Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 108768 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 544(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108768 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 544(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
“Damn right I am.”
“You can have any woman you want in the East. Most Eastern women have shirtless pictures of you, hidden in their underwear drawers. Wives, fiancées, girlfriends. They’re dreaming about you. They’re willing to leave everything behind just to be with you—”
“And we’re talking about your leaving Monique alone to fight Rowe Street Mob and then you’re thinking you can turn around and take her panties—”
“You’re not even going to truly love Monique.” Duck began to pace. “If you want to put your cock in someone pick any woman in the East or go to your harem—”
“You think that you can tell me who to fuck?” I tried to maneuver around Hu and Chen. “Goddamn it! Chen! Hu! Get out of the ring! Now!”
Hu stepped back. “Mountain Master?”
“Now!”
Chen remained between Duck and me. “I would like to discuss the possibility of—”
“Now.” I spoke through clenched teeth. “Right fucking now. Duck can handle himself.”
With heavy reluctance, they began to move. Their footsteps, though hesitant, resonated on the stones.
Chen, always drawn to the wisdom and lore of the past, gravitated towards the statues of the mythical guardians. Once there, he ran his hand over the phoenix’s head and rested it there as if trying to draw strength from the statue.
Hu, on the other hand, sought solace in the natural beauty of Mount Utopia. He made his way to the waterfall. Mist rose around him, creating a hazy silhouette of his figure.
I looked back at Duck.
There we stood in the ring, ready for battle.
The two of us.
Bound by blood but divided by desire.
I could hear Chen’s voice in the back of my mind, suggesting my feelings for Monique were fleeting, a mere distraction.
But deep down, every fiber of my being screamed in protest.
What I felt for Monique wasn’t just a passing fancy.
It was profound, overwhelming, and all-consuming.
The memory of Monique’s face flashed before my eyes—her gentle grace, the soft curve of her smile, the way her eyes danced when she laughed. Those were images I alone should cherish.
And, not only had Duck failed to protect her as he’d promised, but the glint in his eye whenever he spoke her name was unmistakably clear.
He likes her even more than I thought.
Unfortunately, Duck’s fascination—this unspoken desire—treaded on grounds we both knew were sacred and forbidden.
My heart thundered in my chest as the weight of our shared blood and history pressed down on my shoulders, pulling me in two opposite directions—possession over Monique and loyalty for family.
I stared at Duck. “You disobeyed me.”
He remained silent.
“Then, instead of coming to my tent with humility. You take Monique’s panties like a pervert.”
“I had not planned on doing that but I was pissed.”
I held in my annoyance, ready to deal with the elephant in the room. “Pissed about what?”
He clenched and unclenched his fists.
“Duck.” My voice shifted to a dangerous growl. “Your audacity has exceeded the limits of our kinship.”
He sneered. “You’re using her.”
“What the fuck did you say?” Done with all the talking, I charged for him.
He dove to the side and narrowly missed my fist.
I followed him around.
My kick came within inches of his face but he just managed to twist away.
My punch, however, was right on target and sent him flying through the air with an earsplitting crash as he slammed into the unforgiving stone ground.
A cloud of dust engulfed us.
His guttural groan echoed around the area.
The dust settled only for me to step toward him with fire raging in my eyes.
Meanwhile, strong, Duck jumped back on his feet as if he had never been hit at all.
I wiped the sweat off my face. “You understand what you did wrong with Rowe Street Mob?”
He got into a fighting stance. “I disrespected you by dropping the ball on my duties and putting Monique in possible danger. I don’t deserve your forgiveness but I will spend my life making up for that.”
“Then, we don’t disagree on that?”
“We don’t, Mountain Master.”
“Then, let’s get right to it.”
“Let’s.”
“When it comes to Monique, you will step aside.”
Duck glared.
"Do you understand?"
Chapter one
Showdown
Lei
For a moment, silence reigned.
The soft whisper of the wind, the gentle murmur of the waterfall, everything seemed to hush, waiting for Duck's response.
I felt the weight of our lineage, our roles, and the expectations that comes with being the Mountain Master pressing on me.
But at the same time, the idea of personal happiness, of love and desire, tugged at my soul.
Then, Duck broke the silence. “Do you think you could even love Monique?”
“Does it matter?” My angry voice echoed through the arena. “Step the fuck aside!”
Still by the statues, Chen nervously ran his fingers through his hair.
Duck kept his ground. “Could you love Monique?”
Fear sliced through me.
I shoved it all away. “That’s not a question you get to ask—”
“Why not?” Duck leaned his head to the side. “Because you’re the Mountain Master? You have overruling authority in the East. Yes. But not when it comes to love. These are rules that your father and mine put into place. You cannot tell me to step aside.”