Page 225 of Roberto

Fuck.

My mind raced through the possibilities:

Was he leaving town?

Did he have a sexually transmitted infection?

Was hemarried?

If he was married, I was going to fuckingkillhim.

“Um… alright…” I said, steeling myself for the worst.

“I need to ask you something,” he began somberly. “You’re under no obligation to tell me, and if you don’t want to discuss it, I’ll understand – but I need to buy something, and you’re the only person I know in Hong Kong who might be able to help me get it.”

BUY something?

That’s IT?!

He needs me to help him BUY something?!

Okay – how bad could this be?

Does he need some Viagra?

No, THAT can’t be it…

Does he want a butt plug, and he’s too shy to ask?

Marijuana, maybe?

“What do you need?” I asked.

“The first thing I need is a gun.”

…oh.

…fuck.

Wait –

Why the fuck does he need a GUN?

That chain of thoughts occurred in about 0.2 seconds.

“What?” I asked, stunned. “Why?”

“I have reason to believe I might not be safe here, and I need to make sure I can protect myself.”

My panic rose a few notches. “Why aren’t you safe?!”

“The man I’m doing business with has a lot of my family’s money tied up in an investment. I need it back, and I’ve asked for it repeatedly, but he keeps stalling me. I’m worried it’s because he’s working with an enemy of me and my brothers.”

My stomach suddenly turned.

Iknewhe was doing business with Lau. The old man had specifically said Roberto was one of his primary investors.

But I’d more or less blocked all that out of my mind.

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