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 sheweren’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.
Jean-Claude and the Archambaults are responsible for policing the riders. Someone has to do it. No wants to do it, or likes it, but it’s a necessary job, just as the council must have one or two riders capable of policing the Archambaults. Jean-Claude’s problem has nothing to do with power and everything to do with genetics. If he can’t find any riders to do that job, what happens then? You can ask Stefano that question. I’ll bet he’s already thought of it because he’s talked with Jean-Claude on many occasions.
How do you know that?
I’ve been there when Jean-Claude was on the phonewith him. Your cousin is very well respected. I believe, but don’t know, Jean-Claude consults with him.
He’s brutally hard on the riders he trains.
Geno, think about it. If he’s sending riders out to go up against other shadow riders who are fast and experienced, to give them the best chance, they have to be stronger and faster. When I find a dancer with excellent potential and they want a career, I admit, I work them harder than anyone else. Dancing is a grueling career. It’s physically hard on the body and takes a tremendous amount of discipline. If they don’t have what it takes, they need to know. Jean-Claude needs to know when he trains his riders that they can survive.
Geno may be the most protective man in the world, but he was highly intelligent and he could understand exactly the problem Jean-Claude was running into. Like every family, there were few female riders having children. The future looked grim for all the rider families.
Geno swept his arm around her. “I didn’t think about that.”
“Perhaps you should amend your bloodthirsty ways just a little bit.”
Geno gave her his fierce, blackest scowl, which could stop anyone in their tracks.
Amaranthe’s laughter escaped. She couldn’t help it. “You’re trying to look intimidating, but everyone here knows you, and I don’t think it’s working.”
The moment she began laughing, all conversation ceased and she was the center of attention. Apparently, no one laughed when Geno gave them his death stare. She pressed her lips together to try to contain her laughter.
Glancing up at him, she fluttered her eyelashes. “I’m sorry, am I being disrespectful? Should I apologize?” She whispered it just loud enough that the others could hear.
“Knock it off, you little hellion. At least pretend to behave. Do you see how much trouble I have with my brothers? You start in and I lose all credibility. Don’t make me laugh.”
“She made you smile,” Lucca said.
“I didn’t smile,” Geno denied, glaring at his brother.
“You did.” Salvatore backed up Lucca. He looked around the table. “You all saw that. She made him smile.”
“He’s right, Geno,” Emmanuelle said. She grinned at her cousin. “I thought maybe your engagement was for show, but now I think I was wrong. Not only did you smile, but when you look at her...”
Geno glared at her. “Don’t say it.”
