Wicked Games Fanfic

"What makes you think I'm going to be safe here?" I scuffed stepping past him and into his house. 

"Relax. This is just temporary. I gotta make a few calls." He offered closing the door behind him. I watched as he walked over to retrieve an iPad that seemingly controlled the lighting amongst other things. "Besides this is a gated community."

My eyes softly bulged. He couldn't be serious. At this rate we'd both be dead by the end of the week. Niggas like Dani don't care about gates. "Are we talking about the same gates that couldn't keep that bimbo out? Asking for a friend." I rolled my eyes wondering if I had made the right decision by accepting his offer to help me. 

"HaHaHa!" He faked laughed stepping towards me. He snatched the handle of my bag away from my hand and nodded for me to follow him. I giggled to myself knowing I had gotten under his skin. 

"Should we be expecting the lady of the house any time soon?" I asked placing my handbag on the bed of the guest room he had led me to. "Or have hoeing hours been extended." 

"Wowww!" He said causing me to turn towards him in amusement. "I thought we were past this." 

"We are." I offered taking a seat on the bed and crossing my legs. "Almost." I mumbled as he turned away. He quickly turned back toward me.

"What was that?" He asked with a raised brow.

"Oh nothing." I shrugged my shoulders. 

"Listen Lydia is not something you need to worry about. Okay. Let me worry about her." I nodded my head dismissively. Which seemed to be enough for him. I admired his wide shoulders as he headed for the door. He reached the entrance and turned to me again. "Can you fight?" He asked tilting his head. 

"What?"

"What?" He repeated in an almost identical tone. "You know what. Don't worry about it. I got it. I'll figure something else out." He joked pulling the door up behind him. 

"You're not funny!" I yelled behind him. 

"Never said I was!" He yelled back causing me to smile for a moment. Until I realized he had left me alone with my thoughts. 

I shook my head before standing to my feet and grabbing my luggage full of clothes. I rummaged through it aimlessly for a moment. In search of nothing in particular. I came across the one physical photo I had left of my grandmother and took a moment to hold it close to my heart before thanking  her for her guidance. It didn't all make sense right now but I knew she had led me here. And if she saw something in the pretty boy downstairs that could help me then I'd stick around until shown otherwise. 

I pulled out some lounge wear before walking over to my handbag and unzipping it. I rubbed my hand across all the bills that lay just beneath. 

Flash Back

"A book deal." He repeated as if I were speaking some kind of foreign language. "Who the fuck do you think you are? Toni Morrison." He joked before laughing. I rolled my eyes as his loyal band of ignorant followers followed suit. 

"I wouldn't expect any of you guys to understand. Especially seeing as how most of you can barely even fucking read." I grumbled snatching my contract from his hands and storming off to our bedroom. 

I flopped onto the bed barely managing to contain the tears that threatened to fall. 

I hated how he always managed to do this. Why couldn't he just be happy for me for once?

I heard the door open and quickly rose to a sitting position. He slammed the door in anger and I somehow managed to scoot myself up against the head board. "What the fuck was that?" He asked. His words covered in a thick Spanish accent. "Do you think you're funny? Huh?" He gritted climbing onto the bed and making his way over to me. He placed his face directly in front of mine. My breathing became shallow in anticipation. "You're already letting this writing shit get to your head. Aren't you!" He yelled as pieces of spit flew from his mouth and onto my face. "So now you don't wanna talk." He chuckled into his shoulder. "What happened to all that mouth you had just a minute ago? Huh?!" He yelled once more causing me to sink beneath him. 

"Dani I'm ..." I started to apologize before quickly being cut off. 

"Let me guess. You're sorry. Shani I ... " He placed his palm to his forehead as if he were growing even more frustrated. "I'm growing tired of you're apologies." He growled lowering his face into mine. "You begged me to stop hitting you ...  but then you turn around and continue to give me reasons to." His pupils burned holes into mine. "I'm starting to think you actually like the shit. Why else would you continue to try me?" He placed his hand around my neck.

"No!" I yelled just as his grip tightened. I scratched and clawed at his face only to have him quickly move away. The more I fought the harder he squeezed until a certain darkness swept over me. 

Flash Back x2 

I packed my things as my grandmother watched from the door way. 

"Grandma it's going to be okay." I offered as she wiped yet another fallen tear from her eyes. 

"No it's not." She said causing me to stop packing and walk over to her. 

