Rosa

Chapter 46

Rosa shifted on the bed and scowled at Cristiano.

Did she hear correctly?

The bastard was plotting to have her dispatch an ex-capo and his wife. In Sicily, no less, of all places. The fucking birthplace of Cosa Nostra.

Rosa knew her worth. She was more than competent in her line of work, but even a she-wolf with sharp fangs and killer claws like her couldn't take on a swarm of sharks if dropped into the ocean.

For one thing, she didn't speak or understand much Italian. For another, she wouldn't be in her home turf of Marseille. Not to mention, this sort of high-profile assassination would take months to prep, and time wasn't on their side. Not with Mesrine riding on their asses.

Right as Rosa was about to voice her concerns, however, Cristiano rose from the mattress, away from her, and started getting dressed.

"Where are you going?" she demanded.

"There is shit to be done," he grunted. "I need to find Giorgio."

She leaned over the bed to grab her clothes from the floor. "Let me come with you."

"No, stay here," Cristiano ordered as he walked away, "and learn what you can about the Vitales. I will be back. Later."

She hooked on her bra and slipped into her underwear. "What are you planning to do with Giorgio?"

"Business," he called over his shoulder.

Rosa's heart sank as she sensed the immediate shift in his demeanor. The man who had bared his soul to her moments ago and fucked her raw was no more. A strange, unfamiliar void tugged at her heart.

She protested, "Wait—"

But Cristiano was already gone. His footsteps could be heard across the living room. The front door opened and shut with an echoing wham.

She was alone in the condo.

Disappointment struck Rosa, but she wasn't surprised by the bastard's behavior. Rome wasn't built in a day. A man couldn't change within a day, either. In a way, it was almost expected. Like her, Cristiano was accustomed to operating as a lone wolf. With a sigh, Rosa decided it was time for her to get to work as well. There was no time to worry about her mon beau or his mercuriel moods.

She needed to call Harry and see what he knew about the Vitales. Rosa couldn't use her own phone, though. Otherwise, Mesrine would trace her call. Right then, securing a new phone seemed imperative. It was time to get her ass out of bed.

Within seconds, she got dressed. Rosa paired nude-colored Louboutin heels with a silky, sage green Gucci slip dress. For the pièce de résistance, she added a swipe of wine red YSL lipstick to her lips. After retrieving her trusty Beretta from her suitcase, she strapped it to a concealed holster on her thigh. She then spent another ten minutes rummaging through Cristiano's condo in search of a spare key. Once Rosa found one, she strutted out of the front door and locked it behind her.

Rosa returned to the condo about half an hour later with a cheap-ass pay-as-you-go cell phone. Upon entry, she did a routine sweep through the premises with her Beretta in hand. Each and every room proved to be as empty as she had left them. A mixture of relief and sullenness swirled in her chest.

Relief. Because no one had broken into the condo during her absence.

Sullenness. Because Cristiano was still out with Giorgio. He hadn't messaged her any updates, either. And she had texted him with her new number thirty minutes ago.

Bastard.

Rosa released a huff of frustration and tried to console herself.

No matter!