Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 53428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 267(@200wpm)___ 214(@250wpm)___ 178(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 267(@200wpm)___ 214(@250wpm)___ 178(@300wpm)
“Dakota laughed and told them that they were eating the valley’s criminals.”
My stomach twisted. “Human meat?”
“Exactly.”
“The Coffin Cheaters are cannibals?”
“That was how they survived so long in that valley. They ate each other, but only the ones accused of vile crimes.”
My stomach didn’t settle. “But, somehow Killer Crows and the Coffin Cheaters still became friends?”
“One never insults a man that eats men. My people thanked them for the meat, watched Dakota and his men leave, and then they booked it out of there.”
“What did they do with the meat?”
“Buried it at the bottom of Cloud Mountain.” Kashmere gazed out of the window. “Once the Killer Crows returned to Paradise City and saw their land was flooded, they began to live around Dream Lake, and eventually bought the property.”
“I saw the framed news articles in your office.”
“Well,” Kashmere looked at me. “Once my people built their homes around Dream Lake, Dakota and hundreds of Coffin Cheaters appeared one day.”
“For what?”
“They wanted their patch of land too. According to Dakota, because the Coffin Cheaters helped them survive, the Killer Crows now owed them money, property, and land in Paradise City.”
I frowned.
“And so the war between the Killer Crows and the Coffin Cheaters began.”
“Your ancestors have been through a lot.”
“That’s why Killer Crows’ motto is Family over Everything. We’ve learned that uniting, fighting, and building together is the only way to survive in a cruel world.” Kashmere looked back out the window. “That’s why I’m so embarrassed about dividing us.”
“You didn’t. Simon and your grandmother did.”
“True, but a leader never blames her followers.”
I ran my fingers along her braid. “Have you ever heard of Sun Tzu?”
“The name sounds familiar.” She looked back at me. “Definitely an ancient guy. Right?”
“Correct.” I traced one of the sparkling beads on her braid. “Sun Tzu was a Chinese military general, strategist, philosopher, and writer who lived back in the period BCE.”
“O-kay.”
“Sun Tzu said that unity increases from acting together under external pressure.”
“So some threat on the outside?”
“Exactly. Shared danger gets everyone acting as a group.”
“Like the Coffin Cheaters is our shared danger?”
“Correct again. Unity doesn’t come from making profound speeches or being a loving and nice leader.” I traced my finger down to the end of the long braid. “Opposition creates unity because it forces the group to come together to survive.”
“So. . .” Kashmere faced forward. “Sun Tzu would probably look at this possible war with the Coffin Cheaters as. . .a way for me to unite Killer Crows?”
“Right again, my queen.”
The Ghost pulled up to a small white building.
The ocean lay in the background.
I pressed a button. The window slid down, letting in a cool, salty breeze.
I eyed the area. “This is the meeting spot?”
“It is the entrance to Poseidon—a luxury underwater restaurant.” Kashmere pointed to the white building. “Inside of there, it is a hostess at a desk. She checks to see if your name is on the list and then a guard escorts you to the elevator.”
“Do you always meet at this restaurant?”
Kashmere nodded. “Due to it being underwater, it is a bad idea to shoot guns down there.”
“Hmmm.” I smiled. “Paradise City is quite an intriguing place.”
We left the Ghost.
Several of my men left my white vans and rushed to us, dressed in black suits with red ties. Killer Crows approached next, all donning designer red suits. Then, Dane, Rue, and Merik arrived in the other Ghost, left the vehicle, and kept a three-foot distance from us.
Meanwhile, Merik held three pies wrapped in plastic. However, each pie’s plastic was carefully coded. One was yellow. Another was green, and the last was blue.
Let us begin.
We strode toward the restaurant with our hands locked as one. This was the most I ever walked with a woman, and never did I hold her hand while doing it. But Kashmere had ignited a flame within me that I could not deny. I was discovering that I was willing to try things I’d never done before, and the thrill of it all consumed me.
I savored every new sensation.
Kashmere caressed my hand with her thumb. “You’ll love this place, Santino.”
“Will I?”
“This is one of the most luxurious underwater restaurants in the world and has the best seafood delicacies in Paradise.”
“I’ve never been to an underwater restaurant so this should be a lot of fun.”
“Then, good. Even though we are here for business, you should try the food. The famous Michelin star chef Joel Lawson owns it.” She stopped us in front of the door and turned to me. “Before we enter, do you have any more questions?”
I lifted her hand and kissed the top of it. “You still didn’t give me the history of Gypsy and you.”
She pursed her lips together.
She is hiding something about their past relationship. But what is it? And why does she keep avoiding telling me?