She was certain interrogating the prisoners had brought this one on. She could tell it was far worse than any of the others she’d witnessed. Once he was asleep, she was determined to go back to his house and get the medicine. She messaged Dario and asked him where it was kept, explaining that she was going to find it and get it for Valentino.
The medicine couldn’t go through the shadows, but she should be able to have a car waiting to get it back to the hotel fast. That meant she would need to find the medicine. While she looked, she’d be safe, but once it was in her possession, she’d be in the open. If there was anyone watching, she’d have to either dispose of them or sneak her way through the house to the street, where she could meet the car that would carry the shot back to the hotel.
Emmanuelle considered which of her brothers to call. Ordinarily, she wouldn’t bother, but she had been an idiot again, practically accusing Valentino of marrying her so he could use her for spying. How many times was he going to have to reassure her? A million, probably. He was normally so patient with her. The moment he wasn’t, she knew he was hurting. She felt so low that she would for one moment believe anyone but him.
Valentino looked at her with love. He touched her with love. He spoke to her with love. Had he been a shadow rider, he would have claimed her partially because she was also a rider. What really was the difference? Nothing at all. She was the one with the self-confidence problem, thanks to Eloisa. She had to get over that before she ruined everything with her husband. It was a small thing to do—swallow her pride and bring along one of her brothers as Val asked.
Emme briefly played with the idea of calling Elie but knew Valentino wouldn’t be happy with that decision. Sooner or later she would have to talk with him and reiterate the truth—that Elie and she felt nothing but sibling affection for each other. He probably really knew that, but wasn’t quite ready to acknowledge it yet. As much as she’d heard the honesty in Valentino’s voice when he’d tried to explain about Marge, she hadn’t been willing to listen to it; the hurt ran too deep. If she was being totally honest with herself, her own fears had played a big part in keeping them apart.
Need to get meds for Val from his home tonight. Can’t go without backup. You free or should I ask one of the others?
It was very late. The raids had taken up most of the day. Part of her had been appalled that so many cops had to have been on the payroll to get away with so many raids. They had gone directly from one business to the next. Granted, they were on the clock, and the Ferraros had gone in first, mostly to make certain none of the women or children they were looking for were being held captive in any of the places before they were burned to the ground, but there were several dead bodies in each of the businesses. Most had looked legitimate. Emmanuelle supposed they might have been on the FBI’s radar, or at least the local cops, but somehow, Valentino Saldi had never been questioned.
It had to be known that the heir to the Saldi empire was staying at the Ferraro Hotel, but the police had never questioned him in the terrible raids on his uncle’s businesses. The reporters speculated all sorts of wars between families, but no one spoke out against Valentino. When the report did come, she knew it would be orchestrated by him and worded in such a way to make his enemies afraid and yet ambiguous enough that it would seem as if he had nothing whatsoever to do with any of the raids or deaths to the outside world.
Mariko and I will be happy to be your backup. We will meet with you at the back entrance to Giuseppi’s home. Do not enter until we are with you.
She rolled her eyes as she glanced down at the text. Already, Ricco was taking over. Telling her what to do. She was used to being bossed around by her brothers. She couldn’t imagine how Mariko felt. Her sister-in-law was a shadow rider of immense talent. She took her own rotations, and yet, when she went with her husband, she always followed his lead. It was impossible not to love Mariko, with her combination of lethal and soft, but sometimes, Emmanuelle just wanted to see her, one time, lose her temper with Ricco. Did Mariko have a temper? If she did, Emmanuelle had never seen it.