Page 164 of Sweet Dominion

“Well. . .be nice to Lei.”

He chuckled.

Smiling, I sighed and considered what he’d said earlier. “So. . .why did you make the whole distinction of who was asking you the question—the Mountain Mistress or Moni?”

“Your being Mountain Mistress means that Rowe Street Mob may have a strong chess piece in the East.”

“I am no one’s chess piece, Einstein.”

“You’ve put yourself in a position that I cannot ignore.”

“But you will ignore it because we’re family.”

“If we aretrulyfamily, then your being in this position should also benefit the family.” He tilted his head to the side. “Do you understand me?”

“You want me to have Four Aces do things that benefit Rowe Street Mob? Is that what you’re asking?”

“Isn’t that what family would do?”

“I’m the Mountain Mistress of the East, not the South.”

“You don’t even know the East, but you do know the South. You grew up there. Surely, you have considered it home.”

“But the South didn’t put me in a position of power. In fact, I never knew you all ran the South. Meanwhile, the East didn’t hesitate.”

He frowned. “So, your loyalty is with the East?”

“When it comes to Diamond Syndicate business, yes. But when it comes to family, then I will always have everyone’s back.”

“Everyone?”

“Lei, Banks, my sisters, you, and everyone else.”

He stopped leaning on the bookshelf and walked over to me. “Perhaps, I should be clearer.”

“You should.”

He stopped in front of me. “I want favors from you. Mountain Mistress favors.”

“Einstein, that’s not happening.”

“Just two or three favors for your first year as Mountain Mistress. Just to put Rowe Street Mob in a higher position in the Diamond Syndicate.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “You’re asking me to get Lei to play favorites, Einstein.”

“You’re asking me to play favorites too, by not bothering Lei.”

I shook my head. “Bullshit.”

He eyed me.

“How about this? Forget about the favors and let me be clear with you.”

He stopped smiling.

“If you get Marcelo or Banks to do another power play against Lei for a bullshit reason, then I’m coming foryou, not them.”

Einstein showed no emotion on his face. “Banks told me that Leo chose you for Lei. Apparently, it was a big well thought-out plot.”

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