Emmanuelle

      The last couple of days had been nerve-wracking; my father and I still weren't on good terms and it was starting to get to me. I loved my father and was every bit a daddy's girl but sometimes he got on my damn nerves. Making the transition from being damn near self sufficient for three years and then coming home and being treated like an incompetent child was a little too much. But God forbid someone tells THE Manuello Suarez that he's wrong and needs to calm his nerves.

     I glanced at the clock as my stomach rumbled and decided to finally pull myself out of bed and start my day. It was a little after noon so I was sure my father was out for the day and I think I heard something about Camille spending the day with some of her girlfriends so I didn't have to worry about bumping into, or answering to, anyone.

      I slid out of my bed and yawned deeply as I stretched my limbs before sliding the thin strap of my lace babydoll over my shoulder and made my way into my private bathroom. The central air had the whole house cool but luckily the bathroom had heated marble floors or I would have been freezing out of my mind. My private bathroom was completely designed in warm earth tones with a large jacuzzi tub in the center that was large enough to fit three people and an inviting massage therapy shower off to the side. The tub was looking more than a little inviting but I didn't have hours to spend lounging in the bathroom...well I did but just didn't want to waste my day away soaking in heated bubbles. Instead I entered my walk-in shower and adjusted the faucets so hot water would spray out before heading over to the sink to brush my teeth and wash my face.

      An hour later I left the bathroom feeling refreshed and smelling lightly of lavender. I towel dried my body before smoothing a coat of nectarine blossom & honey scented body crème. With that done I turned on the radio and bobbed my head to the Chris Botti's version of no ordinary love as I slid into my white low rise Cotton Club bikini cut panties and snapped my matching white bra in place. After adjusting the thin straps I rolled on my deodorant before grabbing my white Juicy Couture terry cloth drawstring pants and pulled them on. Just as I pulled on my orange graphic Abercrombie & Fitch tee someone knocked on my bedroom door. The house was empty, well except for the help, so I didn't hesitate when opening the door.

      "Hey Gloria," I replied with a smile as I moved back to allow the forty-something year old woman in my room.

      "Good morning Miss. Suarez..."

      "Emmanuelle," I corrected her.

      My father and Camille were really stiff when it came to the way the 'help' addressed them but I wasn't like that. Our maids, butlers, and cook were people too and it was better to treat them well because you never know when you may need someone. There could come a time when I needed them on my side to cover for me. It was just best to be kind to people because you never know when they might be the one to save you.

      "Emmanuelle," she replied with a smile before pulling a set of keys out of her apron.

      "What's this?" I asked her.

      "Your car keys," she replied as I pulled on a pair of white cashmere ankle socks.

      "Excuse me?" I asked her shocked.

      Like I'd mentioned earlier, I've been in boarding school since I was fourteen so I wasn't home for my sixteenth birthday. My daddy sent me a gift but I didn't have a huge party or the fancy car that came with it. My school did have Driver's Ed so I got my license but I've never been behind the wheel of a car, well except for lessons and the road test.

      "Your car keys, mam," she answered and I was too shocked to correct her. "Your father has had your car waiting for when you returned. It's in the garage."

      "Thank you Gloria," I replied excitedly as I slipped my feet into my orange and white Jordan Hydro flip flops and left my room with my purse and watch in hand.

      I fastened my tangerine Chopard watch over my wrist as I made my way through the house with the garage as my destination. My father had a love for cars, most specifically rare cars that cost more than most people's homes, so the garage was more like a parking deck. From the outside it looked about the size of an average 2,500 sq foot house but it was three levels (a basement, first floor, and second floor) filled with Bentley's, Lamborghini's, Aston Martin's, and various other show cars. I stood in the middle of the first floor glancing around trying to pin point which car could possibly be mine. After looking around and not catching the eye of a simple Mercedes Coup or the SLR McLaren (well one that wasn't the black version my father pre-ordered for himself two years ago) I decided to try my luck and press the alarm button on the key pad.

      Shortly after that tell tale *beep-beep* sounded off and I followed it only to have my mouth drop when I saw the car my father purchased for me. It was a limited edition blue 2005 Saleen S7 with a twin turbo engine. Not only would I be riding in a car that most people had never seen, let alone owned, but it would be the fastest thing on the road. I'm talking 0-60 in less than six seconds. Damn it, I might just have to forgive that man.

Jarell

      It was a little after one in the afternoon when I walked into Applebee's. Normally I would have just had something sent to the office but I had bailed out on 'work' today and Applebee's had great food so I figured what the hell. I walked into the casual dining restaurant and glanced around to make sure there wasn't anyone in the vicinity that I had problems with while I waited for the hostess to bring her ass on and seat me. Just as she was making her way towards me I noticed a familiar face sitting at one of the high tables next to the bar watching a football game on TV.

