Chapter 15
CHAPTER 15
SOFIA
I sat across from Juan Ference at the lavish restaurant, feeling like I was watching someone else's life unfold. The venue was gorgeous—an hour outside Ironstone with sweeping views of vineyards and rolling hills that would have taken my breath away under different circumstances. Now, the beauty only heightened my sense of how unreal this all felt.
Ernesto sat beside me, his presence a constant reminder of my cage. Juan and one of his men occupied the other side of the table. The remains of our lunch sat between us—I'd barely touched mine, claiming I'd already eaten, which was true. Instead, I'd sipped water while the men enjoyed wine.
"So, we are in agreement then," Ernesto said, sliding a typed document across the table.
I stiffened. This was the first I was actually seeing any agreement. My fingers twitched with the urge to snatch it up, to read what my life was being bartered for, but I kept my hands folded in my lap.
Juan took his time reading through the pages, his expression giving nothing away. His dark eyes scanned each line methodically, occasionally nodding. He was handsome in a cold, severe way—tall with sharp features and meticulously styled dark hair. The kind of man who'd look perfect in family photos while making your life hell behind closed doors.
Yep, that was exactly what the Ferences were known for.
Then again, the Savocas hadn’t been any better. But they’d not killed their own women or used them for prostitution.
Wasn’t that just like bartering your blood for alliances?
I shoved the thought aside.
"These terms are acceptable," Juan finally said, looking up from the document, his accent not as strong as my uncle's. "Though nothing will be set in stone until the wedding itself. We should plan for a month from now."
"And the engagement party?" Ernesto asked as my stomach dropped.
"Two weeks should be sufficient time to arrange something appropriate."
I fought to keep my expression neutral as they discussed my future as if I weren't sitting right there. Two weeks until I was publicly claimed. One month until I was married off. The timeline had my head spinning.
Would this give us enough time to get me out of the arrangement? Was there even an out?
Juan's gaze shifted to me, his eyes moving over my face and body with the clinical assessment of someone appraising property. "She is a beautiful woman. She will bear me strong heirs." His lips curved into what might have been intended as a smile, but it made my skin crawl. "I will provide well for her, so long as she remembers her place."
Right, I had to remember my place. I wanted nothing more than to slap that damn creepy smile off his face right now.
But Ernesto's eyes were on me, hard and expectant.
Play my part.
"I understand," I said, fighting every instinct to leave the table, to turn down this agreement.
Juan reached into his jacket pocket and withdrew a small velvet box. He slid it across the table toward me with two fingers, as if passing along a business card. "For you."
Just the way every girl dreamed to get proposed to.
I nodded as I picked it up and opened it. Inside sat a massive diamond ring—princess cut with a thick band of smaller diamonds surrounding it. It was ostentatious, gaudy even. Nothing like what I would have chosen.
"Put it on," Ernesto instructed when I made no move to do so.
I slipped the ring onto my finger, fighting the desire to scowl at it. It felt like a shackle.
"Perfect," Juan said, satisfaction evident in his voice. "My people will be in touch to organize the engagement party and wedding details." He stood, adjusting his suit jacket with a practiced motion. "I'll see you then, fiancée."
The word made me grimace internally, though I kept my face carefully blank as I rose to my feet alongside Ernesto. Juan stepped around the table, took my hands in his, and kissed me on each cheek. His cologne was expensive but overwhelming, and I fought the urge to pull away.
"Until next time," he murmured near my ear before releasing me and departing with his man following close behind.
As soon as they were out of sight, I turned to Ernesto, forcing myself to keep from raising my voice. "What was in that agreement? Why didn't you show it to me beforehand?"
Ernesto waved his hand dismissively. "Just the terms of the alliance between our families. Nothing for you to concern yourself with."
"It's my life," I hissed, keeping my voice low despite the boiling of my blood. "I think I deserve to know what you've promised."
