1. Love on the Front Page
Chapter one
Love on the Front Page
Lei
The next morning I woke up to incessant buzzing from my phone.
Shut the fuck up.
It stopped.
Thank God.
Then, it began again.
A groan of annoyance escaped me. The thought of leaving the warm cocoon that Moni and I had woven from intimacy and vulnerability felt like an impossible task.
Again, the phone stopped and then started buzzing over and over.
Come on!
I knew what it was.
The call of duty, the impending battle with my father, and the feast were chains that bound me to a world beyond my fucking bedroom. Plus, I’d had my day off yesterday and knew that all would want to immediately yank me from the tranquil reality of Moni naked and securely nestled in my arms.
I should just escape Paradise City with her.
The phone continued to buzz.
Whoever was calling would not stop.
Intent on silencing the device, I reached out my hand and grabbed it from the nightstand. The cool touch of the screen felt alien against the warmth of Moni’s body.
Opening my eyes, I put the phone in front of me and squinted at the caller ID.
Chen.
His timing, as always, was impeccable in its inconvenience.
One day, I would love for you to slack on your responsibilities.
I slid from the bed—careful not to wake Moni—and padded softly across the room to take the call.
I placed the phone next to my ear. My voice was thick with sleep. “What do you want?”
“I let you sleep in.”
“Not by my standards.”
“You have three days until you battle Uncle Leo—”
“I’m aware of that—”
“We cannot afford any delays.”
“I just need another hour of sleep—”
“Get dressed, Mountain Master.”
Shit.
I tried to shake the drowsy haze away. “I’ll be back at Mount Utopia this afternoon.”
“No need. For your convenience, we are standing outside of your door.”
Damn it.
I didn’t even try to keep my anger out of my voice. “Give me ten minutes.”
The line went dead, and with it, the last threads of warmth from the night before seemed to evaporate into the cool morning air.
This was the last thing I wanted to do but I knew better than to protest. Chen was Deputy Mountain Master not because he listened to me but because his entire day was designed to solely make sure I made the best decisions for the East.
Right now, I needed to make sure that I could kill my father at this final battle.
Fucking final battle to the death. I hate all of you.
Turning back to the bed, I took a few minutes to watch Moni sleep.
Her face was serene and untroubled.
She’s all mine. At least, that is something to fight for.
I allowed myself a moment to memorize the contours of Moni’s face, the way her lashes cast shadows on her cheeks, and the gentle rise and fall of her chest with each breath.
Fuck. She’s so pretty and at peace. I just want to climb back in bed and make love to her again.
But, I decided not to wake her.
One of us should get their sleep.
I dressed quietly, each movement measured to maintain the peace of her sleep.
Minutes later, I exited the room and caught sight of all my men.
Oh.
Shutting the door, I eyed every one of them, decked in blue training gear—Chen, Duck, Hu, Bolin, and even Fengge.
Further behind them, my Keepers stood with tea and breakfast.
I waved them away. “No need. Just wait for Moni to wake up and then find out what she wants for breakfast.”
They bowed and left.
I returned to my men. “Will you all be training me today?”
“No.” Duck shook his head. “Everyone is just here to be nosy.”
I eyed him. “Nosy?”
Holding a large stack of newspapers, Chen stepped forward. “I have already explained to them that their question will not be answered and that we have enough going on today than to deal with high school antics.”
I kept my view on Duck. “What question?”
Duck held his hands out to his sides. “Are you still a virgin or not?”
Fengge nodded. “We have a little bet going.”
“Are we men or animals?” Chen scowled at them. “Is this a hallway palace or a football locker room?”
I scanned all their faces. “Who bet what?”
“We do not have time for this.” Chen gestured for us to head away.
I walked away.
Everyone else followed.
I got to Chen’s side. “Where are we training?”
“Palace gym. I don’t want to waste any time taking the helicopter back to Mount Utopia.”
“Good, because I want us to stay in the Palace until the battle.”
Chen stopped walking. “Why?”
“Moni needs to get used to the East.”
“That’s it.” Duck raised his hand in the air and rubbed his fingers together. “I won. Give me my money.”
Hu frowned. “That is not a confirmation of sex. Lei was already possessive.”
I looked at Duck. “You bet that I lost my virginity?”
“I did.”
I glared. “I want Moni’s panties.”
Chen blinked. “Are we still on that?”
Duck wore a wicked smile. “I tried to give her the panties back but she demanded that I keep them.”
“Oh yeah?” Ready to snap his neck, I headed for him.
Hu and Bolin rushed and got in my way.
