She shrugged, a delicate little motion. “I was visiting with Emmanuelle. Clubbing actually, and Eloisa dropped in. She was her usual charming self to her daughter, and I couldn’t help myself. I don’t like it when she’s so ugly to Emme. Emme never stops her. Never. She’s always so nice to Eloisa and yet Eloisa is venomous to her, stripping her raw, especially about Val Saldi. She knows it hurts her, but she just keeps lashing at her. I knew better, but I still told her to stop. She’s my aunt and it was rude, but honest to God, Sev, she was tearing strips off Emme, and I was already worried that Emmanuelle might … I mean, what is she trying to get her daughter to do?”
“What did she say to you?” Severino bit out between his teeth.
Taviano had seen him like that a few times. Nothing good had ever come of it. He almost wished his mother was in the room. He knew exactly what Velia meant. Eloisa couldn’t seem to help herself. The moment she was around Emmanuelle, she seemed to tear into her, hissing out the ugliest venom, throwing out recriminations, practically accusing her of selling out the Ferraro family for sex. Sometimes he’d like to remind his mother that she’d chosen Phillip over her son’s welfare and see how that went over, especially when they all knew Emmanuelle had never once given Val a single piece of information on the Ferraro family.
“Sev, seriously, it was a while ago.”
“You were here to go clubbing with Emme no more than three weeks ago, Velia. Answer me now.”
Even Marzio moved closer, and in the corner, Tore actually stirred, making his presence known. Taviano was grateful to know that his LA cousins protected their sister with the same fierceness that he and his brothers did their sister and now, the other women in their family.
Velia sighed, the expression on her face telling all of them that none of them, including Stefano and Taviano, were going to like it.
“She said I was nothing but a beautiful whore like my mother. Everyone knew what she was like, and my father had to marry her because his father made him. She said naturally I’d side with Emmanuelle because look who I came from. She would expect nothing less of someone like me.”
Her hand went to her throat again, and Sev caught it and pulled it down to her lap. “You had gotten over this habit, cara, but suddenly, in just this last couple of weeks, you’re back to it. Now I understand why. I think I’ll have a word with Eloisa if you don’t mind, Stefano.”
“Not at all, Severino. I will be going with you.” Stefano stood up.
“Now?” Velia looked shocked. “Sev, you can’t. Stefano and Taviano have work tonight. Don’t say anything to her. She’s vicious. She might say more ugly things about our mother. I don’t want you to hear them.”
She had her head down, and to Taviano’s consternation, he saw tears glistening on her lashes. He’d never seen Velia cry, not since she was a little girl. She was a shadow rider, a very good one, seasoned and, like Mariko, a force to be reckoned with.
“Angioletto, look at me.” Severino’s voice was unexpectedly gentle, but it was nevertheless commanding, more than ever reminiscent of Stefano. It was very evident who the head of the family was and who the head of the LA riders was.
Velia lifted her head and Severino wiped at her tears with his thumb. “You are mine to protect. No one abuses you. They don’t say vile things about our deceased mother, especially to you or to hurt you. I don’t tolerate this from anyone, let alone a family member. This will never happen again.”
“She’ll think I’m weak. A tattletale.”
“She said these things about my mother. About Marzio’s mother. Tore’s mother. She said these vile things to you, Velia. She is your aunt, and she should protect you. She should be protecting Emmanuelle. She said them about another shadow rider. I don’t know why she’s lost her way, but dragging everyone else down with her cannot be tolerated.” Without another word, Severino and Stefano turned, stepped into a shadow and were gone, leaving behind silence.
Velia closed her eyes and pressed her fingers to her temples. “I can’t believe I just did that. Taviano, Eloisa is going to go after Emmanuelle. Whenever anyone confronts her, she turns around and gets ugly with her daughter.”
Nicoletta had gotten up to refill Velia’s refresher. She stopped and turned. “She does that? Taviano? Why didn’t you say so earlier? I made her so angry. If she could have, she would have ripped my face off. She tried to slap me.”
Velia gasped. “Hit you? Strike you? Physically? Eloisa actually tried to hit you?” She looked to Taviano for confirmation.