Chapter 211: This Is What I Am

“What are you thinking about so seriously?” Matteo murmured as he slid behind Avery, wrapping his arms around her waist.

She smiled softly, leaning back into his warm hold. They were standing on the porch of his cabin, the cool evening air brushing against them. Matteo pressed slow kisses along the side of her neck, making her shiver pleasantly.

Avery sighed, eyes distant. “Something… just doesn’t feel right. Like something is missing. Like I forgot something really important.”

“Hmm?” Matteo nipped gently at her skin. “What’s that?”

“I don’t know,” she whispered. “Everything since we came back from where Ravial kept the fosters… it’s all jumbled up in my head. And then I suddenly acted hysterical and had to be sedated. No matter how stressed I was, I’ve never acted like that before. I can’t really remember what happened.”

Matteo turned her gently to face him, worry clear in his eyes. “What do you mean you can’t remember?”

She shook her head, rubbing her temple. “Maybe it’s nothing. I just need to get everything together for the fosters. I don’t even know what happened to Charles since that day… and I really need to know where Mathew is.”

Matteo opened his mouth to reply when Avery’s phone buzzed with a notification. She glanced at it and her eyes went wide.

Matteo frowned. “What is it?”

Avery looked up at him, voice shaky. “Ravial… he’s found Mathew.”

Avery rushed toward the main building of the villa, Matteo a few paces behind her. Her heart pounded as she saw the black car pull up a few feet from the stone steps. The doors opened, and several of Ravial’s men stumbled out, carefully holding a badly beaten Mathew between them.

“Mathew!” Avery cried, rushing forward.

She reached him and wrapped her arms around him tightly, lifting his bruised face. His eyes were swollen, lips split, but when he saw her, recognition flickered.

“Avery…?” he rasped, voice weak.

“Yes, yes, it’s me,” she sobbed, tears spilling over. “You’re safe now. You’re safe.”

Leitana stood a few steps above them beside Ravial, watching quietly. Her lips were still slightly swollen from what had happened between them earlier in the bedroom. She turned to look at her husband with a small, grateful smile.

Ravial remained silent, his blindfolded face impassive, but his hand rested possessively on Leitana’s lower back.

Later that evening, Avery came down the stairs looking exhausted. Leitana met her at the bottom, concern etched on her face.

“How is he?” Leitana asked softly.

Avery flopped into the nearest chair, rubbing her face. “Rose and Clara helped clean his wounds so he’s sleeping now.” Her voice cracked. “He’s just a kid who knew nothing… and look where he ended up because of me.”

Leitana sat beside her and pulled her into a hug. “It’s not your fault, Avery. None of this is. You tried to protect them.”

Avery sighed, wiping her eyes. “I’ll take him to the hospital tomorrow to make sure he’s really fine… and then to his family so they can see he’s okay.”

Leitana nodded. “That’s a good idea.”

Avery managed a small, tired smile and looked at her sister. “I’m so sorry we haven’t been that close lately. It’s just been… a lot.”

Leitana shook her head. “It’s fine. Mi understand.”

Avery turned toward Ravial, who was sitting cross-legged on the couch, eyes on his phone, expression unreadable.

“Ravial?”

He looked up slowly.

Avery swallowed hard. “What happened to Charles? How did you find Mathew?”

Ravial stared at her for a long second, then said simply, “He admitted his whereabouts.”

Avery’s brow furrowed. “Yeah, but I know him. He wouldn’t have given it up willingly. We haven’t seen him since that day. Where is he?”

Ravial said nothing. He simply stood up.

“Come with me.”

Avery stood, confused and Leitana rose too.

“Stay, lamb,” Ravial said without looking back.

“No,” Leitana replied firmly, stepping forward. “Mi coming too.”

Ravial gritted his teeth but said nothing more. He walked out and Leitana and Avery followed, with Marita trailing silently behind them, sensing the heavy tension.

Ravial led them across the grounds to a separate building far from the main villa, a low, discreet structure that looked like storage from the outside. They descended a set of wooden stairs into a dimly lit basement. The air grew colder and heavier with every step.

At the bottom, Ravial flipped a switch.

A single harsh light clicked on in the center of the room, illuminating a metal chair bolted to the floor. Someone was tied to it, a black bag over their head.

Avery gasped.

Leitana’s breath caught in her throat.

Marita looked stricken.

One of Ravial’s guards stepped forward and yanked the bag off.

Charles Hale sat there, beaten, bloodied, and barely recognizable. His face was swollen and bruised, one eye completely shut, lips split open. Dried blood caked his chin and shirt. He looked up slowly, dazed and broken, his remaining eye filled with terror when it landed on Ravial.

Avery staggered back a step, hand flying to her mouth. “Oh my God… Charles…”

Leitana felt her stomach drop. She couldn’t breathe. Marita stood frozen beside her, eyes wide with horror.

Ravial stood a few feet away, hands in his pockets, looking completely calm. His blindfolded face turned slightly toward the three women, and even without seeing his eyes, the danger radiating off him was suffocating.

He took one slow step forward.

“You wanted to know what happened to him,” Ravial said, voice smooth and terrifyingly soft. “Here he is.”

Charles groaned weakly, head lolling to the side. Blood dripped from his split lip onto the concrete floor.

Avery’s voice shook. “What did you do to him?”

Ravial tilted his head, the corner of his mouth lifting in a dark, almost playful smirk.

“I asked him nicely where Matthew was,” he said. “He didn’t want to tell me. So I… persuaded him.”

He stepped closer to Charles, crouching down in front of the beaten man like he was examining a mildly interesting insect.

“Charles made the mistake of putting his hands on what belongs to me,” Ravial continued, voice dropping into something low and venomous. “He hit my wife. In front of me. So I took my time with him.”

He reached out and casually flicked a drop of blood off Charles’s chin.

Leitana’s knees felt weak. This was the man she loved, the same man who held her so tenderly at night but right now he looked every bit the devil he was.

“Ravial…” she whispered, voice barely audible.

He stood up slowly and turned to face her. Even blindfolded, his presence pinned her in place.

“You wanted honesty, little lamb,” he said softly, almost lovingly. “This is what happens when someone touches you. This is what I am willing to do to keep you safe.”

Avery looked like she might be sick. “You… you tortured him.”

Ravial’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “I prefer the term ‘encouraged honesty.’ He sang like a bird once I started breaking fingers.”

Marita took a small step back, clearly terrified but unable to look away.

Ravial walked over to Leitana, cupping her face with both hands, thumbs stroking her cheeks almost tenderly.

“Do you understand now?” he whispered, voice dark silk. “I will burn the world down for you. I will break every bone in any man who dares lay a hand on you. And I will enjoy it.”

Leitana’s breath hitched. She was scared… but God help her, part of her was also aching for him.

Ravial leaned in and kissed her slowly, possessively, right there in front of everyone deep and claiming, like he was reminding her exactly who she belonged to.

Leitana shivered hard, torn between horror and desperate want.

Ravial straightened up, looking at Avery and Marita with cold indifference.

“Charles will live,” he said flatly. “Barely. Consider it mercy.”

He turned and walked toward the stairs, pausing only to glance back at Leitana.

“Come, little lamb. We’re done here.”

Leitana hesitated for half a second, then followed him, heart pounding, the weight of what she had just witnessed settling heavy in her chest.

Ravial Ashbourne wasn’t just dangerous.

He was a monster.

And she was completely, terrifyingly in love with him.