Chen scowled. “Let’s keep all the sparring to the ring please.”
Duck remained where he was with that same wicked smile on his face. “I’ll give you back the panties later.”
I pointed at him. “I spar with you first.”
Duck crossed his arms over his chest. “Chen wanted me to stay behind to help Moni get adjusted to the Palace—”
“Absolutely not,” I hissed.
Chen sighed. “Would you rather several men she doesn’t know spend time with her today? Or worse, our aunts?”
“Hu can show her around.”
“And who will be training you?” Hu frowned. “Besides, she is more comfortable with Duck.”
Duck winked. “Very comfortable.”
I lunged but Hu grabbed me by the shoulders, grounding me in place. His grip was an unyielding vice.
“Duck, you're not helping.” Chen turned to me. “Lei, I have two huge items to catch you up on and after you hear those, I doubt you will see Duck staying with Moni as our biggest problem.”
“What huge items?”
Chen signaled for us to walk again.
I dragged myself away from wanting to kick Duck’s ass and kept Chen’s pace by his side. “What now?”
“After your unexpected introduction of Moni to the East yesterday, news outlets and social media had a lot to say.” Chen handed me the stack. “As you can see, the Palace press staff complied a hefty report.”
What lay in my hands were not a collection of complete publications but rather an accumulation of the first two pages of numerous newspapers, alongside printed-out blog posts and social media excerpts from major influencers across the East. The papers were scattered, some crinkled at the edges, as if they had been hastily assembled.
Continuing forward, I checked the first page’s headline.
The Mountain Master's Bold Move: Introduces Lover from the West to Eastern Palace.
I checked another one.
East Meets West.
I let out a long breath. “Someone will have to explain to the media that Moni isn’t from the West.”
Chen nodded. “After the battle and the final ceremony of saying goodbye to Uncle Leo, we will need to do some formal introductions of her. Perhaps, a big party and other events.”
I checked the next page.
Historic Arrival, Mountain Master's Companion Sparks Unprecedented Attention.
I went through other headlines, nervous and hoping no one stepped out of line with their reporting.
Diversity at the Palace.
Mountain Master's Lover Breaks Centuries-Old Tradition.
I looked up. “What fucking tradition?”
Hu got to my left. “Well. . .we knew they would make a huge thing of her race.”
I spoke through clenched teeth. “Let’s make sure they are very fucking careful with that.”
Everyone went tense and silent.
I slowed my pace and scanned their faces. “What?”
Chen scratched his head. “Keep going through the headlines and posts, then I will finish explaining.”
Frowning, I went through more headlines.
The Palace's New Face.
Who Is She?
A New Era Begins: Mountain Master's Romance with Foreign Beauty Captivates the East.
“Foreign? What the fuck is wrong with them?” My frown deepened as I checked another headline.
Cultural Milestone; First Black Person to Enter the Palace.
I groaned in annoyance and glanced at Chen. “In no way is she the first Black person to be in the Palace. I need that stated today.”
Chen shrugged. “The news needs to sell papers.”
“And the Palace must clear a lot of this up.”
“Well. . .keep reading, Mountain Master.”
I went to the gossip blogs.
Tracing the Spiraling Saga of the Mountain Master’s Romantic Ventures.
My face twisted into disgust as I spotted pictures of not only Chanel, but her sister, Kashmere as well as Dima’s mother and some Korean woman with red hair.
“This is bullshit. I never dated any of them.” I handed Chen the stuff I had already read. “I don’t like any of this at all. We’re ending half of these news outlets—”
“Don’t forget your parents’ commitment to free press.”
Duck snorted behind us.
I glanced over my shoulder. “What?”
Chen waved his hand. “I’ll explain his reaction. Just. . .finish.”
Sighing, I checked the other gossip blogs.
Decoding the Mountain Master’s Complicated Love Story—Prostitution, Blackmail, and Alien Conspiracies.
We rounded the corner to the elevator and stopped there.
Morons. All of them.
I didn’t need this shit. Especially with Moni already nervous about getting used to the East. Everyone had to fall in line and respect her, especially the East.
She’d barely been here twenty-four hours and they were going too fucking far.
What would happen when her sisters arrived?
As if hearing my thoughts, Chen spoke, “I have a small PR team that will begin to represent Moni and her sisters once they make the transition here. I also have another team that will handle the actual transition.”
I looked up. “What will the transition team do?”
“I’m sure Moni will want to register the younger sisters in schools. Depending on the school the press may make it difficult for them.”
Duck shook his head. “I doubt that. I think after last night. . .the transition will be very smooth.”
