Page 46 of Cruel Devotion

“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 figuresemerged, 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.”

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