Page 103 of Cruel Devotion

“Can we go back towhyyou havemypanties?”

“They were just lying there by the river with your clothes and his.”

“And you thought it was a good idea to pick them up?”

“I wanted to throw everything in the river.”

“Excuse me?”

“I get jealous easy.” Duck shrugged. “But I shouldn't. I love Lei, and. . .he deserves to find some sense of relief after everything that happened to him this month.”

“So. . .you pocketed the panties?”

“Something like that.” He pointed to his pocket. “I can give them to you now.”

“No.” I looked around. “I'm going to knock you out, if you do that.”

A dark chuckle left him.

The last thing I needed was all these people around us, witnessing that ridiculous act.

I returned to the glass of wine and took another gulp.

Of course, people around the party lifted their glasses in the air and drank too.

Jesus Christ.

I put my focus back on Duck. “So. . .”

He quirked his brows. “So?”

“You can keep the panties.”

“Oh really?”

“Yes but understand this.” I pointed to him. “I don't date cousins nor brothers or best friends. It's all less messy that way.”

He laughed.

“What's so funny?”

He smirked. “You think you have some sort of choice in this?”

“Yes, Duck. I do.”

Duck's smirk disappeared from his face as he pointed to the empty throne next to me. “I didn't like the way Lei left without saying goodbye.”

I sighed.

“I know more than anyone how obsessed Lei was with Chanel. I was one of the few that had to stand outside damn near every night with him in the cold as he gazed up at her bedroom window while she slept.”

I blinked. “Say what now?”

“Always freezing my balls off—”

“Standing outside the window?”

“And then there were the ghosts. I really couldn't see them, but I could fucking feel them. Cold and sad.” Duck shook his head as if sensing ghosts around him. “While I'm also depressed that Chanel passed, I'm a little happy that I don't have to help him with stalking her.”

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