my family is involved in this time.” He poured amusement into his voice, when he didn’t feel in the least amused.
Grace blinked up at him, suspicion in her expression. It was hell not being able to lie to her, especially when every Ferraro was certain that a war was brewing. It wasn’t bad enough that they had to contend with a cunning serial killer, they had to worry about a family whose history was steeped in violence.
“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.
“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