Page 51 of Cruel Devotion

Rattlesnake Rick slid into position on my left, his fingers twisting and playing with his lengthy braided goatee. His sharp eyes darted around as if assessing the area. “Is there a problem?”

I pushed aside my unease. “I don’t think so.”

“Are we to wait for Chen to return?”

“No.”

“Then, where should we be escorting you?”

“My tent is over there.” I pointed to the large structure further ahead, its silhouette grand against the darkening sky. “Apparently, I’m about to take a shower.”

Once Rick spotted the tent, he opened his mouth in shock and exchanged glances with the other men.

What?

Next, he turned back to me. “We have only been in this camp for a few minutes. Perhaps we haven’t seen it all, but to me. . .that’s thebiggesttent here.”

“I’m sure it’s the biggest one.”

“If that is the biggest, then what does Lei’s tent look like.”

I shifted my weight to the side. “ThatisLei’s tent also.”

Rick widened his eyes. “Then, you both sleep in there together?”

“Yes.”

Worry creased his face. “We are supposed to give Banks reports on your safety at the top of every hour. Which meansthat this sleeping situation will need to be reported back to Banks.”

I sighed. “Can we delay that report?”

“Hmm.” Rick checked Silent Sal. “Can we?”

Sal remained quiet yet put his hands in his pocket.

Rick frowned at Sal. “You sure?”

Sal made no move.

“Okay then. I got it, buddy.” Rick shrugged and looked at me. “Sal thinks that we can leave that information to the final report this evening. That should give you at least three hours. However, he believes that this information is unavoidable and Banks will not be happy. He would like you to consider separate sleeping quarters and also offers his help in that situation. We can get a green tent here or personally talk to Chen and demand another tent.”

I blinked. “That’s what you got from Sal not saying anything at all?”

“Sal and I have a special way we communicate.”

“I’m just saying. That was a whole lot from him just silently standing there.”

“Still, we cannot let you sleep in the same tent with Lei this evening.”

As if on cue, Flashy Freddie materialized on my right, effortlessly stealing the spotlight.

He whipped out a pair of sparkling green sunglasses from somewhere and slid them onto his face, even though the sun had long since set. “It appears that we stepped in just in time before things got out of hand.”

“I’ll call Banks and explain.” I held up one hand. “But for now. . .let’s keep this to ourselves.”

Freddie saluted. “Until then, we will surround the tent and guard it, while you shower. No one will come close without our say-so.”

I nodded, finding a strange sense of comfort in their over-the-top loyalty.

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