Page 116 of Fierce Hearts

Gray turned me in his arms, his eyes serious now. "Sofia, these past weeks have been... chaotic. But they've also shown me what matters most."

My heart began to race as he took my hands in his.

Wait, was this…

"You and this baby are everything to me," he continued. "I know we didn't start in the most conventional way, but I've never been more certain of anything in my life."

Gray reached into his pocket and lowered himself carefully to one knee, wincing slightly from his healing wounds. He opened a small velvet box, revealing a vintage ring with a center diamond surrounded by small rubies.

A ring I recognized all too well, and it made my throat catch.

"This was your grandmother's," he said, his smile wavering with emotion. "Your mother gave it to me at the hospital after giving me her blessing."

Tears blurred my vision as I looked from the ring to his face.

"Sofia Savoca, will you marry me?"

The world seemed to still as I looked down at this man—this beautiful, amazing man who had fought for me, protected me, loved me even when I tried to push him away. Who had stood by me, believed in me when I needed it most.

"Yes," I whispered, then louder, "Yes, Gray. I'll marry you."

He slid the ring onto my finger, then rose to pull me into his arms. As his lips met mine, I heard cheers from the doorway leading below deck. Meredith, Leo, and my mother appeared, glasses of champagne in hand, Roman and Jackson grinning alongside them.

In that moment, with the sunset painting the sky and Gray's arms around me, I knew I was where I belonged.

* * *

I staredat my reflection in the mirror, hardly recognizing the woman who gazed back at me. My dress—ivory with delicate lace detailing—flowed elegantly over my growing baby bump. The seamstress had worked magic, creating something that celebrated rather than concealed my pregnancy.

Gray had adored seeing my bump grow, constantly complimenting me, saying he found me even more beautiful with it. That me growing a life was the most incredible thing in the world to him.

"You look beautiful, tesoro," my mother said, adjusting my veil.

I smiled at her through the mirror. "I still can't believe this is happening."

It seemed like it was only yesterday that I'd watched Meredith walk down the aisle to Leo. I'd thought their engagement and wedding was rushed, yet here I was, doing exactly the same thing. Life had a funny way of making hypocrites of us all.

"Are you nervous?" Mom asked, her hands gentle on my shoulders.

"No," I answered truthfully. "I'm ready."

The journey from that night at Meredith's wedding to today felt both impossibly long and surprisingly short. In just a handful of months, my entire world had shifted. I'd gone from a woman determined to stay unattached to the soon-to-be wife of Grayson Cassaro—now Grayson Donati. From an ER nurse to the head of the Savoca family. From someone running from her past to someone embracing her future.

A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts. Meredith peeked in, looking incredible in her deep burgundy maid of honor dress.

"It's time," she said, her eyes widening when she saw me. "Sofia, you look stunning."

"Thanks." I grinned. Both she and my mother had been the ones to help me go dress shopping, along with Bianca, who had moved home to be with her mother after Ernesto's death, and now they'd both moved back to Ironstone to be closer to me and assist where they could.

The walk to the ceremony felt surreal. We'd chosen a historic Italian-style villa on the outskirts of Ironstone, its gardens bursting with roses and trailing vines. Meredith and my mother walked with me, my heart hammering with excitement.

Caterina and Julia waited outside the chapel on the property, both having stepped up to help reorganize the Savoca family in the weeks following Ernesto's death. They'd become incredible allies and reliable family.

Leo stood with them, looking polished in his tailored groomsman suit, ready to begin the procession for us.

So many changes had been put in place, several operations shifting to Ironstone where I'd oversee them, while Caterina and Davide continued to oversee the ones in Vintmere.

There were some growing pains, some older Savoca family who weren't thrilled, but surprisingly, for the most part, things had been going smoothly. Not one had attempted to murder anyone, not a single death following Ernesto's fall.

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