Page 76 of The Forbidden Bodyguard

The conversation continues as my brain keeps ticking over. Something is bothering me.

“We have two options here,” Ryder shares. “We bring the authorities into the mix, but initial discussions with Detective Waters tell us we don’t have much legal sway here.”

“That’s right,” Josh says. “He said, and I quote, a civil contract, aka marriage, needs consent. So if consent was obtained under duress, force or fraud, it can be annulled.”

Guess that’s something.

I don’t want Stella to go through with, regardless. It will be traumatizing for her. So how do we stop it? Getting into the estate to extract her will be difficult, but not impossible.

And illegal, but whatever.

“Yeah, but it must be instigated by one member of the couple.” Jayden stares at his screen. “The government treats forced marriages very seriously, but there needs to be proof.”

There it is.

We need her to speak up, or our hands are tied.

Even if we do extract her, whatever blackmail is going on will still exist. Someone could die.

Everyone in the room is well aware of that fact.

These sorts of people don’t mess around.

“This is interesting.” Miles is leaning over, reading Jayden’s screen. “Family or religious pressure alone is not automatically a crime and does not meet the definition of coercion unless there is a threat attached to it.”

“What kind of threat?” I ask.

They both read, their lips silently moving.

“Here.” Jayden points. “Injury, immigration reporting, that sort of thing.”

I shake my head.

None of it is relevant here.

“Fuck,” I grunt. “This is hopeless.”

“That brings me to option two.” Josh links his hands behind his back. “We break the law, hack into one or both of their systems and find proof that Stella is being blackmailed.”

Now ya talking.

My lips twitch.

“I like that plan personally.” Grayson grins. “Do we have the people to do that?”

I lay my arm along the boardroom table and tap my fingers.

Josh looks way too happy. I should’ve known he was up to something behind the scenes. He was always one step ahead of everyone.

“We do, and it goes without saying, this conversation never happened and doesn’t leave the room.”

Every head in the room nods.

His gaze turns serious and drifts to me. “Grayson, why don’t you get kitted up and join Declan and me when we go visit Mr. Voss.”

Yes!

“Roger that,” he replies with a grin.