Mafia Kings: Roberto: Chapter 87

After I dropped off Roberto at the Continental, I drove directly to De Sade.

I was beaming as I walked into work.

The purchase of the gun and C4 had gone off without a hitch, which was a gigantic relief.

More importantly, Roberto had promised to take me with him when he left for Italy –

Far away from Lau, Han, and all the other assholes who made my life in Hong Kong intolerable.

Not only that, but Roberto had made me promise to stay with him.

When he’d first told me he loved me, I’d told him I loved him, too…

And I’d meant it.

He had stolen my heart when I least expected it.

But Roberto had said ‘I love you’ right after sex, half an hour after we were reunited.

I was afraid his words were just something he’d blurted out in the throes of passion.

I had wanted to believe him –

But now I actually did.

And I couldn’t stop grinning from ear to ear.

I was exuberantly happy – and incredibly hopeful about the future.

So, of course, that’s when the bottom fell out.

I had just walked into my office when I got a call from Chaoxiang.

I grimaced. I’ll bet he wants more money.

“Hello?” I answered.

“Mei-ling?”

I could hear the fear and urgency in his voice.

“What’s wrong?”

“Lau knows you came to see me.”

All my happiness instantly evaporated.

“He sent his thugs to come get me, but luckily I was out. One of the guys in the noodle shop sent me a text. You need to get out of Hong Kong before they come for you.”

“What does he know?” I asked breathlessly.

“What does who know?” a grandfatherly voice said behind me.

My heart stopped in my chest.

Chaoxiang heard the voice, too.

“Fuck,” he cursed, then hung up.

I turned to see Lau in the doorway of my office, smiling benevolently.

Han stood behind him. He wasn’t smiling at all.

“What does who know, Ms. Chan?” Lau said as he strolled into my office.

“N-nothing,” I stammered.

“Hm… somehow, I don’t think you’re telling me the truth.”

Han shut the door as he walked in behind his boss.

It felt like I was being sealed inside a tomb.

Lau held out his hand. “Give me your phone.”

“Why?”

He dropped all pretense of pleasantness. “Because otherwise, I’ll have Mr. Han break your jaw. Give me your phone.”

I trembled slightly as I handed it over.

He looked at the list of calls on the screen.

Unfortunately, I had Chaoxiang’s name programmed in.

“Ah, yes, everyone’s favorite black-market purveyor. He managed to evade the men I sent to collect him. Was he calling to warn you?”

“…yes,” I said dully.

“I appreciate you not lying to me,” Lau said, and flashed his grandfatherly smile again. “One of my spies saw you and Mr. Rosolini go there this morning. The two of you are back together, I assume?”

“Yes.”

“Wonderful. I was beginning to worry Rosolini might tire of stalking you and start nagging me, so it’s nice to know he has you as a distraction again. What did the two of you purchase from Chaoxiang this morning?”

I didn’t answer.

Lau sighed, then said in a bored voice, “Mr. Han.”

Han pushed down on my shoulder, forcing me into my office chair.

Then he pulled out a cigar cutter – the kind with a razor-sharp blade that slides over a circular hole.

He grabbed my arm. I fought back, but he cranked my wrist painfully and nearly broke my pinky sliding it through the hole.

“Stop – please!” I begged Lau.

“Tell Mr. Lau the truth, or I’ll start with your finger,” Han said coldly. “Then I’ll move on to your clit.”

I had zero doubt that Han would follow through on his threat.

Lau looked at his right-hand man with distaste –

Although I knew it was only because Han had said the word ‘clit’ out loud.

Lau’s disgust had nothing to do with the actual threat itself.

“I would prefer you tell me the truth,” Lau said as he loomed over me. “It would be far less bloody – and much more helpful to me. So far, everyone but Mr. Han thinks you’re a loyal employee who played Rosolini like a violin… and not a scheming little whore who tried to betray me. So I’ll repeat myself one more time. What did you and Rosolini get from Chaoxiang this morning?”

I sobbed.

Before I could answer, though, my phone rang.

Lau still held it in his hand, and he glanced down at the screen. “Speaking of our mutual friend…”

He held up the phone so I could see who was calling:

Roberto.

“Should I let you answer?” the old man mused aloud. “No… I don’t think you’re in any state to talk to him right now. Let’s see if he leaves a message.”

My stomach churned in fear. I was absolutely terrified of what Roberto might unwittingly reveal.

The three of us waited in silence until a chime let us know Roberto had left a voicemail.

Lau tapped the screen and played it.

Roberto’s voice, happy and hopeful, filled the room.

“Something’s come up, so I had to book a flight leaving Hong Kong tomorrow morning at 11 AM. I want you to go with me… and I just need to confirm you still want to come. We can talk about it tonight. I’ll see you at 10 o’clock.”

My heart hammered in my chest.

Roberto had actually meant everything he said…

And now I was about to betray him.

“How sweet!” Lau said with a benevolent smile. “He’s planning to spirit you away, just like in a fairytale. But that means he plans to accelerate the conclusion of his business. Do you know why Rosolini is in Hong Kong, Ms. Chan?”

“N-no,” I stammered.

I felt the blade of Han’s cigar cutter bite into my skin –

“He said he had some sort of business meeting with you and some other people, but they’re taking forever to get here!” I shrieked. “Please, I don’t know anything else!”

Lau nodded at Han, and his pet psychopath backed off.

Tears streamed down my face as I sobbed.

Sensing that he had won, Lau gave me a smile. Not a grandfatherly one, but a smirk of triumph.

“I’ll tell you why he’s here: because he invested 50 million euros with me, and now he thinks he can demand it back just because he ‘needs’ it.”

I stared up at Lau in shock.

50 million euros?!

Lau continued. “I’ve done my best to stall him. You were useful in that endeavor – very useful. But if Rosolini plans to leave Hong Kong tomorrow morning, that means he has either given up on the money… which I don’t believe for a minute… or he has a plan to force me to capitulate. Which leads us back to my original question. Tell me, Ms. Chan… what did Chaoxiang sell Rosolini?”

I sobbed in defeat.

I’m sorry, Roberto…

I’m so, so sorry…