Page 133 of Dangerous Contract: Part 1

Toya nodded. “You’re probably right. Unless my mouth is full, then I’ll wait until I’m done sucking it and then call.”

Monique and Meka burst out laughing. Even the massage therapists giggled, reminding them that they were not alone.

Toya turned her attention to Meka, mischief in her eyes. “Alright then, Miss Meka. What about you? Have you slept with Cas yet? Is he big? How’s that tongue?”

Meka rolled her eyes. “That’s none of your business, Toya.”

“Ooh, touchy,” Toya teased, arching an eyebrow. “I guess we’re all keeping secrets today.”

“Maybe we should just focus on relaxing,” Monique suggested, stealing a glance at Meka. She could sense her friend’s discomfort and didn’t want to push her. Something was going on between Meka and Cas. Her friend would dish when she was ready.

“Alright, alright,” Toya replied. “But you two must have so much to write in those self-growth journals we started, don’t you think?”

Meka’s eyes widened. “I forgot about that journal you bought us.”

“You haven’t been writing in it?” Toya asked.

“I started, then I forgot about it.” Meka sighed. “I’ll have to start back journaling.”

“I forgot about it also,” Monique admitted. “But, I honestly didn’t have anything good to write in it until now.”

“Y’all better write in those journals,” Toya demanded. “It’s not just for the good in our lives. It’s for everything. At the end of the year, we’ll all look back and see how far we’ve come. Or see where we need to improve. I’m a big believer in journaling. It relaxes me.”

Monique’s thoughts drifted to the neglected journal tucked away at home. She hadn’t written anything in it for weeks. So far, it was filled with sad poems. Oh, and some dark poems about murdering her ex. Nothing positive.

But now, with Orazio in her life, she could finally fill its pages with positive experiences. Instead of drawing sad faces, she could start drawing little hearts on the corners of her pages. A small smile tugged at her lips.

Orazio was chasing away all the dark shadows in her life. It wasn’t just him who was doing that. It was her friends too. She should’ve been writing about them in her journal. Without them pushing her to get out of bed and live again, she’d still be tucked beneath her thick covers, wallowing in self-pity.

And instead of being sad about being divorced and writing sad poems, she should’ve been writing poems about finally being free of a burden. Monique held in her sigh. She’d had plenty to be thankful for. She just hadn’t allowed herself to see the rainbow peeking through the storm clouds.

It was time to fill her journal with all the positives in her life, so when she looked back on these days, she’d see that it wasn’t only sadness she’d felt. There had also been plenty of happy moments.

The trio continued to indulge in their luxurious spa experience, filling the air with laughter and friendly banter. Even the massage therapists were having a good time chiming in and laughing at the crazy stuff Toya said.

Monique felt her muscles unwind beneath the skilled hands of her masseuse, the rich scent of lavender and soothing musichelping to chase away any lingering anxieties about Orazio’s safety.

As she lay there, wrapped in warm towels, she couldn’t help but feel grateful for his generosity. It had been far too long since she and her friends had enjoyed something like this together.

“Seriously, though,” Toya murmured from the massage table beside her. “Wasn’t Orazio just the sweetest for setting all this up?”

“Such a gentleman,” Meka added before popping a strawberry into her mouth.

“Mhmmm...” Monique hummed. “Hours ago, you two were ready to shoot him and tear this casino up. Or did you forget?”

“Stop bringing up the past,” Toya told her. “He’s a good guy. And not because he’s indulging us, but because I saw the way he looks at you. Girl, that man is in love.”

So am I.A smile spread across Monique’s face as she continued enjoying her massage. A massage wasn’t the only thing on their agenda. They also got their toes and nails done. Once spa time was over, they stopped by the casino’s small boutique and purchased some cute outfits because they still had things to do outside the casino.

After getting dolled up, they left the casino and headed to the garage, where Orazio’s sleek black car awaited them. Monique slid into the driver’s seat, feeling a surge of excitement at being behind the wheel of Orazio’s car.

She thought about the pink scarf incident. Monique licked her lips and gripped the wheel tighter. Damn, she couldn’t wait until he came home. Arguing pulled her attention back to her friends, and she found them arguing over who would get the front seat. Before she could say anything, Toya hip-bumped Meka away and jumped into the car, forcing Meka into the back.

“You’re so childish,” Meka complained as she buckled her seat belt.

“Don’t be mad,” Toya told her. “All those hips still can’t defeat mine.”

“Where to first?” Monique asked, chuckling. “Lunch? Well, pre-dinner, considering the time?”

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