The Hitman's Mark

19. Under the Oak

VALENTINA

It took some convincing, but Luca eventually decided to simply monitor Val's stroll through the courtyard from a distance.

A burnt orange sunset bled across scattered summer rain clouds as Val began her descent into the gardens. She purposefully avoided the main cobblestone path that led past the courtyard's central fountain. The spot where she'd been standing when her world shattered around her four years prior.

Val would conquer those memories later.

For now, she simply enjoyed the small garden paths that winded across the Romano family's expansive property. The same paths she'd traversed throughout her girlhood. Where she rode her bike across bumpy dirt trails and fed wild blackberries to her beloved dog, Piso. She found the same chestnut oak that she'd climbed in alongside her friends–friends who hadn't spoken to Val since her abrupt exodus from New York.

Perhaps these memories should've conjured an overwhelming feeling of loneliness over her, but Val only smiled as she recalled her simple, carefree days.

She wondered if her life might've unraveled differently if her mother never died. She wondered how many more memories she might have in these gardens if that assassin never breached the Romano stronghold's walls. She envied that almost-future.

The sun had long since set by the time Val reached the end of her little garden path, casting a cool violet tone across her surroundings. A small smile drifted on her lips as she traced the petals of a blooming pink rose bush, the plant's thorns snagging on the thigh-length skirt of her white ruffle-hem dress.

A startlingly cool droplet of water fell on Val's exposed shoulder, and she gasped as she peered up at the sky. Somehow, she'd failed to notice the rapid culmination of clouds in the sky.

"Damn," Val whispered, stepping away from the rose bushes and returning to the dirt path.

Luca would be looking for her, undoubtedly eager to herd her back indoors before the heavy rain began. She started back on the dimly lit path, also disenchanted by the idea of getting caught in a storm.

She kept her head ducked as she raced against the sky's tears, but her sandaled feet could only carry her so quickly. She'd only just reached the familiar chestnut oak when the heavens opened up and released their downpour.

For the first time in days, it seemed, laughter bubbled from Val's lips, even as rain soaked her to the bone. Her frizzy brown waves quickly plastered against her scalp, and her flowy mini-dress stuck to her skin like a second layer.

She raced to the large oak's trunk for cover, desperate for some semblance of a shield against the bulleting drops. She pressed her back to the coarse bark, the wood scraping rough against the bare skin of her shoulders. Her breath came in rapid pants from her sprint through the mud, and dirt splattered up her legs and stained her white dress.

"What a mess," Val mused to herself, but her smile never faltered as she leaned her head back against the tree trunk and wiped water from her eyes.

When she opened them again, she was surprised to see a large figure rounding the muddy path's corner. Through the relentless sheets of rain, Val thought she recognized Luca. She stepped away from her cover to greet him.

"Luca, my hero!" she shouted above the roar of water colliding with earth. The strap of her dress slipped from her shoulder, and she tugged it back into place, stomping through a puddle on the path. "I hope you brought an umbrella because I am not–"

She paused, her eyes widening as their new closeness revealed the man's true identity. Val's heart somersaulted in her chest.

"Matteo," she whispered, somewhat breathless. "You're back."