Chapter 4
ERIC
The conference room in the Donati building screamed old money and older power. Dark wood paneling, expensive leather chairs, and windows overlooking downtown Ironstone like the city belonged to whoever sat at this table.
Which, from what I knew, it did.
Leonardo Donati sat at the head, every inch the king he was rumored to be.
Dark hair, calculating blue eyes that missed nothing.
The kind of man who could smile while ordering your execution.
His right hand rested casually on the table, but I'd clocked the gun under his jacket within seconds of entering.
Grayson Donati sat to his left, more polished than his best friend but no less dangerous.
Silver threaded through his hair now, making him look distinguished rather than old.
Green eyes that probably charmed investors and terrified enemies with equal ease.
An adopted Donati from my research, brought into the family, but still not one to be messed with.
And Sofia Savoca-Donati occupied the chair to Leo's right, her presence a statement in itself.
The Savoca family head didn't attend preliminary meetings unless she had skin in the game.
Dark hair perfectly styled, grandmother's rings on her fingers, and an expression that said she'd killed before and wouldn't hesitate to do it again.
I'd done my homework on all of them.
"Mr. Hale." Leo's voice carried the weight of command without needing volume. "You've come a long way to pitch an alliance."
"I have." I kept my posture relaxed but alert. "The Hale Syndicate operates primarily in the northeast of the country. We're looking to expand our reach, and Ironstone presents an opportunity for mutually beneficial cooperation."
"Cooperation." Grayson leaned back in his chair. "Interesting word choice. Most groups that come here looking to 'expand their reach' are usually interested in territory acquisition."
"We're not most groups."
Sofia's lips curved slightly. Not quite a smile. "No, you're not. Your family has a reputation for strategic partnerships rather than hostile takeovers. It's one reason we agreed to this meeting."
"We prefer sustainable growth over short-term gains." I met her eyes steadily. "War is expensive. Alliances are profitable."
"Smart." Leo tapped a finger against the table. "Tell me what the Hale Syndicate brings to the table that we can't already access through our existing networks."
I'd prepared for this question. Had the answer ready before I'd even boarded the plane to Ironstone.
"Distribution channels through ports in Boston and Providence that are cleaner than anything operating out of New York. Connections with European suppliers that your current partners can't touch. And political influence in state governments you don't currently have leverage with."
Grayson exchanged a glance with Leo. Sofia remained impassive.
"And what do you want in return?" Leo asked.
"Access to your western distribution networks. Introduction to your contacts in the midwest. And permission to operate certain business interests within Ironstone under Donati oversight."
"Oversight." The word came from Sofia. "Meaning you'd recognize our authority in this city."
"Yes."
The single syllable hung in the air. I watched their reactions carefully. This was the moment that would make or break the pitch. Most crime families bristled at the idea of answering to anyone. But the Hales weren't built on ego. We were built on strategy.
"Most family heads wouldn't agree to that so easily," Grayson observed.
"Most family heads don't last as long as mine has." I kept my expression neutral. "My father understands that respect for established power structures creates stability. Stability creates profit."
Leo studied me for a long moment. I didn't look away.
"What about the Malatestas?" he finally asked.
I'd anticipated this too.
"What about them?"
"They currently hold limited territory here. Have their own operations. If we brought in another organization, it might create friction."
"From what I understand, the Malatestas already create plenty of friction on their own."
Sofia's eyebrow arched, and Grayson's mouth twitched.
Leo's expression didn't change. "You've done your research."
"I don't walk into meetings blind."
"Then you know their alliance with us is..." He paused, choosing his words carefully. "Complicated."
"I know they've made multiple attempts to undermine Donati interests.
I know those attempts failed. And I know they currently operate at your mercy rather than as equal partners.
" I leaned forward slightly. "I also know that an organization with that much internal instability makes for an unreliable ally.
Too many members willing to act against family interests for personal gain. "
The silence stretched. I'd laid my cards on the table. Either they'd appreciate the honesty or take offense at my assessment of their existing arrangements.
"You're not wrong," Sofia said quietly. "The Malatesta family has significant internal fractures. They work hard to maintain peace with us because they know the alternative."
"Which is why bringing in a stable, reliable partner might actually benefit everyone," I continued. "Including them. It would reinforce the existing power structure rather than destabilize it."
Grayson tapped his fingers against the arm of his chair. "You've thought this through."
"It's what I do."
Leo stood, and I rose with him instinctively. Sofia and Grayson followed suit.
"We'll need to discuss this amongst ourselves," Leo said. "But I appreciate your directness, Mr. Hale. It's… refreshing."
"Call me Eric."
"Eric." He extended his hand. I shook it, noting the controlled strength in his grip. "Where are you staying while you're in town?"
The question could have been casual. Probably wasn't.
"The Riverside Inn." I met his eyes steadily. "Room 347. I have security there, but I'm not hiding."
