Page 35 of The Hitman's Rose

“It is…. was… his?” she asks sheepishly. I nod in response. She grips the chain. “Thank you, Ademaro. This means a lot.”

“Anything for you.”

With her free hand, she cups my cheek. She smiles brightly.

“Seriously, thank you,” she states again.

“Ademaro is a man of his word, Rosaline. If he says he will do something, he will.” Giovanni chimes in as though he is trying to sell me off.

He must be going through some life crisis because he isn’t acting like himself.

I look at Giovanni and open my mouth. He silences me before I can even speak by holding his hand up.

“I’m not sick,” he groans. Rosaline giggles.

“See, I told you. It is weird when you act like this,” she teases him. He laughs loudly.

“Just because an old man is caring makes it weird?”

“Yes,” Rosaline and I say in unison. We look at each other and smile. Giovanni shakes his head.

“These kids here,” he mutters.

“But you love us,” Rosaline smiles ear-to-ear.

“Ah. That is true,” he nods.

Love? What the hell is going on?

“I want to shift things inside the family and one of those things is a marriage between you and Rosaline,” Giovanni states firmly.

“What?” My question comes out a gasp. It isn’t that marrying Rosaline hadn’t crossed my mind but for Giovanni to suggest it comes as a huge shocker.

“I responded the same way,” Rosaline grins.

He had mentioned it to Rosaline already. Did she agree to it? She seems to be in a good mood and not utterly disgusted by the idea. Wish I could read her mind and know what she thinks of the idea.

“I don’t mean to put you on the spot, Ademaro,” Giovanni states. I look at him. “We can discuss this later in private.”

“Oh,” Rosaline whispers. “I can leave you two alone.”

She stands and I grab her hand. She looks at me with wide eyes.

“You don’t need to leave. I have no secrets with either of you,” I squeeze her hand gently. She smiles and sits back down. I don’t let go of her hand. “I would gladly accept a marriage with Rosaline.”

“Really?” Rosaline asks excitedly.

“Really,” I nod chuckling. She smiles big and looks at Giovanni, who looks like a proud papa.

“This is great news.” He claps his hands together. “Then it is settled. Rosaline and you are to be married.”

“Wait, you agreed too?” I look at Rosaline. She rolls her eyes and laughs.

“Would you rather I have said no?” she retorts sassily.

I’m so punishing your pretty little ass.I only hope she can read the message I’m sending her with my eyes. When she swallows hard, I know my message was received loud and clear.

“You’ll have your hands full, Ademaro,” Giovanni laughs. I look at him and smile.

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