Page 70 of Cruel Devotion

I breathed in deeply.

Cool mountain air filled my lungs. It was a mixture of pine, moist earth, and a faint sweet scent I couldn’t quite place.

I returned my attention to all of those glowing lanterns that peppered the path ahead and above. Their gentle light created a dreamlike ambiance, transforming the mountain into a stairway of stars.

How did they make everything so beautiful, so fast?

I couldn’t help but question if this was actually a dream.

And if it were real, what price would I have to pay for such a drastic change in fortune?

Even more. . .did I deserve this?

Who was I. . .to be carried this way?

To be ravished?

To be spoiled?

And. . .did I really belong here?

I chose not to answer those questions. To do so would possibly make me sad.

Instead, I decided that although this was a life apart from the one I knew I was more than ready to embrace it.

I want to feel like this all the time. I want to. . .be worthy. And feel worthy. And for my sisters to have this same experience.

I trembled.

All I had to do was get some sense of control in these next days and figure out how to navigate this new world of dangerous men.

How the hell will I do that?

Slowly, I turned my head and gazed over my shoulder.

Walking next to Chen, Lei watched me.

The heat from Lei’s gaze penetrated deep, and for a split second, my entire existence, my heart, my soul revolved solely around him.

It wasn’t just the intensity of his eyes but also the sheer power radiating from his stance.

Tonight, he was the embodiment of ancient royalty, reimagined for a modern age. Those intertwining gold dragons on his robe hinted at a legacy of power and prestige, and though I tried to deny it, he looked nothing short of majestic.

He is truly the Mountain Master.

Yet, even as my heart rate increased and a warm flush spread across my skin and my nipples stiffened, I couldn’t let myself get entirely lost in his allure.

Turn around.

I swallowed and did just that, steadying my breathing as much as I could.

Don’t forget the screams. Or the blood splattered on his face. His chest.

Beneath that irresistibly handsome exterior was a man capable of causing serious fucking harm.

What did he do to Banks’s men? And what will Banks do when he finds out?

Terror rushed through me.

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