Ivy’s POV
After endless embraces from the family soldiers and capos who expressed their relief that Max and I had survived the kidnapping, Xavier escorted toward his private office in the Thorne compound.
I carefully placed Max, who was sleeping deeply from exhaustion, onto one of the reinforced beds that Xavier kept in his office for ergency situations. As I pulled the heavy blanket up to cover him, my eyes caught sothing that made my blood run cold. A dark, rope-burned mark encircled his tiny right ankle like a brand of the nightmare we had endured.
"Xavier, what is this mark on Max’s ankle?" My voice shook as I traced the air above the horrible evidence, afraid to touch what looked like proof of unspeakable cruelty inflicted on my baby.
Xavier’s expression turned murderous as he approached our sleeping son. His scarred hands hovered over the mark with infinite gentleness, as if his touch could sohow erase the mory of what those animals had done. He drew in a ragged breath, tucked the blanket more securely around Max, and pressed a tender kiss to his forehead before guiding to the leather sofa where he conducted his most sensitive family business.
He pulled onto his lap, his powerful arms wrapping around like an unbreachable fortress.
"My tesoro, the conditions we found Max in were beyond barbaric." His voice carried the weight of barely restrained violence that promised retribution. "Detective Martinez briefed during the extraction operation. Thank God there are no other marks on his little body, no signs of physical abuse, which ans they didn’t torture him in other ways. But Ivy, those sick bastards had him chained to a table leg like he was so kind of captive animal."
A single tear rolled down Xavier’s scarred cheek as the words left his lips.
The rage that exploded inside was unlike anything I had ever experienced in my years surviving the streets. "You’re telling those monsters chained up my baby?" The words ca out as a broken sob that echoed off the bulletproof windows. "He’s barely more than a toddler! How could anyone do such a thing to an innocent child?"
"Human evil knows no limits, tesoro. So people are capable of cruelty that defies all logic and humanity. The scum who took you both clearly value their own twisted sches above basic decency." Xavier’s hand moved in soothing circles along my spine while his deadly gaze remained fixed on our peacefully sleeping son.
"I cannot comprehend this level of depravity. How do you harm an innocent child, a baby who knows nothing but love and trust?" My tears soaked into the fabric of his expensive suit as I buried my face against his neck, inhaling the familiar scent of gunpowder and expensive cologne that always clung to him.
"I don’t understand it either. When Martinez’s tactical team breached the safe house, Max was filthy, starving, and severely dehydrated. Those deranged bitches didn’t even bother to change his diaper or feed him properly. Nothing. Martinez said he was crying hysterically when they kicked down the door." Xavier’s jaw clenched as he relived the detective’s brutal report.
"Wait, you said multiple won. Besides Rossi, who else was involved in this operation?"
"Monica. And they had assistance from Brodie as well."
The na hit like a physical blow from a rival family’s enforcer. "Brodie? My forr boyfriend Brodie? Are you seriously telling that my ex is part of this nightmare conspiracy?"
Xavier nodded grimly, his dark eyes hardening like winter steel. "I wish I were making this up, but the evidence is undeniable."
"Dear God, why would he do this? What could he possibly gain from targeting our family? I’ve known Brodie since we were kids running the sa neighborhood streets. His family was practically part of mine back then. The idea that he would orchestrate sothing this vicious against us is beyond comprehension."
"Honestly, nothing about that piece of shit surprises anymore. He betrayed you with your own cousin for power and position in the organization. Soone with that kind of moral bankruptcy is capable of anything." Xavier’s assessnt was harsh but accurate given our world’s brutal realities.
"There’s a massive difference between sleeping around for advancent and kidnapping the family children, Xavier."
"True. But the foundation is the sa - complete lack of honor and loyalty. My conversation with Martinez was brief and focused entirely on Max’s condition and your safety. The interrogations haven’t begun yet, so I don’t have details about their motivations or who else might be involved."
"Well, now that our son is secure, I want every single detail about this conspiracy." The fury coursing through felt powerful enough to bring down rival families. "But first, we need to have Max examined by our family doctor to ensure there are no hidden injuries."
"Already arranged. The ergency clinic in Greenleaf did an initial assessnt and confird that aside from dehydration and that terrible mark around his ankle, he appears physically unhard. But I’ve scheduled Dr. Taylor to conduct a thorough examination tomorrow morning. He’ll co here to the compound for security reasons."
"Perfect choice," I agreed wholeheartedly. "Though why are we eting here instead of going ho to the estate?"
