Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 126060 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 630(@200wpm)___ 504(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126060 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 630(@200wpm)___ 504(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
Geno once more looked from her to his brothers and then sighed. “I don’t think I have a sense of humor where the two of them are concerned.” Placing his hand on the small of her back, he walked her to the table, where the others waited. “This is Amaranthe, my fiancée.”
He proceeded to go around the table introducing her to everyone. Fortunately, she was very good at retaining names, and she knew who they were from prior research.
“I took pity on you, Amara,” Stefano said. “I made most of the family stay home so you don’t have to put up with too many all at once.”
“You only have my annoying brothers and Dario to drive you insane,” Geno pointed out.
“You can’t put Salvatore and Lucca in the same category as Dario,” Emmanuelle objected. “That’s just wrong, Geno.” She dipped a breadstick into salted olive oil. “They aren’t anything like Dario. Geno, on the other hand, might be, Amara.”
“What is Dario like?” Amaranthe asked, looking at the man who sat at next to Emmanuelle, seemingly unfazed by her assessment of him. Amaranthe could hear the affection in Stefano’s sister’s voice. If she could hear it, everyone else at the table could as well—even Dario.
“He’s an arrogant, bossy ass and thinks he can tell me what to do,” Emmanuelle said. “I’m head of security, but he thinks he is. I tell him what to do, but does he do it? No, he does not. Half the world wants him dead.”
Dario raised an eyebrow. “Don’t insult me, Emme. Only half? That isn’t the truth. It’s far more than that.”
She rolled her eyes. “See what I mean about being arrogant? Don’t flatter yourself. Darn it, Elie, you ate all the olives again. That second tray was supposed to be our tray.”
“You were busy making eyes at Val. If you paid attention to the food and not to a husband you see every single day, you might manage to get your share of the olives.” Elie was unrepentant.
Amaranthe listened to the banter swirling around the table as the Ferraro family gave one another a hard time while they ate fresh-from-the-oven bread and various cheeses with truffle honey, jams and spiced hazelnuts. Grilled flatbread with sun-dried tomato pesto, royal trumpet mushrooms, black olives and house-made cheeses. There were pan-seared scallops. Far too many appetizers for Amaranthe to consider ordering a main course.
Mostly, she kept her eye on Salvatore and Lucca. She was certain if Jean-Claude had given up on using Geno for his plans—and he had—then he’d focus on Geno’s brothers. Geno was fast enough—but he hadn’t been trained in the art of fitting in the way the rest of the Ferraros did. Jean-Claude couldn’t control Geno. He couldn’t mold him into the man he wanted him to be. Lucca and Salvatore were younger and more susceptible. They carried the Archambault genes. They’d be lightning fast in the shadows.
What is it?
I’m just wondering about your brothers. Which one has spent more time in Europe? You said you were worried about them. Why?
Salvatore trained in Europe and with various families for the experience. He goes there to help out or vacation. He recently told me he wants an arranged marriage. He’s young for that. It worries me that he’s so unhappy.
She couldn’t help but rub at Geno’s lower lip with her finger. “Stop frowning.” You do that a lot when you look at your brothers.
I might have to kill Jean-Claude. Why would he deliberately target one of my brothers?
Amaranthe looked up at Geno, not that it did any good. His mask was firmly back in place. His anger was hot and raw, swirling beneath a dense block of ice in his gut. If she weren’t so connected to him, she wouldn’t know just how upset he was. It wasn’t an idle threat he was making against one of the council members.
You aren’t thinking straight, Geno. Put this in perspective.
What perspective? The man is all about power. He thinks he’s losing his position because too many Archambaults are migrating to the Ferraro family. He doesn’t want our family to become more powerful than his, so he’s striking back. That’s easy enough to understand. We don’t want the power. We don’t want to police other riders. He can have the job and all the power he needs.
Amaranthe felt eyes on them and glanced up to see Stefano watching speculatively. He knew they were communicating and guessed it wasn’t a pleasant conversation, but he didn’t draw attention to them. In fact, when Ricco started to direct a question her way, Stefano interrupted him with a query.
You’re wrong about Jean-Claude’s motivation, Geno. Amaranthe took advantage of Stefano’s help. She knew the reprieve wouldn’t last long. Soon, they would be engaged in conversation, and she wouldn’t be able to get Geno to see the truth. He was too protective of his brothers. He was friends with Elie, and it was clear Elie Archambault and Jean-Claude had a past that wasn’t good.