Sofia let out a sharp laugh, shaking her head. "They're still criminals, Ivy. Let's not pretend otherwise." She took a sip of her drink, and I could see she was pondering the family. "But if you're asking whether they operate with the same code as the Donatis? Yes. That's why we're willing to partner with them in the first place."
I waited, sensing there was more as she glanced at her glass.
"From everything I know about Eric Hale," she continued, "he's a man who keeps his word. He doesn't make promises he can't fulfill, and he doesn't betray his allies." She paused, her expression thoughtful. "I would say with almost full certainty he left you so abruptly four years ago to keep you safe."
"You really believe that?" After he'd explained, his reasoning had made sense. All of it, if I were to look at it from his viewpoint.
It didn't mean it still hadn't hurt like hell.
"His brother was murdered. He had to step into Daniel's position, establish himself, prove he could handle the responsibility. That's not an easy thing to do, especially when you're grieving and everyone's watching to see if you'll fail." Sofia's voice softened slightly. "He had to work hard to be worthy of the position, which meant having someone would have put them in danger as well. Made them a target, especially while he was positioning himself. Now? Less people are willing to target him because they know what the consequences will be. He and his family have made that clear. But there are still some who would go after him, and those he holds dear. This life makes him a target. Just like it does for all of us."
The weight of her words settled over me like a blanket, heavy and suffocating. I thought about the kidnapping again, about Elena's terror, about how close we'd come to real danger just by existing in this world completely through no fault of our own. We hadn't asked for it, but we'd found ourselves stumbling right into it.
"You need to be ready," Sofia said, her gaze steady on mine. "If you care enough about him to even consider giving him a chance, you need to be willing to accept that side of him. Not just tolerate it, but actually accept it. Because it won't go away. It's who he is now."
I opened my mouth to respond when Grayson appeared, sliding into the booth beside Sofia. His silver-threaded hair caught the ambient light as he draped an arm across the back of the seat.
"Elena's on her way," he said, his green eyes flicking between Sofia and me. "Jackson will take you both back to Elena's place."
"Thanks," I managed, my mind a jumbled mess and my emotions knotted.
Grayson studied me for a moment, then added, "Eric Hale reached out to me after he left."
I swallowed, my mind jumping to an array of reasons. "Why?"
"Wanted to make it clear he meant no disrespect to the Donatis or to Sofia. Said if you wanted it, he'd like his number passed on to you." Grayson's expression remained neutral, professional. "Thought you should know."
"That's big of him," Sofia said, a note of approval in her voice. "Also makes it known to us that he's not going to hide anything. Since it's clear there's something going on between you two now. Transparency matters in this business."
"Why is all this happening?" Grayson asked, looking at me directly. "What's the connection here?"
Sofia answered before I could. "Ivy and Eric have history. They were together before he went back to his family."
I forced myself to meet Grayson's eyes. "I genuinely believe he had no idea I worked for the Donatis either. This wasn't some calculated move to get close to you." I swallowed hard. "And he definitely didn't know about Elena being your and Meredith's sister. I saw his face when I told him. He was shocked."
Grayson nodded slowly, processing. "Still something we'll need to take into consideration. Can't ignore the timing entirely."
"I think it's nothing to worry about," Sofia interjected. "But we'll look into it if needed. Better to be thorough."
The music seemed to pulse louder in the silence that followed. I twisted my fingers together in my lap, feeling the weight of everyone's scrutiny.
I really had a way of winding up right in the most terrible spots in life.
"Can I leave work early?" I asked quietly. "Process all of this?"
Sofia smiled softly and nodded. "Of course. Elena should be here any minute."
As if summoned, Elena appeared at the edge of the VIP section, her dark hair slightly disheveled and her blue eyes concerned. Jackson stood behind her, his presence steady and reassuring even from a distance.
They were a formidable couple, and I was grateful that they'd come so quickly for me.
"You okay?" Elena asked immediately as she reached the booth.
"Been better," I admitted.
"Jackson's going to take you both out," Grayson said. "Get you home safe."
"Thank you. And thanks, Sof," I said as I eased out of the booth and hugged Elena.
