by Andromeda
I laugh. "Gio, me being alone with you is how we got the Triple Threat and the one I'm carrying now."
He pouts, but I kiss him on the corner of his mouth. "Behave," I whisper in his ear. "And I'll give you your gift early..."
His face lights up and he quickly moves to get dressed. Trotting downstairs, I see that everyone close to us is here. His family and mine, Pearl and James, Marcus, Kenny, David, and Rosalinda and Zuleikha with their husbands and children.
"Merry Christmas guys," I say, walking over to Rosalinda for a hug.
She and Zuleikha both sweep me into a tight one, careful not to hurt the baby and then I feel something. Looking down, I see baby bumps on them too and my face lights up.
"You two huh?" I ask.
Rosalinda blushes. "Well..."
Zuleikha shrugs. "The Swedes like their chocolate."
I burst out laughing. Who'd think that with the way we met, we'd be friends? No one, that's who. A doctor, a world famous fashion designer, and the Queen of Sweden all sitting in the same room laughing and joking, measuring our growing bellies. We do what we normally do on Christmas; have a big breakfast, talk and laugh, and then after a big dinner we gather in the living room and begin to open our presents under the huge Christmas tree.
Soon, colored paper and ribbon are all over the floor, and the giggling of children fills the air.
"Mamman! Mamman!" a voice to my right calls out.
Turning around, I see my eldest son Elijah run over. He and his brother Noah look exactly like me, but in male form.
"Yes sweeting?" I ask, bending down.
"Uncle Henrik got me this sword!" he says proudly, lifting up the gold and silver sword.
"Oh..." I say, shooting a look to Giovanni, who comes to my aid. "That's...erm...very interesting."
Henrik looks very proud of himself.
Giovanni carefully takes the sword. "Can I hold it, son?" he asks.
"Of course, Daddy," Elijah says, handing it willingly to his father.
I look around and spot my beautiful daughter Neveah with Zuleikha's daughter Nima, who had gifted her with a crown! Geeze, what is up with these royals? I smile though as Neveah giggles while Nima places the crown on her head, and it falls a bit to the side. I remember how I almost lost her, how we both almost died but we both made it.
I look and see Rosie and Robyn, now teenagers, laugh with Helga and Pearl. I study Pearl a moment, seeing how her stomach is rounded and my jaw drops. She's pregnant! Pearl, the woman who swore to never have children, is pregnant! I knew she and James couldn't resist each other!
"Mia angela," a deep voice whispers in my ear. "I want to show you something."
I turn to Giovanni and he takes my hand, leading me from the living room and outside. Wrapping ourselves up, I follow him to a building I've never noticed before in the back of the house.
It's made of glass and when he opens the door for me, it's warm and comforting. Plants of all kinds fill the space, vines hang from the ceiling, sweet smelling flowers line the walls, and so forth.
"What is this place?" I ask.
"It's a greenhouse," he says with a smile. "But this isn't what I wanted to show you. This is."
He points to a white and blue-colored flower, almost like a hibiscus/lily cross.
Bending down, I sniff it and marvel at the sharp yet sweet scent it has.
"My scientists have been working in the labs and...they created this. The Malaika."
My heart stops as I look at him. "You...you made a flower for me?" He takes my hands in his.
"Mala...you are the most wonderful woman I've never met. I know I was an asshole when we met, I know I've hurt you and broken your heart so many times, but I swear to never do it again. I want to grow old with you, I want to wake up with you always by my side." He cups my cheek in his palm. "I love you so much, mia angela."
I smile, rubbing my cheek against his palm. "I love you too, Gio...more than you'll ever know."
Tilting my chin up, he presses his lips to mine and that kiss is so full of promises. My world spins as images of our past flash before my eyes. Us meeting at my first day at work. Him stalking me. The first time we made love. Us losing our first child. Separating for three years and then finding each other again. Our wedding. Finally getting rid of Brittany and Derrick. And then, most of all, the birth of our children.
Our lives have been full of so many ups and down, and twists and turns that I once thought that we'd never end up together...and here we are. The funny thing that all this—this love, joy and peace—all began with a single contract.
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Book Two Sneak Peak
For Rosalinda Domínguez life has been a bitch, there is no sugar coating it. She has no siblings, lives with her grandparents and has to support two young children. But the young mother refuses to let life kick her in the ass. Dreaming to be a world famous designer, she is invited to New York one day by her best friend Georgia. Getting the opportunity of a lifetime when she anonymously submits her designs and is accepted into the Parsons School of Design.
But then life comes back swinging and she is shocked to find out that tuition is well over $38-thousand a term. Ready to accept defeat her life twists again when Georgia invites her to a Masquerade Ball where she catches the attention of Alphonse François; one of the biggest names of fashion in the world. He has a proposition for her; become his sugar baby.
Seeing no other option she accepts, but what happens when she slowly begins to fall for Alphonse and he doesn't recuperate her feelings? Or when she falls pregnant and he tells her to get rid of it? Will her dreams cost her more than just a few dates, or her very soul?
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Rosalinda
"Almost done Rose," Georgia says. "Just have to do this last pin and... there, open your eyes."
