5. Monroe

"Every plastic surgeon in the Miami area is booked this week, Tessa! Booked!" I shouted into the phone. I was having a mental breakdown. "What the fuck am I going to do?"

I plopped down on the hotel loveseat. It felt like the first time I'd sat down since I'd left Dr. London's office. I couldn't believe he'd refused to give me surgery. It had thrown me off. It was none of his business why I was getting my body done. His job was to operate, not be a damn psychologist.

Leaning back on the couch, I made myself comfortable. Thanks to Dr. London, I'd been franticly moving around, calling, and dropping by plastic surgeons' offices all day, attempting to find someone to do my surgery. Four hours later, I'd come up with nothing. After retreating to my hotel room, I'd resorted to calling plastic surgeons in other areas. It didn't matter how much money I'd thrown at them, the story was the same. There were no openings. The earliest availability was at an office in Arizona six weeks from now.

The timeframe wasn't ideal because it didn't give me enough time to heal before the wedding, but if it was my only hope, I would have to take it. I wanted to scream! I was done crying. I wished my fiancé was here to help me sort this out, but Kashus had left. He'd hopped on his private jet and returned home with only a text message as to why. Maybe my brain was foggy, but I wasn't even surprised or upset by his actions. It was on brand for Kashus. He was a selfish asshole, but what could I do about it? I wasn't getting the surgery now, so what did it matter? Maybe this was for the best. If Kashus couldn't support me through this, should I be changing my body for him?

"First, you're going to calm down," Tessa instructed, bringing my attention back to her. I held up the phone. Staring at her puffy caramel face, I admired her beauty and calmness. My little brother or sister had been treating her well. She was glowing.

"I'm sorry, Tessa. I… I… I don't know what I'm going to do." I was so upset I was stuttering.

"Why did the doctor deny the procedure again?"

"He said I didn't need it… and then he started asking me all these questions I couldn't answer." I didn't know why I'd frozen like that in his office. I knew what answers I was supposed to give, but I couldn't find the words in his presence. He made me nervous, made me feel vulnerable… Like I was in a safe place. I didn't realize he would cancel my procedure.

"You don't need it, and what type of questions did he ask?"

"Stupid shit, like why I wanted the surgery and if Kashus was making me do it," I whined. "You know, stuff I couldn't answer!"

Tessa giggled, most likely from my dramatics.

"And if you can"t answer them, then you don't need to be getting surgery. I agree with the surgeon," she replied, causing my mouth to drop.

"Tessa, you're not helping."

"What? You know I'm against this whole thing. If I'd known putting your body on an operating table was part of this deal, I would have never let it happen." Tessa rolled her eyes. She was more pissed than I was when we found out what my father had agreed to. By that time, it was too late. I was living with Kashus, and he'd already started combining his business with my father's.

"I'm sure it was nothing you could have done about the surgery arrangement. You know that man is stubborn. He wants me married to Kashus Grant, no matter the cost."

"Please, your father may be big and bad to everyone else, but not to me. He's really sweet and understanding. I'm going to talk to him," she replied, making me roll my eyes. Something had shifted in Tessa and my father"s marriage since I'd left. They seemed to be in a real marriage. It made my skin crawl sometimes when she tried to discuss their love life, but most of the time, it made me angry. She spoke of my father in a way I'd never met him. He wasn't any of the things for me or my mother growing up that he is for her, and it pissed me off.

"Don't bother, Tessa." I huffed. We sat in silence for a moment as I thought about what was next. If I couldn't get the surgery, would the wedding be called off? Would it be pushed back? My father had made it clear that my only option was to marry Kashus or be forced into the real world alone. Sometimes, I thought about taking all the money I could and fleeing but staying in the familiar beat out the unknown every time in my head.

"You know anybody that ever left this life behind, Tessa?"

"Nobody that survived." Tessa sighed.

