Chapter 3: Group Therapy

Jovie's POV

When my eyes opened, I was in Jasper's living room. What the hell is going on?

"Jovie, babe are you okay?" Jasper asked.

"I don't know. What happened?"

"You fainted honey." I heard Mom's voice say.

"B-but why?" I questioned.

"You were about to tell Jasper you accept his proposal." Dad informed me.

Oh now I remember. I got terrified and overwhelmed at the thought of settling with a man I wasn't sure I would ever love.

"Oh," I whispered.

"Well go on, tell him yes!" Mom urged.

"Is it okay if we have the room?" Jasper asked them.

My parents nodded and walked out. Jasper slowly sat me up on the couch.

"I know you're scared Jovie. But I swear I can make you happy and you will love me. We'll be really good together. So what do you say?"

While I didn't love Jasper, I did know that he really loved me. And he might be the only man who would for the rest of my life. In a way I was lucky to have him. And I had to make sacrifices for my family.

"Yes. I will marry you Jasper." I kissed him hard, to really sell it.

He pulled away laughing as he slid the ring on my finger. "Really? Jovie I swear you won't regret this baby. We're gonna be so happy!"

I looked down at the ring. It was like an ice rink for a small rodent. 

"I believe you."

"Amelia, Lawrence! She said yes!"

My parents rushed in, hugging me tightly.

"Oh this is splendid! We must plan a party immediately to make up for Jovie's fainting spell! Let everyone know she has said yes!" Mom exclaimed.

Oh joy.

***

"Jovie, wake up."

"No thank you,"

"Group therapy starts in an hour." Hobbs informed me. "We have to get there early to get a good seat."

"It's therapy, there are no good seats, Hobbs."

"Do you want to go to jail?"

"Not particularly."

"Then get up." He pulled the covers off of me.

If I didn't like him so much I would fire him.

***

God this blows! Everyone is so damn whiny here!

"I know I have a problem. Setting things on fire gives me joy, but takes joy away from everyone else." A woman sobbed. "But I know I have to learn to love myself despite that. No one can love you unless you love yourself."

I snorted and everyone looked at me. "Something to say?" The leader, Nelson asked.

"No offense, but that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard." I stated.

"Jovie," Hobbs whispered.

"I'm sorry but that saying is so stupid and false. Like not everyone is capable of loving themselves and there's really no correlation to how others feel about us."

No one said anything so I continued.

"Take me for example. I'm not the best person at all! Despite that there is a man who loves me dearly, so much he asked me to marry him. While I love myself, if I didn't he would still love me."

"So you don't believe in self love?" The man across from me asked.

"It's all I believe in actually. No one is ever gonna love you as much as yourself. Romantic love is fake."

"You just said you were engaged." Nelson pointed out.

"It's a means to an end." I shrugged.

He chuckled. "Why don't you go next? What's your name?"

"Jovie,"

"And what are you here for?"

"I like to steal," I smiled. "Not cuz I need to, just because I like it."

"Why do you think that is?"

"Therapists say it's a control thing. I have no control over any aspects of my life but I can control whether I steal or not."

"But can you actually?" Nelson asked. "Do you steal because you want to or you can't help yourself?"

"Stealing makes me happy." I said simply. 

The guy across from me smiled. His brown eyes didn't show what everyone else did. He was entertained by me. "So you don't feel bad about stealing?"

I shook my head. "Not really. I never actually hurt anyone. Nine times out of ten people don't even realize anything is missing. It's a thrill."

The pyro lady shook her head. "What is wrong with you? No guilt? No remorse? No tears?"

"Crying won't make me any more sorry." I shrugged. "Plus the whole crying thing isn't for me. I don't like eye leakage."

The guy laughed. "Maybe she should be the leader of this group."

"Alright, wise guy, you go next." Nelson stated "Name."

"Reno. I'm a gambling addict."

I laughed. "Your parents named you Reno and expected you not to gamble?"

He laughed with me and ran his fingers through his charcoal colored hair. "That's exactly what I said."

