Shadow Storm (Shadow Riders 6)

Then Greta had gotten sick and Giuseppi hadn’t been paying attention. Valentino should have been. He’d been upset about losing his mother as well. He knew Emmanuelle didn’t want to be part of his world, and truthfully, she didn’t belong in it. Then he’d gotten wind of the sex trafficking ring Miceli was running. When he began investigating, he’d had no idea how far-reaching it actually was.

Miceli and his sons had begun to show interest in Emme. He knew they had somehow discovered her shadow, just as he had. Then Grace had nearly been kidnapped. Dario had tried to watch over Nicoletta. Things had gotten out of hand fast when Val and Dario began to suspect that some of Giuseppi’s trusted capos had defected to Miceli. That meant they had traitors in their organization. Anyone could try to assassinate Giuseppi.

“You’re offering an alliance between the Ferraro family and my family.” Val wanted Stefano to confirm it. To say that shit out loud in front of Emmanuelle. If he went back on his word—and Val couldn’t imagine that Stefano would; his word was considered gold—Emme would never forgive her brother.

“Giuseppi Saldi has the largest territory covering Chicago. Every other crime boss answers to him. You are his heir, and at this time, with Greta’s death, and Miceli making his move against his brother, I would have to say he’s turned the reins over to you. So yes, I know what you do and who you are. And I’m offering to align my family with yours in an effort to defeat your uncle and protect you, your father and your organization. But you have a price to pay.”

“That price will never include giving up Emmanuelle.”

“Is that even possible at this point?” Stefano asked.

Val felt Emme turn her head to look up at him. He knew when he answered, he would feel condemnation. He would see it in her eyes. He stroked a gentle caress down her long, silky hair, giving her brother the truth. Trying to tell her he would always take care of her. Be there for her. Stand with her. He knew she didn’t want his world. He’d tried to get out of it. Hell, he didn’t want it, at least not at first. But he couldn’t let Miceli have it. Or Angelo. Or Tommaso. He was born into the life, and he was responsible for those under him as well as those needing his protection on the streets.

“No. It’s impossible to break us up without doing permanent damage to both of us. In the early stages, I believe it could have been done by someone such as Ricco. Perhaps even in the secondary stage, although it would have taken time and tremendous patience. Both parties would have had to agree. But at this stage, it would be impossible. We’re tied together on a molecular level. I can’t explain it because I have no understanding of how it could happen, only that once so many of the ropes wrap around her shadow and they begin to thicken like the ones you saw, they sink into her shadow and our shadows merge. When that happens, a pathway seems to forge between our bodies until they merge as well.”

Emmanuelle felt as if she might leap off the bed and run from him at any moment, but she wasn’t the running type. More likely, she was going to launch herself into an attack when the full import of his statement hit her. She was truly his prisoner. There was no way out for either of them, other than death or perhaps a vegetative state. Her body vibrated with coiled tension, and all along her nerve endings, he felt inflamed sparks charging with fierce fire. Her breathing was slow and even, but that didn’t mean anything, not when it came to Emme.

In all honesty, he hadn’t believed any of the bullshit story Giuseppi had repeatedly told him, and eventually Dario as well. Even after he’d met Emme and seen and felt what happened when their shadows came together, he couldn’t comprehend how they could merge their nervous systems. It was science fiction. So was spying through shadows. Dario and he had discussed the story countless times, especially after meeting Emmanuelle and seeing her shadow. They still couldn’t figure out how it would work.

“You freely admit you deliberately compromised Emme, knowing if your shadow merged too deeply with hers there would be no chance of going back?” Ricco asked.

“Absolutely. I did so every chance I got and would again,” Val said. He wasn’t about to lie to them over that. They could all go to hell as far as he was concerned, but they better understand, they couldn’t keep Emmanuelle from him. He loved her. It was impossible not to love her. Maybe if they’d taken better care of her over the years, he would have backed off, but he didn’t see that they had anything to be superior about.