“The first group I went to, there were introductions: this is Alice, this is Brenda, this is Dover. Everyone smiles with that invisible gun to their head.”

“Everyone smiles with that invisible gun to their head.”

“Honestly, I only went first because I’m a little afraid of her.”“Everyone is.” Livia smiled.”

“Invisible guns, huh?" Kenji smirks. "That's cute. I don't think I ever went through that phase.”

“Yeah, but I want to take a look at your little peashooter. It's kinda cute.""It's a gun," Brenda said.Lula pulled her Glock out of her bag and aimed it at Brenda. "Bitch, this is a gun. It could put a hole in you big enough to drive a truck through.”

“It was always so hot, and everyone was so polite, and everything was all surface but underneath it was like a bomb waiting to go off. I always felt that way about the South, that beneath the smiles and southern hospitality and politeness were a lot of guns and liquor and secrets.”