Offering up my location was a calculated risk. But alliances required trust, and trust required vulnerability.
Sofia smiled then, genuine this time. "I like him."
"We'll be in touch," Grayson said, shaking my hand as well. "Give us a few days to talk it over."
"Take the time you need."
Sofia's handshake was brief but firm. "It was a pleasure, Eric."
"Likewise, Mrs. Savoca-Donati."
"Sofia is fine."
I nodded, recognizing the olive branch for what it was.
The meeting concluded with professional courtesy, and I made my way out of the building with my security detail falling into step around me. Jon, my primary guard, had the car running by the time I reached the street.
I slipped into the backseat, grateful for the privacy the tinted windows provided.
The meeting had gone better than expected. The Donatis were smart, calculating, and cautious. Exactly what you wanted in potential allies. They didn't make rash decisions, and they clearly valued stability over expansion for expansion's sake.
My father would be pleased.
But as Jon navigated through Ironstone's evening traffic, my thoughts drifted away from business strategy and back to green eyes and dark red hair.
Ivy.
I pulled out my phone, staring at the screen for a moment before dialing.
My father answered on the second ring. "Eric."
"The meeting went well."
"Tell me."
I gave him the rundown, laying out the Donatis' responses, their questions, their body language. Everything I'd observed in that conference room.
"They're open to an alliance," I concluded. "But they want time to discuss it internally before committing. Smart move."
"And your assessment of their power base?"
"Solid. Very solid." I watched the city pass by outside the window. "They have deep roots here, stable alliances, and respect from other families. Trying to overthrow them would be possible, but we'd take heavy losses. It wouldn't be worth it."
"The Malatestas?"
"Rocky alliance with the Donatis at best. Too many internal problems, too many members willing to go rogue. They've screwed up enough times that the Donatis basically control them now. The Malatestas keep the peace because they have to, not because they want to."
My father was silent for a moment, processing. "Could we take Malatesta territory?"
"Possibly. But we'd still wind up under Donati authority. Their operations are too entangled, and the Donatis hold all the real power in this city. They chose to let the Malatestas maintain some presence, but it's at their mercy. The Malatestas exist because the Donatis allow it."
"So an alliance with the Donatis is the only viable path."
"For now, yes." I shifted in my seat. "But there might be room for expansion later."
"Explain."
"Once we establish an alliance with the Donatis, we could potentially discuss pushing out the Malatestas with their approval. Replace an unstable partner with a reliable one. But that's a conversation for after we've proven ourselves trustworthy."
"Calculated," my father said. "I like it. What's your recommendation as the one who'd be running our Ironstone operations?"
The question carried weight. This wasn't just about business strategy anymore. This was about my future, my role in the family. The role Daniel would have had if he hadn't fallen.
"Alliance first," I said firmly. "Prove ourselves as reliable partners.
Build trust with the Donatis and Savocas.
Then, if the opportunity presents itself, we approach them about the Malatesta situation.
The Malatestas are too unstable, too unpredictable.
Too many people within their organization willing to act against family interests.
They're a liability, and the Donatis know that.
I'd suspect they'd be grateful for a reason to remove them from the board. "
"And the Donatis?"
"Admirable. True to their word from everything I've seen and heard. If we can secure their allegiance, it'll be worth it. They value stability, loyalty, and long-term planning. Same things we value."
Silence on the other end. I could almost hear my father thinking, weighing out options, calculating if the risks were worth the rewards. I already knew they were, but he had the final say.
"Do what you need to do to secure the alliance," he finally said. "You're right. It'll benefit us more in the long run than trying to muscle our way in."
"Understood."
"Keep me updated."
"I will."
He hung up without another word, typical of him. My father never wasted words on pleasantries.
I pocketed the phone and stared out the window as Jon pulled into the Riverside Inn parking lot. The hotel wasn't luxurious, but it served my purposes. Central location, easy exits, and enough traffic that my security detail didn't stand out.
But as I stepped out of the car and headed toward my room, my mind wasn't on security protocols or business strategy.
It was on Ivy.
What had brought her to Ironstone? The city wasn't exactly a tourist destination. And she'd seemed established when I'd seen her at the bar. Like she belonged here.
Had she moved here? For what? A job? Family?
Someone?
That last thought made something twist in my chest. The idea of Ivy with someone else, building a life with someone else, shouldn't bother me. I'd been the one to walk away. I'd made that choice.
But it did bother me. More than it should.
I unlocked my room door, nodding to the guard stationed in the hallway. Inside, the space was exactly as I'd left it. Clean, impersonal, and temporary.
Everything in my life felt temporary lately.
Except the memory of Ivy's face when she'd looked at me in that bar. The hurt in her eyes. The anger.
The lingering attraction she'd tried to hide.
I'd seen it. Recognized it because I felt it too.
Four years hadn't changed a damn thing.