The afternoon sun hung like a merciless overlord above Porto Veloce, its scorching rays bearing down on the bleached stone buildings until the very atmosphere seemed to waver and dance with heat mirages. The cobblestones radiated warmth like the surface of a forge, and even the shadows offered little respite from the oppressive Mediterranean climate that turned the port city into a sprawling outdoor furnace.
Pierre felt the heat like a burning fever crawling across his skin. The sensation seeped through his pores, making his clothes cling uncomfortably to his lean frame as he fabricated increasingly elaborate excuses about needing to breathe something other than the stifling air inside Valerio's establishment.