"Great minds."

"Great bodies too," He looked me up and down. 

This guy just heard me say I was engaged and was still hitting on me? I like it.

Reno's POV

"Anyways," Nelson started. "Reno, why do you think you gamble?"

"It's dangerous and thrilling. I had a lot of money that I didn't know what to do with...now I don't have any"

"Was it worth it?"

"It must be since I still want to gamble. It's the only thing that makes sense to me. When things get to be too much, it brings me comfort."

That really was the best way to describe it. 

"So you love gambling, but you're not good at it?" Jovie asked. 

I shook my head. "I'm great at the act of gambling. Just not good about being right."

"That seems like the most important part."

"I'm sorry are you the gambling expert here?" I questioned. She smiled and shook her head.

"Well, I am. I didn't comment on the important parts of thievery, please pay me the same respect."

"Of course, my bad."

"You're forgiven. Under one condition of course."

"And that is?" Jovie asked. 

"You have to give me your number." I smiled. 

"I'm sorry, is this therapy or speed dating?" Pyro lady asked. "Some of us actually want to get better."

"You set fires to feel joy. Do you think group therapy is really going to fix you?" I asked. 

"Honesty, lady, you need something a lot stronger than group therapy." Jovie added in. 

The large man in a suit next to Jovie nudged her and whispered something to her. She rolled her eyes and sighed. 

"I'm sorry for what I just said. Hobbs has informed me that my words have a way of cutting like blades. So my bad, I guess."

"Oh thank god," I sighed. 

"What?" She asked. 

"I was worried you were perfect, but now that I know you're terrible at apologies it makes me feel better. I feel like I have a shot with you now."

"You wish, Vegas."

"It's Reno,"

"Same thing to you right? Bunch of casinos." She smirked. 

Who was this girl and where had she been all my life? And why did she feel so familiar to me?

I had seen those stunning hazel eyes somewhere. That warm brown skin felt like something my eyes had experienced before. That stunning smile had captured my attention another time. But when?

Maybe I had just seen her around the city. Judging by her clothes she comes from money. Unless she stole them of course. But she also had a bodyguard and that was definitely the mark of an important person.

I didn't know what was wrong with me. My wife left me three days ago and I was ready to get back on the saddle? Seemed kind of insane, but there was something about this thieving girl. 

I think she had successfully stolen my heart. 

***

Jovie was the first one out the door when the meeting ended. I ran after her. 

"Jovie, wait!”

She turned around. I saw my reflection in her sunglasses. I quickly fixed my hair and straightened out my suit jacket.

"You forgot to give me your number."

"No I didn't. Check your phone." She smiled

I did and went to the contacts. There her name was with a lipstick emoji next to it.

"How did you…?"

"I'm a gifted pick pocket." 

"I didn't even notice." I laughed. "You're good."

"Better than you are at gambling."

"You wanna go out with me?"

"I'm engaged," She showed me the giant ring on her finger.

"I didn't ask that." I grinned.

Jovie looked both surprised and impressed. 

"Jovie, we should get going. Jasper is waiting." Her bodyguard informed her. 

"Just a sec. Let's get coffee. It's not a date though."

"It's only a date if I kiss you at the end of it."

"Text me," Jovie stated. 

"Jovie? What's taking so long, love?" I was surprised to see the guy from the bathroom at the ball approach her and kiss her. 

"Just making friends." She laughed. 

"Hey, I know you. From the bathroom!" The guy smiled. "She said yes!"

"So I've heard. So you're the girl that fainted?" I asked. 

Jovie nodded. "I know how to cause a scene."

"Mr. Valenzuela!" My chauffeur ran over to me. "Your father needs you at the office."

"Valenzuela?" Jovie asked. "As in Valenzuela Terrain?"

"Yeah, why?"

"My last name is Wimberly."

"Wimberly as in Wimberly Nexus?" She nodded.

Now I knew why she was familiar. 

She's the daughter of my parents' most hated rivals.