Slowly I open my eyes and I gasp softly. What has she done to me? I look...different. Dressed in a red floor-length gown, elbow black gloves, red high heeled-shoes with bows on them, red lipstick, a vintage-looking choker and matching earrings my hair has been straightened and then tightly curled so that is cascades down my back and bare shoulders. A red mask with a red rose that attaches to a hairpin.
I look...so different I never would have thought that never in a million years I would have this much makeup on, or wearing a dress that costs almost 5-thousand dollars.
"You look amazing," Georgia whispers softly behind me. "You know...I've always been a little jealous if you growing up."
I turn around and look at her, "Why?"
"Because you look so beautiful naturally," she says. "I mean...I'm porcelain in color and I have to use makeup and had to get boob surgery to get noticed by guys. You...you were the most beautiful girl in high school."
I look at her dress, black and silver is her color scheme and it looks beautiful against her creamy skin.
"Gigi," I say taking her hands. "You are beautiful too and you didn't have to get that surgery. I used to be jealous if you, you were a golden girl; grey eyes, blond hair and pale skin. In some countries you are worth 50 cows."
She laughs at that. "Great I'm worth like what 50 tons of hamburger?"
"Most likely," I tease.
She smiles and hugs me tightly. "Thank you Rose, for making me feel better. Shall we?"
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The beautiful ballroom is filled to almost bursting with people. Soft and romantic music plays from the speakers, the color scheme I can see is white, gold and silver. In other words the symbols of wealth. Lights hang from priceless chandeliers on the ceiling, long tables full of food line the walls. A fountain
of what looks like either wine of champagne shoots up at the end of each table.
People mix and mingle and I notice that I'm the only one wearing this shade of red. There are different shades but I'm the only one wearing crimson shade. I think Georgia did that on purpose, to make me stand out.
"What do I do?" I whisper as we walk through the room.
"Talk to someone," she whispers back. "You have some people watching you already."
I glance in the direction she is looking and sure enough several men are look at me. My heart pounds in my chest and I nervously begin to fiddle with my fingers only for Georgia to slap them.
"Stop that," she snaps. "You are a grown ass woman, grow a pair of boobs."
"You're telling me to grow a pair?" I whisper back. "Really Gigi?"
"Shut up you," she snaps, but I can see she is trying to not laugh.
We walk to the food table and I look over the foods. More than half of this stuff I've never seen before and I try to stick with that I do know. Cheese, shrimp, some kind of pastry and mini hotdogs wrapped in bread on a stick.
Suddenly arms wrap around Georgia's waist and I see her visibly stiffen before forcing a smile on her face and slowly she turns around.
"Gabriel," she says tightly. "You made it."
The man behind her smirks and kisses her neck but I see her flinch at the action.
"I've been looking for you for ages," he mumbles against her neck.
"I...I just got here," she says. She looks to me and then gently pulls away. "Gabriel this is my friend Rose. Rose this is my boyfriend Gabriel Mumford."
Gabriel looks at me and I inwardly cringe, he could pass for handsome but it would have to be under some very good lighting. His blue eyes have a darkness behind them, and when he smiles I see that his teeth were yellow.
"Pleased to meet you," he says holding out his hand.
"The same," I murmur, trying to be nice as I shake it.
He grasps my hand tightly and I see that he's leering at me, as if trying to picture what I look like without my clothes on and its then that I pull away.
"So um...Mr. Mumford can you tell me about yourself? I didn't really know that much about you," I am trying to be nice but if he doesn't stop staring at me as if I'm a piece of meat someone is going to get cut.
"Call me Gabriel," he says. "And I'm in the law business. Which reminds me, Georgia we have a luncheon coming up soon and you are going."
Georgia flinches again. "What if I had something planned for that day?" she asks softly.
"Well then cancel it," he snaps. "It's in a month and it gives you plenty of time to go to the gym to work off whatever you eat here."
Georgia takes a deep breath. "Gabriel, my weight is fine. I weighed myself last week, haven't gained a pound."
"And it better stay that way," he grunts. "If you want that allowance to continue."
Georgia flinches and I can't believe what I am hearing. Georgia sees the look in my eye and knows I'm about to say something and she cuts me off
"Of course Gabriel," she says in monotone. "Look there are people wanting to talk to you."
Gabriel looks and nods. "I'm on my way but Georgia remember what I said."
"Of course," she says, still in monotone. She holds still for him to devour her face in a kiss before he winks at me and then leaves.
The storm that I had been holding back finally comes bursting through the gates. I curse in Spanish, using language that a seasoned sailor would blush at before I turn to Georgia.
"Gigi are you out of your damn mind?" I snap at her. "Having him talk to you like that?!"
"You don't understand Rose," she says. "Gabriel is a...little rough around the edges but he loves me."
"Yeah sure," I scoff. "He just showed how much he loves you when he was talking about your weight. Or was it when he told you that you better from to the luncheon. Oh, oh, oh wait I know. It was when the whole time we were talking he was looking at me as if I was a famous porn star!"
She blushes and then grabs my arm, pulling me into a corner. "You don't understand Rose," she hisses. "This is how it is. Sure he might talk about me but I take it with a grain of salt and let it roll off me like water off a ducks back. I know what I'm doing but butt the hell out!"
