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 felt rather than heard Amaranthe’s swift intake of breath. She dropped her hand to his thigh and pressed her fingers deep into his muscle.
His parents really were the worst.
Yes. I despised them. Now I know I had very good reason, even more than I thought I had.
“A while ago we were having a family meeting regarding Nicoletta’s abilities as a shadow rider. The LA cousins were present as was Eloisa,” Taviano continued. “Something happened, and for the first time in years, I suffered a post-traumatic stress episode. It was very severe. Nicoletta cleared the room and took care of it. Everyone left, other than Stefano. That was when he found out. He was devastated and he wanted to kill Eloisa. Phillip was already dead, or I think he might have killed him. He blamed himself for going to France. He’s been fairly raw ever since.”
“I can understand,” Geno said.
“He didn’t share, not even with me,” Francesca said. “He wouldn’t. He feels only Taviano has the right to share.”
Geno understood what she was trying to convey to him. “Naturally Stefano believes that only Taviano can give permission to share his personal story.” He needed to breathe. Go outside and breathe fresh air. Instead, he persisted in gathering information. “What happened to the Boutler brothers?”
“I believed that Eloisa killed them. A few months later, I overheard her telling Phillip they were found dead. He was angry and demanded to know if she went behind his back and had the Archambault family investigate, and she denied it. I took that to mean she killed them. I told Stefano she did. I thought that might make him less angry with her. I didn’t want him to end up in jail, stripped of his rider status, or worse, have the Archambaults sentence him to death, all of which could happen if he took matters into his own hands.”
“Do you think Eloisa really killed them?” Geno asked.
Taviano rubbed his forehead as if it would help him to remember. “I did when I was a kid, but then I wanted to think she would do something like that for me. Just one thing. Now, I’m not so certain. I don’t remember her taking any trips abroad. The more I’ve thought about it, the more I doubt that she would have bothered.”
“We know for certain Stefano didn’t kill them because he didn’t know anything about what happened to you until recently,” Francesca pointed out.
“And it wasn’t the Archambaults because no one informed them,” Amaranthe murmured, her tone thoughtful.
“I don’t see how what happened to Taviano eighteen years ago could be connected to the murders now,” Nicoletta said. “That makes no sense at all.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Whoever is committing these murders hates the Ferraro family,” Geno said. “That’s without a doubt. That man tonight looked at me with concentrated venom in his eyes. I’d never seen anything like it. They wanted Stefano dead. They were determined to kill him. They made it clear they wanted to wipe out every member of our family, even the children. They want us gone from the face of the earth. Every last one of us.”
There was another silence. Geno found himself watching Amaranthe as she twirled her spaghetti around her fork. She ate her food with enjoyment, although she was refined about it. He recalled trying to teach his brothers table manners, stressing how important they were. He didn’t like the Archambaults’ way of instructing his brothers, but he knew manners would be essential. All the little refinements that they would need to fit in and be able to maneuver with ease in whichever circles they traveled.
“Do you believe these murders are connected to those despicable Boutler brothers, Geno?” Francesca asked.
“If so,” Nicoletta continued, “how?”
“Eighteen years ago, my mother woke me and took me to their suite.” Geno told the others in detail everything he remembered about the night his father had turned over leadership to him. “There were several shadow riders in the suite, but they hid their identities from me. At the time, with my father’s blood everywhere and both parents acting so strange, the priest and surgeon acting as if my father was going to die, I didn’t give it much thought. I had time to go over the details later. I don’t forget details. They stay in my mind.”
Amaranthe turned her face up to his. You’re frowning, Geno.
He wasn’t. He made every effort to keep his expression a blank mask. “It took me a very long time to sort out that there were many riders in that room that night hiding in the shadows. The car they claimed was in an accident was perfectly fine. I saw it. Later, it was damaged. My parents didn’t care that I knew they were lying to me. They withdrew not only from us”—he indicated his brothers—“but essentially from everyone they really knew and cared about.”