She'd been unconscious when Stefano and Taviano had brought her back through the shadow tube. She woke on a private jet heading to Chicago. She'd been terrified after witnessing them kill her uncles. Lucia and Amo had gone a long way toward helping with that, but Nicoletta avoided the Ferraros whenever she could.
Emme's bodyguard, Enrica Gallo, sister to Emilio and Enzo, stirred, just enough to warn Emmanuelle that someone was about to enter the store. Emmanuelle moved slightly to put herself in the shadows. She wore the same pin-striped suit her brothers wore – the signature suit of the Ferraro family. The shadows made it difficult for anyone to spot her immediately.
When she moved, she noticed Nicoletta's gaze flick to her, then to the bodyguard and then toward the door. She was extremely observant. The slightest movement drew her attention. The teen took the three steps necessary to put her body in front of Lucia's. At the same time, she reached down to straighten a wide gold-chain belt. It was heavy and could easily be used as a weapon.
It was too bad the girl hadn't been trained in riding the shadows from the time she was a toddler. She had no idea how special she was or the gifts given to her at birth. She had amazing instincts. Emmanuelle was going to have to ask Stefano about training her. At least in self-defense, but she would make a good rider. It would be a risk to train her, but they'd already risked so much just rescuing her.
The door opened and Signora Agnese Moretti stumbled into the shop, clutching her bag to her chest, looking through the thick glasses she wore, her gaze resting on Nicoletta and then Lucia and Amo. Her mouth pursed and then firmed. She banged the door closed and marched up to Lucia.
"I've heard the most outrageous thing and I've come to you so you can tell me this rumor isn't true. I heard" – she glared at Nicoletta – "that your wild daughter has taken a job at Theresa Vitale's flower shop where she will be exposed to that hooligan Bruno. This can't be true. Surely you would never give your permission for such a thing."
Nicoletta turned bright red and her chin went up. Combat mode. Emmanuelle wanted to smile. Signora Moretti, as a rule, ruffled just about everyone's feathers, but she had a heart of gold.
"We thought it would be good for her, cara," Lucia said softly, her tone, as always, sweet. This time there was a hint of placating. "All those flowers. Bright and cheerful. Working here part-time and there part-time, she'll come to know the community members so much faster. With you as her tutor, she'll catch up fast. She's so bright, you said so yourself – that she was brilliant."
"Well now," Signora Moretti hedged. "I didn't say brilliant."
"You did, Agnese. You know you did. You told Amo and me that she was a genius and would have no problems catching up, that you might be struggling to stay in front of her." Lucia sounded very earnest and innocent. It was all Emmanuelle could do not to laugh.
Nicoletta's eyes widened. She didn't call attention to Emmanuelle by looking at her, but she clearly wanted to. The things Signora Moretti had said about her clearly shocked her.
Signora Moretti made several faces at Lucia in a desperate attempt to quiet her.
"Are you okay, cara? Here, sit down." Lucia offered one of the plush chairs, patting the back of it. "Do you have seizures?"
Anyone else would be blasted for asking such a question, but Lucia was just too sweet and innocent for anyone to think she was deliberately teasing them.
Nicoletta turned her face away from the two older women, struggling not to smile. Emmanuelle decided to take pity on Lucia and Agnese. She moved slightly, stepping just out of the shadow. Signora Moretti spun around, her eyes going wide with shock.
"Emmanuelle! Seriously. I've told you and your brothers to stop doing that. You could give an old lady a heart attack." Dramatically she pressed her hand over her heart.
"You aren't that old," Lucia pointed out. "Amo and I have ten years on you at least."
Agnese drew herself up to her full height. "I taught school. All those Ferraro boys. And Emme. That alone added a good ten years to my age." She pretended to shudder. "Just what interest does your family have with this girl?" she demanded of Emmanuelle.
Nicoletta stiffened.
Emmanuelle shrugged. "Stefano knew her stepfather. The service, I think." She lied smoothly. It was the story they'd all agreed on. "You can talk to him." No one, not even Signora Moretti, would want to question Stefano about his personal business.