"J-I…"

A knock on the door caused me to stop talking. My head swiveled to look at the front door of my hotel room. I tapped my phone to glance at the time. It was nine o'clock at night, and everybody who knew I was here, except for Rah, was thousands of miles away. I stared at the door for a moment, contemplating if I should open it. Rah had his own key, plus his room was a conjoining one.

"Was that a knock?" Tessa questioned, causing me to jump.

"Yes, I don't know who it could be," I replied. Another round of knocks rang out, forcing me to stand and move to the door. Whoever it was wasn't going away without an answer. I leaned over to peek out the peephole as I approached the door. What? I pressed my head into the door as if it would give me a better look at the tall, chocolate masterpiece waiting for me to answer. Dr. London? My eyes had to be deceiving me. What was he doing here?

"Who"s at the door?" Tessa's voice thundered through the phone, making me jump back from the door.

"It's him!" I was nervous. I didn't understand why. My heart suddenly was beating uncontrollably.

"Him who? Monroe, stop speaking vaguely!"

"The doctor. Dr. London. My plastic surgeon." I pressed my forehead back to the peephole. This time, I was met with his handsome smirk. He knew I was looking. Oh my God, he could hear me through the door.

"Are you going to open it?" Tessa questioned. "Maybe he changed his mind."

Was I going to open it? I didn't know. Dr. London showing up at my suite was strange. How would he have known where I was staying? I didn't accept his offer to stay at the recovery house. Instead, I'd gotten a presidential suite at a luxury hotel. I didn't need any reminders of the surgery that wouldn't be.

"Your father just walked in. Answer the door. I'll call you back."

"Maybe you should stay on the phone. What if he's some psycho killer?" I whispered.

Tessa laughed. "I doubt it, Monroe. The man is a doctor." She huffed, probably tired of my theatrics. "If I don't hear from you in five minutes, I'll call Rah. Ten, and I'll send a team."

Dr. London knocked again.

"Answer the door, bye." Tessa disconnected the call before I could say anything else.

"Open the door, Monroe," I coached myself, letting the air in my lungs release into a deep breath. Without any more hesitation, I opened the door.

"Dr. London?" It came out as more of a question than a greeting.

"Do you want out?" His thick voice and sexiness greeted me. He wasn't in his scrubs and white coat anymore. He'd replaced it with a white T-shirt and sweats.

"Out?" I repeated as I stared at him. What did he mean out?

"Out of your arrangement with Kashus Grant. That's what you're in, right? An arrangement?" He pushed past me and entered my room, closing the door behind him. His words caught me off guard at first. Then I remembered he'd been at Kashus's birthday party. He was in his private area, which meant they were acquainted. Kashus had probably told him about us.

"Is he making you get your body done?" His eyes bounced around the room before finding mine. "You here alone?" He rambled another question. My heart beat rapidly as so many thoughts filled my head. I looked toward the door to Rah's room.

"My security is here… in the next room." I pointed toward the door. That was stupid. I may have just given him the ammunition he needed to kill me or something. I clenched my phone in my hand, preparing to redial Tessa.

He ordered, "Get all your personal belongings. Leave the phone."

"I… I… you… um… Dr. London." I stumbled over my words. I was speechless. His boldness had grabbed a hold of my tongue. I couldn't form a single coherent thought. I needed to pull it together, but the closer he got to me, the more my executive functioning skills seemed to fail.

"Royale." He neared me. "My name is Royale. Most people call me Ro."

I just stared at him. The oxygen fled my brain. I didn't think I'd ever been this discombobulated in my entire twenty-eight years of life. There were so many questions I should have been asking. I should have called Tessa back or made a run for Rah's door. This man was crazy, but as I stared at him, I only saw an answer to every question I was just asking Tessa. What if I fled?

"Are you here to discuss my surgery?" I questioned, maybe I was hallucinating. I needed clarity on why he was here.

"Not at all. I'm here to free you." He closed the space between us.