My jaw drops. "Wow..." I say. "Just wow. What happened to you Gigi, what happened to the girl that wanted to go to cosmetology school?"
"She grew up and looked into the real world," she snaps. "And I think you should do the same thing."
She then turns on her heel and marches away. I am shaken. What the hell just happened? What the hell happened to the girl I had grown up with? The girl that screamed at frogs while I chased after them? The girl that I shared everything with. I guess she grew up.
I look at the clock, it's only 11 PM and I'm already ready to leave. That whole thing with Gabriel and Georgia has ruined my mood for whatever could have happened here. Guess I'm not going to Parsons.
Sighing I look around for a way out of here, Georgia is with Gabriel and Aiden is talking to a drop-dead sexy African-American man that could only be his boyfriend. I smile at them, they look so sweet and innocent together, I almost want to crash it but think better of it. Maybe later.
I turn around to look for the exit when a man walks up to me.
"How much?" he asks.
I blink. "W...Wha...huh?" I stammer.
"How much for your time?" he asks me. "You can't be worth that much."
I don't know what is more insulting. The fact that he is asking how much is my time...or the fact he is saying I'm not worth much.
"I'm not for sale," I snarl, shoving past him.
He grabs my arms painfully tight. "Hey! I wasn't done talking to you."
I grunt softly, his grip hurts and I begin to pull my foot back to knee him in the groin when someone grabs his shoulder.
"The lady said that she wasn't interested," a deeply accented voice says. "I say that's a clear message. Besides she's taken."
"Oh yeah?" the man holding me growls. "By who?"
"By me," the man behind him says.
The man turns around and then the blood drains from his face. "M...Mr. François," he stammers. "I...I'm sorry I didn't know she was yours."
The man, François, narrows his eyes. "Well then I now you know. Now beat it."
The man lets me go and runs off as if he's pissed his pants. The man who saved me fully turns to look at me and my jaw almost drops to the ground.
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He is the sexiest man I've ever seen. Chocolate brown hair, perfectly tanned skin and emerald green eyes sparkling at me from behind a white and gold mask. He is dressed in a white suit, embroidered with gold patterns and I have to say it looks mouthwatering on him.
Mouthwatering? I repeat in my mind. Damn when did I get so thirsty?
He watches me check him out and then he rolls his eyes. "Geeze are you like all those other girls who throw themselves at my feet?"
That snaps me out of my lust-crazed trance. "Excuse me?"
He waves his hand dismissively. "You know what, whatever. So how do you plan to thank me?"
Strike one. "Excuse me?!" I exclaim, cursing at him in Spanish. "¿Estás fuera de tu maldita mente?!"
He arches an eyebrow. "Ohhhh a Mexican ehh? I haven't had one of those before..."
Strike two. “And you're not going to get this one!" I snarl. Reach for the nearest thing to me, I find a glass of champagne and throw it in his face. "And by the way I'm Puerto Rican!"
Lifting my dress, I march off, fuming. I swear is smoke could come out of my ears it would! How dare he, how dare that man before him? Is that all they think women are? Items to be bought and sold for their pleasure? Is this what I'm getting into? Hello no I'm not!
A hand on my shoulder makes me spin around and I see that it's that man, François. The front of his jacket is stained with the champagne I had thrown at him and I can't help but smirk.
>
"What do you want?" I snap, crossing my arms.
"You interest me," he says. "No woman has ever resisted me like that."
"Well then take notice," I say. "Because there is no way that I'd be interested in you after what you just did."
He puts a hand in his pocket and then smiles softly. "Well I do have one thing you are interested in."
"And what is that?"
"Money.”
Strike three. "What makes you think I want your money!" I yell. "You know what, you men are all the same! Using women for your own gain and then breaking our hearts when you tire of us! You don't care about the broken hearts that you leave behind, the pain that we feel..."
I turn away so that he doesn't see the tears forming in my eyes as I talk about myself. About the hurt that I've suffered at the hands of men. All the broken promises that I've held in my heart...I can't do it anymore.
"I didn't come here to just take men's money," I say firmly. "I am here for my family. I got enrolled into Parsons but found out that the tuition is almost 50-thousand a term. There is no way I can afford that."
"How did you expect to go to a school like Parsons and not pay the tuition?" he asks.
I shrug. "I dunno scholarships, student aid, something. But it was a special application process and when I asked about financial help it was way past the deadline." I sigh. "I have always wanted to be a designer since I was a little girl. And when I found out that I had gotten into Parsons I was over joyed because I knew I could get into a paid internship position quickly and I would send the money to my family in Miami. My grandparents are watching my kids for me right now but...they need financial help."
I watch as he turns away, picking up a glass of champagne and sips it slowly. His brow furrowed as in deep in thought and then he shrugs.
"Alright."
I raise an eyebrow. "What?"
"Alright I'll take you on."
"Take me on?" I repute.
He pinches the bridge of his nose as if I'm an idiot, and then mutters under his breath in what sounds like French. "What I mean," he says slowly, making sure I understand every word. "Is that I will take you on as my...girlfriend."
