9. Butterflies and Flowers
Chapter nine
Butterflies and Flowers
Moni
The helicopter glided smoothly over the vast expanse of ocean, its blades slicing through the air with a gentle hum. The whir of the rotors was the only sound as we soared over Paradise City’s eastern coastline.
Behind us, three other helicopters followed, carrying his men and my ladies-in-waiting.
Lei sat next to me in quiet contemplation. Surely his thoughts and emotions swirled over and over like the waves below.
The landscape beneath us was a blur.
How can I help him?
I turned his way.
Lei’s expression appeared carved from stone. Like in the garden, his eyes remained distant and filled with sorrow.
What can I say to get all of that sadness out of his eyes?
I wanted to say something, to offer comfort, to ease his burdens but. . .I felt like my words would be useless. . .insignificant in the face of this overwhelming situation.
Damn you, Leo.
I put my attention on our approach to the East’s curved coastline.
It was no longer just ocean. Now I could see white sand.
Fuck. . .this day. . .
While I had just lost my father, Lei had to grieve Chanel, Romeo and now his sister, Yan.
In these next days, he would have to mourn their deaths while simultaneously grappling with the immense responsibility of ruling the East.
Even more. . .tomorrow, he would face the insane task of killing his own father.
The weight of it all seemed insurmountable.
Fucking impossible.
As the helicopter descended, I reached for Lei's hand. His fingers were cold. I held them gently, pouring all my love and strength into that simple touch.
I’m sorry, baby.
I longed to be his anchor.
To steady him.
To wash away all of his pain.
What else can I do?
Our hands remained intertwined, his fingers still and mine pulsing with life.
I’ve got your back, baby.
The helicopter’s hum shifted to a distant murmur as I focused on him and squeezed his hand. “I'm here.”
He slipped his gaze to me.
I swallowed. “I’m with you.”
His eyes—those deep pools of sorrow—softened just a fraction at my words. It was only a sliver of change, but it was enough.
Enough to tell me he’d heard me.
That he wasn't completely lost in his grief.
His voice was barely audible. “I know you’re with me, but. . .”
I quirked my brows. “But what?”
Lei hesitated for a few seconds. “I feel. . .guilty.”
“What do you feel guilty about?”
“Every time I lean on you. . .I feel like I’m placing the weight of my world on your shoulders.”
“You’re not.”
“Ever since we met, you've been my rock. It’s not fair to you.”
I tightened my grip on his hand. “You’ve been my rock too.”
“Yeah, but I’ve also been fucking up when it comes to you. I could have done more and now this. . .after you put in all that effort to be accepted by my people.”
“Lei, love isn't about fairness or keeping score. It's about sharing the burden, about being there for each other, especially when times are tough.”
He furrowed his brows. “But it feels like I'm taking too much from you.”
“You’re not.”
“I should be stronger; I should be able to handle this on my own. Instead, I keep turning to you, expecting you to hold me together.” He let out a long breath. “Here I am. . .needing you. . .so fucking bad. Needing to be alone with you. Needing to have your body next to mine. Needing your lips, the taste of your skin. . .to get my mind off of. . .”
“That's what love is. . .true love is being there for each other, no matter what. It’s about supporting each other through the darkest times and lifting each other up. You don’t have to carry everything alone, Lei. We’re in this together.”
“But what if I break you with my shit?” His voice cracked at the end.
I moved closer, resting my head against his shoulder. “You won't break me. Love makes us stronger, not weaker. By leaning on me, you’re allowing us to share the weight of everything.”
He remained silent.
“Lei. . .” I thought about the past days. “You’ve been my strength in ways you don’t even realize. . .you’ve changed my life.”
He closed his eyes. “I don’t deserve you.”
“You deserve me just as much as I deserve you and you don’t have to do this alone.” I wiped the tear away.
He opened his eyes. “This is why I handcuffed you to me.”
I blinked, shocked that he had changed the subject to that.
