Beneath The Ashes

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 Marco's 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 shut your mouth," he said, voice deadly quiet, "I'll rip out your tongue."