SHADOW STORM






I always knew the Shadow Riders would have a violent history similar to organized crime that included a feud with another rival family. The Ferraros and the Saldis have that history. It’s this fight that nearly wiped the Ferraros off the face of the earth.

There’s nothing like a good conflict in any story to give intrigue and emotion. It seemed to make sense to me, and be a natural progression, of the overall story arc to have the two enemy families have children who’d grow up to be adults that would one day meet.



Val is somewhat older than Emme. He was ruthless even when they first met and she was too young to seduce. But, they had this magnetic pull that made them hyper aware of each other. So, when Emme finally came of age Val didn’t hesitate to lay claim to her, regardless of the fact that neither family would be agreeable to the match.





The Ferraros were nearly wiped out by the Saldis long ago. In the eyes of the Ferraro family the Saldis were enemies and could not be trusted. What did the Ferraros of Chicago treasure most? Their little sister. They were extremely protective of Emme. Everyone knew Valentino Saldi was a dangerous man in a dangerous family. The conflict for them was that Emme so obviously loved Val and they wanted her to be happy.



The Saldi family knew the Ferraros were dangerous. To them, the Ferraros were the bad guys. And, the fact is, the Ferraros are assassins. Killers. Regardless of how someone was investigated and what proof there was, the Ferraros took matters in their own hands and people died. The Saldis knew the Ferraros were not exactly all they presented themselves to be. They were hiding something. They couldn’t be trusted. So when the heir-apparent to the entire Saldi empire decided he had to have Emmanuelle Ferraro there was no one on the Saldi side happy to hear that.



Their relationship was doomed because of everything each family was. They would have to determine for themselves whether or not it was worth the fight to be together.

Of course, nothing is ever easy. Mistakes were made. When Val and Emme split up there was a collective sigh of relief from the families, even as Emme’s brothers were also sad for her.



Now, with Valentino in danger it’s the Ferraros who must decide whether or not to help the devil they know. And Emme to decide if the cost of loving Val is worth the price.