"Dani loves me. Can't you see that?" I asked placing my hands on her shoulders. 

"Girl that boy can only love you as much as you love yourself." She said growing frustrated." If he really loved you he'd support you going off to college to pursue your writing. He wouldn't have guilt tripped you into to staying here with his rotten ass." 

"It's not like that." I shrugged dismissing her words. She was so used to having me up under her that the thought of me loving someone else seemed to scare her. 

"Just promise me this." She said grabbing my shoulders. I allowed my eyes to fall to the floor. "Promise me that no matter what bullshit he pumps into your head that you won't let your dreams die in vein."

"Grandma." I whined.

"Grandma my ass." She huffed. "I've spent my better years looking after you. Attempting to right my wrongs and give you the life I should have given your father." She admitted as her voice cracked. "Break this curse." She begged wrapping her hands around my face. 

"What curse grandma?" I asked shaking my head. 

End of Flash back x2 

I awoke half dressed and dazed. My eyes scanned over the room and I quickly realized Dani wasn't home. I sighed in relief before pulling the covers over my chest. I closed my eyes and tried once again to remember the conversation my grandmother and I had the night I left. 

What was she trying to tell me? What had I missed? What curse? 

I groaned before throwing the sheets away. I sat at the edge of the bed and placed my head into my hands. "What curse?!" I yelled into the air. 

My phone began to ring on the night stand. I stared at it for a moment. Before hesitantly grabbing it as if it were my dead grandmother calling from the other side. "Hello." I said finally answering it. 

"Well it's about time you answered one of these damn numbers I've been calling you from." Imena chimed into the phone catching me off guard. 

"Imena ... Hi." I gushed. Not really sure of how to react. 

"Hey there big time!" She gushed. "I heard you got a book deal." She chimed into the phone almost child like. 

"Yeah ... Wait how did you ..." I started shaking my head. 

"Never mind that silly." She seemed so light hearted and free. A long cry from the girl I had grew up with. "You've got to fly out here. You can stay with me until you get on your feet." 

"Don't be silly." I said dismissively before standing to my feet and heading over to our walk in closest. I rummaged through my clothes as she continued to speak. 

"I'm sooo serious. Girl you got next." She said making me roll my eyes. Maybe Dani was right. Hollywood was just full of Holly-weirdos. 

"I can't afford that." I shrugged pushing through my clothes. "Besides it's just in writing. Doesn't mean anything until it's in dollar bills." I laughed pushing aside all of Dani's clothes that threatened to touch mine. Causing a few wads of hundreds to fall onto the floor just beside me. 

I took them into my hand before realizing that he had went into his safe at some point and neglected to close it. "Generational Curses!" A voice boomed from no where almost knocking me on my ass. I looked around as if caught before realizing it was my own mind playing tricks on me. "What's your address?" I asked surprising even myself. 

End of flash back

"I brought you some clean towels." He said barging into the room and scarring the shit out of me. 

I quickly attempted to close my bag. Only to have him step over to me. "Damn." He said swatting my hand away. "Damn." 

A/N 

I'm posting this as is tonight. Probably a shit load of editing to do as well as explaining but hoewell

Regardless this chapter is very important to the story line. 

Questions/Comments/Concerns

Thanks for reading 

No really 

"So let me get this straight ..." Darwin started as I fastened my seatbelt. "You let this dizzy bitch steal your car again. The car we just went to pick up?" He chuckled as he pulled away from the curb.

I however hadn't found the humor in the situation. I didn't care about the car but I couldn't let Darwin know that. So I lied and told him that was my sole purpose for wanting to trick Shani into seeing me in the first place. "You're real funny man you know that." I stated followed by a dry laugh.

"I'm sorry bro. I'm just not understanding how you got finessed twice. I thought I taught you better than that." He was only joking but now was not the time. To be honest my mind was still with Shani. Something wasn't right. I could tell from the moment I returned from the restroom that this Dani character was an unwanted guest. I wanted to press the issue when I first got back to the table but felt as though I may have over stepped my boundaries if I did. Now replaying the scenario in my head I wish I had went with my first mind.

"Pull up just here." I said placing my left hand on his chest suddenly. He looked at me as if I had suddenly grown another head before softly pulling behind a car just to the right of us.