      "Follow me sir," she started.

      "Can you seat me in that table next to that young lady?" I asked discreetly pointing over to the woman I had come to know as Princess.

      "Sure," she replied before leading me over to the table.

      I sat down and glanced over the menu even though I knew what I was going to order. Honestly, I was just thinking of a way to approach the woman across from me. Usually I didn't have a problem spitting game to a female but this woman was different. One, I wasn't trying to get with her. And two, she belonged to Manuello and so I had to tread with caution.

      "Are you just going to stare at me or are you going to speak?" her voice rang out as she took a sip of her icy drink.

      "Excuse me?" I asked with shock as she turned to face me.

      "I think you heard me perfectly well," she replied. "But I'll repeat myself if you so desire."

      "No, that's aight."

      "So is there something you wanted?" she asked as she cocked her head to the side.

      My waiter hadn't arrived yet so I left my seat and took the empty one across from her. "Actually, I was wondering about something."

      "And what was that?" she asked me just as her food arrived.

      I paused long enough to give her waitress my order before turning back to her. "How is it that you came to be Manuello's mistress Princess?"

      She was taking a sip of her drink and chocked causing me to slap her on the back as she got herself in control. The look on her face was one of absolute shock and if I wasn't so interested in her answer, and not offending her, I would have laughed at the moment.

      "Mistress? Who told you that bit of nonsense?" she asked with a grimace on her face.

      "Let’s just say I have a very reliable source Princess," I replied.

      "Well obviously your source isn't as reliable as you think and why do you keep calling me Princess? That is not my name," she replied causing me to pause.

      "Then what is your name?" I asked her.

      "What's your interest in Manuello?" she asked me ignoring my question.

      "Not quite the same as yours," I replied smartly.

      She stared at me for a minute and nodded before grabbing her purse and pulling out a crisp fifty dollar bill and laid it on the table before sliding out of her seat. I watched her in amazement. No female has ever walked out on me before.

      I jogged after her and my mouth dropped when I saw the car she was heading towards. "This is you?"

      "I thought the gesture I made in the restaurant was clear. I'm finished speaking with you. Have a productive day," she replied before sliding in the drivers sear, pulling down the Lamborghini door, and speeding off the property.

Emmanuelle

      I was strolling through Nieman Marcus wishing I had took my father's G-Wagon instead of my sports car because there was so many things I wanted to purchase but my car didn't have enough room for the bags. Just as I finished grabbing the Chanel cosmetics I had been running low on I heard someone call my name and turned around to see a petite girl dressed casually in a sheer sequened tank, a pair of low rise Seven jeans, and a simple pair of peach colored sandals. The girl looked somewhat familiar but I couldn't, for the life of me, remember her name.

      "Natalie?" I asked her once she got close. There wasn't too many people my father had allowed me to associate with so if this girl wasn't Natalie, then I had no idea who she was and how she knew me.

      "What's up girl?" she asked me before embracing me in a quick hug. "How have you been?"

      "I've been doing well and you?" I asked her as she flung her hair over her shoulder.

      "Living life. You know I go to Palm Crest right?" she asked.

      "No, I didn't," I replied.

      "What about you?" she asked being her nosy self.

      "I'm trying to talk my father into letting me apply to Miami's School for the Visual and Performing Arts," I replied.

      "Really?" she asked before rolling her eyes in annoyance, "I tried to get in but they wait listed me. Told me if one of the people there on scholarship didn't do as well as expected then I'd get in. Needless to say I never got that call. Good luck to you, though."

      I nodded, not knowing how to take that statement. Was she trying to say I couldn't get in because she didn't or was that some backwards compliment?

      "So what are you up to tonight?" she asked.

      "I had planned anything spectacular, why?" I inquired.

      "Well this guy I'm seeing invited me to a pool party he's hosting for a couple of his close friends and I thought you might like to tag along," she replied.

      "Now you know I'm not a plus one," I replied with a smirk.

      She rolled her eyes before saying, "I'll be by your house by nine to pick you up. Make sure you bring a bathing suit." With that said she gave me another hug before heading off to finish her shopping.

Omari

      "So what happened?" I asked Jarell as he sat down on one of my pool chairs and relayed his meeting with Manuello's mistress, or at least who I thought was his mistress.

      "I don't know what's up with that girl but from her reaction I'm pretty sure that she isn't sleeping with Manuello even though she's unbelievably loyal to him," Jarell replied.

      "Did she at least explain why they were arguing?" I asked Jarell as this hoe walked past in this itty-bitty black bikini.

      "She made it clear that she didn't owe me any explanations," he replied before grabbing an offered beer from one of the trays circulating around the pool.

