"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?
