Xavier shared a glance with Anastasia before stepping inside.
Once the elevator doors slid open, Anastasia imdiately wished they could turn back and never return.
The first thing that hit them was the sll.
The air was thick with a suffocating mix of sweat, perfu, alcohol, and sothing far worse—lust. It clung to their skin, sinking into their clothes as if trying to brand them with the filth of the place.
Xavier’s expression darkened instantly. His stomach churned in disgust as his gaze road the underground chamber. He’d dismantled dozens of trafficking rings before, but never had he encountered one quite like this.
n were being sold.
Not just won. Not just children. But n.
The royal family was auctioning off their own people like livestock.
His fists clenched tightly. What kind of sick, twisted monsters were they?
His sharp gaze flickered toward a group of young boys, no older than fourteen, huddled together in one of the larger cages. Their eyes were hollow, their bodies trembling with fear as they avoided the gazes of the predators prowling around them.
So of them had fresh bruises. Others had scars—deep, ugly, and permanent.
A few of the older boys, likely around sixteen or seventeen, had a different look in their eyes. Desperation. A silent plea for help. They wanted out. They wanted to run. But there was nowhere to go.
The younger ones, however... they had already given up.
The sa could be said for the adult won who were seated on the side, dressed in revealing outfits they clearly hadn’t chosen for themselves. Their eyes were dead—void of hope, void of life.
Anastasia resisted the violent urge to gag.
She turned her head sharply, her fingers curling into fists. She needed to get out. She needed air.
Izara must have noticed, because she spoke up. "Co with . There’s soone I want to show you."
Xavier tore his gaze away from the horrific scene and turned to follow her. But just as they started moving—
A foul stench of cigarette smoke and alcohol filled the air.
A man staggered toward them, his glassy, bloodshot eyes fixed on Xavier.
"Izara, is this one of your recruits?" The man slurred, his words barely coherent as he sized Xavier up.
Xavier’s muscles tensed.
The man’s gaze lowered, slowly running down Xavier’s body before a sick grin curled on his lips. "He’s quite tall."
Xavier’s stomach twisted with revulsion.
Before he could react, another man nearby turned his head toward them, his hungry gaze locking onto Xavier.
"He’s very handso," he mused, licking his lips. "How much do I need to pay to buy him?"
Silence.
For the first ti in his entire life, Xavier was too stunned to speak.
His mind barely had ti to register the pure absurdity of the situation before the first man stepped even closer, his breath reeking of stale alcohol.
"I’m sure his cock is just as big. Let touch it and see—"
The next thing he knew, his body was flying across the room.
A sickening crash filled the chamber as he slamd into a table, shattering it into pieces.
Gasps erupted around them.
The room fell into a tense, suffocating silence.
All eyes turned toward Xavier, who hadn’t even flinched.
But the second man—the one who had tried to buy him—didn’t back away.
Instead, his expression twisted into rage.
"Who the hell do you think you are?" he roared, stepping forward. "Do you know who I am?!"
He turned sharply to Izara. "Haven’t you already trained this one? That must be why he’s misbehaving! You better teach him so manners, else—"
He didn’t get to finish that sentence.
Because in less than a second, Xavier’s hand wrapped around his throat.
A strangled gasp left the man’s lips as he struggled, choking on his own breath.
Xavier’s grip tightened.
His gaze darkened.
"What did you just say?" The man kicked and clawed, his body convulsing like a fish freshly pulled from the ocean. Xavier’s voice dropped into a deadly whisper. "n like you shouldn’t be called n in the first place."
And with zero hesitation, he threw the man against another table.
Another crash.
Another round of gasps.
The entire club was now watching.
The music had stopped. The dancers on stage stood frozen, their eyes wide as they took in the scene unfolding before them.
But no one dared to step forward.
Izara, anwhile, felt her heart slam violently against her ribcage.
Shit.
Those two n weren’t just anyone. They were powerful. Elite n with political influence.
If word got out that they had been attacked and humiliated, their parents would co storming down.
And when they did—they’d find Edward.
A door opened sowhere, and a man in a dark suit stepped into the room. It was Mario.
His eyes widened in horror as he took in the wreckage—the broken tables, the unconscious bodies. He stared at Izara who gave him a pleaded look.
"Co on. We need to go," she said with urgency evident in her tone and they left.
As they moved down the hall, Izara heard Mario’s voice faintly trying to compose everyone and act like nothing happened.
"I apologize for what happened earlier," she murmured.
"I’m sure you must have felt uncomfortable."
Xavier let out a low chuckle.
"Uncomfortable?" He shook his head. "After what I did, I doubt anyone will try that again."
They arrived at a door.
And standing beside it—was Desmond.
Izara’s stomach dropped.
Sothing was wrong.
Her brows furrowed as she stepped forward. "What happened?"
Desmond’s jaw was tight.
"He’s been unstable since this morning," he muttered. "And it’s getting worse."
Xavier and Anastasia exchanged glances.
"Who?"
Before either sibling could answer, a loud bang echoed from behind the door.
A violent, desperate scream followed.
"GET OUT OF HERE!!"
Anastasia flinched.
"JUST GET OUT OF HERE!!"
Xavier’s brows knitted together. The voice was thick with agony. Who the hell was in there?
Izara’s throat was dry.
She hesitated for a mont before saying, "That’s our elder brother."
Xavier’s eyes snapped to her.
"...Elder brother?"
Anastasia’s lips parted in shock. "You have an older brother?"
Izara nodded.
And then—she told them everything.
She told them what their parents had done to Edward.
The years of torture. The manipulation. The destruction of his mind.
She told them how he had tried to escape, but failed every ti.
How he had once been sane—once been normal—until their parents broke him.
By the ti she was finished, both Xavier and Anastasia were speechless.
They had known the royal couple was evil. They had known they were psychopaths.
But this...This was beyond evil. This was monstrous.
And now, for the first ti—Xavier wasn’t sure who was worse.
Xander... or the royal couple.
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