Serving Mr. Serrano

Luna

My friends and I aren't the only ones to arrive by chopper tonight. Our helicopter lands on the roof of the hotel, where we're escorted by security to the party just one floor beneath us.

Of course, we're greeted by a flash of paparazzi on our way inside, with all of them hurling questions at us about our outfits. Yara flips her hair over her shoulder and begins to gush about Chae's magnificent work. Taylor and I agree, posing for as many pictures as we can to show off her work.

Orlando arrives just then, and the photographers go crazy at the sight of him and Chae together. We moved aside, leaving them to enjoy the spotlight while we made our way inside.

We pluck a few glasses of champagne off a tray, and make the rounds, greeting everyone who'd arrived before us. We're introduced to the players we haven't yet met, and they all greeted us warmly with kisses on each cheek.

Yara threw her champagne back with a weary sigh just as the coach of the Gladiators joined our group. He shakes mine and Tay's hands, then politely asks to speak to Yara in private. Tay and I share a look as the two disappear into another room.

"Food?" I asked.

"Definitely."

We make our way over to the buffet table, where a few other guests are trying to figure out what to eat. I grab a plate then pile a variety of meats, cheeses, fruits, hors d'oeuvres and seafood on it. Tay and I grab a seat at the bar and dig in with gusto.

"I should've known I'd find you shovelling food down your throat."

I pause with the cheese halfway to my open mouth and look up, then grin with genuine delight as Ekon pulls up a seat between Taylor and me. He places a chaste kiss on each of our cheeks, then leans in to gobble up the Brie in my hand.

"Hey!" I protested, smacking his arm. "Go get your own food."

Ekon ignores me, chewing the cube with a childish, satisfied grin.

"I'm glad you guys could come. I was worried I'd have to find company with the jersey chasers."

Ekon holds up three fingers to the bartender, who nods before sliding over three glasses of brown liquor. I lift the glass, inhaling the scent deeply and swirling the contents with a gentle whirl. I'd done this so many times before when tasting Dominic's bourbon that it seemed almost normal.

Of course, after taking a small sip, I realised this was not the good s**t he drank. But then again, nothing was. Still, I was grateful to be drinking something other than the champagne they'd been offering so far.

"We wouldn't miss it for the world," Taylor said. "Chae would never have forgiven us if we'd skipped this."

"Yeah, I see she has you all dressed to the nines. You both look gorgeous."

Taylor grins prettily and I chuckle at her response to the compliment.

"Thanks, Ekon. You don't look so bad yourself."

"This? Oh, it's just vintage Gucci."

We both rolled our eyes at his feigned arrogance, laughing when he brushed down the velvet lapels of his blazer.

Taylor wiped at her mouth with the serviette and let out a long, fulfilled sigh. She hopped off her seat and mumbled an excuse about fixing her make-up before she disappeared as well.

Leaving me alone with Ekon… Who grabbed our drinks, plus Taylor's, before he gestured to the unoccupied couch on the balcony. As soon as we step out of the warm room, we're assaulted by a chilly breeze.

I'm unable to suppress the shiver that rushes through me, and I curse softly. Ekon helped me get settled, placed our glasses down and then removed his jacket to drape it over my shoulders.

"Oh, you don't have to-"

"It's the very least I could do since I failed to have your back at that charity gala a month ago…"

If I were a shade lighter, Ekon might have been able to notice me blushing. Nonetheless, I reached for my glass of bourbon and took a small sip. I leaned back in my seat, feigning a nonchalance I did not feel.

"Don't worry about all that," I said, waving my hand dismissively. "Things kind of sorted themselves out in the end."

Ekon leans back comfortably against the plush couch cushions and crosses his legs at the ankle.

"Really? Because you kind of-"

"Ugh, don't remind me. I was supposed to meet up with you and then ditched you for a client that wasn't even worth it."

He chuckles, his white teeth flashing under the lights above us. Ekon throws an arm over my shoulders and pulls me close. The gesture is more comforting than it is romantic, but I could already see how it may be misconstrued.

Already, a few of the women interested in him threw dirty looks my way, their gazes sweeping over us with unconcealed disgust.

"So what happened that night between you and Leighton?"

I shrugged, trying to play it off as insignificant. Ekon and I were on friendly terms, yes, but I wasn't about to spill the details of that night with him when I hadn't even told the girls about my entire relationship with Dominic.

"It was just a one-night thing. We didn't even have s*x. He just wanted to make his ex jealous or something. Apparently she cheated on him a while back."

"I've been there," he said, glancing my way. "So I guess that worked out pretty well for you. You didn't have to "

I laughed, tossing the contents of my glass down my throat. Ekon passes me the bottle of Macallan Edition No. 1. I filled half the glass before I passed it back to him.

"It did."

"I assume work's going well? Chae mentioned you've been booking more design work lately."

