Shadow Keeper (Shadow #3)

Each rider went to him in person, was interviewed and then the ring made up. The interview consisted mainly of conversation and their cousin just asking a few questions. It was almost impersonal, but all of them knew he had a gift. He knew things. He read people. He was a seer in the sense that he “saw” inside each person who came to him.

Damian didn’t take suggestions. The ring was made in advance of the rider ever finding his woman. Somehow, he always chose the exact ring—the one that was perfect. Giovanni had been shocked when he’d gotten the ring from Damian. The engagement ring had no gemstones, which meant it was possible he would find a rider. The alloy could withstand the pull of the shadows, but the gemstones could not. If his partner wasn’t a rider, then she was a woman capable of going into the shadows. That, at least, meant he could keep her safe.

The ring was a work of art, just as everything Damian made was. On Sasha’s finger, it looked beautiful, as if made just for her—which, technically, it had been. He should have cautioned his cousin to smear superglue on the inside of it.

“She really is working?” Emme asked.

He pulled out a chair for her. “Stubborn as all get-out,” he responded and seated himself beside her so they could talk above the pounding music. “Even Stefano talked to her and got nowhere. He’d pull out his hair if Sasha was his woman.”

“She’ll need to be stubborn if she’s going to really marry you,” Emme stated. She grinned at him, obviously happy for him. “Stefano and Francesca really like her. That’s saying a lot.” She glanced over to the table of men a few feet from the stairs. “I see you have bodyguards everywhere.”

“Let’s hope she isn’t as adept at spotting them as you are. I’ve got two tables on this tier and one on the one below us. Four roving patrols and more scattered throughout the club. We did go over the rules, and she knows how to signal for security. She did ask that they wait for the signal.”

Emme rolled her eyes. “Does she know you yet?”

“She does. She laid down the law to me. When I smiled at her she shook her head and stomped away.”

That made Emmanuelle laugh. “Do you really think this stalker is going to come tonight?”

“Don’t you?” Giovanni took a long, slow look around the club. “He’s here. Where else would he be? He can’t get to her anywhere else. He wants contact with her and he’ll make it, too. I’m betting on it.”

“Look who else showed up tonight,” Emmanuelle said and gestured to the large party moving up the stairs to the VIP section.

Giovanni clenched his teeth to keep from swearing aloud. Aaron Anderson. The man was a walking menace. Women fell all over him, he was that good-looking. He was charming as well. He always had an entourage with him and this time was no different. He recognized several of the men moving up the stairs. As usual, they were all mixed martial arts fighters, and good ones. Aaron was friends with most of the fighters.

“You wouldn’t consider sacrificing yourself and flirting your little ass off, would you?” he asked his sister. “He’s always had a thing for you.”

“He has not.”

“Emmanuelle, every man has a thing for you. You just don’t see it. Or you choose not to. At least with everyone but Val Saldi.” He glanced at Stefano and lowered his voice even more, turning his head so there was no chance that his brother could pick up what they were saying. “If you care to share what happened between you two, I’m a good listener. I know he matters to you. If he matters to you, he matters to me. He did come through for our family.”

Emmanuelle’s mask slipped, just for a minute, and he glimpsed pain there. “It’s always been him. You know that. Since I was sixteen years old. I thought I’d outgrow it, but apparently, that’s not going to happen.” She sighed. “He isn’t exactly pining away for me the way I am for him. In any case, we both know it would never work between our two families so there’s no point in talking about it.”

“Of course there is. If you’re hurting …” He wanted to wrap his sister up and hold her close to him. He detested that she was in pain. He knew it wasn’t Val’s fault, but he still would like to punch him.

“I’m good. I’m just working through accepting it. As long as I don’t have to see him with other women or read about it somewhere, I’ll be good.”

He touched her face gently. “You know I’m really sorry, bella. If I could fix it for you, I would.” He’d do anything for her. Any of her brothers would—including Stefano. Especially Stefano.

She turned to watch Aaron seat himself two tables away, in Sasha’s section. “He is good-looking. Maybe I’ll ask him to dance.”

Now that she said it, perversely, Giovanni wasn’t too certain he wanted his sister to have anything to do with the man. He liked Aaron and didn’t want Emme breaking his heart—which she would. She was beautiful, intelligent and sweet. It would be impossible not to fall in love with her, but Emmanuelle, like the rest of them, had a duty to their family. She had to marry a rider—or a man capable of producing children who could be riders.

“Eloisa is pushing me to meet some of the riders from other countries.” Emmanuelle made a face. “I think she wants to hold a ball. Like I’m some kind of prize.” A little shiver of revulsion crept through her body. “I suppose it doesn’t really matter, does it? It’s not as if Prince Charming is going to show up and rescue me from the evil dragon.”

“It happened for me. Not Prince Charming, but definitely the Princess.” Giovanni’s gaze sought out his woman. She was smiling and nodding as she served drinks to the table farthest away from the Ferraro table. Her smile faded when she put down drinks at the next one. She shook her head twice and stepped back as she collected her tip.

Drago and Demetrio made as if to stand and then settled back in their seats as Sasha moved away from the table and went to the bodyguards’ table. She took their orders with that same smile plastered on her face—the one he knew didn’t mean a thing. She was going to Aaron’s table next, and he found his belly tightening.

“She can’t run away. Half the room is guarding her.”

His sister’s soft laughter made him aware he was also clenching his fists. He didn’t like that he could be jealous and possessive. Sasha was a woman of her word. There was no mistaking that. Those traits he had, and they were far stronger than he’d like, were not attractive ones in his opinion. He was even slightly ashamed of them. Aaron was his friend and would respect the engagement ring on her finger. There was a code of honor between men. That ring was the line one didn’t cross. He wasn’t going to embarrass Sasha or himself by being jealous.

He made himself join in his sister’s laughter. Sasha looked up, and his heart nearly stopped and then accelerated when her eyes met his. Her face went soft when she looked at him. He didn’t deserve that look on her face, like he was something special, her white knight. Still, he wanted her to look at him like that for the rest of their lives. He was glad he’d overcome such a petty reaction as jealousy. He put his hand over his heart and to his shock, she reciprocated.

Two hours went by, Stefano occasionally dancing with Francesca. Ricco spent a great deal of time dancing with Mariko. Emmanuelle mostly danced with her cousins, and refused invitations politely when other males asked her to dance. Giovanni decided he needed to keep a better eye on his sister. She seemed sad, too sad for a woman of her age. They had duties and it weighed heavily on them, but he didn’t think forcing Emmanuelle to carry them out if she wasn’t happy was right.