Page 33 of The Hitman's Rose

Chapter Sixteen

Ademaro

It’s3:30 AMwhen I arrive. The house is quiet with only a few guards moving around. Giovanni is waiting for me in his office. I knock on the open door. He looks up from his book at me. He signals for Vito and Luca, who are standing guard in the room, to leave then waves me in.

“Close the door,” he says, closing the book and setting it on the desk.

Vito and Luca nod their heads in acknowledgment as they walk past me and into the hallway. Once they’re clear, I step inside and close the door behind me. A few short strides and I’m standing in front of him.

“Morning, Boss,” I state, looking at him.

“Yeah, it’s morning,” he chuckles, then points at the empty chair. I set my bag down then take a seat. “How was your flight?”

“Long. Very long.” I fight back a yawn.

“I won’t keep you long. Just wanted to see how things went.”

I dig into my pocket and pull out the gold chain. I offer it to Giovanni. He takes it from me and holds it up.

“L'atto è compiuto.”The deed is done,I explain. He nods his head and gives it back to me. My eyebrow raises.

“Give it to Rosaline.”

The chain is plain and simple. It has interlocking gold loops but there’s nothing else. No charm. No jewels. It’s just plain.

“It will mark the end of the man who took her father’s life. And, be a token of your loyalty to her,” he grins.

Loyalty to Rosaline? It was Giovanni who wanted me to go to Poland. If it had been up to Rosaline, I never would have left.

“I’m not sure she is going to buy that thought, Boss,” I reluctantly reply.

“She will. Trust me,” he smiles. There’s something in his eyes that tells me I’ve missed a lot while I was gone. “Have you thought about her?”

“What?” I gasp. “What, Boss?” I ask again. This time adding the formalities and respect.

“Drop the formalities,” he waves off my words. “Did you miss Rosaline? Or have you moved on?”

“What? No. I haven’t moved on. I couldn’t stop thinking about her,” I blurt in my defense.

The week was long. I wanted to off Mikolaj then get back on a plane to see Rosaline. I missed her like crazy and everything reminded me of her. I couldn’t get back fast enough.

“She’s been anxiously waiting for you since the minute you left,” he laughs.

His words are music to my ears. I had worried that Rosaline was over me already. I’m lying. It wasn’t a worry, it was more like a fear. A gut-wrenching fear.

“I see,” I reply coolie. His shit-eating grin tells me he sees right through me.

“Okay, Mr. Cool,” he jokes, making me laugh. I nervously rub the back of my neck. “She going to make an honest man out of you?”

“What?” My body tenses and I look across the desk at him. He leans back in his chair.

“You lose your hearing while you were gone?” he rolls his eyes and laughs.

“Sorry, Bos–” His raised hand silences me.

“You are going to have to drop formalities when we are alone.” His statement has my eyebrow raising. “I’ve practically raised you. Didn’t I?”

“Yes,” I nod my head. “I am forever in your debt for that.”

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