Chen shifted uncomfortably.
I eyed them. “What happened last night?”
Chen kept a neutral expression. “Please keep reading.”
The elevator doors opened.
We got on.
I made it to the social media posts of top Eastern influencers. In the East, we had our own version of twitter called The E .
That was when things truly got worse.
The diversity of opinions was staggering. Some loved the introduction of Moni, painting it as a bold step towards a progressive future in the East.
But not all shared this optimistic viewpoint.
My eyes caught on some posts that seethed with judgment and disdain.
Watch your fucking mouth.
The words were sharp, cutting deeper with every line I read. Accusations of recklessness, of abandoning sacred traditions, and of disrespecting the very foundations of Eastern society.
I may need to change this Free Press concept.
I looked at one that was absolutely racist.
The E ????? @EasternGossip
Did the Mountain Master need to bring his baby mama to the Palace? He could have kept her SPOOKY behind in the shadows. #MountainMasterDrama #PalaceShadows #NoHairAtAll
?? 16h ago · The E app
??35 Retweets · ?? 50 Likes · ?? 12 Replies
Anger raged within me.
Ready to shoot the poster, I gritted my teeth and checked the replies .
@PalaceInsider ?????
Replying to @EasternGossip
Let's not jump to conclusions. The Mountain Master has always moved in mysterious ways, and every decision has its reasons. Perhaps this is a new chapter for the East. #OpenMinds #NewBeginnings
?? 9h ago · The E app
?? 12 Retweets · ?? 34 Likes · ?? 3 Replies
@CulturalCommentator ?????
Replying to @EasternGossip
Everyone deserves a chance at love, even the Mountain Master. Why must we always be about race? #LoveInLight #ChangeIsGood
?? 8h ago · The E app
?? 25 Retweets · ?? 58 Likes · ?? 8 Replies
@TraditionKeeper ?????
Replying to @EasternGossip
This is unprecedented! The palace is a place of tradition, not tabloid fodder. We must maintain our values. #PreserveThePast #TraditionMatters
?? 8h ago · The E app
?? 18 Retweets · ?? 22 Likes · ?? 15 Replies
@ModernMindE ?????
Replying to @EasternGossip
Times are changing, and so must we. The Mountain Master bringing his partner into the light could signal a more inclusive future for us all. #Progress #ForwardThinking
?? 7h ago · The E app
?? 45 Retweets · ?? 76 Likes · ?? 21 Replies
@PalacePeek ?????
Replying to @EasternGossip
Palace drama aside, shouldn't we be focusing on the Mountain Master’s policies and not personal lives? Let's elevate the conversation. #BeyondGossip #PolicyNotPrivacy
?? 3h ago · The E app
?? 30 Retweets · ?? 50 Likes · ?? 10 Replies
@EastEndGossipGirl ?????
Replying to @EasternGossip
Caught wind of the new lady of the palace. More intrigued by her influence on our beloved Mountain Master than the gossip. #InfluenceAndPower #WatchTheThrone
?? 6h ago · The E app
?? 20 Retweets · ?? 40 Likes · ?? 5 Replies
While there were some bad apples, it appeared that more responded with an open mind.
Then, I saw a new post that pissed me off to no end.
The E ????? @RoyalRumors
Monkey see! Monkey do! Let’s hope she doesn’t steal anything. #BananaMistress #NotTheBlackPalace #NotMyMountainMaster
?? 14h ago · The E app
?? 3 Retweets · ??10 Likes · 1 Reply.
A raging inferno of murderous fury consumed me, blinding my vision and clouding my thoughts.
I didn’t just want to kill someone, I wanted to end their fucking bloodline.
With a sharp ding, the elevator doors opened.
Dead silence fell upon the passengers as I stormed out, my mind focused on finding and punishing the perpetrator of this blatant act of racism.
Everyone remained silent as they followed.
I checked the one reply to this clearly racist one.
@TheEast4Life ?????
Replying to @RoyalRumors
Mama called the doctor, and the doctor said, “No more monkeys jumping on the bed!” #TheMonkeyMaster
I stopped and my fingers shook with fury. “I want the fucking identities of these racist pieces of shit who—”
“We already have their identities.” Chen shifted uncomfortably.
Everyone else formed around me.
“Good.” I handed him the papers. “Instead of training, I’m heading to their homes—”
“There will be no need for that, Mountain Master.” Chen gave the pile of papers to Bolin.
I tilted my head to the side. “And why will there be no need for that?”
Terror covered Chen’s face. “Because your father already visited them last night.”