Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 124836 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 624(@200wpm)___ 499(@250wpm)___ 416(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124836 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 624(@200wpm)___ 499(@250wpm)___ 416(@300wpm)
“Your blood runs through Banks’s veins but not Marcelo, Einstein, Gunnar or—”
“Now you’re telling me who my family is?”
“This is why we should table this conversation for a later time.”
“No. I want to talk about this now because it sounds like you’re on some bullshit.”
“Me? No. It’s them.”
“Let it go. Forget about the damn hug. I handled it.”
“I’m not letting that hug go.”
“I handled it.”
“You did enough for that moment, but I didn’t get my chance.”
“Lei, this is not high school. You will not be fighting Marcelo over me.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t want to do this right now. What I want is to kiss you and touch you for a few minutes before we head outside.”
“Promise me that you won’t fight Marcelo or plan any violence in the South.”
He pursed his lips.
“Lei. . .promise me.”
“You want honesty?”
“Yes.”
“And I want his blood and his brain splattered all over the fucking pavement.”
I widened my eyes in horror.
The silence in the library was deafening. Thoughts raced through my mind, colliding with each other so rapidly that they were turning into an incoherent mess.
“You can’t. . .do that,” I barely managed to whisper. “It would ruin me. . .it would ruin us.”
“I will never touch Banks, but Marcelo—”
“No.”
He parted his lips.
“Like. . .hell to the no. If something happens to Marcelo, then. . .”
He raised one eyebrow.
“Lei. . .I could never stay with you.” I shook my head. “Let it all go.”
“Another man had his hands all over your body. Do you understand who I am? How I grew up?”
“Lei, we’re building something here. It’s healing. It’s new love. It’s bettering the East. Don’t fuck everything up by breaking my heart.” I touched my chest. “Because. . .I wouldn’t survive if Marcelo weren’t on this Earth anymore or if any of the others were seriously harmed. We discussed this already. Tell me you understand now.”
He stood silent.
My heart pounded.
I stared at Lei.
The raw intensity in his eyes and the cold determination in his voice from earlier. . .it all terrified me in a way I hadn’t expected. This wasn’t just about a grudge or wounded pride; this was about something much deeper, something that could destroy everything we had built together.
“Let it go.” I shivered.
He didn’t respond immediately, just kept his eyes on me, a storm of emotions swirling in their depths.
I could see the conflict in him, the push and pull of his loyalty to his selfish possessive ways and his feelings for me. But I knew I had to reach him, to make him see reason before it was too late.
“You’re angry, Lei and you have every right to be. Marcelo crossed a line, but violence isn’t the answer. Not this time. Not with everything we have at stake.”
He clenched his jaw, looking away from me as if he couldn’t bear to hear my words. “It’s not just about anger, Moni. It’s about respect. If I let this go, if I don’t respond. . .they’ll think they can do whatever they want to you—”
"Never. You’ve proven yourself time and time again. The South knows you’re a force to be reckoned with. But this—this isn’t about proving anything to anyone. This is about us. About our future. And if you go down this path, if you let your anger control you, then. . .”
“Then what?”
I tensed. “You’ll lose me.”
His gaze snapped back to mine.
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to stay strong. “I love you, Lei, but I can’t stay with someone who would kill my family. You asked for my loyalty and I’ve given it to you. But you have to understand that my loyalty to my family runs just as deep. Marcelo may not be perfect, but he’s still my blood. If you go after him, you’re not just going after him—you’re going after me, too.”
"Moni—”
“It’s the truth.”
He parted his lips and then closed his mouth.
“And I don’t want to talk about this anymore. This is the third conversation and I’m still standing in the same position of no violence. No death. What the fuck, Lei?”
I could see the internal battle he was fighting. I knew this wasn’t easy for him. He had been raised in a world where power was everything, where respect was earned through fear and violence.
Leo was his father for God’s sake, but we were trying to build something different—something stronger, based on trust, mutual respect, and love.
He sneered. “So just stand by and let Marcelo do whatever he wants?”
I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. “No. I said death and violence are off the table. You want to hurt him any other way, then. . .all is fair in love and war.”
“Any other way?”
“Be petty. Hit him with his money or something like that under Diamond Syndicate Laws and all that, but don’t kill him, Lei. Jesus Christ.”