{"product_id":"shadow-reaper-isbn-9780399583957","title":"Shadow Reaper","description":"\u003cb\u003eTHE \u003ci\u003eNEW YORK TIMES\u003c\/i\u003e BESTSELLER\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eChristine Feehan returns to her scorching-hot series starring a Chicago crime family that has built its empire in the shadows...\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Billionaire playboy Ricco Ferraro knows no other life. Being a shadow rider is in his blood—but so is a haunting desperation stemming from the secrets of his dark past. His recklessness puts not only his life at risk, but also the future of his entire family. To save them all, he must find a woman who can meet his every desire with a heat all her own...\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Just when Ricco has given up hope, he meets her—a mysterious woman whose shadow connects with his. She’s someone looking for a safe haven from the danger that has stalked her over the last several months. In Ricco’s embrace, she finds one. But the darkness in which they so often find sanctuary can also consume them...\u003cb\u003ePraise for Christine Feehan and the Shadow Riders series\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“I love everything she does.”—J. R. Ward\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Book after book, Feehan gives readers emotionally rich and powerful stories that are hard to forget!”—\u003ci\u003eRT Book Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A dark, gritty, edgy but magical contemporary that will hold you spellbound.”—Fresh Fiction\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“The family that Feehan introduces to us is freakin’ AWESOME!! I loved each and every sibling.”—Addicted to Romance\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Edgy, inventive and steamy, this deliciously dark, often grim story featuring deadly and graceful characters who literally slip through the shadows is a standout for the creative Feehan and launches another well-conceived series.”—\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003eChristine Feehan\u003c\/b\u003e is the #1\u003ci\u003e New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of the Carpathian series, the GhostWalker series, the Leopard series, the Shadow Riders series, and the Sea Haven novels, including the Drake Sisters series and the Sisters of the Heart series.Chapter One\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Ricco Ferraro wanted to punch something. Hard. No, he needed to      punch something-or someone, preferably his brother. It would be      satisfying to feel the crunch of his knuckles splitting open      flesh. Cracking bone. Yeah. He could get behind that if his      brother didn't shut the hell up. They were in a hospital with      doctors and nurses surrounding them on every floor. If he really      went to town and made it real, Stefano wouldn't suffer for too      long.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Ricco,\" Stefano hissed again, using his low, annoying,      big-brother tone that made Ricco feel crazier than he already was      feeling. \"Are you even listening to me? This has got to stop. The      next time you might not make it.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Stefano had been lecturing him for the last ten minutes; Ricco      figured no one could listen that long, let alone him. He didn't      have the patience. He knew damn well how close he'd come to dying.      They'd replaced every drop of blood he had in his body not once,      but twice. He'd been in the fucking hospital for weeks.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e His car had hit the wall at over two hundred miles an hour, but he      knew he hadn't driven into it. Something broke and the suspension      went, driving pieces of metal through his body like shrapnel. He'd      lived it. He still felt it. Every muscle and bone in his body hurt      like hell.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I'll listen when you make sense, Stefano,\" Ricco snapped and      finished buttoning up his shirt. It wasn't easy. The pain was      excruciating when he made the slightest movement, but he was      getting out of this damn hospital whether the doctor signed the      release papers or not. He'd had enough of all of them-especially      his older brother.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He turned to face them-his four brothers and one sister with their      expressions so concerned. Grim. But there was Francesca, Stefano's      wife. He focused on her and the compassion in her eyes. She had      nudged Stefano several times to get him to stop. It had worked      twice, but only for a moment or two.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I'm going to say this one more time and never again. You don't      have to believe me.\" He spoke to Francesca, because surprisingly,      it was Francesca who believed him. They all should have-they could      hear lies. That gave him pause. He could hear lies. If no one      believed him, it was because he had to be lying to them-and to      himself.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He turned his back on them. Just that little motion hurt. His body      protested the slightest thing he did. \"At least wait until you get      the report on the car before you jump to conclusions. I didn't      have control. The car's system just shut down.\" That much he was      certain of. He drove at speeds of over two hundred miles per hour      and had no trouble; his hand-eye coordination and his reflexes      never failed him. The car had failed. He knew that with absolute      certainty, so why couldn't he convince his brothers and sister      that he hadn't tried to end his life? Why couldn't he convince      himself?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e It took everything he had to stand there, trying not to sway when      his body broke out in a sweat and he could count his heartbeats      through the pain swamping his muscles. What had he done to try to      save himself? Nothing. He'd done nothing. He'd let fate decide,      closing his eyes and giving himself up to the judgment of the      universe. He'd woken up in the hospital with needles in his arm      and bags of blood going into him.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e His room was filled with flowers. There were boxes of cards, all      from people in Ferraro territory, the blocks of city considered      off-limits to any criminal. Their people, all good and decent. He      hadn't looked at the cards, but he wanted to keep them. He didn't      deserve those cards any more than he deserved the concern on his      brothers' and sister's faces, or the compassion Francesca showed.      