Page 17 of Savage Throne
I obeyed, feeling the cool metal click into place across my lap.
Leo merely smirked at him, not bothering with his own belt. Instead, he pulled out Yan's finger again from his pocket and began turning it round and round in his hands, as if it were just an antique relic rather than a piece of his deceased daughter.
Then, he looked at me. “Whose idea was the cookout?”
“Banks.”
“So then I will give you credit for that because Banks would not have done that, if not for you.”
Song spoke. “How did the emergency Diamond Syndicate meeting go for the Four Aces? The one that Dima led.”
“We were fined but no major penalties.”
Leo smirked. “You saidwe.”
“I’m a part of Four Aces now.”
Leo bobbed his head. “You sure are.”
And even Song smiled and it was an odd one, small and hesitant, as if he were unsure of how to express the emotion of happiness. His lips barely turned up at the corners and his eyes remained guarded.
Leo watched me. “It was good that you put Einstein in his place.”
That caught me off guard.
I studied him. “You heard that conversation?”
“We were behind the bookshelf as you two talked.”
I swallowed down fear.
“Through the whole conversation, you focused on protecting Lei and solidifying power in the East.” Leo pointed at me. “And not one time did you waver from that loyalty.”
I froze, knowing that if I had said some bullshit. . .well. . .Leo might have appeared in that library and killed us both.
The last man climbed onto the helicopter and shut the door behind him.
Song gazed over his shoulder. “Let’s go.”
“Yes sir.”
The helicopter engine began to hum.
Leo turned to Song. “I think we can celebrate now, don’t you?”
Frowning, Song stuck his hand in his jacket, pulled out a bag of blue marijuana and tossed it to Leo.
Leo caught the bag mid-air and then looked at me. “Monique?”
“Yes.”
“Are you ready for a special educational adventure with me?”
I shivered. “No. . .I don’t think so.”
A dark laugh left him and even Song smiled again.
“Smart girl.” Leo opened the bag of marijuana and sniffed it. “Smart girl. Indeed.”
