Chapter 16
ERIC
Café Nero was nearly empty at this hour, the breakfast rush long past. I'd claimed a corner table with clear sight-lines to both entrances, a habit I couldn't break even when meeting an ally.
Sofia Savoca-Donati arrived precisely on time, her designer heels clicking against the marble floor with purpose.
She wore a designer business dress that screamed money and power, her dark hair pulled back in a way that highlighted her sharp features.
Wedding rings glinted on her finger as she approached.
I stood. "Mrs. Savoca-Donati."
"Sofia." She slid into the seat across from me without waiting for me to pull out her chair. "Let's not pretend this is formal."
I sat back down, watching as she waved off the approaching server. No coffee, no pleasantries. She'd come here for answers, not brunch.
"You wanted to meet," I said.
"I did." She folded her hands on the table, her gaze direct and assessing. The kind of look that had probably made rivals underestimate her before she proved them wrong. "I need to understand something about you, Eric. About your intentions."
"Regarding the alliance?"
"Regarding Ivy."
The name hit differently coming from her. Not accusatory like it had been from my father, but protective. Territorial in a way that spoke of genuine care rather than strategic concern.
I kept my expression neutral. "What about her?"
"Did you know?" Sofia leaned forward slightly. "When you came to Ironstone, when you set up that first meeting with Leo and Grayson, did you know Ivy worked at our club? That she was connected to us through Elena?"
The question I'd been expecting. The one that could derail everything if she didn't believe my answer.
"No." I met her stare without flinching. "I had no idea she was here. When I saw her at the bar that first night, I thought it was coincidence. By the time I realized she worked for you, I'd already..."
"Already reconnected with her," Sofia finished. "Already complicated things."
"Yes."
She studied me for a long moment, her expression giving nothing away. I'd faced interrogations before, had been trained to withstand pressure without breaking. But something about Sofia's scrutiny felt different. More personal. Like she could see through every defense I'd constructed.
Women just had a way of seeing things sometimes, I'd come to learn.
"Tell me about four years ago," she said finally. "Tell me why you left her."
"Don't you already know?" I asked carefully, and her lip twitched.
I want to hear it from you."
I shouldn't answer. The details of Daniel's death, of my return to the family, weren't something I shared with outsiders. But Sofia wasn't exactly an outsider anymore. She was part of the alliance. Part of Ivy's world.
And if I wanted any chance of fixing what I'd broken, I needed her to understand.
"My brother Daniel was murdered," I said, the words still raw despite the years. "Shot three times in a restaurant parking lot by a rival crew making a play for our territory. I was trying to build something different away from the family. Something clean. And then I got the call."
Sofia's expression softened slightly. Not pity, but recognition. She understood.
"I went back for the funeral," I continued. "My father made it clear I wasn't leaving again. Daniel had been his heir, and with him gone, the responsibility fell to me. I tried to argue, tried to explain that I had a life in, but he didn't care. He needed me."
"So you cut Ivy loose."
"I thought I was protecting her." I nodded as a waitress appeared, offering water. I waited until she'd poured our glasses and left before continuing. "I convinced myself she'd be safer if I disappeared and cut contact. Just gone. I told myself it was the right thing to do."
"But you never stopped thinking about her."
It wasn't a question, and I didn't treat it like one. "No. I never did."
Sofia leaned back, her fingers drumming once against the table. "Ivy is family to us. Not by blood, but by choice. Elena is Meredith's sister, and Ivy and Elena are inseparable. That makes Ivy family."
The warning was clear. Hurt Ivy, and you hurt them. And hurting the Donati family had consequences.
"I understand," I said.
"Do you?" Sofia's voice sharpened. "Because from where I'm sitting, you've already hurt her once. You left without a word, let her believe whatever she wanted about why you abandoned her. And now you're back, still lying about who you are and what you do."
"I told her the truth last night."
"After she caught you. After she saw you in our VIP section making deals with us." Sofia shook her head. "That's not the same as choosing to be honest with her."
She was right. I knew she was right. But I'd been caught between impossible choices, trying to balance my father's demands with my own desires.
"I planned to tell her," I said. "After the meeting with your family was concluded, after I knew whether I'd be staying in Ironstone or returning home. I was going to sit down with her and explain everything."
"But?"
"But timing is shit, and I handled it badly." I let my gaze stray, making sure we hadn't drawn any attention, frustration bleeding into my voice. "I know I fucked up. I've known it since the moment I saw her face in that alley. I just need a chance to make it right."
Sofia watched me for another long moment, and I couldn't tell what verdict she'd reached. Then she pulled her phone from her purse, typed something quickly, and set it face-down on the table.
"The alliance is moving forward," she said. "Leo and Grayson spoke with Canzio this morning. You'll be managing Hale operations in Ironstone, reporting to your father but working closely with us. The Malatestas will be informed of the new arrangement, and if they push back..."
"We handle it," I finished.
"Exactly." She picked up her phone again, glancing at the screen before meeting my eyes.
"What happens with Ivy is separate from business.
That's between you and her. But I want to be clear about something, Eric.
If this goes badly, if you hurt her again, I will make your life here very difficult. Alliance or no alliance."
The threat was delivered with the kind of calm certainty that made it even more effective. Sofia Savoca-Donati had killed for her family before. She'd do it again if necessary.
"Understood," I said.
"Good." She stood, smoothing her dress. "Now, my advice? Stop waiting. Stop overthinking. If you want a real chance with Ivy, you need to give her all of it. Every truth, every detail about your life and what being with you would mean. Let her make an informed choice."
"And if she chooses to walk away?"
Sofia's expression softened again, just slightly. "Then you let her. And you find a way to work with my family without making things awkward for everyone involved."
She turned to leave, then paused. "For what it's worth, I don't think you're a bad man, Eric. I think you're someone who's been shaped by circumstances beyond your control, trying to do right by the people you care about. But Ivy deserves better than half-truths and protection she didn't ask for."
"I know."
"Then prove it." She walked away, her heels clicking against the floor until she disappeared through the cafe's entrance.
I sat alone at the table, processing everything she'd said. The alliance was secure. My position in Ironstone was confirmed. All the pieces my father wanted were falling into place.
Except for the one piece that actually mattered.
I pulled out my phone and stared at Ivy's number. Sofia was right. I'd been protecting her, making decisions for her, when what I should have been doing was trusting her to make her own choices.
Just like four years ago.
The server approached tentatively, probably wondering if I planned to order now that my guest had left. I waved him off and stood, dropping enough cash on the table to cover whatever he thought I might have ordered.
Outside, the morning sun was climbing higher, burning off the last traces of morning chill. Ironstone stretched out around me, this city that would be my new home. The city where Ivy lived. Where she worked, where her friends were, where she'd built a life without me.
I could give her space like she'd asked. Wait for her to decide what she wanted, what she could handle. Let her come to me when she was ready.
Or I could do what Sofia suggested. Stop waiting. Stop protecting. Just be honest.
My phone vibrated, and I checked the message.
No movement, will continue surveillance.
I'd talk to her, once she'd had some time to breathe and process.