Page 8 of Dottie's Forbidden Wizard
I swallow hard and blink. Tall, dark, and handsome, with intense eyes that burn into my soul. Ten years, and my heart still pounds out of my chest at the sight of him and his broody intensity. Time stops, the rest of the world falls away, and for a single, exciting moment, it's only Maddox and me.
And then the bubble pops.
He gives me an icy glare before starting his bike with a loud rumble and peeling out of the driveway.
My brain stops working as I watch him disappear. Good to know the butterflies I always experienced whenever I was in his presence back in the day were not a figment of my imagination.
I let out a low breath and squeeze my legs together, tryingnotto picture him riding me instead of that gorgeous bike.
I grit my teeth.The Ozellas are trying to ruin your brothers' lives,I chide myself. Time to stop being a slutty hussy and focus.Glancing at the hideous front door again, I shake my head. I need a better plan.
***
After massive amounts of coffee, a stroll through Granger's orchard, and a much-needed nap, my brain resets. I'm grateful the Ozella patriarch was gone this morning because… what was I thinking? That man won’t listen to me. He's ruthless and calculating. I need to destroy him in the same way he destroys others.
He's vile scum of the earth, who desperately wants public approval. What I need is dirt on him. Something that would ruin him if it were to get out. And luckily for me, I'm about to spend hours in his tacky mansion. If I should stumble upon a deeply buried secret in the process, so be it.
Hours later, I've squeezed my curvy ass into the scrap of cloth that Toto calls a uniform and am gliding through Frank Ozella's fundraiser like a serving ghost. Nobody bothers to acknowledge I exist unless they demand a fresh glass of champagne, and even then, only a few guests actually look me in the eye. I grin as I offer trays of Granger's nut tarts—a joke these snooty wizards would never appreciate.
I wince, switching the tray to the other hand. My right hand is still sore from banging on the front door earlier today. I keep an eye on the hallway outside the ballroom. So far, security is on a two-minute rotation, which means I only have thirty seconds to slip beyond the doors and down the side hallway. As I contemplate how I’ll return to the party once I'm done snooping, a voice from my past catches my attention.
"Oh, my. Is that Dottie Gale? They didn't have a skirt in your size, darling?" Griselda Westing's honied voice is like living music—a stark contrast to her caustic words.
"My, my," another abrasive feminine voice joins in. "Look what the cat dragged in."
I square my shoulders as Vera Eastwood's cackle rings out, ready to face the wickedest witches ofEmerald City Prep.
"Tarts?" I ask, bringing the platter of desserts around in front of me.
Griselda raises one perfectly arched brow as she looks at the tray and wrinkles her nose. "When I found out your little lap dog was catering this event, I just about died. So many better options in Oz, but Mr. Ozella is such a kind and generous soul and likes to throw a bone to the underdog every once in a while."
Griselda's comments draw attention, and a few people nearby laugh.
Vera makes a barking noise as dusty and dry as her shriveled little heart, sneering at Toto's amazing food.
I hold my tongue, refusing to give in to the goading. I stood up to them on my first day of school, and I still have the scars—physical and emotional—as a reminder that some people are simply more powerful.
Griselda leans in so close that I can smell the waxy scent of her lipstick as her hot breath fans my cheek. "Now I'm in charge of Frank's publicity and events, your little friend won’t get anywhere near future Ozella fundraisers." She grins, but the threat is clear.
Everyone at the party has been raving about the food, yet Griselda is going out of her way to destroy Toto's reputation. Is she the reason Toto is losing customers? For what purpose, though?
Griselda suddenly squeals, startling me as she bumps my arm and races toward whoever is behind me.
"Maddie-baby, so good to see you," she purrs in her sexy, smoky voice.
I want to tell her that she could make bank as a phone sex operator in the real world but bite my tongue.
"Playing with the help, Griselda?"
Maddox Ozella's deep voice oozes over me. My breath hitches, and my nipples instantly pucker.
I turn around and lock eyes with the one man I hate to love. If I thought he looked good riding away on a motorcycle earlier today, it’s nothing compared to the sinful way he fills out a suit.
Griselda plasters herself to Maddox’s side, grabbing his tie in one hand and running the fingers of the other through the hair at the nape of his neck. "Maddie, I'm so glad you're back in town." She leans forward, planting a small kiss on his cheek. "We have so much to catch up on."
I turn away quickly, not wanting to witness any more of their reunion. Checking the time, I realize the security lapse is approaching. It's now or never.
Vera Eastwood steps directly into my path before I can slip away. Her black snakeskin dress couldn’t be more fitting—cold and deadly. "Say hi to yourbrothersfor me." She eyes me over her glass with a sick grin before strutting away.