“I could feel this. . .warm unwavering love coming from you. . .and while I didn’t know what it was, I had to have it next to me. . .”
I gave him a sad smile. “And now there’s no need for any handcuffs because I’m going to always be with you.”
He watched me and this strange possessiveness flickered in his gaze. Those pupils darkened, becoming intense and almost burning me with its fierceness. “But. . .I wonder. . .”
“What do you wonder?”
“Do you truly understand how I feel about you?”
I didn’t know why this nervousness hit me, but it did. Our relationship was so damn new.
I swallowed. “You care about me and. . .love me.”
“That’s correct.” His hold on my hand tightened. “But. . .forever isn’t long enough for what I feel for you.”
I parted my lips.
“Forever would never be enough.” He lifted his hand to my face and his touch was feather-light, yet electric too. Pleasure rippled through me.
The love I saw reflected in his gaze was so damn profound it was almost terrifying.
“You’ve become my strength, Moni. . .my salvation. . .”
My heart skipped.
“And I truly meant what I said earlier, I don’t deserve you—”
“Lei, don’t say that—”
“I don’t.” He slipped his fingers down my cheek. “But that doesn’t mean I would let you go. I’m just being practical as I assess the situation.”
“Well, you’re assessing it wrong.”
He lowered his hand to my chin and held it. “You pushed through the ceremony, even though you were terrified.”
I bit my lip.
“The East didn’t see it.”
“You don’t think so?”
“I don’t. All the reporters and the camera people just looked. . .captivated with you.” To my shock, angry lines etched around his eyes. “My father saw it to and said. . .”
“What did he say?”
“He told me that I would have to share you with the East.” Then, Lei’s words held an edge. “But I don’t plan to. You’re mine and only mine. I would never let you belong to the East.”
“I don’t think that would ever be a problem.”
He gave me a sad smile and let go of my chin. Then, he turned his view to the window and gazed down at the beach beneath us. “You’ll end up being an icon for my people. I saw that today.”
The word “icon” echoed in my mind, sending a chill down my spine.
Me, an icon?
It felt surreal, almost laughable.
I was just Moni, a regular person with regular goals.
The thought of being something bigger freaked me out.
How could I possibly be an icon?
I had never aspired to be anything more than who I was. The idea of people looking up to me, of being a symbol for an entire region, was terrifying.
I didn’t feel special.
I didn’t feel worthy of such a title.
I had always been comfortable in my anonymity, living a life away from the spotlight. Now, the mere thought of being an icon for the East made my stomach churn.
What if I wasn’t enough?
What if I couldn’t live up to their expectations?
“Moni?” Lei’s voice broke through my spiraling thoughts.
I looked at him, my eyes wide with fear. “I’m not going to try to be an icon. I am just going to be. . .me.”
“And that’s why they will love you.” He pulled me into his arms and his embrace was strong and comforting.
Our bodies fit together perfectly, like two jagged pieces of a crazy puzzle.
His warmth enveloped me, melting away the fear and uncertainty.
I looked up at him and gazed into his eyes and I no longer saw sadness but this deep overflowing love.
He moved one arm, leaned back and touched the space above my heart. “Our signal worked today.”
“It did and it will always work.”
He moved his hand and without another word, he leaned forward and captured my lips with his in a kiss so tender, so passionate, it took my breath away.
I moaned against his mouth.
The helicopter faded to the background, leaving only the sensation of his lips against mine, the taste of him, the feel of his hands gently cradling me.
Every worry, every doubt, dissolved into that kiss.
All that mattered was us, here and now, sharing a love that felt timeless.
Eternal.
As our kiss deepened, I poured all my love into him, letting him know without words that I was here, that I was truly his and that together, we could face anything.
When we finally broke apart, we were both breathless.
He rested his forehead against mine and closed his eyes. I relished in the warmth of it. It felt like a moment suspended in time—a coming together of two souls.
Soft and reverent.
