Page 28 of Finding My Bodyguard

“Let’s go eat.” She allowed me to lead her out of the greenhouse and into the kitchen.

“Aunt V brought over lunch. I had her put it in the microwave,” I said as I led her over to the counter to have a seat before walking to the microwave.

“We’re going to eat naked?” she questioned.

“Yeah, we can get dressed later.” I shrugged my shoulders and removed the two plates of food from the microwave. Luckily, they were still warm.

“I’m very comfortable being naked, Monroe.” I set the food down in front of her and took my seat.

“I am too… when I’m alone.” She moved around on the chair uncomfortably.

“Then pretend you’re alone.” I bit into my food. She looked like she was about to say something else, but the blaring sound of my phone ringing from the greenhouse stopped her.

“I’ll be right back,” I told her as I removed myself from the table and headed back into the greenhouse. My phone stopped ringing just as I reached the door but started right back up again. It had to be urgent if someone was calling repeatedly. Finally reaching my phone, I glanced at the caller. It was Meechie. I swiped the screen to answer the call.

“Yeah, bro?”

“I hope you on your way back to Miami.” I could tell by his voice that something was up.

“What’s wrong, nigga?”

“Kashus wants his fiancée back. He’s put an APB out on her in the streets. I don’t think he’s alerted Mr. Iris yet.”

“Good; let him scramble.”

“You want me to set up the meeting with Mr. Iris?”

I shook my head. “Naw! I haven’t told her about getting married, yet.” My eyes shot to the door. Everything was falling into place perfectly. As I predicted, Kashus wouldn’t go straight to Monroe’s dad because he didn’t want to risk looking incapable of taking care of her. It gave me just enough time to swing in and be the hero. All I had to do now was get Monroe on board with the rest of the plan. That was the complicated part. I didn’t want to be another man in her life that was forcing something on her or telling her what to do. I already cared too much about her for that.

“Fuck, nigga! You may not have that much time. What are you waiting on?” Meechie was stressed. I could hear it in his voice. I was changing the plan, and he knew me well enough to know when I was changing my mind.

“I can’t force another marriage on her, Meechie. I gotta come up with another way.” I rubbed my hand across my forehead.

“If you don’t marry her, the only other way is to dry up their pockets, and that may get bloody.” Meechie chortled. I thought about what he’d said. The original plan was to marry Monroe to save her from having to marry Kashus. Her father couldn’t marry her off if she was already married. Just having the London last name would allow her a certain level of protection. We would only need to be married on paper, and she would be free. It was the perfect plan, but the more I got to know her, the worse I felt about forcing her into another marriage—on paper or not.

“Let’s try to avoid the blood bath. I ain’t tryna get into the field. I’ll be back within the next few hours. Set up the meeting.”

“And say what when we get there?” Meechie shot back. It was a valid question. One I had no real answer to, but I would figure it out before then.

“Say I’m your wife,” Monroe blurted, causing me to turn around. She was standing in the doorway with her naked body glistening in the sun. I raised my eyebrows in confusion and intrigue. She’d heard me. I stared into her eyes, searching for her certainty.

“You heard me?”

She nodded, stepping into the greenhouse.

“My father only wants me to marry Kashus for his connections. If I'm already married, there’s nothing he can do about it. Besides, the London name holds more weight than the Grants. He’ll be pissed at first, but he won’t rip me away from you to put me back with Kashus.”

I stared at her for a moment, intrigued that she was willing to go through with it, but I wouldn’t let her. I couldn’t.

“You don’t have to marry me, Monroe. We’ll get another plan.”

“This is the best plan,” she replied.

“She’s right,” Meechie agreed, interrupting the stare I had on Monroe.

“You sure you want to do this? We’ll just be married on paper, but you’ll still be running from one marriage to another one.” I neared her, wanting to make sure she was aware of everything she’d be getting herself into. Monroe’s eyes lit up, and a confidence I hadn’t seen in her shined through them.

“Yeah, that may be true… but with this one, marrying you is my choice. I don’t feel forced, and it’ll only be on paper, right?”

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