“Everything is going to be okay,” he assured before she could protest. He deliberately glanced at the physical therapist, knowing she would take his silent cue and not ask any questions when they had a stranger in their midst.
She nodded, and he kissed her just because he loved that she followed his lead, even when she didn’t want to.
“Please be careful of tiring her out,” he cautioned the therapist. “There’s no need to push her so hard that she’s in pain afterward.” He put a warning in his voice. No one wanted to cross him. His beloved Grace might think he was the sweetest man on the planet, but the rest of the world was much more careful around him.
Vittorio shut the door and immediately hurried down the hall to the room Merry had set up for his family to meet with him. Giovanni had to drive, but the others arrived via the shadows, even Eloisa, and that wasn’t a good sign.
He greeted his mother first, simply out of respect that she had given birth to him, but his greeting was cold. He couldn’t help it. Stefano had been more of a parent when he was ten than she’d ever been. Vittorio wasn’t too happy with her after the problems with Grace she’d caused him—deliberately, he was certain. He gripped his brother’s hand and accepted the hug Stefano always gave him.
“Thanks for coming here instead of having me drag Grace out.”
Eloisa rolled her eyes. “I don’t think there’s such a thing as an independent woman anymore. Is she so afraid of losing you that she can’t be without you for a day? That’s going to become a problem, Vittorio. You have serious work to do and nothing can interfere.”
“I don’t like my woman far from me, Eloisa,” Vittorio answered. “It’s my preference and she understands that and gives that to me. Fortunately, as an adult, I can choose the kind of lifestyle I want, and I don’t need anyone’s approval.”
She winced at his tone. The “least of all your approval” was implied. Stefano’s voice carried absolute authority, but Vittorio had recognized early on that he had a gift. His voice could be compelling, or commanding, and those in a room reacted to it. He could calm others down, arouse or infuriate, all with his tone. He used a reprimand, dark and threatening, to let her know she’d better stop before he retaliated in a way she wouldn’t like.
“You’re really going to marry her, aren’t you?” Eloisa changed tactics.
“Absolutely I am.”
“Even with this serial killer stalking your family.”
Stefano sighed. “The implication being that Phillips being a madman and targeting all of us is Grace’s fault?”
“Of course not,” Eloisa snapped. “But she did bring him straight to us.”
“That’s a good thing,” Taviano weighed in. “Who better to bring such a man to than us? We’re shadow riders and we’re supposed to mete out justice to those the law has been unable to reach.”
Eloisa turned on him with a hiss of annoyance. “You have managed to make yourself scarce. I’ve called you dozens of times in the last few days. You didn’t even have the courtesy to return my calls.”
Taviano glanced at Stefano. Vittorio didn’t blame him for the uneasy look he sent his older brother. Eloisa was a pain, but she was their mother and Stefano demanded they all respect that. She was also a fellow shadow rider and for that alone, she needed to be respected. She wasn’t, after all these years, going to step up and be a real mother, but none of them would have accepted that from her anyway. Still, Stefano insisted they answer her calls and put up as best they could with her lectures.
Stefano sent Taviano a hard look, one that promised they would be having a private conversation after the meeting. Taviano acknowledged the look with a nod, because none of them would ever disrespect Stefano.
“I’m sorry, Eloisa,” Taviano said. “I flew to Los Angeles to take care of business there and then represented our family at the meeting in New York for the Internet company we’re considering buying. However, I should have made the time immediately.”
Vittorio knew Taviano was pointing out the obvious, not to Eloisa but to Stefano. They all, including Taviano, knew it wouldn’t be considered a good enough excuse.
“You announced to everyone at the meeting with the Saldi family that you were engaged to Nicoletta. That is impossible. The girl is . . .” Eloisa trailed off to search for the proper word.
“Be careful,” Taviano cautioned. “She belongs to me. You don’t have to like it, or sanction my choice, but she’s mine and I’ll defend her with everything in me.”
Eloisa threw her hands into the air. “Have all of you gone insane? I realize there are very few choices for you to make, but better an arranged marriage from a good family than scraping the bottom of the barrel. At least Sasha has a proper pedigree. Her lineage is one of great value to the riders. And Mariko has tremendous value. Her ancestors, at least on her father’s side, are some of the greatest riders in history. Even Francesca is better than the choices you and your brother are making. I feel as if you’re children, deliberately defying your mommy because you don’t like her. Just remember, you will be saddled with these women for a lifetime.”