Still, he was alive and he had to continue.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Something went wrong with the car, Stefano,\" he repeated, turning      back to look his brother in the eye.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"We're checking the car,\" Vittorio assured him. He was always the      peacemaker in the family, and Ricco appreciated him. \"We towed it      immediately to our personal garage and it's been under guard. Only      our trusted people are working on it.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Ricco flicked his brother a quick glance that was meant to serve      as a thank-you. He didn't say it aloud, not with Stefano breathing      down his neck.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"You almost died,\" Stefano said, and this time the anger was gone      from his voice and there was strain. Apprehension. Caring.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e That was Ricco's undoing. It was impossible to see or hear the      stoic Stefano torn up. He was the acknowledged head of the family      for a reason. Ricco didn't deserve the way they cared so much.      There were too many secrets, too many omissions. He'd put them all      in jeopardy and they had no idea. Worse, he couldn't tell them. He      just had to watch over them night and day, a duty he took very      seriously.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He shook his head, sighing. \"I know, Stefano. I'm sorry. I lost      control of the car.\" That was true. He had. He remembered very      little of the aftermath, but in that moment when he realized the      car wasn't an extension of him anymore, that it was a beast      roaring for supremacy, separate from him, he had felt relief that      it was over. If he had died, it all would have been over and the      danger to his family gone.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Are you convincing me? Or yourself?\" Stefano asked quietly.      \"We're taking you out of here, but you have to pull yourself      together. Enough with the craziness, Ricco, or I'll have no choice      but to pull you off rotation even when you're physically fit and      have the doctor's okay to work.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Gasps went up from his brothers and Emmanuelle, his sister.      Francesca uttered a soft \"no\" and shook her head. Ricco's heart      nearly seized. He was a rider. A shadow rider. It was who he was.      What he was. A rider had no choice but to do what he'd been      trained for from the age of two-even before that. It was in his      bones, in his blood, he couldn't live without it. He dispensed      justice to those the law couldn't touch.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Stefano stepped directly in front of him, close, so they were eye      to eye. \"Understand me, Ricco. I won't lose you. I'll do anything      to save you. Anything. Give anything, including my life. I'll use      every weapon in my arsenal to protect you from yourself and any      enemy that comes your way. You do something about this, whatever      it takes, and that includes counseling. But there aren't going to      be any more accidents. You get me, brother? There will be no more      accidents.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Ricco nodded his head. What else could he do? When Stefano laid      down the law he meant every word he said. It wasn't often Stefano      spoke like this to them, but no one would ever defy him, including      Ricco. He loved his brother. His family. He'd sacrificed most of      his life for them gladly, but Stefano was more than a brother. He      was mom, dad, big brother, protector, all of it rolled into one.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e It had been Stefano who had always been there for him. His own      mother and father hadn't even come to the hospital to visit him      after the accident, but Stefano had barely left even to eat. He      looked haggard and worn. Every time the pain had awakened Ricco      from his semiconscious state, Stefano and his brothers and      Emmanuelle had been right there with him. That solidarity only      reinforced Ricco's decision to keep them safe. They were      everything to him.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I get you,\" he assured softly.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"It's done then. When the doctor okays it, you resume training,      but you don't train any more than the regular hours. You sleep      even if you have to take something to get you to sleep. You stop      drinking so fucking much, and you talk to me if you are having      trouble doing those things.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Ricco's heart was pounding overtime now. He couldn't promise      Stefano that he would stop with his extra training hours. He had      to make certain he was in top form at all times, that he      didn't-couldn't-ever make a mistake. That was part of him as well.      But how did he explain that to his brother when he couldn't      explain why? He just nodded, remaining silent so no one could hear      his lie.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He drank sometimes to put himself to sleep, but he could stop with      no problem, he just wouldn't be able to sleep. He wasn't about to      say anything more to Stefano. It was impossible to lie to him and      he didn't want his brother to worry any more than he already did.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Staring into the mirror as he finished buttoning his dove-gray      shirt, he looked at the vicious bruises and the swelling, the side      of his head that had nearly been caved in. Beneath the shirt his      muscles rippled with every movement, a testimony to his      strength-and he was unbelievably strong. It had been his superb      physical condition that had saved him from certain death-at least      that was what the surgeon said, his strength and a miracle. His      frame was deceptive in that his roped muscles weren't so obvious,      the way his cousins' were, but they were there beneath the skin of      his wide shoulders and powerful arms.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He reached for his suit jacket. The Ferraro family of riders      always wore pin-striped suits. Always. It was their signature.      Even Emmanuelle wore the suit, fitted and making her look like a      million bucks, but then she could wear anything and look      beautiful. He sent his sister a reassuring smile because she      looked as if she might cry. He knew he looked rough. He felt worse      than rough, but his sister didn't have to know that.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I'm fine, Emme,\" he reassured softly. He wasn't, but then he      hadn't been for a long, long time.