Page 7 of The Hitman's Rose

Chapter Four

Ademaro

The look in Rosaline’s eyes breaks my heart. I want to rip the heart of the bastard, who caused her all of this pain. She is wearing a beautiful smile but her eyes are filled with so much pain. She looks so broken right now. Lifeless.

“Adrianna has asked that she be the one to handle Mikolaj, when the time comes,” Giovanni says, earning him a cold stare from Rosaline.

“What? No. She’s had well over six months to hunt down that piece of shit and kill him,” Rosaline snaps. “She’s had her chance. If he is found, I will put the bullet in him myself.”

Rosaline’s sudden change in mood would have scared the hell out of other men; however, she’s in a room full of the Tacchelli Mafia. Her outburst and demand to be the one to kill Mikolaj probably has ninety percent of the dicks in the room hard.

“You think you could put a bullet in someone, Rosaline? You’re innocent in this world,” Giovanni states.

“Then perhaps it's time I grow up,” she shrugs. “If Adrianna hasn’t found him then it’s time for a new plan.”

“He’s somewhere in Europe.”

“There are airplanes,” she replies coldly, giving me goosebumps. Not because her words worry me. No. Her words excite me.

There’s intensity in her eyes. A woman on a mission. I like seeing such a precious, innocent woman break free of her cage.

“You have spunk, Rosaline,” Tommasso chuckles. “And here we thought you were an innocent bird, who we needed to be sheltered.”

Tommasso Tacchelli, the younger brother of Giovanni, looks at Rosaline with admiration-filled eyes. I want to rip his fucking eyes out of their sockets. Underboss or not. I don’t like the way he looks at her.

Fuck. Get a grip, Ademaro,I scold myself. Rosaline isn’t mine. And with her title of being the boss’ goddaughter, she’s most definitely off-limits to anyone who wants to keep their head.

“As my goddaughter, Rosaline, you can ask me to trump your sister’s wishes. I will do that for you,” Giovanni stares at Rosaline, who seems torn by how she should respond.

Having the Godfather of the Tacchelli Family offer you his services is a blessing. Rosaline should jump at the opportunity to have her wish fulfilled. Is she worried about upsetting her sister? What sister wouldn’t want the scum gone from this world?

“No. I’ll talk to her,” Rosaline shakes her head. “I don’t want tension between our families.”

“You know I love your sisters; however, you have a special place in my heart, Rosaline.” Giovanni pats his chest and smiles.

“Thank you, Signore Tacchelli.”

“Are we done with all the violence talk? May I serve the food now, Signore Tacchelli?” Patricia, Giovanni’s housekeeper asks, standing in the doorway, shaking her head in a disapproving manner.

“Yes. Go ahead, Patricia,” Giovanni laughs and gestures for her and the other servants to enter the room. Soon the food is served and dinner officially begins.

Throughout dinner, I couldn’t help sneaking peeks at Rosaline. And on occasion, our eyes would meet. We would both smile then return to our meal. Each time we look at each other, I can’t help but feel anxious, excited, and nervous all in one breath. The pull I feel has danger written all over it. A hitman isn’t supposed to feel anything. He’s just supposed to obey the orders given.

Giovanni will kill me without a single thought, if he knows I’m eyeing his goddaughter. I won’t have to worry about another order. I’ll just be dead. Most likely at the bottom of the ocean with the Cangini Brothers.

“Ademaro is like a son to me,” Giovanni says, catching us all off guard. It was completely random and the opposite of my current thoughts.

“Thank you, Boss,” I reply, unsure of what else to say to that.

Giovanni Tacchelli has always been like a father to me. He took me in when my parents died, gave me the finest education, and taught me everything there is to know about this dark lifestyle. He never asked anything of me; I always offered. Mostly because I felt I owed it to the man, who gave me a second chance at life.

“Look, I made him blush,” Giovanni jokes, making everyone laugh.

“Never knew The Button could blush,” Ezio, caporegime to the Tacchelli Family, states with a smirk. The guys in the room laugh, but Rosaline’s eyes lock onto mine. Her expression is unreadable. Does she know what that means– The Button?

Rosaline is a Romano. Her father was a mob boss. There’s no way she doesn’t know what that means. But the question is: will she fear me now?

I turn my attention to Ezio. My eyes narrow in on him. He swallows hard as I say nothing, only look at him.

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