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)
“You don’t need to be looking at my wife,” Val said.
Dario made a disparaging noise. “That’s just wrong, Val. And rather disgusting. Emme’s . . . Emme.”
“Let’s get back on track,” Emmanuelle suggested. “As much as I don’t want to share my olives with anyone, I will, just to hear how Geno made a total ass of himself.”
“We both did.” Amaranthe shared the blame. “It wasn’t just Geno. But we straightened it out and everything turned out the way it was supposed to be.” She looked up at him because she couldn’t help herself.
Geno smiled down at her and took her hand, threading his fingers through hers. “We did straighten it out.”
“That’s the sickening version,” Dario agreed. “You Ferraros are a mess when it comes to your women. I’m including you, Val and Elie. You were around them too much and their pussy ways rubbed off on you. Your women run you and there’s no hope for any of you.”
“Is that true, Val?” Emmanuelle asked, fluttering her eyelashes at her husband.
“Absolutely, princess.” He kissed her hand. “It’s the absolute truth.”
“I’ll go along with that,” Ricco said. “Mariko asks and it’s hers. Not that she ever asks for anything.”
“But I do, Ricco,” Mariko protested. “Sometimes I ask you to tie me. It’s so beautiful.” There was a deliberate sultry note in her voice Amaranthe was certain she put in to tease Dario.
Nicoletta exchanged a grin with Taviano and then both looked at Amaranthe to include her in their amusement.
Dario just shrugged his shoulders. “Your brother used to be tough, Salvatore, but not so much now.”
“Don’t bet on it, Dario,” Geno said, no expression in his voice.
Dario didn’t look in the least impressed. Amaranthe wasn’t, either; there was too much amusement and affection in Geno’s mind.
“You straightened things out between you,” Nicoletta prompted. “But how did you know you were in love so quickly?”
Geno’s fingers slipped into Amaranthe’s dark hair. “She has more courage than a lion. And she makes me laugh. I knew almost the moment I saw her that she was the one.” He tugged at her hair. “I believe it took her a great deal longer.”
“Not necessarily,” Amaranthe objected. “I knew. I just didn’t think I fit into your world.”
“Why is that?” Stefano asked.
“I understand completely,” Nicoletta said. “I felt exactly the same way.”
“That makes no sense,” Valentino said. “You’re both intelligent, beautiful women. Taviano is a nerd and Geno is a brute. Why either of you fell for the likes of them, I have no idea. But then, I’ve never understood why Emmanuelle fell for me.”
“You don’t?” Dario’s eyebrows shot up. “You set a trap for her, you cunning bastard. That’s how you managed to get her to fall for you. Geno had his woman kidnapped and taken to an interrogation room.”
“Looks like we should be taking notes, Salvatore,” Lucca said. “Setting traps, kidnapping. If that’s the only way we’re going to get a woman of our own, we’ve got to follow our elders’ examples.”
“You’re very funny,” Geno said, sarcasm dripping heavily from his voice. “You’re too young to find a woman. You can wait a year or two until you’re more mature.”
Ricco laughed. “Mature? You don’t think Salvatore or Lucca are mature enough to be married? Taviano, what do you say?”
“Don’t drag me into this argument. Geno just wants to take the spotlight off his meeting with Amaranthe. Everyone at this table knows he made a fool of himself, and she had to forgive something big. She’s covering for him and he’s dodging the question.”
They don’t know if I’m a shadow rider or not, do they? For some reason, that amused Amaranthe. They suspected. How could Geno fall so hard so fast if she wasn’t a rider? But it had been known to occur. Riders had found mates outside of riders and made their bond work. I would have thought Stefano would have told the others.
No. Stefano wouldn’t tell them. He doesn’t give away secrets. As far as he’s concerned that’s my business to disclose.
The heavy door swung open to allow the servers, wheeling trays of food, to enter the room. Once again, they split off, the same servers moving to serve from either side of the table, two starting at one end while the other two started at the opposite end.
Amaranthe had been caught up in the teasing and fun of the Ferraro family dynamics, but the moment the servers entered, her attention centered on the servers. They were extremely professional, handpicked to serve the high-end customers who rented out the costly event room. They moved with precision, attending to every need, never running into one another, and serving each person at the table quickly and efficiently. She had to admire them while at the same time every alarm she had was going off steadily.
The most likely targets in the room were Geno, Salvatore, Lucca and Stefano. Her brain analyzed the danger to each of the four men. Why they would be the best target. What the repercussions would be if they were killed. Could an assassin kill them in a room filled with shadow riders and get away? If so, how? That would also determine who the best target would be.