Page 149 of Sweet Dominion

“Elaborate. Explain. Give a fucking account.”

“Oh yes. Icanexpound.” I uncrossed my arms, placed my hands on the table and threaded my fingers together. “We should start at the moment I saw Moni. I was not in my right mind over Chanel’s death and my need for revenge. Addthatto the record.”

Dima nodded. “Your mourning will be taken into account.”

“So when I saw Moni, I felt this massive sense of. . .peace and. . .I just wanted to keep her near me.”

Marcelo glared. “That’s no fucking defense for not calling Banks or me.”

“Later that night, I saw her dressed in this gown and. . .and it was then that I decided that I wanted her.”

Banks sneered.

“So, I pulled the handcuffs out that I’d already had in my pocket for her—”

“Handcuffs!?” Banks hit the table.

Chen raised his hand. “I would like to add something to explain the handcuffs.”

Dima nodded. “Go ahead, Chen.”

Chen adjusted his glasses. “Earlier that day, Monique had saw her father’s dead body, became so overwhelmed with grief, stress, and heartbreak that. . .she tried to jump off the building to commit suicide.”

Banks parted his lips. “What?”

Chen pointed to Duck. “My brother saved her, leaping off the cliff too right as she. . .well. . .he saved her. Please add that to the record.”

Banks blinked and looked at Duck. “She said something about Duck having her back, but she didn’t. . .break that down too much.”

“Surely, it is understandable that she didn’t want to admitallof that,” Chen continued. “When Lei and I saw this. . .situation, we rushed out onto the balcony and Lei. . .who had clearly been mentally unstable himself, put handcuffs on her wrist and his so she wouldn’t harm herself anymore.”

Dima opened his notebook and jotted down some words.

Gunner looked down at the table.

“Still. . .” Marcelo wore this sad expression. “All themorereason to call us once you knew, I could have—”

“By the time I knew,” I shook my head. “I didn’t want her to leave my side andwasn’tgoing to let her leave my side even if she wanted to go.”

Marcelo quirked his brows. “Excuse me?”

“You fucking heard me.”

Banks looked at Dima. “You heard that? His own statement says that is kidnapping.”

Dima turned to me. “Perhaps. . .you should. . .expound. . .”

“Aww.” I touched my chest. “You want me to further explain?”

“Yes.” Dima frowned. “And do so quickly.”

“Isawher. Iwantedher. Very badly.” Glaring at Marcelo, I leaned forward. “And so Itookher and I’m not giving her back toanyone. Ever.”

Now do something about it?

Banks pulled the toothpick out of his mouth and I knew deep in my core that he was ready to risk it all and fight me.

Violence radiated off him as he twisted that toothpick in his fingers from side to side over and over.

---