Page 38 of Cruel Devotion

“Currently, Lei sees you as underhisprotection. That means that you are not aFriend to the Syndicate, you are with the Four Aces.”

“Man, you all need to calm down.” I raised both of my hands. “I’m not Diamond Syndicate. Nor am I with the Four Aces or Rowe Street Mob. I’m Monique. I come from Glory. I’m not about this life—”

“Yet, you are currently the very embodiment of a tug-of-war between two crews.”

“Chen, it’s five guys and a couple white outfits for seven days. A simple compromise. I can talk to Lei and get him to understand.”

He raised his eyebrows. “You think you could do that?”

“Of course. Lei is reasonable.”

“My cousin? Reasonable? Who is this person that you’ve met?”

“It takes a minute but, I’ve been able to reason with him.” I headed off. “I got him to see that keeping Chanel’s body was ridiculous.”

Chen got to my side and walked. “You did do that. Meanwhile, no matter what I said, he would not listen.”

“Okay.” I shrugged. “There we go. Evidence that a conversation between Lei and me could reap rational benefits for all.”

“Surely, it would make my life easier if youdidhave this magical power.”

“I don’t think it would be magical. I’ll just tell Lei that Banks is my cousin and important to me. Then, I will further explain that it is just a symbolic compromise to keep my cousin calm.”

“Yes, but you will still wear blue?”

“No. I told Banks I would put on the white clothes.”

Chen shook his head.

“Lei will understand.”

“If he does, then you would truly show me the height of your power over him.”

I widened my eyes. “I don’t have power over Lei—”

“You will if you walk around this mountain wearing white.”

My nerves flared. “Would it be disrespectful to wear white on the mountain?”

“No. The act of wearing white is not a problem. As Banks said, it is representative of being a Friend of the Syndicate.”

“Then, this could work—”

“Monique, a Friend means that you are protected by our codes and cannot be possessed, harmed, or threatened by any of us.”

“Yes. Exactly. That shouldn’t be a problem for Lei—”

“Thepossessedpart may incite Lei to not. . .act in the most gentlemanly way with you, and he may also want to have a. . .conversation with Marcelo.”

“That would not be necessary.”

“You’re wearing white suggests that he cannot—”

“Possess me. Yes. Which is the truth and he understands that.”

“You think Lei understands that?”

“Yes.”

---