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Of course you are,\" she said briskly, but she looked strained.      \"Walking away from a crash like that is easy for a Ferraro.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He hadn't exactly walked away from it, but he was standing now. He      forced himself not to wince as he donned his jacket. Once the      material settled over his arms and shoulders, he looked the way      his brothers looked, a fit male, intimidating, imposing even.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e There was a rustle at the door. His brothers Giovanni and Taviano      moved aside to allow the doctor and nurse to enter. The doctor      glared at all of them. The nurse kept her eyes on the floor. He      noted her hands were shaking. She didn't want to confront the      Ferraros, but had no choice when the surgeon insisted on saying      his piece.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"You shouldn't be up, Mr. Ferraro,\" Dr. Townsend said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I'm fine,\" Ricco assured. \"And very grateful to you.\" That had to      be said whether it was a lie or not-and he honestly didn't know if      it was.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I refuse to release you. You could have blood clots, an aneurism,      any number of complications,\" the doctor continued.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I won't.\" Ricco gave them the look every Ferraro had perfected      before their tenth birthday. His eyes were cold and flat and hard.      Both the doctor and nurse immediately moved back. That, at least,      was satisfying. He took another step toward them and they parted      to allow him through. He might look like hell, and feel worse, but      he was still formidable.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I want the boxes of cards, but you can distribute the flowers to      other hospital patients,\" Ricco continued, ignoring Stefano's      frown. He knew what that meant. Stefano would want to talk to his      doctor. A shadow rider could hear lies and compel truth-even from      someone in the medical field. He kept walking, knowing his brother      would never let him walk out to face the reporters alone.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"You're leaving against medical advice,\" the doctor reiterated.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Ricco didn't slow down. Immediately, his brothers and Emmanuelle      fell into step around him. Surrounding him. Shoulder to shoulder.      Solidarity. The moment he was outside his hospital room, his      cousins Emilio and Enzo Gallo moved in front of them. Tomas and      Cosimo Abatangelo, also first cousins, dropped in behind. The      cousins always acted as bodyguards for the Ferraros, and Ricco      knew he needed them. He might say he was ready to leave the      hospital, but he wasn't. His body needed rest desperately as well      as time to heal. He just couldn't do it there.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The press had been all over the accident, trying to sneak into the      hospital and get photographs of him covered in bandages. One nurse      had been suspended while they investigated the fact that she'd      taken numerous pictures of Ricco unconscious and sold them to the      tabloids. There had been several other attempts by orderlies and a      janitor. Anyone getting a picture of playboy billionaire Ricco      Ferraro after he'd crashed his race car in a fiery display stood      to make hundreds of thousands of dollars.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Did Eloisa come to visit you?\" Stefano asked, walking in perfect      step with him.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Ricco glanced at him, one eyebrow raised. \"I crashed, Stefano. Not      perfect. Why would you think our mother would ever come to visit      me when I showed the world I was less than perfect?\" Stefano had      raised them, not Eloisa.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Stefano glanced at Francesca. \"I thought she was attempting to      turn over a new leaf. Guess I was wrong.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Ricco didn't answer. He knew Francesca had been trying to make      peace with Eloisa, but his mother didn't have one maternal      instinct in her body. He could'nt care less. They'd had Stefano      growing up, and he'd watched out for them-just as he was doing      now. His oldest brother might be annoying, but Stefano loved his      siblings. A. Lot. And he looked after them. It was something they      all counted on.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Ricco hated that he'd caused his brothers and sister so much      concern. He knew he had to change, turn his life around. It was      time. He just didn't know how.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Ready?\" Stefano asked as they approached the double doors leading      to the parking lot. No one broke stride, all moving with the same      confident step. The town car had already been brought to the      entrance. It was only a few feet away, but the paparazzi, several      rows deep, had flashes already going off.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Yeah,\" Ricco said. He wasn't. He could barely walk upright. Every      single step jarred his body and reminded him he was human.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He was afraid he would fall before he reached the privacy of the      car, but he kept walking. He had to get out of the hospital before      he lost his mind. He'd had his own private wing complete with      bodyguards, but that hadn't stopped the madness of the press or      his fear that they'd catch him at his most vulnerable.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Stefano and the rest of his siblings had stayed the three weeks he      was kept unconscious, at least that was what Francesca had      whispered to him. They only left if a job was imperative. Once he      was awake, it was mainly Stefano with him while the others took      care of work. He felt their love, and in that moment, facing the      paparazzi with his siblings surrounding him, he knew it had been      worth every sacrifice he'd made to protect them. He'd do it all      over again in a heartbeat.","brand":"Berkley","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46301512597733,"sku":"NP9780399583957","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780399583957.jpg?v=1767736427","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/shadow-reaper-isbn-9780399583957","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}