Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 90852 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90852 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
Love is tested in fire.
Lei has built his empire on ruthless precision, never allowing weakness to take root.
But Monique?
She is an obsessive temptation he can’t resist, a fire he can’t control. She challenges him, defies him, and yet, he can’t let her go.
Monique has seen the darkness that rules Lei’s world, but she refuses to be caged by it. And, the more she falls into Lei’s arms, the more dangerous their connection becomes.
With enemies circling, Lei will stop at nothing to keep her safe. Their love is a storm, wild and unstoppable. But in a world ruled by violence, even the most wicked vows can be broken.Will their passion survive?
Or will their love become just another casualty of fate?
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
Prologue
The Answer
Monique
Stunned, I lay snuggled in Lei’s comforting embrace, the whole time I tried to grasp at an answer. The possibility that Lei had presented to me—moving into the palace with my sisters after the battle—was a ray of hope but it also brought along shadows of uncertainty and anxiety.
No. Like. . .did he really just ask me that?
I looked up at the serene blue ceiling above us, it dawned on me that whatever choice I was about to make would not only impact my own future but also that of my sisters.
With that being said, should I rush into the unknown with Lei? Or take the time to carefully plan and prepare for what could lie ahead, both for myself and my sisters?
The palace, with its ancient walls and sprawling gardens, was not just a residence. It represented Lei’s entire world—a world that was vastly different from the life I knew.
How the fuck would I even fit in the East?
One day here, I was already freaked out and overwhelmed.
But. . .I wanted to be with him, so much that I probably could move into this big ass palace and deal with all the shit that could come, just to keep on loving him.
However, a small voice inside me cautioned against impulsiveness and reminded me to approach this with careful deliberation. It wasn’t just my own future at stake but also that of my sisters. The transition to life in the East, at the very center of Lei’s kingdom, was filled with unknowns and obstacles.
Would love be enough to deal with all of that?
Lei’s voice broke the silence. “Did you hear my question?”
I turned my view from the ceiling and placed it back on him. “Will I move into your palace?”
“Yes. Your sisters and you.”
That was the last thing I thought Lei would have said after sex. But here we were, traveling through uncharted territory yet again.
“You’re not serious.” The words slipped from my mouth before I could stop them.
“Yes, very much so.”
My mind whirled. “But... the palace? Your palace? That’s moving crazy fast. . .and—”
“It’s been a short time but you’ve become an important part of my life.”
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my pounding heart. “We’re not ready to move in together—”
“Speak for yourself. I’m ready to move you in tonight. Fuck. I’m ready to make you my Mountain Mistress tomorrow morning if you accept.”
I blinked.
Lei’s voice softened. “I don’t know what it means to truly fall in love, but. . .I’m falling in love with you. That I know.”
His confession hung in the air between us.
My head spun.
“Lei,” I began hesitantly. “We haven’t known each other long enough.”
His gaze was steady on me. “Does time define how deep a connection can be?”
“No, but. . .we’re complicated.”
“So we’ll work it out together.”
“It’s not that simple.” The words tumbled out of my mouth in a rush. “There are other factors to consider—”
“What factors?”
“My sisters.”
“I want to move them in too.”
“Moving my sisters from Glory to Paradise City was already going to be a lot for them. Forget about the fact that they’re going to have to adjust to the East which is frankly. . .going to take them and me a lot to get used to.”
“That’s fair.”
“Then. . .Lotus Blossom is huge compared to what we are used to. . .the Palace is fifty times the size of anything I’ve ever lived in. The staff. The paparazzi. That’s just. . .too much for us, for this year, especially with us having to bury our father.”
Lei frowned. “Did you just say a year?”
“What?”
“It sounds like you’re saying no.”
“I am.”
“But you mentioned a year.”
“Well. . .” I shrugged. “Surely, we would need to just. . .be a true couple for a good year before I even considered moving in.”
A sneer hit his face, and then he wiped it away fast, turning his expression to neutral. “A year? That’s too long.”
“Lei. . .”
Then to my surprise, he cupped my face with his hand. “I’m not waiting a year to have you walking these halls, lying in my bed every night, sitting at my table to have breakfast, lunch, and dinner with me.”
“We can do those things sometimes without my needing to move in—”
“I’m not fucking waiting a year.”
I pursed my lips.
“Is it so hard to believe that I’ve fallen for you? That I want you and your sisters happy and safe with me?”
“We’re both. . .falling in love.” It was terrifying to even say it. I had to swallow down more fear to just keep talking. “However. . .this love. . .is new. We’re new. . .and. . .there’s other things.”
“What other things?”
I pointed to the wall that was empty, yet showed obvious signs of huge paintings being recently removed. “What was there?”
He didn’t even look that way, probably already knowing where I was going with the new topic.