Page 16 of The Hitman's Rose

The sound of the door opening has Giovanni and I looking that way. Rosaline steps into the garden, wearing a beautiful light pink dress. Her black hair is swept to one side and she looks absolutely breathtaking.

I stand on her behalf.

“Sorry. Am I interrupting, Signore Tacchelli?” Rosaline’s soft sheepish voice has me holding back a smile.

“Never, Rosaline,” Giovanni chuckles and pats the bench where I had been sitting.

Rosaline nervously makes her way over to us. I step off to the side, allowing her room to sit down. She smiles up at me then takes a seat beside Giovanni.

“Would you like me to step inside, Boss?” I ask, looking at Giovanni. He shakes his head.

“No,” he shakes his head. “Do you want this old man to leave you two kids alone?”

“What old man?” Rosaline gasps dramatically with her hand clutching her chest. There’s playfulness in her eyes and I can tell she’s trying to hold back a laugh.

“You’re too good to me,” Giovanni smiles then takes a deep breath. “I must talk to both of you now.” He looks at me and it sends shivers down my spine. It’s a fatherly look. One of I’m about to get my ass handed to me.

Is he going to forbid me from seeing Rosaline? He had just given me permission to guard her but now he’s going to revoke that order? The thought of never seeing her again makes my stomach knot. I barely know her, but I already know that I don’t want to live without her in my life.

What the fuck is wrong with me?I curse to myself. How can I not live without a stranger?

I look at Rosaline. She’s staring at me, smiling softly… nervously.

Fuck, she’s beautiful. Everything that I know about her is perfect. Down to the tiny freckles scattered across her cheekbones.

Definitely, can’t lose you.I smile at Rosaline then look at Giovanni, who is grinning at me.

“You two are like love sick pups. You know that?” he chuckles.

“What? No, we aren’t,” Rosaline blurts.

For some reason, her words hurt; however, I look at her and my emotions settle. Her cheeks are red and she’s biting her lower lip nervously. She would make for a piss-poor poker player because she’s a horrible liar.

“Ademaro, take a seat.” Giovanni points at the bench across from him.

“Yes, Boss,” I say, then make my way to the bench and sit down.

“I have some news from Jersey.” He turns his attention to Rosaline.

“Oh,” she whispers.

She seems just as nervous as me. Giovanni talking to both of us can’t be good news. And now that he’s mentioned Jersey, I know it has to be bad news.

“Mikolaj has been located.”

Giovanni’s words have my entire body tense. I look over at Rosaline and watch a single tear trickle down her cheek. I want to rush over to her, and wipe the tear and all her problems away.

“Where?” Rosaline whispers, turning to face Giovanni.

“He is in Wroclaw, Poland,” he replies.

“I need to go there!” she exclaims with her eyes filled so full of tears that I know it’s only a matter of time before she breaks.

Rosaline. My poor Rosaline.

“No,” Giovanni shakes his head then looks at me. “Ademaro will go and do what he does best.”

“Consideralo fatto,” I say, bowing my head.Considerate done.

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