Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 112567 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 563(@200wpm)___ 450(@250wpm)___ 375(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112567 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 563(@200wpm)___ 450(@250wpm)___ 375(@300wpm)
So. . .they’re letting me keep the money or what?
I quickly took the briefcase back and widened my eyes. “I. . .umm. . .after I made sure my sisters and I were out of hot water with Dutch, then. . .”
Everyone stared at me.
Racking my brain for a decent answer, I shrugged. “I don’t know what I was going to do after that. Maybe, take a shower and have a drink or something. I hadn’t thought passed the horror of it all.”
They gave me the money back. Holy shit! God, thank you!
Chen turned to Lei. “She’s the key to finding Leo. I just don’t know how.”
I’m going to be able to get out of here.
“He definitely thought she was important.” Lei studied me. “There’s something you’re leaving out.”
Tightening my grip on the briefcase, I shrugged. “I could show you how to get to the restaurant where we had lunch.”
“We already went there.” Lei closed the distance between us. I gasped and gazed up at him. He was too close. So close, I could feel the heat of his rage and the power radiating off him.
It made me shiver.
“And tell me, Monique.” Lei scowled. “What did you two have for lunch?”
“Duck and dumplings.”
In a blur, he raised his hand to my neck.
I jerked away, thinking he was about to choke me.
Instead, he grabbed Leo’s cross and snatched the necklace off me. The chain broke apart. Pieces of it fell to the ground.
I shook, but didn’t move away.
Lei looked down at the locket. “Somehow my father knew the tracker was there. That’s why he put it on her.”
“Oh shit,” I blurted out. “There’s a tracker in it?”
What the hell?
Lei looked at me. “What did he say, when he gave this to you?”
I touched my empty neck. “Leo told me to wear the cross, until it was snatched off.”
Chen chuckled.
Lei glared at him.
Chen coughed and then cleared his throat.
Lei put the cross in his pocket. “What else did he say?”
“Leo was very serious about my not taking the necklace off or leaving it anywhere.”
Lei frowned and ran his fingers through his hair. “What else?”
“The second promise was that I had to pray that his sacrifices had been received as atonement for his sins.”
Lei hissed, “Sacrifices?”
Rage blazed in his eyes.
I stepped back.
Chen got to Lei’s side. “Leo likes the number three. Did he give you a third promise?”
I bobbed my head. “I’m supposed to name my firstborn son after him.”
Confusion hit Lei’s face. “What?”
“He said no matter what my husband says, I must do it.”
“Very interesting.” Chen grabbed his chin and walked off.
No one else spoke.
By now the other men had ushered the older women to pews. They now sat by the nun. And the priest remained on the ground, quiet and obedient next to the Bible.
Chen paced in front of the altar. Every few steps, he rubbed his chin.
The silver and black-haired guy leaned against the communion railing. The whole time, he watched me and twisted a knife in his hand.
Lei’s gaze stayed on me too. It was terrifying to be the focus of his attention. If he were the type of man to slap a priest, surely, he wouldn’t have a problem with doing the same to me.
Lei spoke, “Were there any moments when Leo wasn’t calm or relaxed?”
I quirked my brows. “Well. . .he was chill most of the time. It was just this one moment while we were eating, he slammed his teacup on the table.”
Chen stopped pacing and looked up at me. “Why did he do that?”
“I had just mentioned that if I didn’t give Dutch and Snow the money, then they planned to put my little sisters and me into prostitution.”
On the floor, the priest gasped in horror.
“That’s it.” Excited, Chen walked over to us. “Where are Dutch and Snow?”
Utterly confused, I muttered, “Their headquarters is a penthouse at Victory Casino and Hotel.”
Lei stormed off. “Let’s go.”
Chen followed.
The men by the pew left the nun and women and headed away.
The poor nun sighed.
Okay. . .that’s that. . .I guess. . .
I would have said goodbye, but I didn’t want them to remember me.
Peace. Enjoy your journey, crazy motherfuckers.
Then, the black and silver-haired guy left the communion rail. Still twisting his knife, he whistled and stopped next to me. “Why are you still standing here?”
“Oh.” I gave him a nervous smile. “I didn’t want to get in everyone’s way as you all left.”
“You’re coming with us.”
I touched my chest. “Me?”
Silent, he put the knife in a shoulder holster next to a silver gun.
What is up with armed men bothering me today?
“I have a lot of stuff I need to do.” I held my free hand out. “I could just give you all the address.”
Scowling, he pointed to the door.
Here we go again.
I kept the briefcase close to me and walked off.