Page 120 of Sweet Dominion

“Alright, Moni,” he called back. “I’m just trying to tell you something. You’ll need a new chef because by morning, this motherfucker will be hanging from a tree.”

Marcelo, Gunner, and Einstein followed him. The rest of the armed Rowe Street Mob guys they had brought left also.

But Dima, Rose, and that cat remained.

Moni gave me a sad smile. “I’ll go get my sisters, so we can finally get off this helipad.”

I nodded.

Dima gestured to Rose. “You should go with Moni. This will give you two a good opportunity to get closer. Maybe, evenprovide self-disclosure to rush along the intimacy that only two best friends can share—”

“Dima.” Rose widened her eyes. “I said that’s enough.”

Moni chuckled. “You could come along, Rose. It’s cool.”

Dima winked. “See. She wants to be yourbestfriend.”

“Dima.”

“He’s right.” Moni nodded. “Idowant to be your friend.”

Rose moved her view to Moni and gave her a silly smile. “Oh. . .well, thank you.”

Moni gestured. “Come on. We can plan our pregnancies on the walk to my sisters.”

Rose laughed and I had to admit that it was good one. A kind one. The sort of laugh I would want a friend of Moni’s to have.

The only problem was. . .I had to make sure that I could trust her.

Rose gave the leash back to Dima, right as the cat appeared to try and leap for the crows.

The women left.

Chen stepped forward and stayed on my side.

Dima got proper control of the cat, looked down and wagged his finger. “I told you to leave them alone, Barbara. They are our little guardians.”

I leaned forward. “Who are your little guardians?”

“Those two crows. They always show up on my balcony or if I’m walking her in the park.”

Chen widened his eyes. “You walk a cat in the park?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

I quirked my brows. “How do you know those are the same two crows?”

“Why wouldn’t they be?”

I didn’t know how to answer him. “Well. . .I think I see the crows all the time too.”

Dima nodded like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Of course you do.”

I wanted to talk about that further, but. . .I didn’t have the right words. It was just feelings and complex emotions that I did not want to confess. So instead, I focused on the main problem. “You know Banks is trying to cause trouble with the Four Aces. Right?”

Dima winked. “Of course I do.”

“Then, why are you giving it any energy?”

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