Page 2 of Days Of Valentino

“Looks like your little fan clubs out,” Josie says as I approach her door.

“The only fan I’m interested in is you,” I tell her, cupping the back of her head with my hand. My lips slam onto hers and my tongue pushes into her mouth, claiming her right here in front of fucking everyone. “I love you.” I pull back to look at Josie.

“I love you too.” Josie tugs me forward by the lapels of my blazer and kisses me. Briefly. “Come on, I need to stop at my locker before class.”

With Josie’s hand firmly clasped in mine, we walk into the building together. Everyone moves out of my way. It’s what I imagine the Red Sea did for Moses. Not that I’m saying I’m a god. But within the walls of this school, I might as well be.

“What’s up?” Orlando is waiting at Josie’s locker.

“Why are you standing here?” I ask him.

“Because I knew you’d stop here first.” He shrugs. “I need a favor.”

I glance around the hallway. There are a lot of people hanging around. A lot of ears. “What kind of favor?”

“The kind he shouldn’t be asking.” This comes from Aurora.

Great, if Aurora has anything to do with whatever Orlando wants, I don’t think I want to hear it. It’s never anything good with her.

“Aurora, I don’t recall asking for your opinion,” Orlando snaps at her.

“And yet you got it anyway. How lucky are you, Orlando? Some people around here would kill for my opinion on literally anything.” Aurora responds with a huge, fake-ass smile on her devious face.

“Okay, well, as fun as this family reunion’s been, I got shit to do,” I tell them when I notice Josie has finished getting whatever she needed from her locker.

“Do not stop… this… on my account.” Josie points at each of us. “Watching you three is more entertaining than watching a telenovela.”

“Wait… Who’s the heart throb in this drama? Me or him?” Orlando asks, gesturing between us.

“Him obviously,” Josie says, resting her palm against my chest. Capturing her wrist, I raise it to my mouth and kiss her knuckles.

“Your vote is rigged,” Orlando grunts.

“Okay, anyway, Dante. He wants to borrow your car so he can take some girl to a clinic,” Aurora says, keeping her voice low so that only we hear it.

“Seriously? A clinic? For what?”

“She’s… ah… not feeling well,” Orlando says.

“Get an Uber. No way is anyone sick getting in my car,” I tell him before turning to Josie. “Unless it’s you, babe. I’d let you throw up in my car.”

“You really do say the sweetest things, Dante.” She laughs.

“Come on, man. She’s not sick. She just… needs the morning-after pill,” Orlando mumbles.

“You didn’t wrap it?” I ask, honestly shocked.

“It wasn’t me.” He runs a hand through his hair.

“Why can’t you take your own car?” I’m reluctant to hand over the keys to my baby to anyone.

“Because Pops tracks it. If he sees I’ve stopped at a clinic, well, that’s something I don’t want to deal with,” Orlando explains.

“Babe, give him your keys. He needs to help whoever this girl is.” Josie blinks up at me.

I know what she’s doing. Using her sweet, innocent ass to get me to bend to her will. And it fucking works. Every damn time, because I cannot say no to this girl.

“Fucking hell. You’re lucky I love you,” I tell Josie before digging into my pocket and pulling out my keys. I pin my cousin with a glare. “One scratch and I’m coming after you with a baseball bat.”

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