Page 2 of The Hitman's Rose

“True, but I can always make time for my goddaughter.” He pats my arm, while Mikael pulls a chair out for me.

“Thank you,” I say, taking my seat.

Giovanni walks to the head of the table and sits down. Mikael sits to my left, closest to Giovanni. And, Jacobi sits to my right.

“How have things been here, Mikael?” Giovanni asks.

“Everything has been peaceful, Boss,” Mikael replies.

“Good,” Giovanni smiles but there’s no warmth behind it. His eyes look like they’re searching Mikael for something.

“Rosaline has been spending her time reading in the garden,” Jacobi states, earning Giovanni’s attention.

“Oh. Really?” Giovanni smiles at me. This smile is genuine. I can tell because of the look in his eyes. “What kind of books do you read?”

“The typical girly-books,” I admit bashfully.

Giovanni’s head falls back and he laughs. You would have thought someone told him the world’s funniest joke with how loud he laughed. When he finally stops laughing, he looks at me.

“I’ve never had any daughters. You and your sisters were the closest I had to that,” he smiles. “I don’t think I could have handled raising girls. They would have been the death of me.”

“You would have done just fine raising girls, Signore Tacchelli,” Patricia giggles as she enters the room. Four male servants follow behind her carrying trays of food. The smell of delicious food fills the air. “You would have done just fine.”

“Grazie, Patricia,” Giovanni chuckles.

The servants place dishes in front of those of us at the table to include glasses. Patricia walks around the room filling everyone’s glasses with imported Italian red wine. Giovanni’s favorite. He never has a meal without it.

“Mangiamo!” Giovanni announces, clapping his hands together then picking up his fork.

Mangiamo was a word my Nonna said before every meal. The word brings both warmth and sadness to my heart. She’s gone now. Just like everyone else I ever cared about.

I’m in a room full of people, yet, I’ve never felt more alone in my entire life.

Smiles on, Rosaline,I scold myself.Just get through dinner.

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