It's been a couple weeks since I've first met Tony. He spends all his extra time, when he's not working at the guitar shop and playing shows, at my apartment. I asked him why he spends all his time with us, and he told me that he doesn't like to see the cuts and bruises that Jason gives me when he's not there. Tony doesn't know what I really do for a living. I told him that I don't work because I can't find a job. I hate lying to him, but I don't want him to think any less of me. He's become my best friend, someone that I can tell almost everything to. Right now I'm working. It's been a slow night, and so I'm just leaning up against a wall and smoking a cigarette. I saw a car pull up, so I put my cigarette out and walked to the car. He rolled his window down and I found the chocolate, brown eyes that I can get lost into for days. "To-Tony, what are you doing here?" I asked him, pulling my jacket closer to myself, trying to cover myself. "I can ask you the same thing, Tori." I ran over to the passenger side and got in. Tony started to drive a little ways and parked in the alley outside of a bar. He cut the engine and pulled his keys out. He stared out of the window for a minute or so, and then turned to look at me with sad eyes. "Why Victoria? Why degrade yourself and let guys that you don't even know, sleep with you for money?" I pulled my gaze away from Tony's and looked down at my hands that were folded in my lap. "Because." I started as tears were escaping out of my eyes and down my face. "Jason makes me. He told me that I was a whore, a slut. He told me that if I love to fuck people so much, that I should be making money out of it." Tony sighed and you could cut the tension in the car with a knife. "He makes you do this? Isn't that technically raping and human trafficing you?" I started to cry even harder. "Tony, Jason rapes me every night. He beats and uses me every night after I spent hours making money by sleeping with people." I put my face in my hands as my sobs rocked my entire body. I felt myself being grabbed and put up against Tony's chest as he rubbed my hair and let me cry. "I want you to know, you're so beautiful. You don't deserve this. Any of it. You're one of the strongest people I know and I just.. I care about you a lot. I will make sure that that bastard will never fucking touch you again. Alright?" He asked me. I nodded my head and pulled away from Tony. "Come on. Let's take you to the police station." "No! I can't do that! Jason will kill me." I started to freak out and hyperventilate. "Alright, alright. Tori, Tori calm down. If you don't want to go to the police yet, at least come stay at my place tonight. You can sleep in my bed and I'll sleep on the couch. I just don't want you to be alone with Jason anymore." I nodded and Tony started the car.

Tony opened his front door and we walked inside. I heard some noises coming from the living room and Tony had me follow him as we investigated. We came into the room and found a guy with short, black hair and a sleeve playing FIFA and yelling at the game. "Jaime, I thought you were at Jess' house tonight." Tony said walking up to his friend. "Nah, we got into a fight about having to leave for tour next week and she wanted the night alone." Jaime looked at me. "Who's this?" He asked Jaime. "Jaime, Victoria Dawson. Victoria, Jaime Preciado. Jaime is my roommate." "So this is the mysterious Victoria that you spend all your time with?" Jaime smiled at the two of us and I smiled back. He jumped up from the couch and ran up to me, pulling me into a hug. I hugged him back and he whispered in my ear, "Tony has told me about your douche of a boyfriend. I'm sorry." He pulled away and I gave him a faint smile. "Tori, can you please wait here for a few minutes? I need to talk to Jaime alone." I sat down and Tony dragged Jaime away. A few minutes later, Jaime came running at me and engulfed me into another hug. When he pulled away, he looked straight into my eyes. "Tony just told me everything. You are too beautiful to be treated this way. You need to put this sick fucker away for life, Victoria." "I-I'ts really hard, Jaime. I'm scared that he or one of his friends will come back after me and kill me." I whispered and looked down. "We will protect you. I know that you may not trust me, considering the fact that we met like 5 minutes ago, but I will look out for you. There is nothing to be scared about." This time it was me who hugged Jaime first. He hugged me back and rubbed my back softly. I felt myself being pulled away from Jaime and Tony picked me up into his arms. "Goodnight, guys." Jaime chuckled at us. "Night Jaime." We both said. Tony carried me up a flight of stairs and into a bedroom. He set me down and went to his dresser. He pulled out a shirt and a pair of boxers. He handed them to me and I stood up. I stripped out of my tank top and booty shorts and put the clothes he gave me on. I was swimming in his clothes. I brought the shirt up to my nose and smelt Tony's scent. It made me feel safe. I looked over at Tony and he was watching me. He smiled at me and started to take off his shirt. He then took his jeans off and he was standing there in his boxers. I walked over to the bed and got under the covers, instantly curling up into a ball. Tony turned off the light and laid down next to me. We laid there in silence, when I finally scooted closer to him. He pulled me into his arms and I laid on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. He started humming a tune and then started singing a song that I've never heard before. "That was really pretty, Tony. What song was that?" I asked him. "It's not a song. I don't know. Whenever I'm with you, I always hear this tune, and finally tonight, being here with you, I added some words to it."

You'll never know
I don't know where I'm going to sleep tonight
She said "hotels are cheap and there's one down the street" but
oh, don't you threaten me with a good time
Murder the moment, my god I'm the serpent
I'm sorry I can't see that you truly love me