Dazzle Me

Malani lets the gold shimmery material of the dress wrap around her ankles. Her painted red lips hold a fake smile as she concentrates on nodding, smiling and slowly sipping the champagne drink.
She has no idea what the lady in silver is talking about. Sounds like Stock in orange juice and sales in coffee bean, Okay, maybe she does, but she can careless on how the elite make their money.
Tyler keeps holding her hand like he's scared shes gonna runaway at the stroke of midnight, like Cinderella. Maybe Cinderella ran because she never wanted to be with the prince in the first place, maybe she felt like a shiny wrist watch dangling from the princes arm and all she wanted was an escape.
"Such a beautiful fiance you have," Tyler dear. The old woman brings out a hand to shake Malani's. "The names Melissa, I've heard so much about you. How was school in Paris?"

"Lovely ", Malani answers.

Here's the thing about the elite. They never question anything. Tyler says she went to school in Paris and that's where she's been the past few weeks then everyone just believes it. No questions asked.
She knows she doesn't look like she has money. Not enough to fit in with the high and mighty of this crowd. She looks exotic though with her long brown braids swept up into a bun and the gold chandelier earrings dangling like real diamonds. That's excuse enough. Men love arm candy, and the business men in this room know Tyler can care less how big her bank account is.

The thought of Oscar comes to mind and what he's going to think when he finds her gone. Hes going to think that shes run away again. Just like all the times before . But even worst then thinking shes runaway, he's not going to chase her. He isn't going to stroll by in his red impala and rescue her. She's stuck here in this world of food and gems and fancy parties, until she sets herself free again.

For now, She plays the part sipping champagne and holding Tyler's hand. She doesn't know why he wants her here. There are a dozen blonde haired and blue eyed single beauties in the room. She twist the engagement ring around her finger. The diamonds sparkle under the white light. It fits her snug like a tiny shackle, threatening to bind her to him for life.

"If Tyler hadn't asked for my hand, I probably would have never returned," She fakes laughs.

"Oh I know, life in the city can be addictive, before I met Ed here, I was quite promiscuous."

"Oh, I'd love to hear about it," Malani smiles. " Perhaps we should take up space near the bar and leave the men to their boring conversation on the export of coffee beans."

"Oh, your my kind of Woman, " The older woman smiles.

Tyler gives her a look as she lets his hand go. Its a promising threat. Screw me, and I'll make sure your name is dragged through the mud faster than quicksand. I'll make sure you never work anywhere ever again. Stay, and you can live like a Queen. Those were his words back in the apartment of Freeridge, while she silently hoped spooky would walk through the door.

Funny, she wanted Spooky to save her, but only so she could leave. How come the Prince always wants to keep the Princess, and sometimes so does the dragon.

"I want my father's money back," she'd said.

She's never cared what these people thought of her , that's not what keeps her the promises of fixing the things he's broken begin with.

"I'll give you what I said, A lavish lifestyle. A restaurant in the hills. I just want you back."

She wondered if Tyler believed his own lies. If he actually believed he would be the things he said he would be, do the the things he promised.

"If you touch me again Tyler..."

"I'm sorry, never again Malani, I promise. It was a mistake," his blue eyes pleaded. "Please come back Aunt Mildred wants to know what happened. She needs you, I need you."

"I'm not going back to Alexanders" She said . "Its time for me to build my own name."

"Whatever you want" He'd nodded kissing her. "She'd held back the disgust and She'd let him.

She'd come back to the loft they'd shared. She'd placed the diamond engagement ring back on her finger. So far, Tyler hadn't mentioned plans of opening her restaurant, and for whatever reason, she was reluctant to push the issue. It had only been two days but she was falling back into a routine that was sure to backfire.

There were things about the Alexanders that She hadn't know at the start. If she had perhaps she'd have left them alone. She would never started anything with Tyler. It wasn't a secret that politicians fought dirty, and Tyler's father was just that. Which explained why he was such a brat. It also explained why they were able to hide things so efficiently . Money laundering, drugs, trafficking, ties to the mob. It's why she really hadn't fought him. Its why she was really scared to run. Tyler didn't know she knew. Perhaps he wouldn't have pulled her so close, or perhaps in his twisted mind he was keeping her safe. But she'd been warned by enough women to know better.

"Be careful " Some would whisper. Sometimes it would be an older women who were friends of the family. Sometimes it was younger women he'd gone to college with . Right now, it was Melissa, the women he'd just introduced her to.

The large diamond studs in her ears were real. Her gray hair was swept elegantly into an updo. She ditched the champagne for a mixed drink at the bar. Malani followed her lead and did the same.

"Do you know what your getting yourself into," She asked Malani once the bar tender had handed them their new drinks and walked off.

"I can't tell you yes and actually believe it", Malani answered. "I'm just trying to figure out a way out of this."

"And have you found one," She asks.

"Not one, where Tyler doesn't go ballistic and starts searching for me," She answers.

"Your like a shiny new toy that he thinks belongs to him, the only way is to let him get bored. I'm just afraid you don't have the time for that. That family s toxic. I would hate for a smart women like you to get trapped."

"It too late," She answers.

"Do you know what that family's into?" The old women whispers.

"No " Malani says. Its a lie thats safe. She's better off trying to find out what the old women knows.

"There's a lot of stolen money that family owes the mob. They've been stealing from the poorer for years trying to pay off a debt. It's worked for the most part. That family is becoming a mob on their own now. They need to be stopped."

"Sounds impossible"

Maybe, she shrugs. "But sometimes if your play your cards right, you might just end up being the Queen.

'What are you getting at, Malanie asked. Its hard to trust a women decked in gold and diamonds.

That family owes my family money. I want it back, She smiles. By any mean necessary of course.

No offense Malanie, Says but you dont exactly look like your in need of a large paycheck.

The old women giggles. Not everything is about money child. Some things are on principle. Richard Alexander sold my father a dead company. I want our money back, but not just that, I want to break him the same way he broke me.

"And you think some kind of way I can help?"

He trust you more than he should. "Tyler thinks your weak. He underestimates you. . Take the Alexanders down and I'll give you anything you want. Including this. "

She slides a picture over to Malanie. It a school photo. A young boy with black curly hair smiling back at her. He's missing a tooth in the front, and for a second she think she recognizes him.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what you mean by this " Malanie says sliding the picture back I don't know this...

"He's your son," the old lady interrupts . " Marcus Valencia Ortega. and I know exactly where he is. "

Wattpad Link for OMB: 865674622-on-my-block-fanfiction-dazzle-me

Wattpad Link New Story : story/117572780-black-american-princess

Hope you guys have been staying calm and keeping safe. I don't have the time I thought I would to write the longer chapters I used to. Hope you guys enjoy it anyway. Because I know your're waiting on more chapters I given you a link to one of my similar stories on wattpad. As always XOXO Happy Reading!