Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 124836 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 624(@200wpm)___ 499(@250wpm)___ 416(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124836 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 624(@200wpm)___ 499(@250wpm)___ 416(@300wpm)
“O-kay.” I continued to take everything in. “So. . .the stage must be for the grilling competition.”
Adjacent to the stage were two extravagant food stations. Kitchen staff hurried around, placing down all sorts of culinary equipment and fresh ingredients.
A sigh of relief left me when I spotted the orchestra.
Good. They have regular clothes on.
Each musician wore blue tuxedos, including the women. And it was clearly Lei’s special orchestra because they had those blindfolds over their eyes.
Next to them, Aunt Min and Aunt Suzi stood, dressed in these flowing blue ball gowns.
Diamond crowns sat on top of their heads.
Are they going to a ball afterwards?
I gazed down at my blue sundress, feeling absolutely underdressed.
Lei sneered. “There are the trouble makers.”
“Be nice.”
He prowled forward.
Aunt Suzi glanced over her shoulder and spotted us. Her eyes lit up with excitement and she headed over, her gown shimmering with each step. “Moni! Lei! You’re just in time to see the final preparations!”
Lei yelled, “Get all of this shit out of here!”
Aunt Suzi shrieked in shock. “What?!”
Aunt Min turned around. “Did you call all of this shit? Why I ought to pull your pants down, bend you over my knee, and smack that little bottom with my sword.”
I smirked.
Lei continued forward, “This is not a seven-year old’s mermaid birthday party this is a cookout.”
Aunt Suzi held out her hands. “Everyone loves mermaids at all ages—”
“Get all of this out of here. You’re going to scare her sisters away—”
“Scare?” Aunt Suzi stepped back like she’d been slapped. “How dare you? We are going to thrill them. Give them dreams of magic and—”
“It is a cookout. We just need tables, chairs—”
“No. No.” Aunt Min shook her head then gestured for one of the waiters on the side to come over—waiters that I had no idea had been standing over there in their glittery blue leotards and one foot seashell headdresses.
How the hell did I miss them?
Aunt Min pointed at the waiter who stepped forward. “Come and give the Mountain Master a dirty martini. He needs to relax.”
Lei took all of the ridiculously dressed men in. “Waiters?!”
Aunt Suzi grinned. “Who else will carry around the cocktails and hors d'oeuvre?”
“This is a cookout, not a gala—”
“A cookout can mean many things.” Aunt Suzi looked him up and down then checked me out. “When are you two going to change? You both look like you’re going to a picnic.”
“Aunt Suzi, a picnic and a cookout are very similar. Casual.” Lei gestured to the orchestra. “Get them out of here too—”
“We must have music—”
“We have it,” Lei said. “I was told by Chen that Rowe Street Mob requested an extra helicopter for the DJ.”
I widened my eyes. “What?”
Lei nodded at me. “Yeah.”
I rolled my eyes. “They need to chill out and stop requesting so much—”
“Oh, don’t worry. They’re not the ones being ridiculous right now.” Lei glared at his aunts.
“What does that mean?” Confusion hit Aunt Min’s face. “Surely, you are not referring to us.”
“Yes. I’m talking about you two.”
Aunt Suzi fanned herself with those perfectly manicured nails. Several diamond rings caught the light. “I mean really, Lei. I was expecting a huge thank you and even a little kiss on my cheek, but this response is outrageous. What could be the problem?”
“There are women swimming in front of the house—”
“A black woman too.” Aunt Suzi winked at me. “That was a bit difficult of a find, but I know Moni appreciates that extra touch if you don’t.”
Everyone turned to me.
“Well. . .” This silly smile spread across my face because in the end it was so outrageous I couldn’t help but smile. I would take diverse mermaids over a decapitated head any day. I shrugged. “You know what? The mermaids are here and swimming, Lei. Let’s just let it all flow.”
“Fine, but you two have to get rid of the orchestra, carousel, and these waiters.”
“They’re mermen.” Aunt Suzi crossed her arms over her chest. “And the only thing I will get rid of is the orchestra since a DJ is on the way but he better know good 70s classic rock and R&B or I will kill him.”
I blinked.
Is she serious about killing him?
While I hadn’t been in the East for a long time, I was starting to learn that when people made threats, they meant them.
Lei sneered. “You cannot kill the DJ. It is not our DJ, so if you do, it will start a war within the Syndicate. And you will get rid of the mermen!”
“I will not!”
I widened my eyes.
Aunt Suzi pointed at him. “You talk to me like this, after putting us in the dungeon?”
“If you don’t get rid of these mermen, you’re going back in the dungeon!”
“You and what army?” Aunt Suzi huffed and got into a fighting stance. “Sister, hold my tiara!”
“Oh no.” I got between them, right as Aunt Suzi started taking that tiara off her head and trying to get in front of Lei.