Chapter 29
CHAPTER 29
SOFIA
I settled onto the couch in my living room, a warm throw blanket tucked around my legs as I sipped on the chamomile tea Gray had made for me. Home. After everything that had happened, I was finally home, safe.
Dr. Gatlin had been called in by Gray and Leo to check me over at home once more, along with a brief check on Gray, and he had just left. His kind eyes had crinkled at the corners when he told me both the pregnancy and I were stable despite all the stress. Small mercies.
"You need to rest," he'd said, packing his stethoscope into his bag. "No more family drama for at least a week."
I'd laughed at that. No more family drama. If only it were that simple.
Gray sat beside me now, his arm draped protectively around my shoulders. Leo stood by the fireplace, his posture still rigid even though the immediate danger had passed.
"I still wish you'd told me everything," I said, looking between them. "I felt completely blindsided in there."
Gray's fingers traced gentle circles on my shoulder. "We couldn't risk it. We weren't sure who we could trust, and your shock at Leo's apparent betrayal needed to be genuine."
"We knew you'd argue about having me there," Leo added. "And if you told Meredith?—"
"Which I would have," I admitted.
"Exactly. It would have made everything harder." Leo's expression softened slightly. "I needed to be there to protect you for Gray."
Gray shifted beside me, wincing slightly from his still-healing wounds. "I was worried about the risk to your pregnancy with your stress levels through the roof with not knowing, but considering the other options..." He shook his head. "We had to go with the plan that gave us the best chance. Leo didn't even want to tell me for fear I'd alert you."
Leo crossed his arms, his eyes meeting mine. "I hoped you trusted me enough to go along with it all, which it seemed like you did."
I set my mug down on the coffee table. "I did worry for a few moments there."
Leo's lips quirked up in an almost-smile, taking me by surprise. "That kinda hurts."
"Sorry," I said with a sheepish smile, not feeling particularly sorry. "You were convincing."
I frowned, then looked to Leo again. “What about the knife? How did that end up in my handbag?”
“Caterina contacted me, told me that getting her own gun into the meeting was going to be hard enough, let alone something for Julia. So I organized with your mom to have her slip it in. She was not happy about it at all,” Leo said, smirking and shaking his head. “She didn’t want tot hide anything from you, and threatened to… well, let’s just say, if I’d let anything happen to you, there’d be no chance at any children from Meredith and I.”
I snorted as Gray laughed. My mother certainly had balls, threatening Leo Donati of all people. At least he appeared to be finding it oddly comical as well, cracking a smile.
The weight of everything that had happened settled over me again. Ernesto was dead. Marco was avenged. And I'd ended up at the head of the Savoca family.
"I'm not sure how I feel about leading the Savoca family," I admitted, voicing the thought that had been circling in my mind since we'd left the restaurant, since I'd made the decision to take my place there. "I spent years running from that life."
Gray's arm tightened around me. "You're not alone in it. You have me and the backing of the Donati." His voice was steady, reassuring. "Caterina and Julia will help you as well. You have people and support all around. Everything will be fine."
I leaned into him, drawing strength from his belief in me. "The talks with the Savoca family after Ernesto's death were difficult."
"But few opposed your leadership," Gray reminded me. "Especially after learning the truth about what Ernesto had done."
I nodded. "Caterina found the marriage terms on Ernesto's body after the Ference family left. She shared them with everyone present."
The memory of those documents made my stomach turn. Caterina had been pale with rage as she'd read them aloud to the assembled family members.
"It disgusted even those who were uneasy about shifting loyalties," I continued. "He'd agreed for the Ferences to eventually take me out, and then his own sister would need to die as well. He'd promised unborn daughters to join the families all around."
Leo's jaw tightened. "From what I understand, the terms we're setting with the Ference family aren't amazing for them, but considering our power and reach, they're willing to accept."
"Especially after Canzio shared his dislike of the original marriage terms that Juan was willing to verbally share with him in their private meeting," Gray added. "Ernesto had agreed to have you be nothing more than a breeding slave for Juan. Canzio was pissed that Juan had agreed to it. They both agreed they have different views, but for their families and business, they’d form an alliance.”
I shuddered at the thought, my blood curdling. My uncle made me sick, and I knew some of the older Savoca men had still believed women were things to be used, but that was changing. It had to, society had already changed against them.
"Canzio told them they were lucky to be allowed their lives," Leo said, "especially since they'd put his grandchild at risk."
"They say to keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. How the Ferences do business, trading in the female flesh, trafficking of all sorts, we want to eradicate it via our alliance. But if not… well, we'll deal with them one way or another," he muttered.
We were silent for a moment at the heaviness of those words. But it was a battle for another time. We'd won the main battle for now.
"Grayson Donati, I'm still adjusting to my new name," Gray mused after a few moments. Upon arriving home, one of Canzio's men had met us, offering us the formal documents of the name change, adopting Gray into the Donati family.
The Cassaro line had been extinguished now.
"Finally my brother fully," Leo stated, his mouth curling even more.
"It's going to be a long road ahead," I said. "Demolishing the Savoca ways of treating their women. The older generation will be difficult to change."
"But the future generations and future women will be happy," Gray stated, his hand covering mine. "That's what matters."
"It'll all work out," Leo assured me. "You're a strong woman, and you have strong women around you and loyal family."
"And the Donatis will support you." Gray's lips brushed against my temple. "And I'm right here with you."
I let his words sink in, allowing myself to believe them. Maybe it would be okay. Maybe we could change things without too much pushback. But I'd need to prepare, be on guard for everything.
Voices from the front door distracted us from our somber conversation.
My mother and Meredith entered the living room, arms laden with shopping bags, their faces flushed from the cool evening air. Roman had taken them out for some shopping, and the pair were carrying bags of groceries.
