Chapter 10
ERIC
The club was everything I expected of a business owned by the Donatis.
Upscale without being pretentious, intimate without feeling cramped.
Dark wood paneling, leather booths, and crystal chandeliers that caught the light just right.
A stage dominated the far end of the main floor, where women in sequined corsets and flowing skirts moved through a routine that blended classic burlesque with modern edge.
We were in the VIP section, elevated above the main floor with a railing that offered a perfect view of both the stage and the crowd below. Privacy screens flanked our booth, but the open side gave us a clear line of sight to everything happening in the club.
"This is impressive," I said, gesturing to the space around us. "The whole setup."
Leo leaned back in his chair, a tumbler of whiskey in his hand. "We like to keep the family business in good hands. This place has been ours for years."
“Family-owned and operated?" I asked.
"Every aspect of it." He took a sip. "It's why we chose it for tonight. No outside ears. No cameras we don't control. Just good music, good drinks, and privacy."
The food had been exceptional too. Nothing overly fancy, but perfectly executed. Steaks that melted on the tongue, sides that complemented the mains without overwhelming. Even the bread had been outstanding.
Grayson and Sofia were bent over documents at the far end of the booth, discussing distribution channels and territory boundaries. Their voices were low, professional, but I could hear the occasional note of approval as they worked through the details.
"Your proposal is solid," Leo said, drawing my attention back to him. "We're willing to move forward with the partnership."
Relief settled in my chest. I kept my expression neutral. "I'm glad to hear it."
"The European connections alone make this worth our while. And your political influence in the UK will help smooth over some complications we've been facing with international shipments." He swirled his drink. "The question is implementation."
"I have logistics teams ready to integrate with yours. We can start with trial runs on three of your main western routes, expand from there once we've established reliability."
"And your people will respect our existing relationships?"
"Absolutely. We're here to partner, not compete."
Leo studied me for a long moment. Then he nodded and stood. "Walk with me."
I followed him to the railing overlooking the main floor. Below us, people clustered around high-top tables, drinks in hand, watching the show. The music was loud enough to cover our conversation but not so overwhelming that we had to shout.
"I want to be straight with you about something," Leo said, his gaze fixed on the crowd below. "This partnership is going to cause friction with the Malatestas."
I'd expected this. "I assumed as much."
"They won't take kindly to us bringing in new partners. Especially not one with your family's reputation and reach." He turned to face me. "You'll need to watch your back in this city. At least until we get everyone on the same page."
"How unstable is the situation?"
"More than I'd like." His jaw tightened. "The Malatestas used to be reliable. Predictable. But they've had internal issues lately. Leadership disputes. Succession problems. It's made them volatile."
"And you're still maintaining the alliance?"
"For now." He took another drink. "We've extended more mercy than most families would given the issues they've caused. But trust is a finite resource, and they've been spending it recklessly."
I could read between those lines. The Donatis were considering their options.
"We'll arrange a meeting," Leo continued. "You, us, them. We'll explain the new arrangement, make it clear that your presence here isn't a threat to their territory. We'll even suggest they consider expanding elsewhere, finding fresh opportunities."
"You think they'll go for that?"
"No." His smile was thin. "But we'll make the offer anyway. Gives us the high ground when things inevitably go sideways."
"And if they don't accept the arrangement?"
Leo was quiet for a moment, watching the dancers on stage. "Then we'll need to make a decision. We're aware of your family's reputation in your own territories. You're known for keeping your word, supporting your partners. That loyalty is valuable."
"We take our commitments seriously."
"Good. Because if this situation with the Malatestas escalates, we'll be willing to work with you on resolving it.
But I need to be clear about expectations.
" He met my eyes. "If we decide to push them out, we'll expect the Hales to take point on the main operations.
You'd be filling their spot, so you'd be the primary force in making that happen. "
I hadn't expected him to lay it out so bluntly. "That's a significant undertaking."
"It is. And we'd support you. Resources, intelligence, manpower if needed. But this needs to be a partnership, not us doing the heavy lifting while you reap the benefits."
Fair enough. "I understand."
"The Malatestas have caused us grief," Leo said, his voice hard now.
"They've become unstable. Their word means nothing anymore.
They've lost the respect that kept them safe.
" He paused. "We're pragmatic people, Mr. Hale.
We value loyalty and reliability. If your family proves to be the same kind of problem down the line, we'll handle you the same way we'll handle them. "
The threat was clear, wrapped in professional courtesy.
I held his gaze. "You won't have that problem with us. When the Hales make a deal, we honor it. This partnership will be favorable for both sides."
"I hope so." Leo finished his drink. "Because we're taking a risk bringing you in. The Malatestas have been here for years. Displacing them will have consequences."
"I appreciate the candor."
"Just making sure we understand each other." He set his empty glass on a passing server's tray. "Now let's get back to the details. Gray and Sofia should have the route maps finalized by now."
I started to turn back toward the booth, but something caught my eye on the main floor below.
Red hair. Not natural, but the kind of dark crimson that caught the light.
My entire body went cold.
No. Not here. Not now.
