Page 215 of Sweet Dominion

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not, Lei. If you see him, things are going to escalate. You’re high, you’re drunk, and Leo is—”

“My father is what?”

“He’s sober—”

“I doubt it.”

“Still, I can talk to him. I can get TT away from him without this turning into a fight.”

Lei fisted his hands at this side. “That’s dangerous thinking, Moni. No one can talk my father into anything. He does what he wants when he wants. He’s not going to let you walk up there and take TT without agame planin place. You don’t know him like I do.”

“But I—”

“No.” Lei’s voice was final, a low rumble of warning. “You don’tknowhim. You think you can reason withmyfather, but youcan’t. No one can. And if you go up there alone, I won’t be there to stop him from taking you away.”

“Why would he take me away tonight?”

“The bigger question is why is he here now?”

“Maybe, he wanted to celebrate with everyone—”

“There’s a plan. Do you understand me?”

My bottom lip quivered. “Y-yes.”

“You don’t go up there by yourself. No matter what you say, I’m not letting that happen.”

“But—”

“We’re in this together.”

Pressure built in my chest.

“I can’t lose you, Moni. I can’t fucking see you hurt or. . .bothered or fucked with in any way and my father plans to fuck with us tonight. Do you understand that?”

My heart ached.

I swallowed hard. “Yes.”

“He didn’t come here for the fucking ribs or Chef Foo’s cooking. He has a plan and he’s about to execute it.”

“Fuck.”

“Fuck is right.” Lei glanced up at the stairs.

One would have thought that his men would have least yelled down that everything was fine, which told me all I needed to know.

Leo probably had them or there were more of his people up there stopping them.

And more important what was going on with TT?

In the window, she seemed to be having a good time with Leo and Uncle Song. I hoped that remained and she had no idea what the fuck was happening around her.

Lei let out a long breath. “We go up together and deal with this bullshit.”

“Should we get Chen or Duck?”