Page 118 of Roberto

“Why do you have one?”

“Originally, I got it because I was afraid my father might decide to make our estrangementpermanent.”

She said it ironically, but the matter-of-factness in her voice chilled me to the bone.

The thought that a father might kill his own daughter? It was aninfamia–

Even worse than a man murdering his own brother and then trying to kill his nephews.

Mei-ling’s father and my Uncle Fausto were apparently cut from the same cloth.

“He never did it, though. Obviously, since I’m still here. I guess there are some levels even my father won’t sink to.” Mei-ling laughed ruefully. “But having the gun was like a security blanket. In my line of work, you tend to run into some real assholes. I’ve had enough of them thrown out of De Sade that I wanted a little protection in case they tried to stalk me.”

“Does that include me?” I teased her.

She gave me a playful glare. “Yes, it does. Although when you’re as bad a stalker asyouare – ”

“What?!” I said indignantly.

She laughed. “I’m constantly worried that gangsters and psychopaths are going to try to kill me. Did youreallythink I wouldn’t notice I was being tailed that first day you followed me from my apartment?”

“…oh,” I said, feeling deflated.

I thought I’d been quite clever.

Apparently not.

“We have dozens of security cameras on the streets outside De Sade. My security team picked you out the first time you parked in the alley.” She lightly tapped the tip of my nose. “Nice hoodie and sunglasses.”

“Alright, alright,” I grumbled. “Why’d you come out and confront me, then?”

“Because I was fucking annoyed at being stalked, that’s why.”

“Well… at least things turned out for the best,” I said as I caressed her back.

“Mmm… that’s true,” she murmured with a smile, then tilted her face up for a kiss.

After we did that for a while, she pulled back and asked somberly, “Are you still trying to get a gun?”

All my previous plans about Lau – the ones I’d forgotten over the last six days – came flooding back.

“Yes,” I admitted.

“Just borrow mine, then.”

“Thank you… but I need something else, too.”

“What?”

When I told her, her eyes immediately widened.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” she said.

“I need to pose a serious threat to force Lau to give me back my family’s money. That’s the only way I can think of.”

Mei-ling looked stunned. She laid her head down on my chest like she couldn’t bear to look at me anymore.

“Forget about it,” I said as I stroked her hair. “I haveyouback – that’s all I want. I’ll take care of the rest somehow – ”

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