But it was her. Ivy moved between tables with practiced ease, balancing a tray of drinks like she'd done it a thousand times. She wore the club's uniform, a black dress that hit mid-thigh with the venue's logo embroidered on the chest. Professional but flattering.
What the hell was she doing here?
I'd asked her about work earlier. She'd mentioned getting off around two in the morning. I'd assumed she worked at some late-night diner or maybe one of the smaller bars across town.
Not at a Donati-owned club. Not at this Donati-owned club.
My heart hammered against my ribs. This was bad. This was so monumentally bad I couldn't even begin to process all the ways it complicated everything.
Ivy delivered drinks to a table near the stage, smiling at something one of the patrons said. She looked comfortable, at ease. Like she belonged here.
How long had she been working for the Donatis? Did she know who I truly was? Was she getting close to me to get information?
No. That wasn't possible, because if she had been, why had she tried to get away from me for the most part. No. It was a coincidence. It had to be. But if she worked for them, perhaps she knew the truth of them. If that was the case, then…
Perhaps she would be open to the real me. But that was wishful thinking.
I watched her collect empty glasses, her movements efficient and graceful. She knew the space, knew the rhythm of the crowd. This wasn't her first night here. Maybe not even her first month.
And I'd had no idea.
Leo was saying something about distribution schedules, but the words barely registered. My entire focus had narrowed to the woman moving through the crowd below.
Then she looked up.
Our eyes met across the distance, across the divide between the VIP section and the main floor.
Her smile dropped immediately.
The tray in her hands wobbled slightly before she steadied it. Even from here, I could see the shock on her face. The confusion. The beginning of something that looked a lot like betrayal.
She knew I'd said I had a meeting. She didn't know it was here. At her workplace. With her employers.
That quick of a reaction told me she had made the connection. Which meant she knew the truth of the Donatis, or enough to know my conversing with them wasn't just standard construction business.
"Eric?" Leo's voice cut through my spiraling thoughts. "You good?"
I forced myself to look away from Ivy, to turn my attention back to the man standing next to me. The man who apparently employed the woman I'd spent the last twenty-four hours reconnecting with.
"Yeah," I said, surprised my voice came out steady. "Just thought I saw someone I knew."
Leo glanced down at the main floor, following my previous line of sight. "One of our servers?"
"Maybe. Hard to tell from up here."
He didn't push it, which I was grateful for. Instead, he gestured back toward the booth. "Come on. Let's finish hammering out these details. The sooner we have everything locked down, the sooner we can all get some sleep."
I followed him back to where Grayson and Sofia were still reviewing paperwork, but my mind was barely on the conversation. I contributed where necessary, agreed to timeline proposals, confirmed resource allocations. All while trying not to think about Ivy's expression when she'd seen me.
The shock. The hurt.
She'd think I'd lied to her. That this whole thing was some kind of game.
She'd be trying to figure out why I was involved with a criminal family. The construction name I'd given her earlier was clean, and one of ours. I thought it would be enough cover to buy me time. But now… now she knew there was more to it.
And I couldn't explain. Not here. Not now. Not with the Donatis watching every move I made.
"These routes look solid," Grayson said, sliding a map across the table. "We start with Boston, Providence, and Portland. Prove the system works, then expand west."
"Agreed," I said, studying the map without really seeing it. "My people can have teams in position within two weeks."
"We'll need verification codes," Sofia added. "Something to confirm shipments are legitimate. We can't afford confusion or miscommunication."
"I'll have my logistics coordinator reach out to yours. We'll establish protocols before the first shipment moves."
The conversation continued. Details upon details, contingencies and backup plans. Normally I'd be fully engaged, taking note of every piece of information for later analysis. But I couldn't stop my gaze from drifting back to the railing, couldn't stop wondering if Ivy was still down there.
If she was watching me.
If she was putting pieces together.
"I think we've covered everything for tonight," Leo said eventually. "We'll draw up formal contracts, have our lawyers review the specifics. But the framework is solid."
"Agreed." I stood, extending my hand. "I appreciate you taking the time for this."
"It's good business." He shook firmly. "We'll be in touch within forty-eight hours. Sooner if anything urgent comes up."
Grayson and Sofia offered their own goodbyes, professional and cordial. I made it through the pleasantries, through the final confirmations and promises to connect soon.
Then I was walking out of the VIP section and down the stairs that led to the main floor.
I needed to find Ivy. Needed to explain before this spiraled into something I couldn't fix.
The main floor was more crowded than it had looked from above. Bodies packed between tables, voices rising to compete with the music. The current performer was doing something with feathers and a chair that had the audience transfixed.
I scanned the space, looking for that dark red hair.
There. Near the bar.
Ivy was talking to another server, gesturing with her hands. Even from across the room, I could see the tension in her shoulders. The way she kept glancing toward the VIP section.
I started toward her, weaving between tables and patrons.
She saw me coming. Her entire body went rigid.
The other server said something, but Ivy shook her head, her eyes locked on mine.
I was ten feet away when she turned and walked toward the back of the club, disappearing through a door marked "Employees Only."
Fuck.