I noticed one of the women I knew was interested in Ekon hovering eagerly, so I snuggled closer and laid my head on his shoulder. She scowled, then turned on her heel and left.

"Yes, thankfully. Going legit isn't as easy as I thought it would be. Most of the contacts I reach out to think I'm still in the hacking business."

A pointed arch of the brow from Ekon, and then whispered, "Aren't you, though?"

I'm saved from responding when Yara throws herself on the seat to my right with an exaggerated sigh.

"Thank f**k," she proclaimed.

She grabs my glass and drains it, grimacing at the bitter burn of the bourbon. Yara coughs, and I gently pat her back when she leans forward.

"What the… f**k… is that?"

"Bourbon."

"Since when… do you drink bourbon?" she demands, her voice rising in frustration. A few people look our way as they pass, frowning at her distress.

"I drink everything. You know that. Next time you should ask first," I responded, reaching for some water. She waves away the bottle Ekon offers and points at the bourbon. I pour her a glass with a smirk and she takes a tentative sip before relaxing onto the comfortable cushions.

"When are you rolling? I came all this way hoping you two were smoking a joint," she said, passing me the glass.

And so, I spend the next three minutes rolling a blunt. I light it and inhale deeply before passing it to Yara. The smell of the Omega draws Chae and Orlando to our group out on the balcony.

They take their seats on the available couch and wait their turn, cuddling into each other as a chilly breeze blows over the roof. Another of the players we knew, Jonathan Steele, takes up the last available seat beside them and we settle into a friendly debate about music, with everyone arguing for their favourite genres.

I finally stand from my seat to look for Taylor, since I haven't seen her in a while. I find her sitting by the bar, where she chats to one of the other players.

"Hey, sugar. Haven't seen you in a minute. You alright?" I asked. I smile at the guy and he frowns at my interruption.

"Yeah, I'm good. Don't worry," she said, leaning in close. "I'll join you guys in a second."

"Alright, then. We're out on the roof if you need us," I told her, leaving her with her unnamed date.

The rest of the night passes by without incident, and we start splitting up around three in the morning. Ekon and Jonathan bid us farewell as we made our way to the cars waiting for us in the parking lot. Orlando carries a sleeping Chae in his arms, her face nestled against one of his broad shoulders.

One of Dominic's men walks ahead of the group, with Yara and Taylor following behind him. I'm walking just behind them, typing out a response to Dominic's texts:

Dominic: “There are certain things I won’t allow, even with you. Hanging up on me and then ignoring my calls are two of them. You will get in touch soon or I will be forced to get your attention in a more creative way.

I stopped in my tracks, my shoes dangling recklessly from my fingers. I chewed on my bottom lip, trying to find an acceptable response to his question.

But it doesn't come.

I locked my phone, then slid the device back into my clutch even as it began vibrating insistently. I knew, even as I stared out the window into the darkness that I'd be paying for that misdemeanour as soon as I got home.

***

After a jovial birthday brunch with all of us nursing massive hangovers, the girls and I jump into the backseat of Dominic's E63X and explore the gated community of San Moyes. We drive down the winding, impossibly clean coastal road, enjoying the music from Chae's playlist and the magnificent scenery. The houses we drive by are gigantic, expensive and well-maintained, but none of them come close to the majestic mansion at the top of the hill.

After a heated discussion with Dominic about my "reckless disobedience of his rules" and what would be "the adequate punishment for my transgressions", I asked if we could have the day to ourselves. I knew Yara would be emotional, given the significance of today, and I didn't want any of Dominic's henchmen around when the dam eventually broke.

We finally came to a stop at this lovely, little animal shelter just outside Amelo. Yara had insisted we come here today, and none of us would refuse her this birthday wish.

We tug on our coats and make our way inside the shelter. Chae is immediately startled by the barking dogs from the back, and she takes a step back towards the door as a teenage girl greets us with a beaming smile and a perky "hi, there".

"Hello. We called ahead to book an hour. The reservation should be under Butala."

The girl turns her attention to the screen and smiles in acknowledgement.

"Yes, we have it right here. Would you like a guide with you?"

Yara nods slowly, her usual exuberance somewhat dimmed down. The other girls and I share a concerned look, but we say nothing. Yara quietly fills in the form handed to her while we look around. There are pictures of people with their adopted pets, all of them smiling into the camera. The animals also seem happy, tongues lolling and tails caught mid-wag. It's so wholesome, it brings a smile to my face.

"Alright, please follow me."

I turned away from the pictures and followed the girl into the back area as another youth took her place behind the counter. Chae is so obviously nervous that Yara reaches out to hold her hand, which comforts her somewhat. We follow the girl as she relays facts about abused pets and neglectful owners.

By the time we walk past the cages with the rescues, my heart is in pieces. Some of these angels still bear the scars of their ordeals and others are so distrusting, they bark at us aggressively. Taylor stops in front of a beagle's cage and squats down to get a better look at it.

