Page 114 of Dangerous Contract: Part 2

Meka fanned her eyes, trying to keep the tears away as she whispered, "You look so pretty. And your smile is so bright."

Ah, hell!Meka was going to have them all tearing up.

"No tears," one of the makeup artists said, rushing over to them. "No crying, ladies. This is a happy time. Plus, you all have your photo shoot next. Don't mess up your makeup."

Meka swallowed then took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Okay. I've gotten it together."

Monique smiled at her best friends. Even if the entire world turned on her, these two never would. Even if no one else told her she was pretty, these two always would.Ah, hell!She was tearing up again.

"No tears," the makeup artist said again. "Think happy thoughts. Happy thoughts. Happy, happy. Now, move over to the mirror and take one last look at your gorgeous selves and then we must move into the other room for photos. Chop. Chop."

Monique stood in front of the full-length mirror, her breath catching in her throat as she took in her reflection.Love. That was the first word that came to mind when she saw herself. She loved the woman staring back at her.

Seeing herself looking her best made her feel stronger, mentally and emotionally. Yeah, last night was a bad night. But the sun had risen, and she was blessed to live another day. She wouldn't let the bad energy from last night intrude on her today.

Today, she was happy. Way happier than she'd been with Trevor. And she knew she'd be happy with or without Raz. No man was the key to her happiness. The woman she was looking at was that key. That woman was beautiful. That woman was worthy.

That woman deserved everything that was good and beautiful in the world. Monique's gaze roamed over her reflection. She didn't mean to toot her own horn buttoot-toot. She was a vision in gold. It complemented her skin so well. She looked like a goddess.

The gold dress shimmered under the soft lighting, hugging her curves like it was crafted by the gods themselves. The mermaid cut flared gracefully at the bottom, the high slit revealing her thigh. But her thigh wasn't completely bare.

There was a barely-there sheer overlay under the slit. There were intricate rose designs etched into the sheer fabric. Each rose seemed to climb up her leg, adding a touch of delicate elegance to the bold slit.

The one-shoulder design framed her neckline beautifully, the fabric sweeping across her chest and accentuated by roses that seemed to bloom right over the swell of her breasts. The dress dipped low in the back, stopping just above her butt, where more rose patterns danced along her skin, leaving just enough to the imagination while celebrating her natural beauty.

Her hair was styled to perfection, pulled up into an elegant updo that allowed loose ringlets to cascade around her face. The curls framed her high cheekbones and full lips, softening the boldness of the dress with a touch of playful femininity.

A few stray tendrils fell along the nape of her neck, adding a romantic allure to her overall appearance. Monique's ensemble was completed with gold high heels that elongated her legs and a set of gold jewelry encrusted with diamonds that sparkled with every slight movement.

Her earrings dangled charmingly, catching the light and drawing attention to her graceful neck, while a delicate bracelet adorned her wrist, glinting with every heartbeat. She adjusted her earrings, her fingers trembling slightly as she gazed at the woman in the mirror.

She was a vision of strength, beauty, and undeniable sex appeal. The gold of the dress perfectly complemented her rich, brown skin. In fact, the entire look made her feel like a queen ready to reclaim her throne.

That's precisely what she was, a jilted queen, ready to reclaim her king and her kingdom! And that's exactly what Monique planned to do. Because even a don had to bow in the presence of a queen.

Chapter Thirty-Three

MONIQUE

––––––––

Thanks to the glam squad, Monique felt like a different woman, a new woman who was ready to start living again and stop remaining stagnant. The ladies spent a few more minutes admiring themselves in the mirror before journeying into the next room to begin their photoshoot.

Monique went first. The photographer led her through the process, instructing her on how to pose and what emotions to convey. Monique never knew modeling could be so fun. After about fifteen minutes of taking pictures alone, Toya and Meka joined her, and they were photographed together. Their laughter echoed through the room as they struck each pose.

"That's it, ladies," the photographer encouraged. "Work it. I love those bright smiles. Now, it's time to give me flirty. I want seduction. I want sultry."

Orazio immediately popped into her mind as she gave her most seductive pose and expression.

"Yesss, ladies! Hold it right there," the photographer called out as the camera flashed repeatedly.

Once he was done, he allowed them to view some of the photos he'd taken. Monique and her friends were blown away by how the images turned out.

"I can see this being the cover of our digital magazine," the photographer mused, showing Monique a photo of herself. "This will definitely send women flocking to the online store to search for this line of dresses."

Monique couldn't hold in her grin. When you were happy, it showed. And right now, she felt happy and beautiful.

"If that image is used for the cover, I definitely want to buy a few copies and send them to everyone I know," Toya said, eyes glued to the picture. "Mo, you look stunning."

---