Page 272 of Roberto

And aimed his gun at my head.

“Here,” I replied. “Let me make it easier for you.”

I slowly walked around the desk…

Holding up the detonator so everyone could see it…

And pressed my forehead against the barrel of Gota’s gun.

I stared into his eyes as I said, “If you’re so confident… pull the trigger.”

Gota stared at me like I was absolutely insane.

“You called me a half-breed yesterday,” I said coldly. “Do you remember?”

Gota swallowed hard. “Yes.”

I gave him a chilling smile. “You were right. The Florentine banker in me tried to play nice… but you’re dealing with the Sicilian half now.”

97

Lau was the only one with any sense.

“Mr. Gota, put your gun away,” he snapped.

“He’s bluffing,” Gota said – but he sounded a lot less confident than earlier.

“You already heard Mr. Han’s opinion on that,” I said.

“Put the fucking gun down, Gota,” Han snarled as he pointed his own gun at the Yakuza boss’s head.

Three of the other gangsters immediately aimed their guns at Han.

I was momentarily afraid that it reallywasgoing to end badly –

When Lau shouted, “EVERYONE! Put your guns down, NOW!”

Every single gangster in the room – Han, Xi, and Gota included – gradually lowered their pistols.

Lau turned his fiery gaze on me. “Satisfied?”

“Thank you. Do you agree to my demands? Safe passage for Mei-ling and me, and you agree never to come after us?”

Lau narrowed his eyes. “If youdon’tgive me back the 200 million, I will not only send men after you, Ms. Chan, and yourbrothers… but I will have my men bring you back here where I will make your deaths both excruciatingand slow.”

“I believe you.”

“You should also know there isn’t a place on Earth you can hide from me.”

“Andyoushould know that if you try to get revenge on Mei-ling, I’ll spend the rest of my life tracking you down… and I will makeyourdeath horrific in ways that only a Sicilian can.”

The tiniest bit of a smile tugged at the corner of Lau’s mouth…

Almost like he respected me.

Then he regained his neutral composure. “One more thing.”

“What?”

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