"Free me? I'm confused, Dr. London. What are you talking about?" He didn't respond. Instead, I felt his hand brush over my face and pull me in closer. His touch awakened everything in my body. This was crazy, and everything in me told me to push him away, but I couldn't. The same weird urge seemed to wash over me every time he was in my presence.

"You're so fucking beautiful, Monroe, and after today, you'll never be in the position where you don't feel as beautiful as you are. Where you don't have a say so in your body." He leaned his head down. His lips were inches away from mine.

"I want to kiss you. Is that cool?" he whispered. I should have said no. I didn't know this man, but I needed to feel his lips as I melted into his grasp.

"Ye—" My words were cut off by his lips crashing into mine. I opened my mouth to welcome his tongue. The sensation that shot through me was nothing I'd ever felt. His lips stayed on mine as he backed me into the wall. Everything about this was crazy and dangerous. I was promised to Kashus. I could be killed for allowing another man this close to me to touch me in this manner, but I couldn't stop. I didn't have control over my own body anymore. Dr. London was in control.

"Fuck," he moaned as he backed me into the wall. "I'm not here for sex or to force you to do anything you don't want to do." His hands roamed my body. "But your body is talking to me. Can I answer it?"

The air drained from my lungs, and a muffled yes escaped my lips. Dr. London bent his knees and lifted me into the air. When he positioned my thick thighs around his neck and shoulders, I nearly came on myself. I could feel his breath on my panty-less clit. I didn't know what this man was doing to me, but I was pleased.

"Can I taste you, Monroe?" His breath tickled my clit, causing me to let out a breathy moan. I loved the way he asked me for my permission. Years of being told what to do and never having a say had me dripping wet at a man who gave me an option.

"Yes!" I moaned as his lips latched onto my flower, sending pleasure shooting through my body. I arched my back against the wall and gripped his head to allow him more access to my center. The way Dr. London was feasting on me should have been a crime. The man had my pussy making macaroni sounds from the flip of his tongue.

"That's it. Let all those sweet juices go in my mouth." He coached as I rolled my hips on his shoulders. He gripped my ass, holding me still, and continued to devour me.

"Oh my God! Dr. London!" I muffled my cries in my hands, not wanting to alert Rah. This whole thing could go left in a matter of minutes if Rah was to come in and catch us.

"I'm not your doctor anymore." His voice was low and demanding, aiding his tongue in sending me over the edge.

"Dr. London!" I threw my head back in pleasure.

"Say it again." He slid his thick fingers into me. I could feel the exact moment that he hooked my G Spot. My vision blurred, and my mind grew foggy. Suddenly, I couldn't remember what his name was.

"Fuck!" I moaned.

"Say it again!" He smacked me on my ass and pulled me in closer. I loved the way he handled me. It was just the right amount of roughness mixed with care. I could stay in this moment forever.

"Say that shit! I love it."

"Dr. London!" I moaned loudly.

"This sweet pussy is perfect. Do you hear me, Monroe? You're perfect. Say that shit!" He demanded.

"I'm perfect! Fuuuck! I'm cumming!" My legs trembled around his neck as he intensified his movements, moving his fingers in and out of my wet, throbbing pussy.

"That's right. Cum in my fucking mouth, with yo' perfect ass!" He latched onto my clit, causing my juices to spill onto his face.

"Yes!" I was panting and squirming. I needed to get away from this man for so many reasons, but he held onto me, never letting go of my pearl. Tears cascaded down my cheeks from the pleasure. Relaxing my back on the wall, I gave in and allowed Dr. London to suck on my clit and dip his fingers in and out of me. This was a connection I didn't know I needed, and as my legs quaked around his neck again, I knew I was going to leave with this man. I didn't want to marry Kashus. Being bonded forever to him would mean I'd live the rest of my life being disrespected. I didn't want that. I wanted to be free to fall in love with someone who cherished me.

One last orgasm shot through my body, causing my legs to quake once more. I hoped the universe wouldn't be cruel and allow Dr. London to be anything less than my knight in shining armor.