Beneath The Ashes - Chapter 5: Chapter 5

Third Person
The car rumbled quietly down the dark highway, the only sounds the steady hum of the engine and the soft whisper of the tires against the road. Inside, the silence stretched long and heavy, each brother lost in his own thoughts.
Massimo sat in the front passenger seat, eyes half-lidded as the road unfolded in front of them. His mind churned with everything that had happened back at mansion. Declan drove with the same quiet focus he always did, hands steady on the wheel, face unreadable. He hadn't said a word since they left.
In the backseat, Zayn shifted slightly, eyeing Ivy now fast asleep between him and Jaxon.
Her head had lolled to the side sometime during the drive, resting against Jaxon's shoulder without her even realizing it. The enforcer of the family, cold and blunt, sat stiffly in his seat, his jaw tight, gaze locked on the darkness outside. He hadn't moved her.
Zayn bit his lip to keep from laughing out loud. Jaxon wasn't exactly known for being affectionate. Hell, Jaxon barely tolerated physical contact at all. But here Ivy was, practically curled into him, her soft breaths even and calm. The sight was almost too much.
"Would you look at that?" Zayn whispered, leaning closer to Jaxon, a wicked grin curling at the edges of his mouth. "Our resident guard dog has a new little friend."
Jaxon shot him a glare that could've frozen lava. "Shut up."
Zayn snorted quietly, leaning back in his seat. "Didn't know you had a soft spot." He glanced down at Ivy, taking in the peaceful expression on her face. "Guess she's growing on you."
Jaxon's scowl deepened. "She fell. I didn't put her there."
"Sure, sure." Zayn stretched out his legs, the leather creaking under his weight. "And yet, here she is. Still sleeping. Still on you." He arched a brow. "Weird how you haven't shoved her off."
Jaxon's eyes narrowed. "I swear to God, Zayn—"
"Quiet." Declan's low voice cut through the dark, steady and calm as ever. "She's sleeping."
Zayn raised his hands in surrender, though his grin didn't fade. "Touchy."
Massimo watched the exchange with quiet amusement from the front seat, his gaze flicking to the rearview mirror. He hadn't missed the way Jaxon's whole body had tensed when Ivy leaned into him — or the way he hadn't pushed her away.
Interesting.
Vale, sprawled across the third row, groaned dramatically. "This is the longest drive of my life." He kicked the back of Zayn's seat. "Are we there yet?"
"No," Declan said flatly.
Vale huffed, slumping further into his seat. "I'm dying back here."
"No one cares," Jaxon muttered, his voice low and sharp.
Zayn chuckled, then shifted in his seat, accidentally nudging Ivy's leg. The movement made her stir, a soft sound escaping her lips as she shifted closer to Jaxon. Her head pressed more firmly into his shoulder, her breath soft and warm against his arm.
Jaxon stilled.
The entire car went silent.
Zayn froze, watching as Ivy shifted again, her fingers curling slightly against Jaxon's arm before settling once more. Her breathing evened out, soft and steady. The silence stretched, every brother holding their breath, waiting to see if Jaxon would finally push her off.
He didn't.
Instead, Jaxon slowly turned his head, his icy glare landing on Zayn. "If you don't stop moving ," he said, voice deadly quiet, "I'll rip out your tongue."
Zayn blinked.
Then, slowly, a grin spread across his face. "who suddenly has feelings."
Jaxon's jaw ticked. "I don't have feelings."
"Sure you don't." Zayn leaned in again, lowering his voice. "She's kinda cute though, huh? Maybe you've gone soft."
Jaxon scoffed. "The only thing thats always soft here is your d—skull." He shifted slightly in his seat, but still didn't move Ivy. "She's quiet. That's the only reason I'm not waking her up. As for you I'd rather die than listen to you talk the rest of the drive."
Massimo bit back a smirk.
Zayn held up his hands again, though the grin never left his face. "Uh-huh. Whatever you say."
Jaxon growled low in his throat, but when his gaze flicked down at Ivy, there was something softer in his eyes. Something unspoken.
