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)
Chen parted his lips. “You called Dima?”
“Marcelo is with Dima now, having dinner and updating him on the fact that my cousin is here. We don’t know what Lei’s intentions are for Moni, but we all agree that Moni should be a proper friend due to her father being killed by Leo and her accidentally getting mixed up in this bloody mess.”
An edge hit Chen’s words. “That was not necessary.”
Banks wagged his finger. “Naw. I thought you would try to be cute, Chen. I’m sure you had some plan working in your head. That’s why not only our men will be here,but guards from the Flower Mafia will be arriving soon to protect Moni too.”
Chen’s jaw tightened.
“Banks.” My bottom lip quivered. “We agreed to only five of your men.”
“We did.” Banks shrugged. “I have nothing to do with Dima sending his people your way. That’s for Lei and you to figure out.”
Banks and Chen silently glared at each other.
For the first time, I thought Chen was very close to attacking him.
Meanwhile, Banks looked like he was praying Chen would.
I cleared my throat. “Okay. . .I don’t want any more fighting today. Please. . .”
Banks didn’t glance my way. “Are you sure that you’re safe, Moni?”
“Yes.”
“My men stay with you the whole time.”
“They will.”
Banks winked at Chen again. “Okay then.”
I sighed.
Banks studied Chen. “I heard that you were really good at diffusing bombs. Is that true, Chen?”
What?
I turned to Chen.
Annoyance laced Chen’s voice. “I know my way around explosives.”
Banks leaned in. His grin was all teeth. “You know, I’ve always been curious about that. How exactly do you diffuse a ticking bomb?”
Chen’s gaze remained unflinching. “You see, it’s all about understanding the mechanism, the intent behind the design. Some are simple, a straightforward cut of the right wire. Others, well, they’re designed to be deceptive, to lure you into making a mistake.”
Banks smirked. “Sounds risky.”
“It’s all about patience and precision,” Chen countered, his voice steady. “And knowing when to walk away.”
Banks chuckled. “And do you ever walk away, Chen?”
“Only when it’s a bomb not worth diffusing.”
The thinly veiled threat hung between them, thickening the atmosphere. I could feel my heart racing, the adrenaline pulsing through my veins.
Banks’ face darkened. “And if a bomb is about to explode, it’s better to ensure it’s not in one’s own hands. Right?”
“That is correct.”
For a moment, I thought Banks would erupt, but instead, he laughed, a cold, hollow sound. “Then, it might be smart to make sure your hands are empty in this situation. Clean even. We wouldn’t want you to lose them. Right?”
“We wouldn’t.”
“Because when it comes to my cousin and any disrespect that could come her way, I’m shooting at every fucking body.”
Chen frowned.
A dark chuckle left Banks. “I would be that bomb that you could not diffuse.”
Jesus Christ.
Banks finally looked at me. His voice softened. “Once these seven days are done, we have a lot to talk about regarding your and the girls’ futures.”
“Okay.”
“By the way, Jo got a job.”
Excitement hit me. “What?! She did.”
“Yeah. She’s now a Graphic Novel Curator at Galactic Quest Comics & Collectibles.”
“A what?”
“Graphic Novel Curator.”
I studied him. “That’s an actual title?”
“Doesn’t matter. She’s going to be making good money in the South and pursuing her passion.” Banks snapped his fingers.
The crowd behind Banks began to shift and move, parting like a Green Sea. Out of this human divide, five distinct figures emerged, each strutting forward with a distinct swagger that showcased their confidence.
Plus, they were all uniformly dressed in vibrant green pants and shirts, and each held onto a large green suitcase that burst at the seams.
Banks gestured to the man on the far left. “This is Rattlesnake Rick.”
The man stepped forward. He was a tall, wiry individual with a sharp goatee that was braided to a point, fell to his chest, and resembled a snake’s tail.
“Umm. . .okay.” I waved at him. “Nice to meet you, Rattlesnake Rick.”
“You can keep it at Ratty or Rick.”
“I’ll stick with Rick.”
“Cool.” He nodded.
Next to Rick stood a man of shorter stature, but with biceps that looked like they could crush stones.
“This here’s Bulldog,” Banks said with a smirk.
Bulldog’s face was square and strong, with a nose that had clearly been broken more than once, giving him a rugged appeal.
Banks continued, “To Bulldog’s right, we got Silent Sal.”
I turned that way.
Sal was an enigmatic figure, with piercing blue eyes that seemed to miss nothing, all under a cloak of shoulder-length jet-black hair. Unlike the others, Sal didn’t sport any visible tattoos, making him even more mysterious.
Beside Silent Sal stood a man whose size was genuinely impressive, not just in height but in width. He looked like he could easily take on three men at once and win without breaking a sweat.
Banks pointed to him. “That’s Piggy.”
To my shock, Chen shook his head. “Piggy is not allowed. You know that Lei does not like him.”