Rosa

Chapter 36

With his arms still enveloped around her, Rosa looked up at Cristiano. Her face was full of trepidation as her amber eyes locked onto his black gaze.

"You would not believe what happened to me," she murmured, "after I left the motel."

"Try me," Cristiano insisted in a quiet manner.

Begrudgingly, Rosa admitted, "My mind was a mess when I left our room. I was an idiote. I let my guard down."

His expression softened as he pressed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "You cannot be perfect all the time, baby."

"But I must be perfect all the time," she argued. "I almost got myself killed this morning."

"But you are here now," Cristiano growled, "with me. I will not let any more harm come to you."

She gave him a long, hard stare.

In her heart, Rosa wanted to believe him. In her head, she almost believed him. For now, Cristiano was obviously her best chance at survival. But he wasn't God. He was only a man. A man who had set aside his agenda for her. As much as Rosa rejoiced when she saw him waiting for her at the airport, another part of her also realized that even a man as intelligent and disciplined and merciless as Cristiano could still let emotion rule his choices.

Emotions were dangerous in their world.

With a sigh, Rosa proceeded to recount the morning's harrowing events, "While I was walking, there was a hooded asshole following me."

Cristiano's jaw ticked, but he stayed silent. He kept listening.

Rosa continued, "He was one of Mesrine's men. Mesrine has always suspected that I faked my death all those years ago. I believe he has been searching for me ever since."

She then told Cristiano how they had ambushed her with a cab in the alleyway.

How Mesrine only agreed to let her go when she promised to spy for him.

Word for word, moment by moment, Rosa relayed her encounter with the monstrous fucker to Cristiano.

When she finally purged the horrors from her system, when she finally felt silent, he asked, "Is that everything you wish to tell me?"

Feeling somewhat drained, Rosa nodded. "Oui."

Well, almost everything.

Cristiano tucked her close to his chest. "Are you sure?"

She hummed, "I am sure."

In a low, dangerous voice, he vowed, "Then, mark my words, I will make Mesrine pay for every offense he has inflicted on your person. He is a dead man walking."

Rosa let out a weak chuckle. "That is what I was hoping you would say, mon beau."

"Once we arrive in Catanzaro, I will take action."

Cristiano's arms tightened around her, and Rosa practically melted into him. His hard, solid warmth comforted her like nothing else. She believed in his ability to take on Mesrine. Yet, even while she nestled her head into the crook of his neck, something inside Rosa prompted her to continue withholding a few details from Cristiano. Like the part about the little girl's photographs. The little girl who looked so much like Nijah.

Rosa was still trying to wrap her mind around this impossibility. Nijah was dead.

Right?

Either way, Rosa wasn't ready to talk to anyone about her baby. She had yet to confirm whether or not Cristiano was aware of Nijah's existence. She wanted to learn more about his past before she divulged everything about hers.