Page 213 of Sweet Dominion

I stormed toward the back entrance of the house and entered.

A second later, Lei walked right next to me. “What?”

“Oh.” I shook my head.

Of course he would have come after me.

Of course he would have been worried out of his mind that I just abruptly stopped dancing and headed off.

“I just. . .” I kept my pace and hurried through the massive living room. “I just have to go to the bathroom. I’ll be out there in a minute, Lei. Just—”

“Bathrooms are that way—”

“I’m just going to check on TT too. It’s been a minute.” I got to the dragon staircase and stopped at the base of the grand staircase where the carved dragon railing glowed under the softlights. The dragon’s head curled around the banister, watching us with piercing eyes. “I’ll be right back, Lei.”

“No. I’ll check with you too.”

“N-no. Stay. I’ll be back.” I got ready to go up a step.

He grabbed my waist and stopped me. “Moni, what’s wrong?”

I stepped down and swallowed hard.

Shit.

I had to think fast, had to play this right. If I told him the truth now, if Lei knew Leo was upstairs with TT. . .God, he’d lose it.

Just this morning, he’d been ready to skip the entire feast tomorrow and kill his father without hesitation.

And that was when he was sober.

Right now, Lei was high.

The drinks had been flowing all night. His judgment wasn’t clear and if he confronted Leo like this, it wouldn’t end well.

For anyone.

This is not the time for bloodshed.Not tonight. Not here.

I kept my voice steady. “I’m fine. Nothing is wrong. Wait for me outside. I’ll be back.”

“Is that right?”

“Yes.”

Lei remained right there and crossed those big muscular arms over his chest, telling me that he wasn’t backing down. His intense eyes were locked on mine, reading me like a book, seeing every lie I hadn’t even said yet. “You know what I think, Moni?”

I frowned.

“Your eyes keep darting up the staircase like there’s a threat. Your breath keeps catching. Your chest is rising up and going down fast like your heart is beating out of control. And your left hand is fidgeting and you only do that when you’re stressed.”

I blinked.

What the fuck?

He gestured for several of his men to come over.

That was when I realized Lei hadn’t just followed me in, but over twenty sweaty, shirtless Four Aces too.

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