Massimo leaned back in his seat, letting the corner of his mouth curl slightly. He'd always known there was more to Jaxon than rage and fists. Maybe Ivy was already working her magic without even realizing it.
The car settled into silence once more. Declan drove, quiet and focused. Vale sulked in the back. Zayn smirked to himself. And Massimo watched, amused, as Ivy slept soundly against the brother who claimed to care about nothing.
Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.
Ivy's POV
A soft nudge pulled me from the depths of sleep. I frowned, squeezing my eyes shut tighter, hoping whoever it was would just go away. But the nudge came again, more insistent this time, and a quiet voice drifted through the haze.
"Hey, Ivy. Time to wake up."
My heart lurched. Panic shot through me, fast and cold, and my eyes flew open as I jolted upright. "I'm sorry!" The apology tumbled out on instinct, my hands gripping the seat as I looked around frantically. "I know I fell asleep late, I'll get started right away!"
For a second, all I could hear was the rush of my own breathing. I braced myself for the sharp words that always followed — the accusations of laziness, the sneers about being useless — but they didn't come.
Instead, I was met with silence.
Blinking, I slowly turned my head and realized I wasn't at home. The cramped, worn-down kitchen where I spent most of my days scrubbing floors and washing dishes was nowhere in sight. Instead, I was in the backseat of a sleek black car, surrounded by very serious-looking men.
Right. The Vitalo brothers.
Oh. Oh no.
My gaze darted around the car, landing on each of their faces. Massimo, in the front passenger seat, watched me with quiet amusement. Declan was behind the wheel, his expression unreadable. Jaxon is quite but Vale lounged in the very back, looking bored out of his mind. And Zayn —
Wait. Where was Zayn?
I turned toward the open car door and found him standing outside, leaning against the frame with a lazy grin. "Interesting wake-up routine," he teased. "You always apologize first thing, or was that a special performance for us?"
Heat rushed to my face. "I — I was dreaming," I stammered, waving my hands awkwardly. "You know, just... muscle memory. Presence of mind, or lack thereof." I forced out a laugh, trying to play it off, but the weight of their stares made my skin prickle. "Guess I'm not exactly a morning person."
Massimo arched a brow. "It's almost midnight."
"Right. Not a midnight person either." I cleared my throat and scrambled out of the car, nearly tripping in my haste. Zayn stepped back, letting me get my bearings while the rest of the brothers climbed out behind me.
The night air was cool against my skin, and as I turned to get a look at where we'd ended up, my breath caught in my throat.
The house — no, the mansion — loomed before me, dark and imposing. Soft golden lights spilled from the arched windows, casting long shadows across the stone driveway. The building itself was massive, stretching high into the sky, with sharp angles and gothic touches that made it look like something out of a fairy tale.
I stared up at it, mouth slightly open. "Wow..."
Zayn chuckled beside me. "Not what you expected?"
"Not even close." My eyes swept over the intricate stonework, the dark iron gates, and the massive double doors. Everything about this place whispered wealth and power — the kind of life I'd only ever seen in magazines. "It's beautiful."
As we made our way up the driveway, something caught my eye. A fountain, right in the center of the grand circular driveway, with soft lights casting a gentle glow over the cascading water. Without thinking, I broke away from Zayn's side and rushed toward it.
The sound of the water was soothing, a soft trickle that filled the silence. I knelt at the edge, running my fingers along the cool stone. "I've always wanted to see one of these," I breathed, more to myself than anyone else. "A house with a fountain in the front. It feels so... magical."
Footsteps approached behind me, slow and deliberate. I turned to find Massimo standing a few feet away, watching me with that same unreadable expression. For a moment, I hesitated, unsure if I'd overstepped. Maybe running off like that wasn't the best idea.
But then I smiled, warmth blooming in my chest. "Your house is really beautiful, Massimo."
His gaze softened, just a fraction. "Thank you."
I looked back at the fountain, watching the water shimmer under the lights