Like a butterfly’s kiss upon a rose petal.
His breath mingled with mine and my mind strayed to thoughts about butterflies and how when they visited flowers in search of nectar, they inadvertently triggered pollination, ensuring the growth of countless future blooms.
How crazy that. . .the smallest, most delicate of interactions could have such far-reaching results.
And even crazier. . .Lei's forehead against mine felt like it was triggering our future, not just a fleeting moment, but a destiny aligned.
New thoughts came into my head like seeds being planted.
Dynasty.
Legacy.
Bloodline.
Because in his touch, I felt truly at home.
In his touch, I saw the future of us.
Our love.
Eternal.
Timeless.
Unbreakable.
He lowered his voice to a soft whisper. “I’m going to need you tomorrow.”
I pushed thoughts of butterflies and flowers out of my head and considered tomorrow’s upcoming battle with his father. “I’ll be right there with you Lei. . .even if I have to grab a sword and step out on the battlefield with you.”
A sad chuckle left him. “You better not.”
“I won’t let you get hurt by him. I can’t. . .lose you.”
We continued our conversation with soft murmurs mingling with the helicopter blades like the gentle rustle of leaves in the wind.
Like we were sharing secrets that we didn’t want the pilot to hear.
Lei whispered, “You won’t lose me, Moni.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
“Can you just. . .get out of it.” I closed my eyes and kept my forehead against his. “Can’t you kill him another way? Another time? Maybe. . .think of a different way. . .”
“I have to do it tomorrow. This has to end.”
Fearful sadness washed over me.
Lei’s words brushed against my skin. “I have to kill him. There’s no doubt in my mind, no. . .pause that can come with my sword. . .he must die. . .if only for the sake of keeping you safe. . .and giving the East peace.”
I opened my eyes and leaned back, separating us. “What do you need from me? What can I do?”
“Just be there. Your presence will be enough.”
“There has to be more that I can do.”
“This battle will be Mountain Master against Grand Mountain Master. I do not want you on the floor when we take out our swords.”
My bottom lip quivered. “I can’t watch you get hurt in any way, not even a scratch.”
He gave me a sad smile. “Don’t worry. I heal fast.”
“Lei, I’m serious.”
“Me too.”
I grabbed his hand and placed it over his heart. “Promise to do the signal, if you need me.”
“I wouldn’t do the signal in a battle—”
“Why not?”
“Because I need you on the sidelines and safe. I can’t trust my father to not hurt you—”
“Do our signal if you need me. I’ll figure out something. I’ll. . .help you and stay safe.”
He studied me for a moment and flashes of some complex emotion appeared in the depth of his eyes.
I kept my gaze firm.
Determined.
After a beat, he nodded and let out a long sigh. “Alright. I’ll give you the signal, if I truly need you, but don’t fucking get hurt.”
“I promise.”
Relief came.
Good. Now all I have to do is figure out how I could help him during the battle.
We both knew how high the stakes were. But in this moment, with my hand on his while it remained over his heart, I resolved myself to do whatever it took to keep him safe. To ensure that our love story would continue its course towards eternity.
Suddenly, the helicopter began to touch down and I gazed out of the window.
Holy shit.
Earlier, his aunts and him kept saying the word beach house and that was what I had pictured in my mind—weathered wood and large windows in front of the ocean. Maybe a front porch with colorful chairs and a swing. Perhaps, a roof with a few seagulls hanging around.
“Lei, what the fuck?” I shook my head.
“What’s wrong?”
I turned back to him. “Lei, that’s not a damn beach house. That’s a goddamn castle on sand.”
He blinked, looked back at the property and this booming laugh left him.
Deep, rich, and joyful.
And I loved the sound of it.
Because at least for a few seconds he had forgotten about his sister’s murder and needing to kill his father.
Chuckling some more, his cheeks lifted upwards and this unguarded smile spread across his face. “Well. . .I guess it is bigger than a house.”
How the hell am I going to get used to his world?