Page 60 of Cruel Devotion

“Lei, that is not going to work—”

“It will work until I’m done with my father and then Banks and I will talk.”

I widened my eyes. “Talk?”

“Yes.”

“You are not fighting my cousin.”

“I don’t plan to.”

“Or Marcelo and the rest of Rowe Street Mob.”

His jaw clenched.

“Lei, we had a talk about all of this and an understanding that you won’t get violent—”

“And then I tasted you, and now we need to have anewconversation.”

Shock almost knocked me over. “Conversation about what?”

“We don’t have time for that now but understand this. You wear blue—”

“Banks doesn’t want me wearing blue unless—”

“Yeah. I heard.” Lei bobbed his head. “Unless I put a ring on your finger.”

“Yes, and he wants you to ask for permission and all types of bullshit stuff that—”

“What types of rings do you like? You’ll have the biggest ring money can buy on your finger by the morning.”

I sucked my teeth. “You know damn well he wants aweddingring, and news flash to you, we arenotgetting married—”

“That’s fine, but seven days won’t be enough. So we will need to figure something out.”

I blinked.

“Do you understand?”

“O-kay, but—”

“I want more time with you.” He slipped his gaze down my body. “I’m feeling things for you. . .and in a way I’m not used to feeling for a woman. . .and I want to explore that. I want to see if it’s more than just sex. In fact. . .I’m scared that these feelings are. . .much more than sex.”

“Umm. . .” I cleared my throat. “O-kay, so. . .that doesn’t mean you beat people up and just—”

“I may have lost my temper—”

“You did. You’re covered in blood—”

“Again, these are feelings that I’m not used to having for anyone else besides Chanel.” He looked away for a few seconds and then turned back to me. “Perhaps, there will be times when I do irrational things because of how I am feeling for you.”

“That is not an excuse. My cousin wants to have my back and I’m going to stand by that.”

“You’re wearing blue.” He raised his eyebrows. “Do you understand?”

“Is that how you are going to explore your feelings with me? By telling me what to wear and what to do?”

Someone coughed outside of the tent and then loudly cleared his throat.

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