent hell no.
The heat rises up my neck in waves. I’m so angry I could punch my way through the wall.
That fucker got caught on a hot mic saying if he gets a chance to get into Luna’s pants, he’ll take it. The convo got released. Luna still feels like this is nothing to worry about. Meanwhile, I’m the fucking laughingstock, a pariguayo, trending on all the platforms.
I text Chico.
Me
Where do I find Thierry?
Chico
At the gym. That fucker is a gymrat, and his team is in a bye week, so he’s in town.
Tito is down to go, so we head that way. “Cause fuck this. He’s doing too much talking.”
“I’m going to make sure he understands Luna is not alone.”
Twenty-nine minutes later, we arrive at the gym. Chico lets us in.
Thierry smiles, condescendingly, like he’s holding back laughter. “I guess you’re here about the sound bite.”
“She’s not by herself.”
“Could’ve fooled me. She’s always on her own when we meet.”
The haze of red that rolls over my eyes is strong. “Stay the fuck away from her.”
He waves me off. “Tell your girl to stay away. She won’t, though, because she’s getting paid well, and she gets to stick it to Adina. You probably wonder every day what else she would do for the money and to needle her ex-bestie some more.”
“Fuck off. Luna is not Adina, which is why you’re after her.”
“I mean, I don’t have to tell you. But if you keep your bitch close, you don’t have to worry about dogs roaming around her.”
The electricity that flows through my fist is so strong.
“Big talk when your girl is still in my DMs. Someone should do her a favor because there’s no way I’ll risk Luna for her. And you felt the same way; that’s why you’re so sprung after my woman. The only way you could have her is by drugging her, and even then, she was telling you to fuck off.”
“Motherfucker.” He swings at me and sucker punches me on the lip.
In my mind, I see her that night, out of it, saying no while this asshole cops a feel and kisses her.
It’s like he pops me like a balloon, because I lose it and start swinging at him, jabbing him everywhere, the eyes, the mouth, the side. His bodyguard lands a few feet from me, and I’m still punching until someone drags me away.
“Lo vas a matar,” Tito’s voice breaks through, and Thierry is on the floor, grabbing his shoulder and screaming.
* * *
Luna
My heart is pounding as I get off the Uber in front of the Midtown police station.
There are so many questions and emotions swirling through me.
I’m angry that Rio let himself get baited into Thierry and his friends’ fuckery.
How can he feel insecure about that idiotic fuckboy?
There’s no way in hell I would ever consider giving him a second of my day other than for work purposes.
His asshole friends on the radio are a bunch of loser clout chasers with platforms. They instigate gossip because it’s the only way people listen to them. And now Rio is in deep shit.
I’m not worried about the optics. Maeven can create a plan, and I’ll do anything to help him navigate through that.
It’s the charges that concern me. Given his history of fights, the cops and Thierry will likely try to use it against him.
Elevate is already creating a plan of action.
I sent preliminary statements to my supervisor.
While he reviewed them, he asked that I head down here to meet with Thierry and his lawyer.
Maeven is headed this way. We agreed to collaborate for our clients, but I’m still worried. The little voice in my head tells me it won’t be that easy.
I walk into the station with the weight of every eye on me.
People whisper to each other without bothering to hide it.
I keep my face straight and my eyes forward.
I spot Hank Brenon, Elevate’s chief lawyer, going into a room and move fast to catch up to him.
He sees me as he turns his rectangular face with a prominent forehead and geometric glasses to close the door, and holds it open for me.
I rush in and stop dead in my tracks. A tall man that I barely recognize as Thierry stands before him.
To say his face is bruised would be a gross understatement.
One of his eyes is swollen shut, and the other is blackened.
His lip is busted. His shoulder hangs in a sling. I gasp, my jaw dropping.
“Jesus Christ,” Hank swears behind me. “How are you feeling?”
“How does it fucking look? My arm and shoulder are killing me. That shithead—”
The sound of footsteps echoes closer, and I turn around as Rio is brought in.
His hands are handcuffed behind his back.
His lip is busted, though not nearly as bad as Thierry’s.
There’s a bruise on his jaw. I don’t think, I rush to him.
His gaze centers on me, and there’s something there. Chagrin? An apology?
“Luna,” Thierry calls.
I ignore him and get closer to Rio. “Maeven is on the way with Esme. Don’t say anything. I have to go over there, but God, I hate this. Don’t talk. Please.”
“It’s fine,” he says. “Go.”
I touch his bruised lip. He hisses.
“You need to keep your hands off him,” the cop says and takes him away.
I head back as the other two men glare at me.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Hank asks. He points at Thierry. “You do know this is your client, right?”
My spine stiffens. “Yes, I’m aware, and I have already sent statements and a preliminary damage control plan of action. This is your area now.”
The look he sends me is of pure disgust. Adina rushes in. “I came as soon as I heard.”
Great. Llegó la que faltaba.
I take the chance to send a quick text to Maeven.
Me
Are you almost here? He’s alone and they put him in a cell.
Maeven
Walking in. We got him. HYB.
Handle your business. But how can I? This is so fucked.
As I’m about to turn back to my group, another cop brings in Tito. He shows no sign of having been in a fight. I guess that happens when you’re built like Wreck-it-Ralph.
“Hey, Luna.” Then he looks at Thierry. “Big as you are, he fucked you up.”
“Tito, that’s not helping.”
He winks at me, and they put him in the same cell as Rio.
My mind races, and when Esme and Maeven walk in with a tall, muscular man, I finally breathe. Both nod at me and the group, and the man leads them to where Rio and Thierry are.
“The shenanigans have already started.”
“What are you talking about?” asks Adina. Has her voice always been this fucking annoying?
Hank tilts his head to where they disappeared. “They just walked in with Captain Jamie Byrnes. That Maeven is a bag of tricks.”
And you’re a nasty piece of shit.
My phone rings, and it’s my supervisor, Victor. I pull away and answer.
“Did you forget who you work for, Luna? You ran to the person who assaulted our client,” he says.
It’s the rebuking tone that strikes a nerve, and I side-eye Hank. “I didn’t run to anyone. I went to speak to my significant other, who did not assault anyone. The video clearly shows who threw the first punch.”
“Does that mean you can’t do your job? Do you need a reminder of what your priorities are?”
I see red but force a breath. “No, I do not. I’m doing my job, which does not require me to believe the BS just to be able to spin it to get Thierry out of this mess.”
“Get to it.” And with that, he hangs up on me.
The captain steps out of the other room and waves us down. One officer comes and lets Thierry out of the cell. We are all ushered into the room.
Rio and his team are on one side, and we stand across the way. He’s staring at me, and I at him.
“I thought you may want a private room to see if you can work this out without police intervention. No one is above the law, but I can see this being a big misunderstanding and the heat of the moment getting in the way. I’m going to give you some time to try to come to a resolution before this escalates. ”
Once he’s out, Esme looks at Hank. “Let’s not make this more complicated than it needs to be.
It was an angry moment for these two gentlemen, and now it’s over.
The venue just wants the damage repaired as they’re already profiting from today’s event.
We can split the cost, then retreat to our respective corners of the world.
Our two very fine publicists can do damage control. ”
Hank’s laughter resembles a weasel squeak. “You have to be joking. In what universe do you think we would fall for that? Look at what your client did to mine.” He points at Thierry. “He won’t be able to play for a few weeks. These are charges accompanied by a lawsuit, not a compromise.”