Page 180 of Sweet Dominion

“Baby,” Moni studied me and placed her hand on my arm. “You look terrified. Is everything okay?”

“Maybe I shouldn’t have Fen come over here. Maybe, Duck shouldn’t get the dinner reservation either for Thandi.”

“What reservation?”

“It would be too many kids. I can’t be a father just yet and raise Chen’s child because he’s dead. What will I tell his son—”

“Lei.” She squeezed my arm.

“Yes?”

She gave me a sad smile. “You’re high, baby. Very high.”

I considered that for a minute and rubbed my eyes. “No. . .”

“Yes.”

I cleared my mind and focused on my body. And that’s when, I noticed the light buzz—that subtle warmth spreading through my chest and head.

Damn. That sneaked up on me pretty quick.

It was then that Jo leaned forward and chuckled. “Oh yeah. Mountain Master is feeling that shit. Look at his face like he’s on Mars and just discovered water.”

Moni chuckled. “Leave my baby alone.”

The laughter, the music, the chatter of the crowd—became a little sharper, more vibrant. The colors seemed a bit brighter and I could feel the bass from the music thumping through my chest like a second heartbeat.

I turned back to Moni. “Maybe, I am high.”

“You are. Your eyes are popped open.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes.”

I looked at Moni and Jo and held out my hands. “Everything feels good, maybe too good, like the world has been dialed up a notch and I am just along for the ride, cruising toward. . .destiny.”

“O-kay.” She chuckled.

“Eh Yo.” Jo hit the table and started laughing. “Bro turns into a philosopher when he gets high.”

Moni smiled. “We’re going to get you some water, baby.”

I gazed up at the sky and my God it was fucking breathtaking—a stunning canvas as the sun set. “Yeah. . .I might need water.”

I leaned back in my chair and now I understood, in that moment, why Chen had been so fascinated by the sky earlier. There was something about it—so peaceful, so vast—that made everything else seem small and far away.

I turned my head to look at Moni and it felt like I was seeing her for the first time. “You’re. . .you’re beautiful, you know that?”

"Thank you, Lei. You’re quite handsome too.”

“I’m going to marry you one day.”

“Uh. . .okay.”

“Big diamond ring.”

Moni laughed.

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