I sat back in my seat and watched this Dani character as he interacted with a few others on a corner just a few blocks away from the diner. I took in the sports cars they all seemed to drive and matching colors they all seemed to wear. And immediately realized he belonged to the BSR. One of the most prominent and respected street racer gangs in Los Angeles. I quickly realized that he was undoubtedly a big part of Shani's past. The same past she was so desperately trying to get away from.

"What are we doing?" Darwin whispered as I focused in on Dani. I noticed how cocky his demeanor was as he flirted with the women around him. "Are we role playing? Like are we on some Bad Boy's three type shit. Because if so I want to be Mike. I know you think you the cutest and your name is already Mike but I definitely embody Mike's character as a whole." Darwin said in all seriousness. I placed my finger to his mouth urging him to shut the fuck up. My finger accidently touched his bottom lip and he roughly slapped my hand away while pretending to gag as he wiped his mouth with his shirt.

I unlocked my phone and made note of Dani's license plate number before he and his crew pulled off. I'd be sure to look into this guy. I had more than enough connections with the BSR from my racing days. And what they wouldn't answer a private investigator would. What ever he had over Shani that had enough power to make her run away in fear would soon come to light. I don't know what she was to him back in the day but she was mine now. And little did he know he was now on my side of town. "Follow him." I whispered. Darwin proceeded to trail behind him from a safe distance. "And oh yeah. I am the cutest." I winked as we entered the freeway. 

Shani 

I quickly unlocked the front door of our apartment before stepping in and shutting the door. I felt as though he was still near. If he had come this far then there was no doubt he already knew exactly where I rested my head. The thought alone placed even more fear into my heart.

"Shani what's going on?" Imena asked emerging from her room as I took it upon myself to glance through the blinds of our living room window. 

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" I repeated over and over as I softly paced the floor. 

"Shani you're scaring me. Did Michael do something? Because he promised me all he wanted to do was talk to you. If that nigga called the cops I swear I'll ... " She huffed grabbing me by the shoulders. 

"Dani found me." I said staring deeply into her eyes as they grew hollow. 

"Wh-what? H-how?" She asked realizing the possible danger we were now both in. 

"I told you he would. I knew this was a bad idea." I admitted stomping over to the sofa and flopping into it. 

"Ok ...  just calm down." She said taking a seat next to me and placing her arm around my shoulder. "Let's just think. Okay." She began to rub my arm in comfort. 

But all I could think about was how this wasn't her fight. And how me staying here any longer would undoubtedly result in her undoing. She had always been a good friend to me and placing her in harms way was out of the question. In that very moment I made up my mind. I had to go. And I needed to go now. 

"Shani!" She yelled behind me after I quickly rose to my feet and jogged to my bedroom. I shut and locked the door behind me. 

I needed to pack a bag and go. I had no clue where I was going. But I was certain I couldn't stay here a moment longer. 

I rummaged through my closest in search of my luggage. I threw it onto my bed and began to stuff what I could into it before forcing it closed. "Shani open this door!" She yelled from the other side. I sat on my bed and watched as she jingled the door knob. 

I lifted my mattress and quickly pulled out the bag I had secretly stuffed into the box board. I placed it next to my luggage and stared at it for a moment. Wondering if taking it was even worth it now. I could feel my cheeks become wet as the tears I had been so desperately trying to contain poured onto my face. 

I could hear my grandmother's voice in my head. "Shani. I've done my best to raise you up right. But you've got your father in you girl. You like to play with fire. And so did he. It's all fun and games at first. But you do realize if you continue to  play with fire ... you're going to eventually get burned. These are wicked games you're playing girl!" 

I roughly wiped the tears from my face and asked my grandmother to continue to look over me. Before running my hands over the dozens of one hundred dollar bills stuffed into the bag beneath me. I zipped the bag shut and threw it over my shoulder. Taking the handle of my luggage into my left hand before unlocking and opening the door with my right. Only to walk right into his chest. 

I pulled my luggage up to my side before folding my arms across my chest. "What are you doing here?" I asked looking into his face. 

He took a step further into me and placed his hand on my cheek. His thumb softly rolling under one of my eyes. As he wiped away one tear another quickly followed the same path. "Let me help you ... I can help you." 

"No you can't." I gently shook my head. "Nobody can." I admitted allowing the feeling of helplessness to takeover. I pulled away from his touch before quickly walking past him as Imena stood in the distance.

"You can't spend your entire life running!" He yelled out to me as I placed my hand on the knob of the front door. "You keep playing with fire Shani ... and you're going to get burned." That last bit stopped me right in my tracks. 

