Page 141 of Cruel Devotion

Banks always pointed tothatbeing proof of our connection. Banks guessed that Ralph Jones had ordered his son to keep up with taking care of his sister.

I sighed. “Okay. So. . .that's. . .odd.”

“You think Leo knew that?”

“I don't know.”

“More important, does Lei know that?”

I shook my head. “No.”

“But he knows your last name is Jones.”

“Well. . .he doesn't.”

“Moni.”

“Don't start.”

“You mean to tell me that Lei is over there kidnapping women and giving them titles but don't know their last name?”

“We never got to that.”

“Yeah, but I bet you both got tootherthings.”

I rose from the bed. “Listen. Let's move on. I don't know what we can really do with that information right now.”

“Romeo and Chanel always acted like theyknewwe were related. Anytime I was present at a meeting, they leaned more in our favor as if to say, we got your back, cousin.”

I returned to slow pacing. “But did they ever say anything?”

“Okay, but check this out. Before Rowe Street Mob was even together, I got arrested for some serious shit—”

“What shit?”

“A little homicide situation.”

“Oh my God.”

“The Killer Crows’ family lawyer was at the jailhouse before they could even finish booking me. And guess what else?”

“What?”

“I was out in an hour, and they never said anything about it.”

This is fucking weird.

“I don't know, Moni. I'm just trying to tell you the connection and that you know. . .when Leo murdered Romeo and Chanel, I felt that deep in my heart.”

“I don't know what to do with this information.”

“Me either. Plus, I don't know how Killer Crows will take it or if they know the history. They all like to keep a whole regal our-shit-don't-stink-attitude. I'm sure any history about the founder of the Killer Crows having two families would never be discussed.”

“Regardless, we need to focus on much bigger problems. For now, we are possibly just distant cousins. They've never truly connected with us, so. . .let’s drop it for now.” I shrugged and did my best to get my head back in the game. “Anyway. . .once Lei and Leo have their final battle, I want to sit down with you, Marcelo, Lei, and Chen. We need to clean some of this up.”

“Moni. . .”

I stopped pacing. “What?”

---