9. Shades of Blue
Chapter nine
Shades of Blue
Monique
Steam rose around him.
The air between us was charged with tension.
My throat tightened.
His piercing gaze held mine, trapping me in its furious intensity.
I struggled to find words, my voice a mere whisper against the overwhelming silence.
“Lei...?” I managed to stammer.
He stepped closer, dirtying up the shower floor. “I should apologize.”
“O-okay.” I edged back. “Apologize for what?”
“It’s clear that there is a serious misunderstanding between us.” He lowered his eyes to my wet breasts and grunted.
My stomach twisted. “Lei?”
He snapped his view back to my face.
“Why. . .” I swallowed. “W-why is there blood on your face and chest?”
“Why did you think Rowe Street Mob could be around you?”
I shrieked. “No. . .No. You didn’t k-kill them. Right? Lei?”
He narrowed his eyes. A dangerous glint flickered through them. “I can barely deal with my cousin being around you—”
“Did you kill them?”
“And you think that I would let five guys that I don’t know—”
“Lei!” I covered my breasts with my arms. “D-did you kill them?”
“Would it matter?”
“Yes.”
“It wouldn’t.”
“What the fuck does that mean?” Cold horror replaced the warmth of the shower. I was now trapped in this small space with a clear psycho.
He glared. “No.”
“No? No, what?”
“I didn’t kill them.”
I let out an exasperated breath. “Jesus. Christ.”
“No one watches you, but Four Aces—”
“Who’s blood is that?”
“Their blood.”
I widened my eyes. “Hold on. You hurt them?”
“A lot.”
“Oh my God.” I rushed by him and was thankful that he let me leave the shower. For all I knew, he might have kept me in there.
I rushed to grab a blue towel, quickly wrapped it around my body, and hurried out of there.
Once I stepped into the sleeping section, another shocking surprise came.
Who the hell are they?
I nearly tripped over my own feet.
Four women were on the other side of the bed.
Each one stood as if carved from stone, poised and imposing. Their dark blue suits were tailored to perfection, and it was clear these women were no strangers to physical combat.
One had a prominent jagged scar running across her cheek. Another’s biceps bulged.
Regardless, all four of them had a stiff posture, stern expressions, and held handcuffs.
“Uhh. . .” I backed up. “What’s going on?”
I was cornered, and by the looks of it, escape wasn’t an option.
No answer came. Their eyes remained fixed in front of them.
It was then that I noticed the formal gown on the bed. Its deep blue sequins glinted in the soft light of the tent, shimmering and inviting. The matching lace panties and bra lay beside it, the color so perfectly coordinated it almost felt surreal.
My confusion grew into panic. “What’s going on? Who are you?”
Suddenly, Lei spoke from behind, scaring the shit out of me. “They’re here to help you dress.”
Trembling, I turned around and inched away. Icy fear gripped my heart. “I-I don’t need any help getting dressed.”
“You do, if you think you are going to be wearing white.”
“Are you fucking serious?”
Lei replied with chilling finality. “Dead serious.”
“Lei, my cousin would like—”
“The only reason why Banks is still alive now is due to him being your cousin.”
I tightened my hold on my towel. “Listen. Don’t talk to me like that and don’t—”
“The only reason why the South is still standing is because your sisters are there.”
My bottom lip quivered. “W-what?”
“Again, I should apologize.” He ran his fingers through his blood-stained hair. “You clearly didn’t understand your important place within my life right now.”
“Lei, I wanted to compromise with my cousin because I not only love him but I completely trust his judgement.”
Lei closed the distance between us and towered over me.
I lifted my chin and looked at him. “W-we already had a conversation about this.”
“We did.”
“I’m serious about how my cousin and Rowe Street Mob are handled when it comes to you, and I won’t allow any disrespect—”
“And what about respect for me ?”
“Lei, knock it off. I am here by your side, even though all of this is crazy, and I don’t even fucking know you like that, but I feel bad and want to help—”
Lei’s expression softened slightly, but his voice remained cold. “No one else dictates what happens between us. Do you understand?”
“We both agreed that we were friends. White means I’m a friend—”
“White means that you are everybody’s friend.” That soft expression returned to hard and furious. “Is that true?”
I shivered and inched back. “I mean. What the fuck kind of question is that? Why wouldn’t I be everyone’s friend? It’s not like I’m anyone’s enemy or anything—”
“You’re Dima’s friend?”
“I don’t even know who that is.”
“But you’re definitely Marcelo’s friend?”
“Marcy is. . .I mean Marcelo is family. And stop twisting the idea of being a friend. Chen and Banks both made the title sound platonic and business-like—”
“Did they?”
“ Friend of the Syndicate doesn’t mean girlfriend, fuck buddy, or whore. It means friend.”
“That’s correct.”
