Page 78 of Dangerous Contract: Part 1

“Wait,” Monique called after them. “We made up. He’s not that bad. I promise. Come on, guys. It was just a minor kidnapping.”

But her friends weren’t trying to hear that. No matter how loudly she called them, they continued forward.

“Wait!” Monique shouted again.

“We’re paying him a visit whether you want us to or not, Mo. If you’re coming with us, you better put some shoes on,” Meka yelled over her shoulder.

Monique paused in the doorway of her home to stare down at her feet. She glanced back at her friends, who were getting into Toya’s car.Damn it.She couldn’t stop them. The next best thing she could do was to go with them and try to talk them out of entering the casino.

If she couldn’t talk them out of it, she’d have to go into the casino with them. And she couldn’t go in looking like this.

“Wait for me,” Monique yelled. “I’m going to get my shoes. Do not leave without me!”

“Oh, we’ll wait,” Toya told her. “You should be there when we drag his ass for filth.”

Drag his ass for filth!

“I shouldn’t have told you two anything,” Monique complained.

“You mean like how you didn’t tell us what was going on with Trevor?” Toya asked, moving back toward the house to keep from airing Monique’s business in the street.

“That’s different,” Monique explained, hoping to keep her friends talking so they wouldn’t go to Orazio’s casino.

“It’s the same thing,” Toya insisted, now standing on the porch as Monique stood in the doorway.

If only Meka would move away from the passenger side of the car, maybe this could end without them embarrassing her at the casino.

“Monique,” Toya started. “The only reason this man knows you is because of Trevor’s shady ass. You mentioned before last night that you suspected Trevor had been dealing with some shady people.”

“Yeah. I know,” Monique mumbled.

“Well, it doesn’t get much shadier than Orazio Cattaneo.”

“That’s not true. He’s...”

“He paid off Trevor’s debt in exchange for the scum to divorce you. I wouldn’t even be mad at that part, since that’s what freed you of that dirtbag. But he then tried to buy you by seizing all of your assets. How does he even have the power to do that? Even if he has the power to do it, he shouldn’t. The fact that he did, means he’s fucked up in the head.”

“He’s not,” Monique tried to defend Orazio.

“He is!” Meka called from near the passenger side of the car.

“Then he kidnapped you,” Toya hissed. “That shit is hot in movies. Not in real life. In real life, men who do that shit are toxic as fuck. Those are the type of men we avoid, not go on dates with once they free us. If you’re into that kidnapping shit, we’ll kidnap your ass for a weekend. At least you’ll be safe with us. With him, you could’ve died, Monique. And it would’ve been our fault for insisting that you go out and do that damn dare.”

“This is just making me madder,” Meka yelled. “Come on, Toya.”

Tears filled Toya’s eyes. “We could’ve lost you,” her friend whispered.

Monique swallowed the lump in her throat. “But you didn’t...”

“That’s not the point!” Toya yelled.

“Bring your ass on, Toya,” Meka called out.

Wiping tears from her cheeks, Toya muttered, “I’m coming.”

Toya turned to go back to the car.

“I’m still going with you,” Monique yelled, tears burning her eyes at seeing her friend cry.

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