"What happened to this guy?"

The girl stops, comes back to look at the dog in question. She makes a soft pitying sound, and squats down next to Taylor.

"This is Lily. She was born blind, so her owners sold her off to some passing stranger. The man abused her, barely fed or bathed her. His neighbours reported the neglect when they found her passed out in the yard with the chain pulled tight around her neck. It was really hard to get her to eat for a while, but she's getting better."

The teenager holds out her hand, and Lily slowly makes her way to the cage door, sniffing gently. My heart squeezes when the dog licks at the girl's fingers, then whimpers softly.

"It'll be a while before she's ready to be adopted, but I have no doubt she'll find a good home."

Taylor and the girl rose, and the tour continued into another room. This one houses pets who are ready for adoption, the girl says.

"I know you put in your application a while back, Ms. Butala. Would you like to see which pet we think would pair best with you?"

Yara nodded, and the rest of us turned to her slowly, surprised.

"We didn't know you were adopting a pet."

"It explains why you wanted to come here," Taylor said, looking around at all the enthusiastic pets with a smile on her face.

Yara eyes a small Yorkshire Terrier puppy who growls aggressively at her, smiling when the dog starts barking at her. She doesn't say anything for a while, but she eventually takes a seat on one of the chairs, her eyes distant and glazed, as if she were reliving a memory.

"Before my parents disowned me, we used to come here every year for my birthday."

Chae and I moved closer, sitting as close to her as we could. Taylor lays a hand on her thigh, and we stand behind her as Chae rubs her back in comfort.

"My mother loves animals, and we always had pets while I was growing up. Dogs, cats, birds… The place was like a zoo, especially with five kids running around as well. It was chaotic and messy and noisy, but it was home. I miss that. I miss… them."

Chae pulled Yara into a hug, with Tay and I wrapping our arms around them both. We squeeze tighter when she starts crying and just stand there in a misshapen circle, offering all the comfort we could provide, all of us wishing we could take away just a fraction of her pain.

Because what could we do?

Yara has tried to reach out to her family several times over the past year, even going so far as to send them money to help tide them over. They always send it back, refusing her help or even to answer any of her calls.

We knew it hurt her, but there was no way any of us could ask her to let go. We all had our issues, after all. Chae's mother was in a mental health institution, unable to remember her only child. Tay had lost her mother to an illness, and I…

Well, mine was a very long and complicated story.

I had parents who I didn't speak to and siblings who didn't know a thing about me. I hadn't spoken to any of my blood relatives in almost four years, but I knew they were watching over me. Just as I watched over them.

Every time one of my friends broke down like this, I felt incredibly guilty for having a family and not reaching out to them while I had the chance. Yara finally comes up for a breath, and we pull away far enough to help wipe her tears. I notice some of the dogs have gone quiet at the sound of Yara crying, and they peer out at us with large, concerned eyes.

"I'm sorry, you guys. This is supposed to be a happy day."

"Hey, you're allowed to feel sad," Chae says, wiping at Yara's cheeks. "What you're going through isn't easy, sweetheart."

"True. I'm just glad you guys are here. If it weren't for the three of you and my brother, I would be all alone in this world."

We squeeze her into another hug, pulling away to allow her some space to breathe.

"And we'll always be here for you, Yara. We promise. And if you're not getting a pitbull, I'll happily dog-sit any day of the week," I said.

This earns a chuckle from the girls and the mood lightens as the girl returns. She pauses briefly when she picks up on the emotions in the room, but she smiles softly when Yara squeals at the Cavalier King Charles spaniel puppy in her arms.

"Oh, I was hoping it would be this little angel. Hello, love," she greets, walking forward.

Yara's melancholy is forgotten when the guide places the dog on the floor and the puppy walks warily towards her. The puppy sniffs at her shoes, then walks around her. Finally, she stops, and looks up at Yara with these insanely huge, adorable eyes. She sits, her tail wagging happily as Yara sits down on the carpet. With her hand held out, the puppy inches closer, sniffing some more.

There's a collective sigh from everyone when she climbs into Yara's lap and lays her head on her thigh. Yara gently gathers her in her arms and picks her up. The little puppy immediately starts licking her face, trying to sniff Yara's hair, who giggles and allows her to go crazy.

"She's adorable. Will I be allowed to take her home today?"

The teenager nods, her expression betraying her own joy.

"An exception was made, because your family has adopted so many of these guys. We know you'll give her a good home," she says.

"Does she have a name?" I asked, kneeling to get a pet the adorable puppy's tiny head.

"Not yet. We thought Ms. Butala would like the honour of naming this little one herself."

We're all quiet as we watch the two get better acquainted, and Yara chuckles softly when the puppy rests her head on her shoulder. She runs a gentle hand over her back, and says, "Luna. I think I'll call her Luna."