"I negotiated what you wanted," he said, signaling for the check. "You can continue your work as a nurse, and you'll be permitted to return to Ironstone to visit your friends when you wish. Isn't that what you asked for?"
I bit my tongue. Yes, I'd asked for those things when it became clear I had no choice about the marriage itself. But I hadn't seen the full agreement, hadn't been consulted on any other terms. And I wasn't about to trust Ernesto any more than I'd trust a rattlesnake.
"There's nothing else you need to fret about," Ernesto continued, his tone suggesting the matter was closed.
I ground my teeth, knowing that snapping at him was futile. Besides, this whole thing was just to buy time. This wasn't going to happen.
It couldn't.
The drive back to my house passed in tense silence. I stared out the window, watching the countryside give way to suburbs and then to the familiar streets of Ironstone. The weight of the ring on my finger felt heavier with each passing mile, but I tried to focus on Gray's words, on his promise to make sure this didn't happen.
I hated relying on others, but right now, I was out of options.
When Ernesto's car finally pulled up to my house, he turned to me with an expression that almost resembled sympathy. "This is for the best, Sofia. For the family."
I didn't bother responding. What was there to say? And we both knew how he truly felt. This was all working out exactly how he wanted it to be. I was just a pawn to him, a means to an end.
I stepped out of the car without a backward glance and walked to my front door. Only when I heard Ernesto's car pull away did I let my shoulders slump.
The moment I stepped inside and closed the door behind me, Grayson appeared from the living room. He trailed his gaze over me, looking for a single hair out of place. He seemed content with his assessment as he strode over to me, pulling me into his arms.
I melted into his warmth, his strong arms anchoring me to him, filling me with a sense of safety as I let the tension drain away.
"How did it go?" he asked, his voice gentle as he kissed my temple, like this was our life every day.
I looked down at the monstrosity on my finger, my blood burning once more. "I feel like my life has just been stripped away. I know it's just to buy time, but…"
"That's not the case," he said firmly, his arms tightening around me. "We won't let that happen."
"I know."
"Leo and I are sorting it out," he murmured into my hair. "We're going to fix this."
I wanted to believe him. God, how I wanted to. But a small part of me was filled with doubt. Juan Ference and my uncle were powerful men, and they'd not take kindly to any meddling.
"I'll be staying with you for a while," he added, his voice rumbling against my ear where it pressed to his chest.
That snapped me out of my momentary weakness. I pulled back, staring up at him. "What? Why?"
"To make sure you're looked after and safe." His eyes flicked between mine, hardened with resolve. "Especially while you're carrying my child."
"I can take care of myself," I muttered, my walls slamming back into place. I didn't want to need him. Needing people only led to disappointment. Meredith had been the only one I'd allowed past my walls, and letting Gray in fully was not something I was ready for. Not yet.
Accepting his help, telling him the truth, they'd been hard things to do.
But pretty much moving in? That was something that was supposed to be a conversation.
"I know you can," he said as he cupped my cheek. "But you don't have to do it alone. I want to help you, Sofia."
"So what? You're just moving in without talking to me about it first?" I arched a brow at him as I took a step back.
"Sof, are you upset that I want to be there for you?"
"No, I'm upset you think you can call the shots in my own house!"
Without waiting for his response, I headed upstairs to my bedroom. The moment I stepped through the doorway, I froze. A suitcase sat on the floor near my dresser, clearly packed with men's clothing.
Gray appeared in the doorway behind me. "I had some of my things brought over already, maybe we should?—"
I whirled around, fury bubbling up inside me. What was with men thinking they could just take and do what they wanted? "How dare you just move in without talking to me! This is my house!"
"Sof, I get that?—"
"Do you? I just got sold off like some livestock between men, and here you are, moving yourself in without talking to me about it!"