“So then why are you hurting my cousin’s people and coming into the goddamn shower looking like some insane killer from a slasher movie?”
“Because I tasted you.”
My mouth dropped open.
My heart warmed but I did my best to push that warmth away.
Still, I stood there speechless.
“That’s why.” He sneered. “I tasted you, and I liked the taste very fucking much. So much that I will not have anyone deciding what you will wear around me and they damn sure won’t have a say on who will guard you.”
“B-banks is just—”
“Protecting you. Trying to be there for you. Being a loving cousin and doing the right thing by you.” Nodding, Lei moved in closer, pressing his chest against my breasts. “But that means nothing to me. Do you know why?”
I trembled against him.
“Because I tasted you.”
“Lei. . .my cousin will not be okay with this, and frankly I’m not okay with it either.”
“No?”
“No. It’s barbaric bullshit. How bad did you hurt his men—”
“If I were you, I would be more concerned with making sure you understand.”
“Oh, I understand.”
He tilted his head to the side. “You do?”
“You’re crazy.”
“That’s fair.”
“Very fair.” I edged back and my legs touched the bed’s side. “Banks is going—”
“Banks and Rowe Street Mob is not a problem.”
“They are. Banks expects a report—”
“Chen has assigned people to give him those reports—”
“Lei, that is not going to work—”
“It will work until I’m done with my father and then Banks and I will talk.”
I widened my eyes. “Talk?”
“Yes.”
“You are not fighting my cousin.”
“I don’t plan to.”
“Or Marcelo and the rest of Rowe Street Mob.”
His jaw clenched.
“Lei, we had a talk about all of this and an understanding that you won’t get violent—”
“And then I tasted you, and now we need to have a new conversation.”
Shock almost knocked me over. “Conversation about what?”
“We don’t have time for that now but understand this. You wear blue—”
“Banks doesn’t want me wearing blue unless—”
“Yeah. I heard.” Lei bobbed his head. “Unless I put a ring on your finger.”
“Yes, and he wants you to ask for permission and all types of bullshit stuff that—”
“What types of rings do you like? You’ll have the biggest ring money can buy on your finger by the morning.”
I sucked my teeth. “You know damn well he wants a wedding ring, and news flash to you, we are not getting married—”
“That’s fine, but seven days won’t be enough. So we will need to figure something out.”
I blinked.
“Do you understand?”
“O-kay, but—”
“I want more time with you.” He slipped his gaze down my body. “I’m feeling things for you. . .and in a way I’m not used to feeling for a woman. . .and I want to explore that. I want to see if it’s more than just sex. In fact. . .I’m scared that these feelings are. . .much more than sex.”
“Umm. . .” I cleared my throat. “O-kay, so. . .that doesn’t mean you beat people up and just—”
“I may have lost my temper—”
“You did. You’re covered in blood—”
“Again, these are feelings that I’m not used to having for anyone else besides Chanel.” He looked away for a few seconds and then turned back to me. “Perhaps, there will be times when I do irrational things because of how I am feeling for you.”
“That is not an excuse. My cousin wants to have my back and I’m going to stand by that.”
“You’re wearing blue.” He raised his eyebrows. “Do you understand?”
“Is that how you are going to explore your feelings with me? By telling me what to wear and what to do?”
Someone coughed outside of the tent and then loudly cleared his throat.
Lei frowned. “Come in.”
The entrance’s flap slid up and Chen stepped inside.
Traitor.
I frowned at him.
Chen tapped his watch. “We really should get you two dressed and ready for the feast. The food can’t get cold and most importantly, we cannot have Yan waiting. The more time she has to think up here on this mountain, the more chaos could occur.”
Lei nodded. “I’m coming.”
“Good.” Chen gazed at me. “Sorry, Monique. This was the only plan that could work.”
I rolled my eyes.
Lei gestured to the four women who had been still standing silent to the side. “She doesn’t leave this tent unless she is wearing blue.”
The scarred women gave a half bow. “Yes, Mountain Master.”
Lei turned back to me, and his eyes locked onto mine. “You heard that. You wear blue.”
“I’m not a possession.”
“I never said you were. But you are mine now.”
“I’m not a thing.”
“You’re not a thing.” He nodded. “But you are still mine and I won’t let anyone else have you.”
Shivering, I stared at Lei, not sure how to really get through to him. “Have these women leave. Now.”
He blinked.
I cleared my throat. “Please. I can dress myself.”
Lei pointed to the gown. “In blue.”
“Yes, Lei. In blue. I got it.”
Chen clapped his hands.
The women hurried away.
Then, Chen followed.
“We’ll talk about this more after the feast.” Lei headed off. “But for now, you wear blue.”
Jesus Christ! You all are going to have me traumatized over colors!
I let out a sigh, knowing that protesting would be pointless.
What the fuck did I get myself into?