"Because returning to the estate isn’t safe right now. There are developnts about the family situation that you need to know about, and I’ll explain everything once you’ve had so rest. But Ivy, I cannot let you and Max out of my sight again."
"I don’t want to be separated from you either. But please, tell what’s happening with the organization now."
Xavier released a heavy sigh before beginning his explanation.
"Tesoro, we’ve discovered that Rossi sabotaged my parents’ private helicopter. Roman and his wife have disappeared completely from their usual haunts. We’re currently in the process of exposing the audit findings about the missing shipnts, and everyone we’ve identified as being involved in this conspiracy is being questioned in the secure rooms throughout this floor. Scott is running point on the interrogations with Miller’s assistance."
"Rossi destroyed the helicopter intentionally?" The horror in my voice was unmistakable as I processed this revelation about his parents’ deaths.
"Yes. My parents were murdered in cold blood by our own people." Xavier’s composure finally cracked, and tears stread down his battle-scarred face. "Yesterday, Loxley, who is Veronica’s father, delivered a secured package containing the missing evidence about the so-called accident, along with extensive additional docuntation. Inside was Rossi’s recorded confession and a letter from his wife exposing nurous details about their treacherous activities against our family."
"Hold on, is Veronica sohow connected to this conspiracy against us?" My fury was reaching dangerous levels as I considered every possible threat.
"No, absolutely not. Veronica is living peacefully in Norway with her mother and brother. You can relax about that angle. But her mother participated in the sa fitness classes as Rossi’s wife. They developed a friendship, and one day Rossi’s wife asked Veronica’s mother to safeguard the package, with instructions to deliver it to if anything ever happened to her."
"So why did Loxley bring you the evidence now?"
"Because Dr. Taylor inford him about the kidnappings during a dical consultation, and Loxley ntioned it to his wife during their overseas call. She panicked and told him about the package, insisting he bring it to imdiately. This woman has been sitting on all the answers we desperately needed this entire ti without realizing the significance of what she was protecting."
"This entire situation is absolutely insane." The shock and outrage were overwhelming my already exhausted system.
"My tesoro, what about you? Are you truly unhard? Did those animals hurt you in any way?"
"I’m fine, physically at least. They kept locked in a room inside so kind of unfinished safe house in an isolated location outside the city. They were following Rossi’s specific orders, and from what I overheard, their instructions were explicit - don’t touch unless Rossi specifically authorized it, because I was his insurance policy for escaping the family’s retaliation. They had no idea Max was your biological son. They took him simply as additional leverage to control ." The mories of that nightmare ca flooding back with crystal clarity. "But at one point, Caleb entered my room with clear intentions of sexually assaulting . When he grabbed , Fisher burst through the door and physically restrained him, shoving him against the wall and reminding him not to touch without Rossi’s explicit authorization. I seized the opportunity to escape, locked both of them in the room, ran outside, and kept running until I encountered a patrol officer. That’s how they were able to locate and coordinate the rescue."
"That perverted bastard tried to assault you?" Xavier’s eyes blazed with the kind of murderous intent that had made him legendary in our world.
"Xavier, please keep your voice down. Max is sleeping right there," I reminded him softly, gesturing toward our son.
"I’m going to destroy that sick animal with my bare hands." Xavier’s fist clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white, and I could feel every muscle in his powerful body coiling with barely restrained violence.
A gentle knock interrupted our conversation. Xavier carefully lifted from his lap and positioned on the sofa before opening the reinforced door to admit Ruby, who rushed directly to embrace .
"Thank the saints you’re safe, sweetheart. I just received word that you’d arrived at the compound," she said while holding tightly. "Xavier, your presence is urgently needed in the main conference room. I’m sorry I can’t stay with you right now, honey. I have to return to assist Scott with the interrogations of the remaining conspirators."
"Don’t apologize, Ruby. Thank you for everything you’re doing for our family. It’s critically important. Please go handle business."
At that mont, the office filled with concerned faces as my parents, Zoe’s mother, Walter and Carn, and Finn’s mother all entered together. Their expressions showed the anxiety and relief they had been carrying since learning about our disappearance.
"Xavier, you found them both safe! Thank you from the bottom of my heart, son," my father said with raw emotion, pulling Xavier into a grateful embrace.
"They are my entire world, Dad," Xavier replied with a smile that didn’t quite reach his still-worried eyes. "My tesoro, I’m leaving you with the best possible protection, but I need you to rest."
"I will," I promised, understanding the enormous pressure he was under to handle this crisis decisively.
"Let’s go handle this situation, Ruby," he called as they departed to manage the interrogations and evidence gathering that would determine our family’s response to this betrayal.
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