When I raised my hand to slap him, he caught my wrist midair, his grip firm but not painful. "I won't let you go through all of this alone, Sofia." His voice was calm, steady. "Meredith will be by tonight too. She thought you could use some girl time. I'll make myself scarce then. I understand I should have spoken to you, especially with everything that's going on. But I've been making calls and coming up with ideas today, and this is how I make sure that you stay safe in your own home. I'm not going to have security stationed inside your home when you're pregnant. I wanted you to be comfortable, so I figured I was the better option."
I yanked my hand free, unsure how to respond. Part of me wanted to scream at him to leave, to let me handle this disaster on my own, to butt out of it all completely. Another part—a part of me leftover from childhood, a part who longed for comfort and help—was relieved at the thought of not facing the coming weeks alone.
"I need a shower," I muttered, turning away from him.
I yanked the gaudy ring off my finger and tossed it onto the bed as I passed. From the corner of my eye, I could’ve sworn I saw Grayson smirk at the ring, but I refused to look directly at him to confirm.
In the bathroom, I locked the door and leaned against it, finally allowing the tears I'd been holding back all day to fall. The hot water of the shower masked my crying as I scrubbed at my skin, trying to wash away the feeling of Juan's lips on my cheeks, the weight of Ernesto's expectations, the suffocating reality of my situation.
Gray was only trying to look out for me, to protect both me and our unborn child. I needed to remember that, especially when my emotions were swelling so big. I could only assume it was the hormones, along with how much my boobs had been hurting as of late.
By the time I emerged, wrapped in my fluffiest robe with my hair twisted in a towel, I felt marginally more human. Empty, but calm. I'd cried myself out for now, felt the emotions that wanted to be felt.
Gray was nowhere to be seen when I entered my bedroom. The suitcase remained, a reminder of his presence, but he'd given me space. The ring sat where I'd tossed it, glinting accusingly in the late afternoon sunlight streaming through my window.
I dressed in my most comfortable leggings and an oversized sweater, armor of a different sort. When I finally ventured downstairs, I found Gray in my kitchen, unpacking what looked like grocery bags.
"What are you doing?" I asked, lingering in the doorway.
He glanced up, his expression softening when he saw me. "Making dinner. You need to eat."
"I'm not hungry." I knew I was being defiant, and he knew it too as he simply arched a brow at me.
"The baby needs food even if you don't think you do." He continued unpacking, setting vegetables on the cutting board. "Besides, Meredith will be here in an hour. I'll cook for you both."
I moved to the kitchen island, sliding onto the stool there as I watched him. "Why are you doing this?"
His hands stilled, and he looked up with a smirk. "Why do you even need to ask? I feel like we've gone over all of this. Because I care about you, Sofia. And because that's my child you're carrying." He hesitated, then added more softly, "And because no one should have to face what you're facing alone."
The sincerity in his voice broke through a tiny crack in my armor. It wasn't easy to be mad at someone who only had your best interests at heart.
"I don't know how to get out of this," I admitted quietly as he resumed chopping vegetables. "Ernesto won't just let me walk away. I don't know how you guys can stop this."
"That's why you're not doing this alone, we can get this fixed." Gray's knife moved with surprising skill across the cutting board. "Leo has connections Ernesto Savoca doesn't. We're looking into why he's so determined to make this alliance with Ference. And gauging the waters we're diving into."
"And if you can't find anything?"
His eyes met mine. "We will find a way no matter what. I promise you, Sofia—you will not be marrying Juan Ference."
I wanted to believe him. The certainty in his voice made it tempting to hope. But hope was dangerous—it only made disappointment hurt more when it inevitably came.
"What's for dinner?" I asked instead, changing the subject.
His lips quirked up slightly, acknowledging my deflection but allowing it. "Pasta primavera. Light enough for your stomach, but with plenty of vegetables for the baby."
As I watched him cook in my kitchen, moving with unexpected confidence between the stove and counter, I felt something shift inside me. This man—this incredible, unexpected man—was fighting for me when I'd spent so much of my life fighting alone lately.
I didn't know if I could trust it. I didn't know if I could trust him. But I was going to try.