Page 4 of Finding My Bodyguard

“Oh my.” I fumbled with the bottle, brought it down to the table, and searched for a napkin to clean myself up.

“Slow down, ma. Let me help you.” The stranger moved to me with a napkin in hand. He patted my chin dry. His gaze on me never wavered. Now that he was closer, the familiarity of his face puzzled me. He looked so familiar, but I couldn’t pinpoint exactly who he was. It was bothering me. `

“A beautiful woman like yourself shouldn’t be drinking out the bottle.” He spoke low but loud enough for me to hear him over the music.

I scoffed. Good thing I didn’t ask you then, I thought. I didn’t need another man telling me what was unladylike for me to do. I’d heard it all before.

“Good thing I didn’t a—”

“Here, let me pour it for you. Like I said, you shouldn’t be drinking out the bottle alone.” Before I could process what was going on, he was standing over me with the bottle of tequila.

“Lean your head back.” My eyes traveled the length of him. He was taller than Kashus, and his presence was massive. My body was reacting to him, and I felt guilty about it. This interaction had already gone too far. It was dangerous for both of us.

As I stared at the familiar stranger, I didn’t care about any risks. I tipped my head back, throwing caution to the wind, allowing my hair to swing down my back. My mouth opened, and I glared at the fine man before me.

“Wider, beautiful. Stick out that tongue.”

Something about his words sent tingles through my body. Tingles that had me spreading my mouth wide and sticking out my tongue.

“There you go. Take that shit!” He coached me as he continued to pour the liquor down my throat. His voice was low, and my senses were heightened. Everything about this moment was turning me on. My nipples were peeking through the little black dress I had on as the liquor sailed down my throat.

“Nah, Ro, not her!”

An unknown male’s voice pierced my ears, causing me to tilt my head up.

“That is Kash’s fiancée, nigga.” My eyes bounced between the two beautiful strangers and then to everyone in our section. All eyes were on me, and I knew then that I had fucked up. Fear overtook me as I looked around the club, frantically searching for Kash. He was still missing in action, but I knew this incident was bound to get back to him. I was sure the strange man was about to book it out of there, but I was completely caught off guard when he closed the space between us.

“Stay, beautiful, and no more liquor for you tonight,” he whispered in my ear. Briskly, he tucked the bottle under his arm and headed out of the section with his friend. He’d spoken to me even after he knew who I was. His boldness was sexy. I watched him until he disappeared out of the club, hoping that he would be safe. I didn’t know him, but he’d helped to take my mind off Kashus and his baby mamas, if only momentarily. Gazing at my phone, I took one more glance at the time. Kashus’s time was up. Standing from the couch, I moved to my personal security detail.

“I’m ready to go, Rah.” I informed him. Rah had been my security detail since I’d moved to Bristol City. He was related to Kashus on his mother’s side. Rah used to be Kashus’s right-hand man, but they’d demoted him to my security because he was gay. He didn’t really say much to me but he wasn’t an asshole either. His loyalty was to his family, and I understood that.

“I’ll have the car come around.” He nodded as he extended his arm for me to latch onto. As we headed out of the club, I finally spotted Kash. I froze momentarily as what I was witnessing registered in my head. My fiancé was leaving the bathroom with Drea and Whitney. All three of them had freshly fucked looks across their faces. To know something was happening was one thing, but to witness it was another. My heart pounded in my chest, and my feet couldn’t move.

“Are you ready, Monroe?” Rah asked breaking my gaze on Kashus. He attempted to move us toward the exit, but I wouldn’t move. I wanted him to see me. This man had just ditched me to fuck his baby mamas in a club bathroom. As if on cue, Kashus’s eyes found mine. There was no look of regret on his face. I could start a scene, but it would only end in me looking stupid in public. Taking a deep breath, I turned to Rah.

“I’m ready. Let’s go.”

Rah nodded as he walked me out of the club. The fresh, cold air hit my face, alerting me of the tears falling from my eyes. Looking around, I saw the handsome stranger from the club as he climbed into the back of a black SUV. Immediately, thoughts of the stranger flooded my mind. I wanted to know who he was, but I didn’t have enough guts to stop and ask him. It was no use. I was arranged to be married to Kashus. It was my fate, and nothing would change about that.

Dr. Royale “Ro” London

“Nigga, you trying to get us killed over a bitch.” My best friend, Meechie, shook his head as we slid into the back of the black SUV.

I couldn’t do anything but laugh as thoughts of the thick, chocolate beauty flashed in my mind. I could pretend I didn’t know she was Kashus’s fiancée, but I knew. Meechie had given me the rundown on everyone when we arrived. I didn’t mind playing with fire by approaching her. She was beautiful. The most beautiful woman I’d seen in a long time, and she needed some company because her supposed fiancé was in the bathroom fucking two loose-looking chicken head hos, whose surgeries I’d probably done.

“That nigga ain’t the only nigga with a gun.” I waved him off. Meechie knew nobody could stop me from doing what I wanted. I didn’t get scared easily.

“Oh, so Mr. Straight and Narrow Doctor gon’ come up out the scrubs and shoot a nigga now? OK,” Meechie joked, making me burst into laughter.

“Doctor or not, you know I’m always carrying,” I replied.

It was the truth. Everyone around me liked to joke about my decision to leave the family business and become a doctor. Dedicating my entire life to the cartel, murdering, and destroying families wasn’t my thing. I wanted something different out of life, so I set out to get it. That didn’t mean I was no pussy ass nigga. I was born to be a killer, heir to the London Cartel. I stayed with my Glock just in case a nigga thought he could try me.

“Don’t I know it, nigga? You better hope yo’ lil stunt didn’t ruin my business dealings with that nigga Kashus. I ain’t trying to hear yo’ pops mouth.”

“I don’t care either way.” The London Cartel was my father Matthew’s pride and joy. Even from behind bars, he still controlled the daily business dealings. Meechie was the head of the organization, but my father still called most of the shots. It was a job that was supposed to be mine, but I’d retired before it started. After my father was sent to federal prison and a rival crime family killed my little brother, I quit. I took college seriously and became a plastic surgeon. It was a choice my father still hated me for. To him, I was a disgrace to his legacy.

The only reason why I wasn’t completely exiled from the cartel was because of Meechie. He was my best friend. We’d grown up together. His father was my father’s right-hand man. Everything we’d been through in life, we’d been through it together. From learning to shoot our first gun to getting our first pieces of pussy. It was honorable that Meechie hadn’t turned his back on me because of my decision not to be a gangster. Besides, I’d been the one to vouch for him and turn my position as head of the cartel over to him. It was my first and last decision as head of the London cartel. Whenever he needed me, I was there, and vice versa.