Page 148 of Sweet Dominion

Dima loudly cleared his throat, ending our conversation. “I believe we should begin.”

I nodded, hoping this bullshit would end quickly.

Chapter twenty-eight

Do Something About It

Lei

The sound of the DJ’s music from the cookout drifted through the garden. It was a stark contrast to the violence simmering under the surface of the table that I sat at.

In fact, the high-energy beats and laughter seemed a world away.

“Let’s just get this over with.” I glanced around the table. “Maybe, we should start with Banks, since he’s the one that went crying to Mommy.”

“Thank you, Lei, butI’llbe the one starting.” Dima gestured to his man who held a recording device.

The man came over, turned on the device and placed it at the center of the table.

“We are now on the record. This is an official Diamond Syndicate meeting addressing Law 480. The complainant isBanks from Rowe Street Mob. The defendant is Lei from the Four Aces.” Dima pulled out his notebook and laid it on the table. “I ask that any threats or attempts of violence are avoided, so that Barbara Whiskers and I can get to that carousel.”

“Sounds good to me.” I nodded. “However, let’s put on the record that Banks came to the East with weapons to attack me.”

Marcelo spoke, “And add that Duck attempted to sneak Chinese stars into the meeting.”

Dima scowled at the both of us. “Silence.”

I pursed my lips.

Dima glanced at me and then him. “Will this be our future? You two constantly bickering like children over a new toy?”

“It won’t be our future, Dima.” I shook my head. “Because I’m no fortune teller, but something tells me that many of the people across the table from me, may not even be here in the days to come.”

Marcelo frowned. “I want the record to show that Lei made a threat towards us. Therefore, in the future, if I so happen to crack his face bone into many shattered pieces it was due to this intense feeling that I needed to protect myself.”

“It wasn’t a threat.” I wagged my finger. “It was merely a premonition.”

“Enough.” Dima looked down at his cat who had opened her eyes. “Even Barbara is annoyed at this childishness.”

With that, Dima patted the feline who responded with a purring sound before nuzzling back to sleep. "Let's get on with it. Banks, go ahead.”

“Yeah.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “Let’s hear it.”

Banks cleared his throat. “Lei spotted my cousin in Glory after tracking his father. Apparently, his father had put the tracker on my cousin so that would happen.”

Dima turned to me. “And upon meeting Moni, when did you realize that she was Banks’s cousin?”

“I had some knowledge that she had relatives in the South. It wasn’t until much later in the day when I realized that she was related to Banks.”

“And when you discovered that connection, what did you do?”

“I proceeded withmywants and needs.”

Banks shifted in his seat. “What the hell kind of answer is that?”

Dima sighed. “Could you expound, Lei.”

“Expound?”

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