"We've got everything for dinner," my mother announced, her eyes scanning the room and landing on me with maternal concern. "How are you feeling, tesoro?"
"Better," I admitted.
Meredith's face brightened. "Perfect! We thought we'd make that eggplant parmesan you love so much. Gabriella has been telling me all about it.”
"With homemade garlic bread," my mother added, already heading toward the kitchen. "Leonardo, come help me with these bags."
Leo's eyebrows shot up at the command, but he moved to assist without complaint. I bit back a smile at the sight of the formidable Leo Donati being ordered around by my mother.
"I'll help too," Gray offered, starting to rise, but my mother waved him off.
"You stay with Sofia. You're still healing."
Gray knew better than to argue as he sank back onto the couch beside me.
The kitchen soon filled with the sounds of chopping, sizzling, and my mother's gentle instructions to Leo and Meredith. The familiar domestic noises washed over me, soothing the ragged edges of my soul after everything we'd been through.
"This is nice," I murmured, leaning my head against Gray's shoulder. "Everyone together like this."
Gray pressed a kiss to my hair. "It is. This is what family should be."
Family. The word held new meaning now. Not just the Savoca name and all its bloody history, but this—people who loved each other, protecting and caring for one another.
When dinner was ready, we gathered around my dining table, which suddenly seemed too small for all the love it contained. The eggplant parmesan was perfect, the garlic bread crusty and aromatic. Wine for everyone except me—I had sparkling water with lemon instead.
"Sofia was the most stubborn child," my mother said, her eyes twinkling as she refilled Leo's wine glass. "Once, when she was five, she refused to wear anything but her ballet tutu for two weeks straight."
"Mom," I groaned, feeling my cheeks warm.
"It's true! I had to wash it while she slept and put it back before she woke up." My mother laughed, the sound lighter than I'd ever heard it. "She even wore it to her father's business dinners with the family."
"I bet that went over well," Meredith said, grinning at me across the table.
"Antonio was furious at first," my mother continued, her expression softening at the memory. "But then Sofia did a perfect pirouette for the family, and they all applauded. Even Antonio couldn't stay angry after that."
I hadn't thought about that night in years. It was one of my earliest memories, and one of the few warm ones I had of my father—his reluctant smile as I twirled in my pink tutu, his large hand gentle on my head afterward.
"I wonder who the baby will take after," my mother mused, her gaze drifting to my stomach. "Will they have your stubbornness, Sofia? Or Gray's calmness?"
"Calmness? Sure, I guess, but he's as stubborn as a mule too." Meredith laughed.
"God help us if they inherit both our personalities," Gray said, his hand finding mine under the table.
"I'm betting on Sofia's eyes," Leo added unexpectedly. "Brown eyes are a dominant gene."
"I hope they get his green though," I said softly. I'd always loved those eyes he shared with his sister, so warm and peaceful with their gentle green hues.
"But your smile, Sof," Meredith countered. "That's a genetic gift worth passing down. Everyone loves dimples."
"That they do," Gray agreed, and my cheeks flushed as he squeezed my hand. I was loving this side of him that only appeared in moments like these, so soft and sweet, none of that tension and worry he'd been carrying every day.
This was the Gray I'd fallen for, the one who appeared around family, carefree and cheery.
"Either way," my mother said softly, "this child will be loved. That's what matters most."
The conversation flowed easily after that, drifting from baby speculation to more stories of my childhood antics courtesy of my mom, to Meredith's latest plans for the theater restoration when asked. The weight of everything—Ernesto's death, my new position, the alliance with the Ference family—seemed to lift, if only for this evening.
As we finished dessert—tiramisu that my mother had somehow whipped up while making dinner—Leo stifled a yawn.
"It's getting late," he observed as he slid an arm around Meredith's waist. "We should probably head out."
"Stay," I said immediately. "I have enough guest rooms. It's been a long day for everyone."
Meredith nodded eagerly. "That sounds perfect. I didn't want to leave you anyway."
"If that's what you both want," Leo said as he smiled softly at Meredith. I still loved seeing their love on display like this, his sheer adoration of her. A side of him I'd never known existed.
My gaze landed on the mirror on the wall, and I realized Gray was looking at me in the exact same way beside me. My lips curled as my heart warmed, and I squeezed his hand tighter.
"Well," Gray started, kissing my cheek as he rose, wincing slightly as he straightened, "speaking of rest, I think it's time this one got some." He nodded toward me. "Doctor's orders were clear—plenty of rest. And it's about time she actually followed those orders."
Everyone made soft sounds of amusement as I rolled my eyes.
"Fine, but only because I'm actually tired."
Gray helped me up from my chair, his arm protective around my waist. "Goodnight, everyone. Help yourselves to anything you need. Mer, I'm sure you know where everything is if Gabriella or Leo need anything."
"Of course," Mer responded with a bob of her head.
As we made our way upstairs, I glanced back at the dining room, where my mother was pouring more wine for Leo and Meredith, their heads bent together in conversation. The sight filled my heart completely.
This was what I'd fought for. This was what I would continue to fight for—not just for myself or for Gray, but for our child. A family built on love, not fear. On protection, not control.
As Gray led me to our bedroom, I knew with certainty that whatever challenges lay ahead, we would face them together.
"We both need to rest," Gray said as he pulled back the covers. "It's been a long, stressful few days."
"And you're still recovering," I noted as I crawled into bed. Gray slid in behind me, his body curving around mine protectively. His arm draped over my waist, his hand splayed across my stomach.
"I know, so let's get some sleep," he murmured against my hair. "I've got you."
As I drifted off, I knew whatever came my way, I wouldn't face them alone. I had Gray. I had the Donatis. I had my family—my real family, not the twisted version Ernesto had tried to create.
Everything would be okay.