His heart jumped in his chest. He’d laid it out for her, using her own case as his example, and she was still judging them harshly. He might have expected that from someone else, but not from her. He didn’t view himself as an assassin, but he supposed the outside world would see him that way. He didn’t make a kill personal. He meted out justice to those who slipped through the system. Sometimes the task was something as simple as getting back money that was taken from an elderly person in a scam. It didn’t have to be a broken neck.
“Often we’re called on to mete out that kind of justice, yes,” he admitted.
She turned her head again, staring through the open bedroom door into what would be the wide formal dining room. When the family was aboard, that was the part of the plane most used. They sat around the large table and interacted, mostly laughing together and enjoying one another’s company.
“Why were you in New York instead of the ones who live there? You said you have cousins who live there.”
“Once an investigation is complete, the riders come in from a different city. They fly in essentially looking to party. The paparazzi hound them, taking tons of pictures. Cousins who live in that city greet them and they party the night away with well-known actresses or singers, anyone who would also be pursued by the paparazzi. The idea is to get into as many magazines and newspapers as possible. It’s all about alibis.”
“While you’re all visible, someone they never saw is in the shadows doing the deed.”
“Exactly.”
She turned her head then and his heart nearly stopped when she sent him a little half smile. “Nice gig. You really thought up a foolproof plan. No wonder you all like to be in the spotlight so much. I should have figured that out all by myself. I’m a little disappointed in myself that I didn’t.”
Relief was overwhelming. She wasn’t as opposed to what they did as he’d first feared. She continued to look steadily at him. “That’s why you didn’t go after Benito and Armando then. They weren’t on the list. No one had sanctioned them, so to speak.”
Something in her voice put his warning system on alert. His woman might just be a little bloodthirsty. He’d just explained the system to her and the need to make certain it was never personal. He knew that wasn’t always possible, but they still had to try. He was going to have to watch her.
“I will admit, I read the reports and they were very detailed. I knew what he had done to you and I wanted him dead. It felt very personal to me even then. Stefano refused. It wasn’t sanctioned, and we weren’t on the Demons’ radar. They would have no idea what happened to you. You would be safer if you simply vanished. I wanted you safe.”
“I wanted them all dead.”
He was silent. If he had to admit it aloud, he had to agree.
“Tell me more. I interrupted you, and I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I find this entire business extremely fascinating. I can imagine Stefano doing it, but not Francesca.”
“Francesca was never trained as a rider. She was born capable, but never trained, and she doesn’t ride the shadows. Stefano would lose his mind if she tried. She’s the heart of our family and always will be. Ricco’s wife, Mariko, is a trained rider, and she’s fast and excellent at it. Sasha, Giovanni’s wife, isn’t, but she could have been. Again, she will never be a rider; however, she’s a force of nature and a powerhouse. Grace, no way will she ever be a shadow rider, and Vittorio would lose his mind, just like Stefano would if Francesca wanted to be one.”
Taviano could feel Nicoletta’s eyes on him, but he deliberately didn’t look at her. Instead, he stared up at the ceiling of the plane. He made her ask.
“What about you, Taviano?”
“What about me, Nicoletta?”
“What do you expect from your wife? Do you expect me to be the heart of the family like Francesca? Or a force of nature like Sasha? Or like Grace, sweet and accommodating of everything you want? Or like Mariko, a rider?”
Taviano thought it over, taking his time, wanting to answer her honestly. “I would like you to be the heart of our family like Francesca, and you’re already a force of nature like Sasha. I would love that you’d be sweet and accommodating, even thoughtful of my needs and wants, the way Grace is with Vittorio. As for a rider like Mariko, no, I don’t want that. She takes her own rotation, just as we all do. I would be opposed to that. If I had my preference, I would want us to work together, like we did. Of course, you need far more training, both in the shadows and out, but I think we’d make a good team. That would be my preference. So, it isn’t an expectation, Nicoletta. It’s a preference.”