Page 87 of Fierce Hearts

"Whose place is this?" I asked, since Caterina had not used her own home for our meeting.

"Short term rental I own, I had to come here to inspect it anyway, so came in handy," she said as she joined us on the opposing couch. Gray had opted to sit in the armchair, while my mother and I sat on the other couch.

My aunt produced a burner phone and dialed a number.

"I'll get Bianca on the line," she explained. "She agreed to chat as well with a burner phone."

I'd done my best to organize a meeting with the women I trusted, but I'd not been able to get Cara to agree, which I had accepted. She wasn't as involved as the others, and if she didn't want to be, I didn't blame her.

"Hello?" A younger voice crackled through the speaker. "Sofia? Is that you?"

"It's me, Bianca." I leaned toward the phone. "How are you holding up?"

"Better now that I know you're wanting to do something about my father." The bitterness in her voice surprised me. She was soon to be eighteen, but she spoke with the weariness of someone much older. "He thinks I don't know what he's done, but I've heard things. He has me already sold off to another family when I'm of age."

I glanced at Caterina. "That's why we're here. I need your help if we're going to take back the family. To change what the Savoca name stands for."

Caterina clucked her tongue as she poured the glasses of water. "The men won't stand for it. I doubt they'll follow a woman." She shook her head. "They're too set in their ways."

I'd wondered about pushing for Caterina to take over, but I knew she'd never wanted anything to do with leading. Could she support someone who led? Yes, but she had always told my father she was glad she'd never have to do it.

As for her remaining son, despite having a good standing in the family, he was not smart enough to lead, not something any of us would say to his face though. He was a soldier through and through, could follow orders but not give them, but none of us had cared. He was loved for who he was.

"Then maybe it's time to change those ways," Bianca's voice came through the speaker. "If it weren't for the women, the men would have nothing. No heirs, no homes, nothing. They need us, and if all the women stand together behind Sofia, the men will follow."

The conviction in her voice made me smile. Even Gray raised his eyebrows at her words.

"We have more power than they think. And more knowledge. We hear everything, see everything," I said as Caterina studied me.

"True. when you reached out this morning, we began gathering information," Caterina murmured. "About Ernesto's finances, his movements, his connections. Things that don't add up. There are still people loyal to me. Davide will always support me." She pursed her lips as she mulled over the pros and cons of such a move.

"What about Julia?" I asked after a moment. "Where does she stand in all this?"

Caterina's expression softened. "My sister-in-law has always been loyal to Ernesto, but Marco was her son. Since the Donati made their appearance at the engagement party, she's been uneasy, questioning the circumstances around Marco's death. I'm guessing you all have more to share in that regard?"

I exchanged glances with Gray.

"Yes, we do,” Gray said firmly. "About more than just his death as well."

"Go on." Caterina crossed her legs, watching Gray closely. She'd always been a strong woman, and losing her husband and son had only hardened her more.

Gray looked to me, having told me on the way here that I should be the one to deliver the news.

I took a deep breath. This was the moment—the point of no return. Once I shared what we knew, there would be no going back.

"We have evidence," I said, my voice steady despite the churning in my stomach. "Solid proof that Ernesto was involved in Marco's murder."

Caterina nodded slowly, as if she'd already figured as much, while Bianca cursed in Italian.

"You said there was more?" Caterina asked, and my mother rested her hand on my thigh, as if she was anchoring herself, knowing that what we were going to share was going to hurt her, being a mother herself.

"We also have evidence that shows Ernesto was behind that ambush that killed Uncle Gio, Orlando, Uncle Gavino, Aunt Litizia, and Edmondo. That he did it to kickstart this alliance and has been getting payouts to offshore accounts."

Caterina's eyes widened, the movement of her throat as she swallowed making my chest tight. But she held strong, nodding slowly, although her eyes glistened momentarily before she blinked them away.

"You're sure of this?" she asked softly, and I nodded.

"All the records can't be coincidental, calls made to the Ference family right before the ambush, money getting wired to him immediately after," I shared.

---