Page 61 of Revenge & Truth

“I did mention a client was stopping by,” Ivy pointed out.

Domenico’s jaw tensed at that comment. “Ivy, must we do this dance every time? You know our relationship is more than business.”

She leaned back in her chair and crossed one leg over the other, the picture of indifference. “To you, but I’ve always been clear on my view of the matter. Now I didn’t invite you here so you could irritate me, but rather so you and Astin could talk comfortably. I think you’ll find she’s rather similarly minded when it comes to the founding families.”

A pause in the discussion came as our waitress brought our glasses of wine. The waitress had even brought a glass for Domenico as well as a plate of cheesy bread for us to share. With no further incidents, we were once more alone. The interruption had given me a chance to wrap my head around the fact Ivy set this up without telling me. I didn’t exactly know how I felt about it, but this solved my biggest problem about tomorrow night’s activities.

“Tell me, Astin, why would Ivy feel the need to make this happen, keeping us both in the dark about it?” Domenico asked, chomping into a piece of bread.

I grabbed my wine and gave it a swirl, trying to figure out how honest I wanted to be. He might be trying to take his grandfather out of the picture, but was it truly because his goal was to create change?

“Maybe because I’m number one on the founding families hit list, we were raised not to trust anyone, and that when something seems to be too good to be true, it is,” I offered. “Your turn.”

Domenico snorted, but a smile appeared. “Those are all valid reasons, but I think it’s because as any good leader, we are stubborn, hardheaded, and unwilling to hear reason.”

“Woow,” I said, drawing out the word. “Now I know why you are locked securely in the client category. Ever thought about getting some therapy and working on becoming a little more emotionally available?”

“That certainly explains why Ivy likes you… blunt and to the point,” Domenico muttered. “Enough with the banter. Tell me point-blank what your plans are for the families who are targeting you?”

“Total annihilation,” I answered. “That point-blank enough for you, Dom?”

twenty-one

Domenico studied me for a moment then gave a sharp nod and stood. Reaching into the inner pocket of his blazer, he pulled out a card and handed it to me. “This is my direct number. No matter where I am, you’ll be able to get a hold of me. I need a week to have everything ready, but if you’re willing to back me in my claim as head of the De Santis Family, I’ll publicly announce an alliance between us. Let’s see what those Accardi pricks do when they’re on the losing side of the battle for a change.”

Taking the card, I examined the number written on it with the Byklyn Ventures Inc. logo beside it. “That’s it? Two words were enough to convince you?”

Domenico smirked. “No, but they were a good choice. When I tell you that Ivy doesn’t ask for a fucking thing from me, I’m not kidding. The fact she set this up and wants to be your best friend, it’s all the confirmation I need that this is a smart choice. Plus, news of the message you sent has spread like wildfire, and it’s clear to me that being your ally is the wiser choice. I happen to like my dick attached to my body.”

“Most men do… that’s why it worked,” Ivy said under her breath, making me almost choke on my wine.

“I’ll leave you ladies to enjoy the rest of your day, and I look forward to seeing you tomorrow night,” Domenico said to me. Shifting his attention to Ivy, he caught her hand and flipped it over to kiss her wrist, where I saw a mark I hadn’t noticed before. “Don’t buy something that will make me too jealous, my love.”

Ivy didn’t react but kept staring the man down until he walked away. Not wanting to pry, I sipped on my wine as I gave her a moment to collect herself. It was clear she hadn’t expected him to act like that in front of me. In a stroke of luck and perfect timing, our food came out, giving us a reason to be silent as we ate. When I felt like the awkwardness had passed, I offered up a safe topic.

“So how many dress places do you know about here in town?” I asked. “I feel like there can’t be more than four, tops.”

“There are six shops in Springmont, but the two we just went to are the largest. I didn’t think we’d find anything there, but it was worth a try. This next boutique is all one designer, and she’s my favorite. Grace knows how to dress a woman to look sexy, elegant, and fierce,” Ivy shared, seeming to be back to herself.

“Grace, whoever she is, sounds like a dream and someone I want to support,” I announced, tipping my glass in Ivy’s direction before draining the last of it. “Oh, and we’re making the judge pay for lunch, right?”

“Hell yes, we are because, let me tell you, that man has money to burn,” Ivy informed me, gathering her things and standing. “Ready to go?”

“Onward we strive to find the perfect dress for an evening that’s going to be a total fucking shitstorm,” I cheered, making Ivy laugh.

It was interesting to me that I hardly knew this woman, yet she seemed like someone I’d been friends with for years. While I didn’t know enough about the situation with Domenico to ask her point-blank if she needed my help, I was still going to offer what support I could. We were best friends, after all.

Leaving the restaurant, we got back in the car, and after driving for a few minutes, Ivy glanced at me. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Not asking.” Ivy sighed. “It’s not a story I’m willing to tell right now, but let’s just say Dom and I have a long history.”

“If anyone understands that, it would be me,” I assured her. “One of my boyfriends, a childhood best friend turned first love, which then changed into major heartbreak and betrayal, only to return home after fifteen years to find the bastard there waiting for me thinking nothing was wrong.”

“But you’re together now?” Ivy asked.

I paused a moment before answering that question because it wasn’t that simple. “Easy answer, yes. Navigating the various relationships I have going on right now is almost a full-time job. Thankfully, many of them are resourceful and self-sufficient. Ryker will be the neediest of them, I can just tell. He’s so afraid of doing something that will lose me, he does dumb shit like he pulled with you.”