Page 172 of Cruel Devotion

“No.” I shook my head. “That happened.”

“Damn. That’s. . .”

I raised my eyebrows. “That’s what?”

“Nothing.” She began walking.

I kept my pace next to her and squeezed her hand. “What?”

“That’s child abuse, Lei.”

Yeah. Dima and she will get along very well.

I slowly nodded. “But that’s the East.”

She glanced at me. “Is that how you are going to discipline your kids?”

Without any hesitation, I shook my head. “No. That bullshit dies with me. My sons and daughters will never know that sort of life.”

“Sons and daughters?” She smirked. “How many kids are you trying to have?”

I seared her with my stare. “How many kids do you want?”

She blinked. “Uh. . .I don’t know.”

“You should probably start thinking about that.” I shouldn’t have but I gazed at those lovely full breasts. “Have you ever thought about having kids?”

She paused and I stopped next to her.

She let go of my hand, put her back to me, and gazed at a portrait of my mother gazing at the pond in front of Lotus Blossom. “I’ve always imagined being a mother someday. Then, I started taking care of my sisters and I know being a mother isn’t easy at all.”

“But does that stop you from dreaming about having kids of your own?”

“Not at all. I still want them.”

“Me too.” I admitted. “But, you know, I’d want to do things differently than my parents.”

“Differently?” She faced me.

I nodded, searching for the right words. “In my household, my father was the ruler. His word was law. My mother had no say on most of anything. ButIwant something different. . . more equal, you know? A household where decisions and responsibilities are shared.”

“That sounds like a healthy approach. But. . .”

“What?”

“You’re the Mountain Master. You’re used to people listening to you all the time and so. . .you simply expect it from everyone.”

“I’m like that with you?”

She grinned. “Are you really asking me that?”

I tensed. “I am.”

“You’re like that with me.”

I sighed. “I wasn’t trying to be that way.”

“You just have to practice listening. . .”

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