Page 62 of Cruel Devotion

Dressed and ready to put an end to this obligatory festival for my sister, I positioned myself outside the tent and waited for Monique to come out.

What new problem will my sister bring this evening?

Yan had a talent for having something up her sleeve and ruining everything. The trick was to anticipate her moves before she had a chance to make them.

I don’t need this shit tonight.

Distant drums boomed with urgency. The ground vibrated with their rhythm.

I let out a long breath.

Up above, thousands of stars shimmered and twinkled.

While below, lanterns hung from bamboo poles around the camp, swaying and casting sinister shadows on my people as they journeyed up the mountain path.

Decorated in the traditional robe of a royal guard, Chen stood on my right with his gaze fixed on the tent’s entrance. Every few seconds, he checked his watch as if time held him captive.

On my left, Duck wore a similar robe. The luxurious fabric glowed midnight blue and reached down to his ankles. It was cinched at his waist with a wide belt of embossed leather. Meanwhile, the robe’s long sleeves were slightly flared.

And a few paces away and lost in his thoughts, Hu had that same robe on with a special blue hat, signaling the status of my Straw Handle. There, Hu absentmindedly played with his ornamental sword hanging on his side. It was sharp enough to reflect menace yet dull enough to prevent actual harm.

Everything tonight would be a flamboyant facade out of my father’s Four Aces playbook, right down to the glinting diamond-platinum sword resting on my hip which was also just for show.

Once he is dead, I will have to change a lot of this stuff. It is outdated and fucking annoying.

Tonight even I had on an ensemble that blended the past with the present. In fact, I looked like some 21st century emperor.

From the hem to the collar, gold dragons snaked around my deep blue silk robe. Yet, it was tailored in a modern, sleek style. I wore a designer shirt and pants under it.

Monique. . .are you coming out?

My fingers tapped restlessly against my thigh.

I badly ached to be near Monique.

It was as if my life depended on it.

I swore the air changed whenever she was near—charged with electricity.

Every moment away from Monique felt like an eternity.

Is she almost done? And more important. . .is she dressed in blue?

Against my will, my mind wandered to the earlier moment in the shower. Steam rose and clung to every smooth inch of her body. And dear God those dark brown nipples called out to me like teasing magnets, begging my mouth to come and devour them. I’d been so fucking mad, but even then, I craved to run my hands all over her wet curves, to feel her warmth and her softness against my skin.

Stop.

I shook my head, doing my best to clear my thoughts.

This was not the time for that type of distraction. I needed to focus on my sister and the ultimate task at hand.

Still, my heartbeats raced at the mere thought of her coming out of the tent.

Focus on something else.

I checked my left.

Over there, stood another quartet of men. They were gathered around a finely crafted sedan chair, its polished wood, gold inlays, and embroidered panels glowed softly in the lantern light.

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