Page 48 of Roberto

“If you told me about the first guy who got to sleep with you,” I explained, “I think I might go mad with jealousy.”

She smirked and shook her head ruefully. “Men.”

I chuckled.“Italianmen in particular.”

She perched her chin atop her hand in a coquettish way. “I think I can restrain myself. Tell me your story.”

“Alright.”

I took another sip of scotch and began my tale.

24

“Iwas 20 years old and still a virgin. I was shy and withdrawn – a late bloomer. I didn’t really connect with girls my own age.

“My brother Adriano was only a year older than me, but he had worlds more experience. He’d lost his virginity when he was 14, and by 21, he’d been with alotof women.

“He got it into his head that he was going to ‘help’ me by taking me to a brothel in Florence. My oldest brother, Dario, didn’t know anything about it, or he probably would have stopped us. I told my twin brother Niccolo – ”

“You have a twin?” Mei-ling asked in surprise.

“I do. We’re fraternal twins, not identical.”

“Is he a lot like you?”

“In appearance, yes. In everything else, not at all.”

“Sorry for interrupting. Please continue.”

“I told Niccolo, but he was no help at all. He’d already slept with his first girlfriend when he was 16, and he’d been with several others since then. He advised me to go ahead and ‘get it over with.’ So I went with Adriano to the place he knew about.”

I didn’t mention that the brothel was run by the Agrellas – business partners of my family who ran all the prostitution, gambling, and drugs in Florence.

I also didn’t mention that the Agrellas had been massacred just a month ago by a Sicilian named Mezzasalma who had tried to kill Adriano, too.

“The brothel was in this ancient building in the old part of the city. From the outside, it looked like something you’d see on an architectural tour. Very dignified. On the inside, though, it was all velvet wall hangings and tacky paintings.

“Anyway, Adriano and I went to the bar and had a drink as I tried to get over my nervousness.

“One by one, women came up to us, all of them dressed in lingerie. They tried flirting with Adriano first, but he kept pointing at me and saying, ‘We’re here forhim.’

“They tried to flirt with me, but I was spectacularly bad at it.Veryawkward. After a few minutes, one girl left, another walked up, and the whole process started over again. It was excruciating.

“Half an hour after we’d arrived, the madam took me and Adriano into a parlor where all the girls came out and stood in a line.

“The madam asked, ‘Which one do you like the most?’

“And I said, ‘I’m good.’

“‘You’re ‘good’?’ the madam asked, confused.

“‘I’m good,’ I confirmed.

“All the girls shuffled out, and Adriano waspissed.‘I brought you all the way out here, and you’re not even going to sleep with any of them?! What the hell iswrongwith you?!’

“He told me not to leave the brothel till I’d popped my cherry, and then he stormed out – because, as he informed me, he didn’thaveto pay for sex. Unlike me.

“I went back to the bar for another drink. I was miserable. I felt like an utter and complete failure.

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