Page 31 of Sweet Dominion

Or is this all just in my mind?

The East had me completely fucked up in the head right now.

I don’t know what Leo would want or Lei so. . .I’ll just. . .go with my heart. . .

Initially, I had figured that the smart thing to do was complete the tea ceremony with the grace and composure expected of a Mountain Mistress. It would show Leo that I could maintain control, that I could honor traditions even under extreme duress.

Then after the ceremony, I planned to take Lei aside and tell him the truth in a more private, respectful manner.

But the thought of sitting through the ceremony, pretending everything was normal while knowing the horrifying truth, made my stomach churn.

I walked into that ceremony thinking that Leo’s test was cruel but that I had to rise above it.

I had to be smarter.

Stronger.

But. . .Lei knew something was wrong as soon as he saw me.

My heart warmed at that.

Despite the chaos in my mind, I couldn't help but love that Lei was really learning my nonverbal cues. He picked up on the slightest changes in my demeanor and I didn’t know what it was but he caught it.

Was it my unsteady breath?

Or the tremor in my hands?

It didn’t matter.

His noticing showed how attuned he was to me.

How deeply he cared.

God, I love him.

But his being attuned with my subtle differences also terrified me.

How can I get him to believe that everything is okay so we can go back into the tea ceremony?

I needed him to think that I was calm, collected, and ready to perform my duties without lying to him.

Shit.

Meanwhile, Lei remained silent as he led us to the door and opened it, guiding us out of the suffocating atmosphere of the house.

The cool, crisp air enveloped me and a sense of relief washed over my senses.

Whew. I needed this.

Descending the stairs, he took us straight toward the garden.

Lush flowers and plants greeted me. The scent of earth and blooming buds filled my senses rejuvenating my spirit even more. It was like stepping into a peaceful, manicured paradise.

But Lei didn't stop us at the edge to talk to me; he continued walking, guiding me deeper into the garden's heart.

The more we walked among this natural beauty, the better I felt.

Did he know that would happen?

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