Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 126060 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 630(@200wpm)___ 504(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126060 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 630(@200wpm)___ 504(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
Fortunately, to go to the bathroom, she had to first use the small hallway and walk toward the back room. Geno instructed her to take an armload of merchandise as if she were bringing it back to box up for shipping. Miranda obeyed immediately.
Geno found himself relaxing. He hadn’t realized he was so tense. Miranda wasn’t a close relative, but she was one they had great affection for. He didn’t want to lose her. Whoever these people were, they knew Miranda meant something to the Ferraro family.
“This female assassin will have a weapon or weapons tipped with poison,” he reminded.
“Did Dario interrogate the prisoners?” Amaranthe asked. “Because I didn’t hear a thing if he did.”
Salvatore and Lucca exchanged a look between them before consulting with Geno. You know Dario, Geno, Lucca said. He interrogated them. They weren’t riders. They were hired and didn’t really know crap. A ton of money exchanged hands. Dario was satisfied they couldn’t tell him anything more.
Geno sighed. “They were interrogated, Amaranthe, but they weren’t members of the family committing the murders. They were hired—bribed with quite a lot of money to help. Dario was satisfied they knew nothing else of value, not even names they could pass on.”
“I should have said,” Lucca corrected himself. “He did give the names of a few teens that had been recruited to work for them. Stealing. Causing mischief. Planting seeds of doubt about our family.”
Amaranthe smiled at them. “You actually didn’t tell me about Dario’s interrogation and the information he got out of the prisoners. Geno did, which means you told him because you were worried I wouldn’t like Dario’s methods.”
“No one likes Dario’s methods, but sometimes they’re necessary,” Geno said. “You’re very aware of what happens in interrogations, Amara.”
“Sadly, I am,” she whispered and turned toward the front.
A woman emerged from the shadows and stood for a moment looking around the shop. The riders knew she was orienting herself before she moved around the store. They watched as she stealthily made her way through the racks to the edge of the hallway, where she appeared to be listening for Miranda’s return.
Deliberately, Geno crinkled a sheet of the tissue paper Miranda used to wrap the articles of clothing in for shipping. The moment the assassin heard the crumpling sound, she drew a short-bladed knife and stood to one side of the open hallway door.
Geno held up his hand to stop the others from moving. Lucca, you stay with Miranda. In case this woman manages to slip by, I want you to guard Miranda and make certain she’s safe. Amaranthe and Salvatore, choose a shadow and come up behind her. If possible, we’d like to take her alive. If we do, we’ll finally have someone who will be able to provide answers for us.
You’re using yourself as the bait, Amaranthe said.
He could tell she wasn’t happy with him. What did she think? He’d let her be the bait? Not likely. He didn’t care how fast she was. He could control the woman’s knife with sheer strength alone. He rustled the tissue paper again and took a light step on the floor, allowing the tile to creak under him.
Amaranthe moved into a shadow and disappeared. Salvatore stepped up, toe to toe. She’s the real deal, Geno. Amara is. You’ve got it all right in front of you. I don’t care what Stefano did to us. We’re still a family. You. Lucca. Me. And now Amaranthe. Don’t you fuckin’ blow it.
Geno might expect Lucca to come at him with a lecture, but not Salvatore. He nodded. My brain’s working again.
Good. Salvatore stepped into a shadow and was gone as fast as Amaranthe. Geno found himself smiling. He’d raised his brothers to be men. They didn’t take shit off anyone, not even him. He was proud of them. He liked that they stood up for Amaranthe.
In position, Amaranthe told him.
He waited, creaking another tile.
In position, Salvatore assured him.
Miranda is covered, Lucca said.
Geno immediately glided down the hall toward the main showroom, remaining perfectly silent. There was no more deliberately stepping on tiles that creaked under his feet. He moved in silence, going right up to the open door. Hearing her sudden gasping inhale as he loomed over her, he reached to shackle her wrist before she could strike with the knife. Ruthlessly applying force to the pressure points so her fingers went dead and she dropped the blade, he spun her around easily, locking her to him.
Salvatore and Amaranthe checked her for weapons, stripping her of two more knives before declaring she was clean. She glared at them with hate-filled eyes but refused to speak.
Geno didn’t ask her to speak. He didn’t need her to say a word, not there. He wanted her back in the interrogation room, where they could ask her questions and get much-needed answers. He waved Amaranthe toward the shadow that would take them out of the shop, into the street. She stepped into it. Salvatore waited, stepping to one side as Geno shoved the assassin toward the shadow.