“I’m sorry Raimondo didn’t let you into the house right away, Dario. I know you’ve been upset by that,” Brielle murmured. Her belly felt so much better in this position. Maybe she would put some of her work off for a little while.
Valentino and Dario had made their pitch to her, explaining how they had only one investigator to cover both territories. He was extremely loyal to them, but they didn’t have anyone to occasionally check up on him. That was needed. It was just the way they both were. They wanted her working for them. She was exactly what they needed. Fast, efficient, she would do a lot of the investigative work, which would free Bernado to do more of the bookkeeping work.
Elie had sat with her during the interview. She had made it clear that if anything involved the Ferraro family, she would have no choice but to inform them. Elie had remained silent throughout the interview, for which she was grateful. This was her business and she was very serious about it.
“There will be times we might have to ask you to work with Bernado during a sensitive meeting. We would include Elie.” Valentino had leaned forward. “This is extremely important, Brielle. We are criminals. You have to know that going into this. We do illegal things. People sometimes try to take away our businesses and our lives. We retaliate in a very hostile manner. You might see and hear things that you can never repeat. The penalty would be death. I would signal to you, hopefully before things ever got out of hand, but I can’t guarantee that I’d be able to see it developing in time to do that. At times, you’ll be the one warning us that our lives are in danger. What I’m saying is, don’t take this job if you would feel you would have to go to law enforcement. Or if law enforcement came to you if you would feel you had to tell them what you heard or saw.”
Brielle had taken her time thinking things over. She had to admit she was an adrenaline junkie on the keyboard. It felt right to her to choose to work for Val and Dario. She hadn’t looked at Elie, not wanting him to give her a clue as to his thoughts. This had to be her decision alone. If she had harbored secret doubts that Elie was meant to be her partner, they were definitely put to rest during that meeting. He never once interfered or attempted to persuade her in any direction. He didn’t ask questions of Valentino or Dario. When they named a salary and she negotiated up, he didn’t bat an eye. She knew she was worth it and they’d pay it.
“I definitely understand confidentiality. I have no problem with that.” She had been silent for a moment and then she held up her hand. “I would never, under any circumstances, go along with human trafficking. At the first sign, I would be texting my husband and handing in my resignation. The same with selling drugs to children. I have a real problem with that. I would do the same and quit.”
“We are adamantly opposed to both,” Val had stated, and Dario had nodded his head.
She had taken Dario’s nod for his word. There had been a burst of elation when they finalized the agreement. She hadn’t realized just how much she really wanted to work for the Saldis. Technically, Dario’s last name was Bosco, but he was a Saldi through and through.
Elie had taken her out to dinner afterward, the restaurant amazing. They’d been surrounded by personal protectors, but she hadn’t cared. They’d danced the night away, and when they’d gotten home, he’d made love to her, a sweet, hot fire that burned so bright, it brought tears to her eyes.
It was impossible not to fall more and more in love with Elie Archambault. She detested when he was away from her, like now, and she couldn’t reach out to him to make certain he was all right. She knew the jet was in the air and on course to Barcelona. They were flying there straight from New York after wiping out the Santoro family.
The Archambaults would meet the Ferraros there. The investigators had done their jobs and uncovered every target. The local shadow riders, the Ignazio family, had to be seen leaving the city so no suspicion could possibly fall on them.
Stefano Ferraro had business at the bank with the manager there. He was meeting Jean-Claude Archambault as well. They would be seen along with their personal protectors. The others would be in the shadows, carrying out their assignments. Brielle tried not to feel anxious without Elie, but she did. Not for herself, but for him.
Emmanuelle came out of the shadows, appearing close to her husband. He didn’t seem to startle easily. Val casually wrapped his arms around her to steady her. “You’re cold, princess. Were you in the refrigerator?”
She nodded. “For a few minutes. There’s a walk-in down there and Constantine was in and out of it. I can tell you, he doesn’t intend to carry out his assignment.”
Val rubbed her arms briskly. “How do you know?”
“I talked to him. He was very upset and writing a letter to Elie. I was able to look at the letter. It looked to me as if he planned to commit suicide. In the letter, he explained to Elie what happened to him and the others when he was twenty-three. He named Otto and Rupert. He said Rupert was the gentlest of all three of them and couldn’t even kill spiders. No one could figure out how he would ever be violent with a woman. It didn’t make sense. Rupert had wanted to stay in Spain and face what was coming to him, but the others insisted they bring him home. They were afraid of what would happen. None of them were willing to murder an innocent woman for the Tosellis. They all three planned to commit suicide rather than risk the Tosellis coming after Otto’s and Rupert’s families.”
Brielle started to sit up, one hand covering her belly where the surgeon had done something to keep her from bleeding to death.
“Stay down,” Val and Dario growled in stereo.
Emmanuelle burst out laughing and went over to the sofa to perch on the edge. “I have to say, I’m so glad I get to share them with you. They’re so annoying. I just ignore them most of the time, but in your case, you really need to be careful. How are you feeling?”
Brielle rubbed her stomach over the ache. “It does hurt a little. I think I moved around too much. I pace a lot when things don’t add up. Movement helps me think. Usually, I can go outside in the fresh air, but those two and Elie are being very strict with me. You’d think someone was trying to murder me.” She tried to make a joke out of it, but neither man cracked a smile. Only Emmanuelle.
“You’d think.”
“What did you tell Constantine? Hopefully, you had him call his friends and let them know the Tosellis lied to them about what happened, that it was a scam and I have proof,” Brielle said.
“You didn’t, Emme.” Val was horrified. “Princess, there’s no way to know for certain if the Winslow brothers intended to follow through with what they’ve indicated to Babell. They could have been waiting for him to off himself and then they were going to try to kill Brielle. You are so fucking compassionate. That’s always been your downfall.”
“You’re lucky she is,” Dario said. “That’s the only reason she took you back.”
“Dario’s so right,” Emmanuelle agreed, blowing a kiss Dario’s way. “I didn’t check on the brothers yet, because I had Constantine call them and ask them to come to the hotel for a meeting before they did anything stupid. I can hear lies. When they talk to Babell, who is quite nice, I’ll know their intentions. If either of them is here to carry out the instructions to kill Brielle, I’ll bring justice to them.”
Emmanuelle had sounded playful until she delivered her declaration, then she sounded wholly like a Ferraro. She was fierce, a shadow rider, experienced and in control. Brielle knew she was in charge of her husband’s security. Few of his men realized it. Dario still, at times, gave the orders, mostly because in the world Emme now lived in, the women weren’t treated quite the same as the men. Emmanuelle didn’t seem to mind.
“Why doesn’t it bother you?”
“Why doesn’t what bother me?” Emmanuelle echoed.
She sounded serene. Confident in herself and who she was. She didn’t need others to see her as her husband’s equal, or theirs for that matter.
“The men you’re in charge of see you as less than they are. How can you stand that? Especially if you have to give them an order? Why would they obey you promptly if they don’t really respect you?”