Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 120336 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 602(@200wpm)___ 481(@250wpm)___ 401(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 120336 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 602(@200wpm)___ 481(@250wpm)___ 401(@300wpm)
They seemed even more majestic now, as if they were alive, watching over everything that Leo had built.
I saw tons of Four Aces down there too barricading the way as if waiting for Leo to appear.
I’m sorry, baby. We’re flying out of the East instead.
The dragons glared up at us from below, fierce and unyielding. As we passed over them, I couldn’t shake the feeling that they were watching me, waiting to see if I were strong enough to survive all the things that would come my way in these next twenty-four hours.
Leo spoke. “You must be a magician with the best sleight of hand.”
As we flew lower, closer to the gates, the dragons’ sapphire eyes glowed with an intensity that made my pulse quicken.
I was leaving Lei behind, even if only for a night, and the thought felt like a knife twisting in my chest. I couldn’t shake the image of him, the pain in his eyes, the tears that had slipped down his face when we said goodbye.
He didn’t want this.
He didn’t want me to go with Leo but we had no choice.
And, I had to see this through.
Whatever it was Leo wanted to teach me, whatever twisted game he had in mind, I had to survive it.
I’ll be back, baby. Don’t worry. Just focus on taking care of my sisters and training.
Leo spoke, “Monique, if you want to truly survive in the East after I die, then you must have a reputation that is fiercer than even mine.”
The dragons coiled around the pillars with such grace and power.
I took another drag from the joint, letting the smoke settle in my lungs as I stared down at the dragons. “How would I do that?”
“Never leave a meeting without spilling blood.”
What the fuck?
I put my view on him. “You just said I couldn’t fight and that’s facts. I can’t fight like how everyone does in the East.”
“But you can shoot. Song and I have witnessed you take out game in impossible ways in Serenity Forest. Thirty squirrels in one night.”
“Chloe wanted chicken wings because she was tired of deer. Squirrels taste like chicken if cooked right.”
“We watched you shoot down a bunch of them running on branches fast.”
“That was because I was hungry.”
“Well now. . .get hungry for power because with it, you have protection for not only you, but Lei, your sisters, and everyone else.”
I considered that. “Never leave a meeting without spilling blood.”
“That’s right. And I’m not just talking about violence. I’m talking about death.”
I shivered. “I-I can’t kill anyone, Leo.”
“I will teach you.”
My bottom lip shivered. “No.”
“You spill blood and the ones that are alive will witness this and their eyes and brains will see a monster.”
“I can’t kill. . .”
“If you’re a monster, then they’ll forget that you’re a woman or an outsider. They’ll forget you can’t even fight. They’ll just shiver and run.” Leo reached out to get the joint from my fingers. Yan’s finger was back on his lap. He sighed. “Monsters get what they want anytime they fucking want it. Monsters rule.”
I trembled. “That’s why you killed the cat.”
Laughing, Leo winked at me. “That’s why I killed the cat.”
I frowned.
Leo shrugged. “Did I want to kill the cat? No. It was cute and innocent but when I come, I kill. They must know it and when I walk into a space, I make a list of the things I can kill before I leave. Blood must be spilled.”
A cold chill ran through me. “You knew you were coming to the cookout tonight and you knew you would kill someone. . .regardless of anything.”
“The cat seemed like the easier target to not completely ruin the cookout too much.” Leo looked down at Yan’s finger. “I knew blood had to spill at the tea ceremony too, just to keep the reputation alive but. . .I had no one I could kill because it was you, Lei, my sisters, my nephews. . I considered killing the news people but I knew it would ruin the significance of the moment so. . .”
“You brought Yan’s head to further your reputation as a monster.”
“Were you horrified?”
“Very.”
“And everyone else was horrified too?”
“Without a doubt.”
“But here’s the other reason I killed the cat. Dima wanted unity for the Syndicate right now. Einstein pushed his own agenda at the cookout and Dima went along because it served his purpose too.” Leo scowled. “But the East is busy. My son. . .he has a lot going on so. . .someone had to give them a message to leave my son the fuck alone.”
I shivered. “So. . .regardless of what Dima did you were going to kill Barbara Whiskers?”
“He was lucky he brought her. When I heard days ago that he was bringing that reporter, I’d planned to kill her. I had a little outfit too for her dead body. I planned to set it up just right and let her body hang over the DJ booth.”