Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 90852 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90852 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
“You don’t even know him.”
“I love what I know.”
“And if he breaks your heart? If he fucking disrespects and hurts you?”
I gave the phone a weak smile. “Then. . .you have my permission to beat him up for me. . .call me crazy. . .but I don’t think Lei will hurt me.”
Another moment of silence fell over us.
Then, he spoke, and now his voice was so soft and sad that it almost broke my heart. “Promise me that if you ever feel in danger or if anyone ever tries to hurt you, you’ll call me immediately.”
“I will.”
“I need you to really call me.”
“I swear, Marcy.”
“I’ve been losing sleep.”
I widened my eyes. “Don’t lose sleep. I’m fine.”
“He hasn’t hit you?”
“God no.”
“You don’t feel like you’re being trapped in the East?”
“No.”
“He won’t let you leave. You understand that?”
“Marcy, I can leave the East whenever I want to.”
I just have to teach Lei that fact.
Marcy sighed. “Fine. Then, I’ll be in the East tomorrow for the cookout.”
I frowned. “There is no cookout. Banks is just being ridiculous.”
“Gunner already left to get kegs, so. . .there’s definitely a cookout happening.”
“Jesus Christ.”
“Lei will need to understand that if he truly wants you in the East, then he’ll have to be comfortable with Rowe Street Mob being in the East too. In fact, this will be the first of many cookouts where a lot of green will be present.”
“This is still my house.”
“I’m coming to visit every week until I start to feel comfortable with your being there.”
“Fine. I’ll let Lei know to have some special pass at the gates or whatever.”
“Good and if I ever see a mark on your face or—”
“No one is going to be hitting me—”
“Better not.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow for the. . .fucking cookout.” I rolled my eyes. “And keep in mind that Banks, you, and the rest of Rowe Street Mob will be on your best behavior with the Four Aces.”
“They better be on their best behavior too.”
“They will.” Holding the phone close, I turned around and the sight before me, shocked me to my core.
Lei stood there and his expression was a storm of anger. Darkness blazed in his gaze. His jaw was clenched and every muscle in his body seemed tense as if he were barely restraining himself.
It was clear he had heard a good bit of the conversation I had just had with Marcy.
Shit.
Meanwhile, Marcy spoke on the phone, “See you tomorrow.”
Lei’s gaze immediately shifted to the device in my hand, his eyes narrowing as if he could dive into it and kick Marcy’s ass.
I swallowed. “Uh. . .okay, Marcy.”
“I love you, MoMo.”
Oh my God.
So taken aback, I just hung up the phone.
Chapter twenty-eight
Under the Cherry Blossom
Moni
Lei looked at me, and for a moment, I thought he was going to explode just from Marcy saying he loved me.
While it wasn’t a big deal to me, surely Lei would have something to say about it.
I watched him and the corners of his mouth twitched. His fists clenched and unclenched at his sides.
Shit.
I readied myself for the unnecessary argument I knew we were about to have.
But then he did something completely unexpected, he took a deep breath and in a voice that was strained but controlled, he simply asked, "Are you ready for dinner?"
O-kay.
I swallowed. "Dinner?"
"Yes," he said, his tone tight yet composed. "The food is ready as well as the garden. I wanted to take you out there.”
I nodded, still processing his restraint. "Okay. . .that sounds good."
Should I bring this up or leave it alone? I mean. . .I’m fucking hungry.
I hadn’t eaten all damn day. At this point, I might have cooked Lei, put him between two slices of bread, and munched on him.
Fuck that. If he has something to say, let it be at the dinner table.
I went over and handed him the phone. “Thank you for letting me use this.”
Lei didn’t respond, but he did take the phone, pocket it in his robe then gently grabbed my hand.
It was a tender hold that he kept on my hand, so tender it felt like our hearts were connected.
Well. . .if he is mad. . .it’s not at me.
Together, we walked in silence, journeying down the stairs, through the second level, then to the next set of stairs with the dragon railing.
Although Lei’s hold on my hand was tender, I could feel the rage seething off him.
Still, once we went down a few steps, he laced his fingers between mine.
Soon we left the house and got out on the porch.
It was in that moment that I realized that neither one of us wore shoes. I wasn’t typically a barefoot person but I could already smell the yummy food riding the breeze.
Oh, hell yeah. Whatever that is. . .I’m eating it. Who cares about shoes?
We went down the steps and hit the ground.