A/N 

I said nothing. I didn't know what to say. I just needed to get the hell out of there. I shook my head as if to say it was nothing before rising to my feet and gathering my things. I headed for the door and could hear Michael call for me as he attempted to quickly place money on the table for the check.

Shani

"Good morning sunshine." Imena chimed as I entered the kitchen.

"Good morning." I said less than enthused. It was Monday morning and I was still in a funk behind Friday nights events. I still couldn't believe that bullshit really happened.

"Girl if you don't fix that chubby little face of yours. It's been two days. And you're still mad. Let it go." She rolled her eyes as she placed a hot cup of joe in front of me.

"I'm not mad." I lied placing the cup against my bottom lip and enjoying the scent.

"If you're not mad then why haven't you returned his car?" She asked with a raised brow.

"Shit. After what he did he's lucky I haven't trashed that bitch." I scuffed. Imena laughed as did I. I talked a lot of shit but had no intentions of doing any such thing. But it felt good to say it.

"I'm surprised he ain't called the police on your crazy ass." She shook her head and I shrugged my shoulders. "I honestly do believe there was some sort of misunderstanding Shani. From what you've told me something just isn't adding up."

"Yeah he misunderstood the difference between my and our. As in this is 'our' house, not 'my' house." I joked taking a sip of coffee. "He also misunderstood the difference between me and other bitches. As in 'other bitches' play those games but not 'me'."

We shared a laugh. A knock at the door however quickly caught both our attention. I raised a brow in confusion. It was 8 o'clock in the morning. Who could possibly be knocking at our door this early.

A smirk spread across Imena's face causing me to cut my eyes at her in suspicion. "You should probably get that?" She said nodding her head toward the door.

I peeped through the peep hole to find Darwin on the other side. I let out a sigh of relief before unlocking the door and pulling it open.  For a moment there I thought maybe this nigga had indeed called the cops on my ass.

"Good morning Darwin." I said after opening the door and stepping aside.

"Good morning Shani." He said with a smile. I turned to walk away and stopped dead in my tracks upon hearing another set of footsteps. My eyes locked with Imena's. She giggled so hard that she began to softly choke on her coffee. 'Good' I thought to myself.

"Good morning Shani." Michael said sending a cold chill down my spine. I rolled my eyes before heading to my bedroom as my bare feet slapped against the hard wood. I grabbed his keys and made my way back to him.

"Here." I said holding his keys out for him to take. I could feel him peering down into my face although I refused to look at him. It's not that I didn't want to. More like I couldn't.

"Can we talk?" He asked gently. But there was nothing left to say as far as I was concerned. I placed his keys in his pocket and took a seat at the table.

"Darwin remember that thing I had to show you in my room?" Imena said standing to her feet.

"What thing?" Darwin asked confused. She softly slapped his arm and he finally got the hint. "Oh that thing." He said following behind her.

I rolled my tongue against the inside of my jaw and folded my arms across my chest as the door closed behind them. I could hear Michael take a few steps closer to me but I refused to look at him. "I gave you your keys. I really don't see what else there is we have to talk about." My tone was flat and icy.

He took a seat across from me as if I'd offered him one. It was clear that he wasn't going to leave anytime soon. I realized that and decided if my tone hadn't been enough maybe my glare would achieve more. My eyes met his and to my surprise he simply stared back unmoved by my scowl.

He took his keys from his pocket and placed them on the table. "If you think I came here to get the car you're wrong. You can keep it for all I care, as long as you agree to hear me out." My eyes softened. "Just hear me out. That's all I'm asking."

I was completely caught off guard by his move. Did this man just offer me a six figure car in exchange for my time? Was he crazy? Or just that serious about what he had to say?

"I'd rather you had brung my shoe." I joked pushing his keys back across the table. There was no way I was accepting such a lavish gift from a guy I barely even knew. Even if the little time we had spent together made me feel as if I knew him better than I actually did.

He smiled placing his fingers against the side of his forehead as if to say 'he had forgotten'. "How about I take you to go get more shoes?" He offered. I raised a suspicious brow.

"I'd rather have that one back. They're my favorite. Besides they have sentimental value." I admitted and he raised a suspicious brow in return. I didn't want to elaborate on why it was important he returned the other half of my lucky pair of shoes. It wasn't something he deserved to know at this point.