      Tonight was an unbelievably warm night and perfect for a pool party. Just as that thought hit me Natalie, one of my thang-thang's, walked in looking damn near edible in her hunter green beaded bikini. She wasn't as blessed in the chest department as some but she worked what she had to the fullest and had a fat ass that just called to be smacked. A simple circular diamond belly ring accentuated her stomach and high heeled stilettos covered her perfectly painted toes. Just then I noticed the person she was talking to.

      The girl next to her was slightly shorter but even with her petite stature the girl had noticeable curves that tried to hide beneath a sheer aqua top and skirt that matched her bikini perfectly. Full breasts that were more than a hand full were molded perfectly to the halter of her bikini top while her skirt tried to hide a phat ass and thick thighs. A blue emerald cut topaz and diamond studded belly ring rested over her sculpted abs and a simple white gold harem body chain hooked around her neck and waist while the a thin chain aligned perfectly with her belly ring. Her bare feet were covered with a white gold beaded rope that looked to be a sandal with no bottom. It was weird but she was working it. It wasn't until they were two feet away that I realized who the second girl was.

      "I guess you'll have a chance to speak to her again, seeing as she's coming this way," I mentioned to Jarell. His head snapped up and took the woman in as the pair stopped in front of us.

      "Hey baby," Natalie replied before leaning down and kissing me firmly on the lips.

      "Hey, who's your friend?" I asked curiously causing her friend to turn her attention to me.

      She looked at me curiously but spoke before Natalie could respond. "I'm Emmanuelle and you are?"

      "Omari, funny thing though," I replied with a nod while staring at her to see if she recognized me, "I would have pegged you for a Princess."

      Natalie glanced at the two of us concerned but Emmanuelle/Princess barely even budged. She arched an eyebrow and smirked before turning her attention to Jarell who had been a silent spectator.

      "I'm guessing he was your oh-so reliable source, huh?" she asked.

      "Excuse me?" Jarell asked not sure how to respond.

      "Since you're so interested in knowing my name," she started, "why don't you give me yours."

      "Jamonte," he answered.

      "Funny," she said cocking her head to the side, "I would have piqued you as a Jarell, Mr. Houston."

      "How did you know my name?" he asked her shocked.

      "Let's just say my sources are better than yours," she answered with a wink before walking off.

Emmanuelle

      "What was that?" Natalie asked me as I pulled off my sheer cover-up and slid into the bubbling jacuzzi.

      "What was what?" I asked her as I pinned my hair up as to not get wet.

      "That whole thing between you and Jarell?" she asked.

      "He was at a party my father threw and for some insane reason he assumed I was my father's mistress," I answered.

      "He didn't," she said shocked.

      I just looked at her. "Well I know you set him straight."

      "Not in so many words," I replied.

      "And why not?" she asked shocked.

      "I just want to see how far he'll go to get the information he wants to know," I replied.

      "So you're going to let this man go around thinking your fucking your own father?" she asked in a disgusted tone.

      "He shouldn't have assumed anything about me to begin with. Since he was going around being sneaky instead of coming up to me and asking me my name and how I knew Manuello, I wasn't going to be all forthcoming. If he had been up front we wouldn't be in this situation to begin with," I replied.

      "You don't even know who you're playing games with," Natalie replied as she shook her head.

      "Enlighten me," I replied.

      "Nah," she replied moving away as if she was scared to say anything.

      "Damn, it's like that?" I asked her.

      "All I'm saying is that I'm not putting my ass on the line. Like you said before if he wanted to know he should have asked you, maybe you should follow your own advice," Natalie replied before leaving the water and heading over to Omari.

      I sighed and closed my eyes and tried to relax. Just then the water shifted and someone sat next to me. Nothing was said, one because I was comfortable and two...it was a free country and whoever was in here with me was free to do so as long as they didn't touch me.

      "How about we start over," Jarell's baritone offered.

      I opened one eye and stared at him closely before saying, "What is your relationship with Manuello Suarez?"

      "I guess you can say we work together from time to time," he replied.

      "Hmm," I replied knowing that it was more to it than that but left it alone, "And what is it that you do?"

      "I own a few businesses," he replied shortly.

      "Why were you so interested in me?"

      He sighed before saying, "I've known Manuello for a while now and it was unlikely for him to have a mistress, let alone someone he brought around with his wife. But the fact is that you didn't look anything like his wife and then the two of you had an argument upstairs away from everyone. I just assumed..."

      "Well, when you assume you make an ass out of u and me," I replied, "Imagine how angry Manuello would have been, had he found out that you were spreading rumors that he was having an affair. And with his own daughter no less."

      His mouth dropped in shock. It took everything in me not to laugh at his facial expression. "It can't be."

      "But it is. My name in Emmanuelle Suarez."