Rosa

Chapter 10

Against her better judgment, Rosa found herself leaving behind the sunny, sandy beaches of Lisbon to follow Mr. Massera to the train station. He told her to pack lightly for about a week in Madrid. Within the hour, they left his hotel room and took off in their rental car.

On the ride over, Rosa muttered with a sullen expression, "I cannot believe I am giving up my vacation for you."

Keeping his hands on the wheel, he side-eyed her, promising, "I will make it worth your while."

Rosa demanded, "How?"

"€100,000 for five days of work."

Her eyes narrowed with interest. "€100,000, you say?"

Mr. Massera confirmed with a nod, "€100,000."

She prodded, "What do you need from me?"

"Claude Moulin. Jean-Luc Favreau," he replied. "Make them disappear."

Rosa's mouth dropped. "Two assignments? In five days?"

"Yes."

Immediately, her mind reeled with one too many chaotic thoughts.

Because Rosa recognized both of these names—a little too well.

Jean-Luc Favreau was the son of Étienne Favreau, a well-known caïd, or mob boss, who operated out of Paris. The Favreau's were in a similar line of work as Julien Mesrine, her former jailor, slaver, and lover. Rosa had since escaped the cage Mesrine had placed around her mind, body, and soul, but the man remained a very prominent and dangerous figure in the underbelly of Europe's sex trafficking circuits. Rosa's blood ran cold at the thought of him. Rosa didn't like to think about Mesrine at all. He terrified her to this day.

Meanwhile, Rosa had only learned about Claude Moulin during her last assignment with Gaspare De León. Moulin was a criminal defense lawyer who was often called upon by the French mob whenever their members encountered legal troubles. When Gaspare De León was still alive, Moulin had been one of his closest confidants in France. Moulin was the one who helped De León escape to Marseille with a new identity.

As targets, Favreau and Moulin would be two of the highest profile names that had ever been presented to Rosa. It seemed, to her, that their deaths would cause a much greater ripple through the underworld than the death of De León, who had been nothing more than a disgraced, forsaken heir of a fallen clan.

Rosa's eyes snapped towards Mr. Massera as she tried to suss him out.

What the fuck was he trying to do here?

The waters in their world were relatively calm.

Why rock the boat at all?

He was about to mess with some very dangerous individuals who had friends in dark, scary places. She would need to proceed with caution or risk losing her head alongside him.

Not to mention, it usually took her weeks just to prepare for one assignment.

"Two assignments in five days does not seem possible," she grumbled.

"Make it possible."

"Easier said than done."

"My men have already done much of the legwork for you," Mr. Massera countered.

What men?

What legwork?

Rosa frowned slightly. "What are you talking about?"

She wasn't aware that Mr. Massera had been in a position of authority to command anyone other than, say, David Candia to do his bidding.

Again, suspicion roused in her.