Page 229 of Roberto

I’d bought it after the incident with the Russian.

I swore to myself that if anyone else tried to kill another Kam – another innocent girl in my employ – that I would shoot him in the fucking head myself, Goddamnthe consequences.

In the months since I’d bought it, it had been a comfort to know I had at leastonetinypiece of power at my disposal –

And that if my father or Lau or anyone else everreallytried to fuck with me, I couldendthem.

But I never,everthought I would point it at someone I cared about.

Roberto lunged for me – “Wait!” –

Until he saw what I had in my hand.

“Get the fuck out of my apartment, Roberto,” I hissed.

He stood there, his eyes wide –

And then his shock gave way to anger.

“Why would Ieverthink you had any contacts on the black market?” he asked, his voice sarcastic and hateful.

“Get OUT.”

“You know,” he sneered, “you could get 14 years in prison if the police found that on you.”

“GET OUT!”

I couldn’t seem to get him to leave by merely pointing the gun at him, so I cocked the hammer.

That seemed to do the trick.

“Alright – I’mgoing.At least let me get my things.”

“Hurry.”

He walked out of the room.

I half expected him to pull some sort of mafia magic trick and come back in the room with an Uzi –

But he only had his jacket and tie.

I kept the gun pointed at him the entire time.

“Mei-ling, we need to talk.”

He seemed to have calmed down in the 30 seconds he’d been out of the room.

Unfortunately, I hadn’t.

“We’re never talking again. Now GET THE FUCK OUT.”

His bewilderment and anger returned as he stomped out the door.

I slammed it behind him, rammed the deadbolt into place –

And sank down on the floor as I sobbed my fucking eyes out.

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