Rosa

Chapter 19

Rosa nodded stiffly and responded with sarcasm in a feeble attempt to mask her turbulent mood, "You are correct, mon beau. I did not die today. Ouais."

Yay.

Despite the blasé tone in her attitude, in truth, she felt caught, stripped, naked, both literally and emotionally before Mr. Massera. She pulled the blanket over her chest to hide her nudity. Rosa hadn't been expecting him to show his face at all this evening. Especially since he told her, earlier in the day, not to wait up for him.

Rosa felt shocked to see him. She wasn't ready to face another human in her state of dissolution. Yet, there he stood, in the flesh, after barging in during her moment of utmost frailty.

Her emotions remained a fucking mess.

For once, Rosa didn't know if she possessed the mettle to keep her shit together, to suppress her pain any longer. It was draining simply to sit there and pretend as though nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

But Rosa pushed herself to stay strong.

She hated letting anyone see her weaknesses.

A moment later, Mr. Massera was moving towards her across the dingy motel room. He said nothing, but a troubled look lingered on his handsome face.

As he sat down beside her on the edge of the mattress, they spoke over one another at the same time—

He muttered, "Mesrine was not supposed to be with Moulin today."

She mumbled, "I thought you were going to be gone all night?"

Again, mirroring one another, their eyes widened as they both took a moment to process what the other person had said.

Mr. Massera responded to Rosa first.

Although, the man looked a bit uncomfortable as he said under his breath, "Plans... change."

Frowning, Rosa followed up with, "You have been keeping tabs on Mesrine's movements?"

He nodded. "For years, I have been keeping tabs on everyone who is anyone in our world."

Years?

Mr. Massera elaborated, "Mesrine is only one of many."

One of many?

She thought of Favreau and Vosa and Moulin. "I see."

Who else was on Mr. Massera's list of targets?

He stole another glance in her direction and confessed in a halting manner, "I... was worried about you. Earlier. Today."

Her heart gave a funny, little lurch. "Because of... Mesrine?"

As her former tormentor's name left her lips, Rosa withheld a shudder. It was nauseating just to say his name out loud.

Mr. Massera nodded again. "Yes. Especially when you did not respond to my messages."

Quietly, Rosa informed him, "Well, you have nothing to worry about now. The assignment is complete. Moulin is dead, and, in a few days' time, Favreau will be gone as well."

In gruff tones, he surprised her by clarifying, "I was not worried about the assignment."

She tilted her head to the side, narrowing her eyes shrewdly. "Are you saying that—you care about whether I live or die?"

"I do."

She couldn't help inquiring, "Why?"

As Mr. Massera gazed back at her, admiration brimmed from his face, but he hesitated before answering, "You..."