Page 47 of The Black Wife Blessing

"And drinking yourself stupid is your solution?" Leo sets the bottle on a shelf and sits across from me. "You think Monica needs to see you like this when she gets out of the hospital?"

"She doesn't want to see me at all." My voice cracks. "Said our arrangement has gone too far. That I should be with someone who doesn't come with her baggage."

"And you're just accepting that?"

I grab a crystal paperweight from the coffee table and hurl it across the room. It shatters against the wall. "Of course I'm not accepting it! I fucking love her, Leo!"

The words hang in the air between us. It's the first time I've said it out loud.

Leo leans forward. "Then get your shit together. This isn't about your fake marriage anymore. That woman is fighting her own demons, and you're sitting here having a pity party instead of showing her you're worth fighting for."

"She could have died." My voice is barely a whisper now.

"But she didn't. And now she's scared. You want her? Prove you're not going anywhere. But you can't do that wasted."

I pace the living room, my mind clearing with each step. Leo's right—I need to get my shit together.

"Josiah's good, but this isn't just about restraining orders anymore." I grab my phone, scrolling through my recent calls. "Benjamin tampered with her fucking brakes. That's attempted murder."

Leo nods, his expression grim. "Josiah specializes in corporate law. You need someone who handles criminal cases."

"You know someone?" I ask, already knowing the answer. Leo's network is even more extensive than mine.

"I've got two people in mind. Alexandra Chen—she's a former prosecutor who specializes in domestic violence cases. And Marcus Daniels—he's ruthless, puts criminals away for decades."

I stop pacing. "Call them both. I want options."

"Already texted them." Leo shows me his phone screen. "They'll meet us tomorrow morning."

"What about evidence? The police took photos of the brake lines, but?—"

"I can have my security team document everything," Leo interrupts. "They can work with the NYPD, get surveillance footage from nearby buildings, interview witnesses. Benjamin's not walking away from this."

I sink into the armchair, my head in my hands. "I should have done more after the restaurant vandalism. I knew he was escalating."

"You couldn't have predicted this," Leo says firmly. "But now we know what he's capable of. We're not just protecting Monica's reputation anymore—we're protecting her life."

"I need to see her." The thought of Monica alone in that hospital room, thinking she needs to push me away, makes my chest ache.

"Tomorrow. After we meet with the lawyers." Leo's tone brooks no argument. "You need to show up with a plan, not just promises. She needs to know you're handling this. Henry, we're going to nail this bastard to the wall. He's not just messing with Monica anymore—he's messing with family."

Family. The word hits differently now. Because that's what Monica is to me. Not a convenient arrangement, not a business deal. Family. Mine.

"I want him in prison," I say, my voice steady for the first time tonight. "For a very long time."

"Trust me," Leo says, his eyes cold. "After we're done with him, Benjamin won't see daylight for years."

I pull Leo into a tight hug, clapping him hard on the back. "Thank you for coming over. I don't know what the fuck I would've done if you hadn't shown up."

"You'd have finished that bottle and made some stupid decisions." Leo pulls back, gripping my shoulders. "That's what family's for—stopping you from being a complete dumbass."

I laugh despite myself. "Still looking out for me after all these years."

"Someone has to." Leo's expression softens. "I love you, little cousin. Always have. Always will. When you called, there was no question I'd be here."

The words hit me hard. Leo and I have always been close, but we're not typically the type to get sentimental. The Blackwood men don't do feelings—at least that's what we were taught.

"I know," I say, my voice rough with emotion. "And I appreciate it more than you know. Seriously."

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