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)
Alright. Now find Chen.
Determined, I headed out of the ten and immediately bumped right into a solid figure.
What the hell?
Stumbling back, I found myself gazing directly into Chen’s intense eyes. His usually composed, almost unreadable face now held traces of deep worry, etched lines on his forehead that I’d never noticed before. The rigid set of his jaw and the stiffness in his posture further unsettled me.
Okay. Well. . .I don’t need to search him out.
Chen wore a tailored blue suit that hugged his physique just right. His tie, a slightly darker hue of blue, was impeccably knotted at his collar. It looked like he was about to go on a date to a high-end restaurant.
As my eyes adjusted, I glanced past Chen and my heart boomed in my ears.
Ummm. . .
Lined up behind him, like an impenetrable wall, were at least forty men. Their matching blue athletic gear gave them a haunting uniformity, making them appear more like an organized militia than a random gathering of men.
The sun, now in its descent, caught the cold metallic surfaces of their weapons, creating brief flashes of blinding light. They were armed heavily: from large automatic guns slung over shoulders to sheathed long blades, and even a few other menacing tools that I couldn’t identify. Their arsenal was both impressive and deeply unsettling.
O-kay. . .
They stood in formation, eerily silent, their collective presence emanating a threatening aura.
It felt like they were preparing for war and the sight sent a shiver down my spine.
I swallowed. “Hey, Chen. . . I was looking for you.”
“You were?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
“Good?”
“I had a question.”
“Oh.” I placed my hands at my side. “Go ahead and ask then, I have to tell you something.”
“I’m sure you do.”
I blinked. “What?”
“Why are there over a hundred Rowe Street Mob members at the bottom of the mountain?”
Caught off guard, I blinked again. “So. . .Banks wanted to bring me some clothes and men.”
“Because?”
“He said it was just a precaution to help him be okay with my staying here.”
“So, you’re not leaving us?”
“I’m not.”
“And he’s bringing you clothes?”
“Yes. . .and men.”
“I’m confused. I ask that you please explain that further.”
“Well. . .” I swallowed. “So, Banks told me that colors are important with the Diamond Syndicate and that he wants me to wear white.”
The line of Chen’s jaw twitched.
“And he is giving me five men to guard me while I am with you.” I held out my hands. “Banks didn’t want me to hang out with you all.”
“I can imagine he didn’t.”
“So. . .this was our compromise.”
“White clothes and five men?”
“Yes.”
“And you are staying with us?”
“Yes, Chen.”
Staring hard into my eyes, Chen’s expression shifted back to unreadable then he slowly raised his hand.
Instantly, the line of men behind him dispersed in synchronized formation. Their feet shifted simultaneously, bodies pivoting gracefully yet with unmistakable authority.
Then, they marched down the mountain.
The tension in the atmosphere lifted, but my confusion deepened. “What just happened?”
Chen lowered his hand and sighed, the stiffness in his shoulders lessening slightly. “They are a preventive measure. Having a hundred armed-men at our gates wasn’t exactly the kind of surprise I was expecting today.”
“I’m sorry about that.”
“I also thought Banks was taking you away and we can’t have that.”
I stiffened. “So. . .those men are for what? To battle my cousin or keep me here?”
“Let’s return to your compromise.”
“I would rather you answer the question.”
“I like your sense of diplomacy.” Chen gestured for me to follow him as he walked off.
Up ahead, his men in blue continued to march down the mountain path. Dust kicked up around their feet and swirled up their legs.
I walked next to Chen. “These guys are coming with us?”
“Yes.” He nodded. “Again, they are simply a safety measure.”
“This should be a chill visit, nothing like what happened at the hotel lobby.”
“Of course. However, I feel for you, Monique.”
“You do?”
“I do.” He shook his head. “Balancing Banks’ and Lei’s egos this week must feel like walking on a very thin tight rope that has been raised high above the world. One misstep and you could fall to your death.”
“I’m managing to keep my feet on the rope.”
“You are but dare I say you should manage even more.”
“I didn’t know Banks was going to bring so many people. I just thought he’d send some white clothes up the mountain, not parade a mini army at the gate.”
“The clothes and the men. It must be discussed. Those two things sound simple but they are not.” Chen sighed. “Let us first go to the men.”
“Okay.”
“That can’t happen.”
“Chen, we’re lucky Banks is not barreling up here and demanding I leave with him.”
“I’m sure we are.” Chen brushed down the front of his suit jacket as if it were getting dirty on our walk. “What I am saying is that I will welcome the men and assure Banks that all will be fine. But once he leaves, these men must remain in a tent far out of Lei’s sight so that—”