Page 5 of Bodyguard My Heart

Sighing, I pulled my car into an empty parking space at the sushi spot. Telling my brother the truth had been on the tip of my tongue, but I freaked out at the last minute, and a partial truth escaped my mouth instead.

“I don’t know,” I managed to say.

“You don’t know?” he mimicked. Not too many things stressed Demetrius out the way I did. He had been on my bumper every day about telling Royale the truth. The truth, however, was complicated, and I wasn’t ready for the backlash it might cause. Well, some days I was, and some days I wasn’t.

“I don’t know. It felt like the right thing to say. Ro was talking about his marriage and… I don’t know. Was he mad?” I’d left before I could get a reaction.

“He asked questions I ain’t know how to answer, Samara. The shit caught me off guard. He got too much going on right now to process our shit. I’m sure he’ll be bringing it up again.”

“What did you tell him?”

“The truth.”

“The truth!” I gasped.

“Yeah, I’m trying to pursue you, and you are playing games, baby girl.”

My mouth fell open at his statement. Of everything I expected him to say to Ro, telling him he was trying to pursue me wasn’t on the list.

“Another partial truth, huh?” I shrugged as if he could see me.

“I guess so. I’m just playing yo’ game, baby girl,” he replied, making me blush and fume at the same time. Wasn’t nobody playing games with Demetrius. He was the one playing games with me.

“You the one playing the games, Demetrius!” I hoped he could hear the anger in my voice. “I’m about to go order my lunch. I’ll call—”

“Somebody should bring your order out in a few minutes.” He interrupted me. Taking my hand off my car door, I sat back in my seat. Why did he always have to do that? Demetrius knew where I was before I knew where I was going.

“I wish you wouldn’t clock my every move.”

“You’re the wife of a very dangerous man. You’re always going to be tracked.”

I looked around, spotting the old-school Tahoe on the corner. The windows were tinted, but I knew it was full of masked-up shooters and people waiting to swarm if anyone tried anything. It was the thing I hated about being married and attached to Demetrius, no matter how he tried to hide the security or dress it up. My life was in danger twenty-four-seven, and that was a lifestyle I didn’t want to live forever.

“Did you get the flowers?” he asked. My eyes looked at the pile of roses sitting on the passenger seat. A happy anniversary ribbon dangled from the stems.

“I got them,” I sang sarcastically.

“Happy anniversary, baby girl,” Demetrius stated. Nothing was happy about being forced to stay married to someone you wanted nothing to do with.

“I take it you haven’t signed the divorce papers yet,” I responded.

Year five had come and gone, and we were still married. Demetrius refused to grant me a divorce. He had this crazy idea of staying married and starting a real relationship. I guess somewhere down the line, he’d caught feelings. It could have had something to do with the countless slip-ups we’d had over the years, but I thought we both understood that was just sex.

“Let this be the last time I tell your hardheaded ass. Ain’t no divorce. I don’t care how many papers you leave in my mailbox.”

“Demetrius, we can’t stay married forever. That was not the agreement.” I reminded him.

“The agreement was dead the moment you hopped your lil ass on this dick. You are my wife, and the quicker you accept it, the sooner we can bring this shit to Ro and stop hiding.”

“The only thing that needs to stop is your delusional behavior, Demetrius.”

“The only person acting delusional is you, wife. Now I have to handle some shit with Ro tonight and tomorrow, but we can celebrate when I get back. Enjoy your lunch.” He hung up before I could get another word in.

“Ugh!” I let out a frustrated grunt. Did I have feelings for Demetrius? Yes, but we couldn’t happen the way he wanted for so many reasons. Demetrius represented everything my brother had warned me to stay away from. I’d spent most of my life fighting to be free of my father and his precious cartel, but somehow, I’d been tied to the one man who controlled it all.

“Ugh!” I let out another frustrated grunt as a loud knocking on my car window startled me.

“Miss, your food!” the restaurant worker shouted, holding up a white, plastic bag.

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