"Here I was thinking all women saw shoes as disposable objects once they served their purpose." His shoulders relaxed a bit. He was getting comfortable.

"Well I'm not most women." I declared returning to my original scowl.

"I'm noticing that." He admitted. This time he looked away but at nothing in particular. I was giving him a hard time. But he deserved it.

"Look can I take you out to breakfast? I just wanna explain myself." He returned eye contact. His eyes pleading for my acceptance this time.

I laughed coldly. " First you offer me your car, then new shoes and when all else fails, you offer to take my fat ass to breakfast. Let me guess ... it's because most girls never turn down food!" I yelled slapping my hands down on the table. His eyes bulged and he looked genuinely alarmed by my response.

The door to Imena's room was swiftly yanked open and Darwin attempted to come out before being snatched back in by Imena. I rolled my eyes before returning my attention to Michael. Darwin had better sit his ass back down before he was next.

He looked genuinely dumbfounded. I smirked internally waiting to see if he would eat the bait. I was still very upset with him but a big part of me wanted to at least hear him out. I was mildly impressed with him at this point. He was trying very hard to prove himself to me. But he needed to understand that I wasn't like other girls. He couldn't use his money to apologize to me.

"Shani listen. I'm sorry if I hurt you or disrespected you in any way. Those were not my intentions. I really like you ... and I'm just trying to explain my side of this fucked up situation. I get it. You're not like other girls. Why do you think I'm here? I noticed that from the first moment I laid eyes on you." He pushed his seat back and stood to his feet. "And I asked you to breakfast because I thought maybe your fat ass was hungry." He snarled before beginning to walk away.

I noticed he left the keys on the table yet again. He reached for the door knob but before he could turn it I spoke up. "Michael!" I yelled at his back. He stopped taking a sharp breath and turning toward me.

"I'm always hungry." I admitted with a toothy grin. He cut his eyes at me as a smirk spread across his lips.

****

He took me to a diner he used to frequent and we enjoyed a nice breakfast as he tried his best to explain Lydia and her insane actions that night.

I listened very intently trying my best to keep up. And to my surprise I actually felt kind of bad for the girl. I always found myself sympathizing with women in situations like this. It's clear that she had mistaken his attention and affections for something more. But looking over into his face I couldn't blame her.

I was no stranger to falling heads over heels in love with a charming cutie. I wasn't sure if it was the woman in me or the writer in me that tended to run away with my thoughts. Either way I was left disappointed once I realized the feelings were one sided. I just hoped like I had that Lydia had caught the hint and would carry on with her life. Though something in me strongly made me feel otherwise. This wasn't just a cutie. It was Michael B. Jordan.

"Please excuse me." He said before heading to the restroom.

I took this time to blow bubbles into my half drunken cup of chocolate milk. I had been suppressing the urge to do so in front of him for the fear of him deeming me childish for doing so. If this was childish then childish was I.

"Old habits die hard." An all too familiar voice said.

I closed my eyes and wished the voice away. I had to be hearing things. There was no way I was hearing what and who I thought I was hearing. My greatest fear was confirmed as he took a seat next to me, placing his arm around my shoulders.

"Long time no see twin flame." He said nuzzling his face into the side of my neck. I was completely frozen and unsure of what to do next. I could feel my heart began to thud against my chest. I was sure that Dani could too at this point.

"Dani I ... I ..." I stuttered over my words in fear. A part of me was thankful we were in public but a part of me knew Dani.

"You ... You ... you thought I'd never find you." He whispered wrapping his hand around the back of my neck and digging his nails into my skin. I winched but knew better than to make a scene. "You can't fucking hide from me. Not even in Hollywood. You're still mine no matter how hard you try and convince yourself you're not. You belong to me just like that money you took. And I plan to collect on all debts very soon." He whispered into my ear.

I wanted to scream but nothing came out. He released his grip just as Michael approached our booth. "Hi, I'm Michael." He said cautiously as he extended his hand toward Dani. I was still paralyzed with fear so I hadn't bothered to look up into his face. "Shani are you okay?" He asked in a concerned tone. I felt Dani dig his nails into my knee beneath the table and quickly caught the hint. I placed a fake smile on my face and nodded as Dani placed his hand in Michael's.

"Dani." He said proudly giving Michael a firm handshake. "I'm a huge fan man." He admitted before digging into my knee once more and stepping to his feet. "Nice meeting you man. Shani I'll be seeing you." He said with a wink before walking away.