"Being Ben's"

33. Where is it?

My eyes squinted to the bright light above my head and tried to get up out the chair I was in but my wrist were zip tied to the chair. I looked down at my legs which were also zip tied up to my knee against the leg of the chair. I looked around the only form of light was the blinding lamp from above. The walls were metallic and the room smelled of copper and salt. Ben was seated in front of me tied up in a similar way but his restraint were heavy metal chains.

He was still knocked out from whatever Valentino put in our bodies, his head hanging over his chest and the gold chain he constantly wore hanging like it was frozen in time. "Ben." I croaked out, coughing. I took a closer look and blood riddled his heather gray shirt, he groaned and shifted a little. "Be- Ben, Benicio!" I said starting to freak out, trying to move, trying to get closer to him. He lifted his head and I saw bruises starting to form around his eye and near his jawline. His eyes widened. "Hey, hey, shhh shh sh. It's okay." He said in a soft voice, he kept looking up to the door behind me. "Set- settle down. I'm alright." He swallowed thickly. "I'm alright, okay?"

"No." I whined. "You're not. Ben I- I'm- Valent-."

"Hey, shh. We're going to be fine. We're going to be fine." He repeated the second time for himself. "Just stay qui-."

The door creaked opened and Ben looked up to what I could only suspect to be his brother or father. A hand reached under my neck and pulled my chin upwards. "Hmm, you're up. Welcome to the party, ratito." Valentino smirked suspiciously. I gulped feeling his hand move as the lump in my throat went down.

""No le hagas daño." Ben pulled against his restraints. Valentino's smirk dropped and he glared angrily at his brother. He pushed my head down and my chair rocked forth then back a couple times. He grabbed Ben's collar and sneered angrily. "Then tell me where the file is for the business. Where's the papers I need? The keys? I know it's you who keep calling in anonymously and giving the police tips to shut us down."

They glared at each other with their jaws clenched tight.

"No lo olvides, tú también eres un Rivera." He was pulling so hard on Ben's shirt I heard it ripping from where I was. Ben swallowed nondescreetly. "Debería haber tomado el nombre de mi madre." He said glaring at his brother.

Valentino's hand whipped across Ben's face, leaving it a pinkish color then he stood up. "Watch what you say." He warned.

Ben looked away. "You don't need more power you have enough." He looked back at his brother with the same ferocity. "Why don't you just leave it alone?"

"You don't even want it. Why keep it from me? From us." He corrected himself. Ben looked toward the ground. Valentino raised his eyebrow. "You... little shit. You're selling it, aren't you?"

"Like I said you don't need it. You power hungry bastard."

Valentino growled and I flinched as he took a step toward me. "¿Sabe dónde están? He looked at Ben but put a hand on my head. Ben shook his head. "I've never told him where they were."

"Oh, really?" He looked at me pulling my hair so I looked up but I wouldn't look at him.

"Yes." I heard Ben state. Valentino huffed then stayed quiet looking at my face. "You care about him...., don't you? Just like you did for Emilio. Maybe more?"

"Keep his name out of your mouth." Ben snapped. I sighed through my nose and closed my eyes. Valentino took his hand out of my hair. "Es guapo." He shrugged.

"Shut up."

Valentino rolled his eyes. "I was giving him a compliment... unlike Ed."

Ben's eyes flicked up to Valentino.