Free Shadow Rider by Christine Feehan

taste. His hand, wrapped around the glass, dripped blood from scraped knuckles. He looked over papers and muttered to himself, clearly not happy with whatever report he was reading.
    The shadow tubes radiated through the room in a starburst pattern. The light overhead, as well as the lamp on thedesk, threw shadows all over the floors, and more climbed up the walls. Two went directly behind Sullivan. Stefano chose the larger of the two and rode it through the room, past the desk, between the chair and the wall until he stood behind the man. He stepped out of the portal and caught Edgar’s head in his hands.
    â€œJustice is served,” he whispered softly and wrenched hard. He heard the crack, but still he waited, making certain.
    He dropped the body back into the chair and slid back into the portal. In a matter of minutes he was riding the shadows back outside the house. Only then did he emerge from the slide in order to make a call.
    â€œIt’s done.” He ended the call and was once again inside the portal, riding toward the airport.
    His brothers would be apprised of the status of the job. Stefano would sleep on the plane and they would continue with their outrageous behavior, following through until they could safely get back to the plane and all three could return home.
    Franco Mancini waited for him. The door to the plane was open, Franco inside, lying on one of the beds. He sat up the moment Stefano entered, his eyes moving over his cousin to ensure he was unharmed.
    â€œQuiet tonight,” he informed Stefano. “I haven’t heard from your brothers.”
    â€œDon’t expect to. Vittorio might show up around four or five, but Ricco is with the Lacey twins again. He’ll be wallowing in his rope art and sex.” Stefano didn’t bother to keep the worry out of his voice. Ricco walked the edge of control lately and nothing his brother had said to him seemed to rein him in.
    Franco was silent a moment as Stefano removed his shoes and sank down into a plush seat. Franco poured him a drink and handed it to him. “Ricco is careful. Always. I know he seems reckless, Stefano, but he’s never failed to do his job. He’s quick and clean and never has a high afterward.”
    Stefano sighed, pressing the glass of Scotch to his forehead. It was true. Ricco, when sent on a job, performed likethe well-developed weapon he was. He didn’t hesitate, and he certainly didn’t fuck around. He got the job done. It wasn’t about Ricco’s work. It was about the way he played.
That
bordered on out of control.
    Stefano couldn’t help but worry. He knew what it was like to live in a world of unrelenting violence with no way out. They’d been born shadow riders. They’d been trained for one thing from the time they were toddlers. There was nothing else for them, and there wouldn’t be until they were too old to ride the shadows and perform their duties. They would be regulated to other jobs within the family. There was no way out for any of them.
    â€œStefano,” Franco said, his tone clearly reluctant.
    Stefano looked up quickly, his gaze moving over his cousin’s face, recognizing that something was wrong and he wasn’t going to like it. “Tell me.”
    â€œEmilio reported in.” Franco deliberately poured himself a cup of coffee.
    Stefano’s heart nearly stopped. For a moment he could barely breathe. “You’re stalling for time,” Stefano accused. “Fucking just tell me.” He could hear his heart pound. His mouth had gone dry. “Did something happen to Francesca?”
    Franco winced. Stefano’s tone cut like a whip. He nodded. “Emilio and Enzo took care of it, but she left our territory to go shopping with Joanna. They ran into a couple of punk-ass robbers and one held a knife to her throat. Emilio said he drew blood.”
    There was silence. The air vibrated with fury. Heated. Intense. “Are you