“I believe you still are.” She matched his grin with one of her own, but that smile faded quickly, both on the outside and on the inside.
Geno felt a brief flash of another emotion, something very close to sorrow, and caught a look passed between the two Archambault cousins. They might be distant cousins, but they had an understanding of that lineage few others did.
Geno looked from one to the other, his mind racing. Elie had a temper, but he didn’t show it to strangers, and Amaranthe was a stranger. Moreover, he had been asked by the council to see her in the capacity of an Archambault—something Elie rarely did. Why had he gotten so upset on her behalf?
Geno felt Stefano’s gray eyes on him, and he looked directly at his cousin. Stefano was thinking along the same lines as he was. If the Archambault family, born with faster reflexes, was the only family allowed to bring justice to riders, if one of them went rogue, who investigated andultimately was sent to carry out an execution order against an Archambault rider?
“You’re one of the fastest Archambault riders they have, Elie,” Geno said. He kept his tone mild. “The family trained you from the time you were a toddler, just as they did Amara. Were you asked to carry a special poison as well?”
Elie went very still. Stefano turned his head slowly to regard the man he had taken into his family.
Geno.There was a warning note in Amaranthe’s voice.You aren’t being fair to him. That is the council’s business. He has no choice but to keep information secret.
Everyone has a choice, Amara. You could have died.
He wasn’t here, she reminded. For the first time she stroked a little caress in his mind, attempting to soothe him.
“Yes,” Elie admitted, his voice grim. “Yes, they wanted me to carry the same type of poisonous compound as Amaranthe. That was how I knew they were grooming her for a special type of service for them.”
Stefano regarded him over the tips of his steepled fingers. “These people were extremely interested in Nicoletta, Taviano’s wife, when it came out that she was related to the Archambault family, and her times in the shadows were incredible. Although she was already married to Taviano, they requested she be sent to France to train with them. Ultimately, were they looking to place her in a similar position as Amara?”
“I have no way of knowing for certain, Stefano,” Elie answered. “They prefer unattached riders, but there are very few who meet their strict requirements for the job. Obviously, I did. If Nicoletta met their requirements, even as a married rider, they would want her.”
“And so did Amaranthe,” Geno supplied.
Elie’s eyes met Amara’s. His nod was barely perceptible.
“The council needs riders who will be able to bring justice to their own ranks,” Geno said. “These special riders are trained for that. They must be faster than other ridersand have that edge. And they can’t be friends with the other riders.”
“I’m uncomfortable with this conversation,” Amaranthe said. “How is this pertinent to what we’re doing here?”
Geno was silent for a moment, and then he glanced once more toward Stefano. “Because although my father was a Ferraro, his mother was an Archambault. He was incredibly fast in the shadows. It is entirely possible he was one of these riders trained to police others. I always wondered why the Archambaults trained me all those years and not Stefano or my cousin Severino, who heads up the LA family of riders. My reflexes are fast. At first, I believed it was because of the training I received from them, but I know I was born this way. Salvatore and Lucca were as well.”
Stefano’s gray eyes had gone almost liquid silver as he contemplated Amaranthe over his steepled fingers. “Let’s get back on track. You had a strong feeling these men or women who murdered the riders in Croatia were going to strike again, and you convinced the council to send you to New York. How did you go about making certain your cover was established and there was no way to cast any suspicion on you?”
Amaranthe answered immediately. “I applied to both dancing theaters and was accepted. Fortunately, Geno, your mother was on the board for both, and she particularly liked my dancing.”
He knew his mother loved the ballet. He loved books. She had introduced literature to him early as a way to make learning languages fun. Once he’d turned thirteen and his childhood had been taken completely from him, he had no time to enjoy the arts. He’d learned ballroom dancing because Ferraros were expected to be expert at all things. He’d learned to ski, snowboard, drive race cars, fly planes, but it was all part of his training. He couldn’t be mediocre at anything. He had to be the best. He hadn’t attended the ballet.
“I’m sure I will, too.” Geno turned his attention to Stefano. “Does Francesca enjoy watching ballet?”
“The few times I’ve managed to take her to a performance, she has,” Stefano said. “It’s been several years since we were able to go with her high-risk pregnancies. We didn’t go out much during those times. After this last birth, Francesca and I didn’t feel like going out in public. Not too many outside the family knew we were expecting twins, so it did make it easier not to have to answer questions, but all the same...” He broke off, one hand shading his eyes for just a brief moment.
“I’m so sorry, Stefano,” Amaranthe said, sincerity in her voice. “I can’t imagine what you and your wife have had to go through. I appreciate more than ever the bond you and Francesca have with Geno that you would come to him when you and your wife prefer to be together right now. It says a lot about you both.”
Geno knew how much Stefano and Francesca loved each other. Since she’d given birth, no one ever spoke of the difficulty or the fact that they’d had yet another loss. He’d been to their dinners, and they’d come to his home with their children, Crispino and Luciana. Francesca was always smiling and appeared happy, but Stefano hovered close, as did his brothers and their wives. Geno wanted to gather Francesca into his arms and hold her tight.
She’s the heart of the Ferraro family, Danzatrice Ombra. She doesn’t have a mean bone in her body. She looks after everyone.Geno didn’t know how to explain Francesca to Amaranthe.I can’t wait for you to meet her. She changed Stefano’s life completely. For that alone I’m grateful to her.
“Thank you, Amara. I hope that you listen to my cousin when it comes to matters of your safety. He has a certain intuition, if you will. He doesn’t always express himself before he acts, but you’ll get to know him and hopefully will understand he is acting for your safety. I don’t always explain myself to Francesca the way I should. I come offoverbearing, and I know it hurts her when it’s the last thing I ever want to do.”
Geno knew Stefano was talking to him more than he was to Amaranthe. She smiled at his cousin. He wanted her to see what a good man, a good leader, Stefano really was. He always made the hard decisions, but he tempered his decisions with the love of his family and for the people in his territory.
“What do you think happened to your father that night, Geno?” Elie asked. “The night you were made head of your family? If you believe that was the key to these murders, then it is entirely possible whoever is behind this is after revenge. You must have heard a whisper.”
Geno shook his head. “Not one single word. My parents remained in their suite for an entire year. Doctors and therapists came and went. They wouldn’t allow us to see them. The Archambault trainers were allowed to go in after about three months, but not their children. Certainly not me.”
“You honestly have no more idea today than you did when you were thirteen what happened?” Elie asked.
