Page 70 of Fierce Hearts

I fought the urge to lean into him, to draw from his warmth and certainty. Instead, I asked the question that had been burning in my mind since they arrived.

"What exactly is this plan you mentioned? This 'power move'?"

The three men exchanged glances.

"You don't need to worry about the details," Gray said.

"The hell I don't. This is my life, my family, my problem. I deserve to know what you're planning."

Leo's expression remained impassive, but I caught a flicker of something akin to respect in his eyes, while Canzio’s lip tugged into a slight smile.

"We've been looking into Ernesto's finances," Leo said. "And his connection to the Ference family. There are... inconsistencies."

"What kind of inconsistencies?"

"The kind that suggests this alliance isn't about peace between families," Gray explained. "It's about money. A lot of it."

Canzio stepped in. "Ernesto's been skimming from family accounts for years. Marco was onto him. We believe that's the real reason Marco was killed. Along with power. Two birds with one stone."

I stared at him, the world tunneling in as his words settled over me.

Ernesto implemented his own son's death?

I leaned into Gray to steady myself, his arm snaking around my waist to comfort me.

"You're saying my uncle had Marco murdered? His own son?"

"We're saying it's a possibility we're investigating," Leo clarified. "We need more proof."

My mind swam as I saw how it all connected easily. "So this power move?—"

"Is about showing our hand," Canzio said. "Letting Ernesto know we're onto him, without revealing everything we know. Applying pressure to see how he reacts. Hopefully, with the risk of the truth coming to light, he'll back off and let you exit this arrangement."

"And how do you plan to do that?"

Gray's hand tightened on my back. "By me attending the engagement party as your date, with Leo and Canzio as my backup."

"That's insane," I protested. "Ernesto would never allow it."

"He won't have a choice," Leo said. "Not with what we know."

"And what exactly do you know?" I demanded. "You just said you need more proof."

"We know enough to make him nervous," Gray assured me. "And a nervous man makes mistakes."

I looked from Gray to Leo to Canzio, these men who had inserted themselves into my mess, who were risking their lives for me and my unborn child. Part of me was grateful beyond words. Another part was terrified of what their involvement would cost.

"There has to be another way," I said. "One that doesn't put all of you in danger."

"There isn't," Gray said firmly. "Not one that keeps you and our baby safe."

Our baby.I placed a hand on my still-flat stomach, thinking of the tiny life growing there, oblivious to the chaos surrounding it.

"I don't want anyone else to die because of me," I whispered.

Gray pulled me tighter against him. "No one's going to die."

I wanted to believe him. But I'd grown up in this world. I knew how quickly things could go wrong, how easily blood could be spilled.

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