Vittorio knew the risk was too great to take the chance of Val talking to Emmanuelle. Val had gifts. Maybe the others didn’t acknowledge them, but Vittorio knew the Saldi heir had a voice similar to his own. He could charm and persuade. Emmanuelle was particularly susceptible to his voice.
Vittorio knew they could lose Emme. She would never betray her family, and she had too much pride to go crawling back to Val, but if she thought she would never be free to love anyone else, she might take her own life.
They lived with violence every day. It was never easy to get up and face what they did when they were alone. They all tended to live wild in order to combat that terrible emptiness that was always eating away at them. Emmanuelle was sensitive. Compassionate. She was romantic. If Valentino didn’t leave her alone and allow her to find another good man, Vittorio knew their beloved Emmanuelle would take matters into her own hands.
“This is a bad scenario.” Vittorio voiced his worry aloud.
“I could easily add Elie in the mix. Would Emmanuelle be upset if I did that?” Grace asked. “I think he’s the kind of man that if you took him aside and explained that her ex is right on the end of the table, he would take Emmanuelle’s usual seat and we’d move her one seat down. It would be difficult for Val to talk over the top of Elie.”
He liked the plan. Emmanuelle might not, but Elie would do it. He was in the employment of the Ferraros whether he knew it or not. All the businesses eventually were under a Ferraro umbrella.
“Let’s do that,” he agreed.
Grace started to slide out of his arms, but he tightened them around her. “Wait until the end of the song. I’ll get us close to Emme and Elie and explain what you’re going to do. You slip away at that point and get it done.”
She nodded. “No worries. I just have to get to the kitchen and print up a name plate on our fancy gold and silver paper. Give me five minutes.”
Vittorio shot another glance at Valentino. The man hadn’t taken his furious gaze from Emmanuelle. He clearly was willing her to look up and spot him. Beside Val, his cousin and bodyguard, Dario, was also looking at the couple. It was clear he was angry as well, but his gaze was on Taviano.
Grace was looking, too. “The man with him seems very upset at Taviano.”
Vittorio wasn’t surprised that she noticed. She had to be alert and observant when she was constantly worried that Haydon Phillips would show up in her life any minute and take her world away from her.
“That’s Dario Bosco, Val’s first cousin. He’s Miceli’s son, although Miceli never married his mother. He often bodyguards for Val, although he’s also an heir apparent to the Saldi empire. He has a bit of a thing for Nicoletta. Taviano told him to back off, that he was engaged to Nick.”
Her eyebrow shot up. “Is he?”
“Not yet, but he will be.”
“I love these events,” Grace said. “All the drama and undercurrents of a play or a movie. I should write books.”
“An exposé on the Ferraro family,” Vittorio said, but he didn’t really feel the humor. He’d had too many years of the paparazzi invading his life and trying to ferret out every secret his family had.
“Not your family. You’re not nearly as wacked as some.”
Grace’s voice rang with truth and he was immediately intrigued, looking around the room as if he might spot the craziest of their circle.
Her laughter should have elevated his mood, but the knots in his gut began to tighten. To magnify. The music faded and reluctantly he allowed Grace to slip from his arms. He preferred to keep her right at his side, but when it was impossible, he had several of their guards with eyes on her at all times. Nevertheless, he texted them to ensure they took over watching the woman he loved.
He made his way to Emmanuelle and Elie, who were standing on the edge of the dance floor talking in a low tone.
“I hate interrupting,” he said as they both looked up.
“Where’s Grace?” Emmanuelle asked immediately, scanning the room.
Vittorio knew the moment she spotted Val and Dario at the entrance to the ballroom. She flicked them a quick look and then her gaze went straight to her brother’s face. “You’re here because of them.”