Shadow Storm (Shadow Riders 6)

She kept her gaze fixed on his face. She’d decided to go one step at a time, not jump straight to the endgame. Val clearly didn’t want to go there with her and kept stalling. She needed to know each phase of the Saldi myth just in case. If not for her to get out, then to pass on to Stefano so he could relay it to the council to protect all female riders—and so she could protect any daughters she might give birth to.

“There’s still time for the two to part ways, although it is much more difficult,” Val said. “At least, according to the original source I translated. It was old, Emme. It took a while for me to find it. I was lucky in that Giuseppi had insisted I learn multiple languages, Sicilian being one of them. Depending on how strong the bonds are, the knots can be untied, but both parties have to cooperate, or the male can kill the female or the female can kill the male. Those are the only ways to break the bond at that level.”

“Lovely. So he knows he can kill her, but she is unaware of that fact, I suppose. You certainly didn’t enlighten me.”

He gave her a faint grin. “You most likely would have gutted me without a second thought for trapping you.”

“Very likely. A nice, slow death would make up for the trouble you’ve caused me. What kinds of things would your prisoner do for you?”

“Emme, you’re not my prisoner.”

“I am, though, Val.”

“If you’re my prisoner, Princess, then I’m just as much yours.”

“Perhaps. What does she do for you?” He hadn’t asked her to do anything for him.

“She can spy from a much longer range. The tether between the two is longer, but he still has to be fairly close to her. I’m uncertain how close. I never put it to the test. I wasn’t looking for a spy. The idea of me ordering you to put yourself in danger to spy for me never entered my head. I want to protect you, not have you somewhere an enemy might kill you.”

Emmanuelle wasn’t going to point out to him that she couldn’t be killed so easily. She believed him. His voice rang with sincerity. At no time had he asked her about her family secrets, and he’d never once suggested she look into what Miceli, Angelo or Tommaso were doing. In fact, he’d told her to stay away from them. Often. He wanted to put bodyguards on her. That had infuriated her since her brother already had put them on her and she continually had to find ways to elude them.

“After that stage? When the ropes and knots are really being packed on. When the knots are intricate and nearly impossible to sever. Ricco is especially good with knots, and he said it would be extremely difficult to undo those knots.”

“That’s where things get very dicey with this myth, which isn’t a myth. It seems to be reality. You know how the original fairy tales always seemed to be very dark and grim? This one is as well. The couple can live together happily ever after if they stay together and cooperate, but if not, really sinister and bad things begin to happen.”

A chill slid down her spine. Valentino wasn’t saying things to frighten her. Not only was he repeating the old myth, he believed it—and seemed to have reason to.

“The more we’re connected, the better the chances are that you can take me into the shadows with you, but I can’t go in alone. So, if there is danger, you could choose to save me.” He gave her a faint grin. “Worst-case scenario, we have a couple of kids, we’re under attack, we go in together, me holding the children and you holding my hand or however it works, and we escape through the shadows.” He waited a heartbeat. Two. “Most likely scenario, I tell you to get your ass in the shadows with our children while I stay behind and try to kill every fucker who threatened you and our children.”

He would do that, too, she knew it. He hadn’t trapped her so he could be a shadow rider. This wasn’t about that. A tiny bit of relief allowed some of the tension coiled in her stomach to ease. “Naturally, I’d have to fall in love with a badass. Not a smart one, either. A smart one leaves and comes back to fight another day. He doesn’t stay and get riddled with bullets.”

“He does if he’s giving his wife time to get to safety.”

“His wife is safety.” She glared at him. “Valentino, if I do this with you, I’m not going to be like Greta, or Parisi’s wife, or any of the other wives. I’ll be a full partner. I will know your business, whether you like it or not. I’m not a trophy. I’d never be happy in that role. I understand completely that this is a man’s world and they would never accept me. That’s fine. I’ll stay in the shadows when you have your stupid meetings, and I’ll listen and catch all the undertones. I’ll find their weaknesses, just as you did when you were a boy. If you can’t see who I am and what I’ll be in the relationship, then there is no need for us to continue moving forward with these explanations.”