Page 73 of Dangerous Contract: Part 2

MONIQUE

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Things were not going the way she'd hoped.

When Monique made it home after trying to get into Raz's casino, she should've felt down and out because she'd failed. Instead, she was excited because she had a plan to end this BS breakup between her and Orazio once and for all.

That excitement dwindled the moment she and Toya tried to convince Meka to help them. Seated on Monique's living room couch, Meka stared at the television screen, watching cartoons and eating a bowl of cereal.

So far, she hadn't responded to any of their questions or comments. She ignored them the same way she ignored Cas. It was annoying as heck. Yet, Monique wasn't ready to give up yet.

Seated on one side of her, with Toya on the other, Monique stared at her bestie. Monique noted the bags under Meka's eyes. It looked like she hadn't been getting much sleep. It also looked like she'd been crying.

Maybe they needed to leave Meka alone. Everyone processed things differently. And it was clear that Meka was still trying to process what had happened to them. Just as Monique was about to apologize to Meka for bothering her, Toya opened her big mouth.

"Meka, my love," Toya started. "I love you like we both came out of the same twat. But if you keep ignoring us, I'm going to knock that big ass bowl of cereal out of your hand. Do you hear me?"

Meka continued watching TV, showing no signs of having heard Toya at all. They'd been at this for an hour now. It was clear she wasn't going to help them. They'd have to find another way to achieve their task. Toya reached for Meka's bowl.Oh, no!

"Touch it, and I'll drown you in this milk," Meka snarled, eyes still on the screen.

Toya froze. "Violent wench, would you really drown your best friend in milk?"

Meka snapped her head in Toya's direction. "Inconsiderate wench, are you really asking your best friend to contact a man who is part of a crime family, a family that your friend wants nothing to do with, and ask for his help in kidnapping his brother? Really? Is that what we do now? Are we just as insane as them now?"

Toya opened her mouth and then closed it. She opened it again to say, "When you put it like that, it does sound kind of crazy. But..."

"It sounds crazy because it is crazy," Meka cut her off. "And I don't want any part in it."

"But it's for Monique," Toya started.

"Then let Monique call him. Why do I have to do it?"

Monique swallowed. It was her turn to speak up. "I just thought Cas would be more likely to help if it was you who asked."

Meka turned her cold glare Monique's way. An instant chill crept over her.

"Did you stop to think that maybe this would only hurt Cas in the end?" Meka asked. "Helping me and then getting ignoredby me again would only make him feel worse. It'll make him feel used. Did you stop to think about that?"

"I don't understand why you're ignoring him. It's clear that he likes you," Monique told her. "Yet, you're being so mean to him."

"Oh, my gosh!" Meka yelled. "Is that what we're telling women now? If he likes you, you must be nice to him. If he likes you, you have to put your own feelings aside to make sure he doesn't get hurt. Fuck how I feel, his feelings are more important than mine, right?"

"Of course not," Monique started.

"Obviously, they are because that's what you and Toya keep telling me."

Monique and Toya started to speak again, but Meka spoke over them.

"Fuck Caspari and his family. Fuck the entire Cattaneo crew. I want nothing to do with them. And I won't be forced to get involved in any of your craziness. If you were my real friends, you wouldn't try to make me do it either."

Toya sighed and then said, "Talking to him could be therapeutic."

"Fuck your type of therapy," Meka said. "Are you not listening to the words coming out of my mouth?"

Through clenched teeth, Toya continued. "Meka, you can't continue being a weak bitch about this..."

"I'm weak?" Meka yelled, almost causing milk to slosh over the rim of her bowl. "I'm weak for avoiding danger? Toya, you stupid as fuck for running toward the danger. No one in their right mind runs toward the threat. If this was a horror movie, you'd be the hoe who dies first."

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