Page 23 of Cruel Devotion

“The girls are fine. Like me, they have been worried about you.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not.”

I pursed my lips together.

“Where is Unc’s body?”

“With Chanel’s body.”

A dark chuckle left Banks. “So, Leididtake her body?”

“He did, but we talked and he will be giving Chanel’s body back to her family tomorrow.”

“And why would he do that?”

“Because we talked about how it isn’t healthy for him and—”

“You and he talked about this?”

“Yes.”

“Just you and him?”

I frowned. “Yes.”

“What’s up with you and Lei?”

I hesitated. “It’s. . .complicated.”

“That much I gathered.”

I took a deep breath. “Look, Banks, things moved fast. I never planned on any of this.”

“So, you’re justhelpingLei deal with his father?”

“Yes. I’ll be done in less than seven days.”

“How do you know that?”

“There’s a whole scheduled battle-to-the-death between Lei and his father.”

“That sounds like the East.”

I slipped out of bed and grabbed a new blue robe hanging on a rack. “Are you okay with watching the girls until—”

“Moni, I got them. In fact, I was going to see if you needed me to have them for a more long-term situation until you got everything together.”

“What? No.” I paused from putting the robe on. “Why? You think I’m doing a bad job?”

“I think it’s been a lot for you to handle, and you probably haven’t had a chance to breathe. I could give you the time to—”

“No, Banks.” I shook my head and finished with putting on the robe. “They lost Mom. Now Dad. I’m not going to disappear too. Just give me these seven days and I’ll be back.”

“Are you sure?”

“I am.”

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