‘What I wanted was for you to develop a relationship with your mother. If you’re running around in the city trying to track down the threat to Ivy you’re not spending time with her, are you?’

‘Why do you care about my relationship with my mother?’

‘I realised after the meeting we had, before you left to retrieve Ivy… I realised that telling you about Bruno, that he was your father, it must have raised questions for you. I can tell you everything that I know, but that doesn’t substitute what those in the relationship will tell you. Your mother will be a valuable source of information for you.’

‘What does it matter where I came from?’ Dax asked, propelling himself out of the armchair.

‘It matters because you have a future with Ivy, and you can’t embrace that until you understand where you originated. I worry… about you… I know how your temper can get you into trouble. The fighting, it seemed to give you a purpose and prevented you from getting into scrapes that could have landed you in jail.’

Dax spun around, Mauri was brighter now that he was discussing the past. ‘What are you talking about?’ Dax asked.

‘You used to fight, with the staff children here, then at school… it’s why we started to school you from here in the mansion. You were always quick with your fists. Your father, the man you believed to be your father, had trained you to release that energy in the ring. As soon as we allowed you back into that ring, you began to excel at school again, you got along better with the other children.’

Dax didn’t remember a time that Mauri had tried to stop him fighting, the ring had always been a sanctuary for him, a way to get rid of the fury he often felt toward the world as a teenager. ‘I don’t remember that.’

‘It was only a few months,’ Mauri said. ‘But it escalated quickly, Brad and Trystan feared you. That was why it made sense for you to live with the staff children in the back of the house, we kept you apart for their safety.’

The control he had over his urges to lash out was something he’d struggled with in his late teens and twenties, but he’d overcome that erratic side of his nature. ‘I’m going to fight tonight,’ Dax said.

‘I’m not surprised, you often need that vent when you’re feeling overwhelmed.’

‘I am not overwhelmed,’ Dax snapped. ‘Winlow described Ivy as Ravager’s girl, for someone to use my fighting name, in this city…’

‘They must know you from those circles,’ Mauri nodded. ‘Tell me where it’s taking place and I’ll have men there to back you up, in case things get out of hand.’

‘I can handle myself,’ Dax said, he’d called up his scout on the way over here, so he didn’t know where the fight would be yet. But he would in a couple of hours.

‘I understand,’ Mauri said. ‘You should take Serg at the very least. While you are in the ring others will be on the lookout for Ivy, someone should be watching for those people.’

‘I’ll talk to him,’ Dax said. ‘He picked me up at the beach house, he’ll need to give me a ride back over there.’

‘You can take any of the cars here that you need. It might make sense for you to have your own  mode of transportation, just in case any unforeseen circumstances arise.’

‘Security still at the beach house?’ Dax asked. Mauri nodded. ‘Any incidents?’

‘Not that I’ve heard about,’ Mauri said. ‘And I have had regular updates, last one was around an hour ago, and Ivy had just gotten into the pool.’

It was reassuring to know that Ivy was safe, but he wasn’t sure how he felt about other men watching his wife and reporting on her movements.

‘Good,’ Dax said, heading for the door.

‘Where are you going now?’ Mauri asked him. ‘Do you have more leads?’

‘Right now I’m going back to the beach house,’ he said. ‘I told Ivy that I would be back tonight, but if I’m fighting, I won’t be.’

‘So you’re going to break the news gently,’ Mauri smiled.

Dax reached the exit. ‘Gently and Ivy don’t go together.’

‘You know,’ Mauri said, rising from the chair and moving around it to rest his hands on the back. ‘I didn’t consider how you would change by finding the right woman. Brad has always been a serious person, and Trystan has always been wild. I hoped that he would settle down with the right woman at his side and some kids running around. But you… marriage and children weren’t things I considered for your future.’

‘I was supposed to die young,’ Dax said causing Mauri to frown. ‘I remember you telling me when I was in my twenties that if I kept tearing around on the damn bike and walking into the ring night after night that I was inviting death. Back then I didn’t care, I never considered my future.’

‘Until you met Ivy.’

Shaking his head, he took his eyes to his hand on the door handle. ‘I married her to stop Trystan from getting his hands on her. I knew she was special… that I… that I felt something for her but… it wasn’t about the future, it was a solution to my problem.’

‘And she knew this?’

‘She knew more than I did,’ Dax said. ‘I think now that… the Trystan situation just gave me the excuse that I needed to put my mark on her.’

‘So I did you a favour?’

‘I wouldn’t go that far,’ Dax said. ‘I’ll be in touch if I hear anything tonight.’

On leaving Mauri, his intended destination was the mansion garage. But as he descended the main stairs, he saw Brad enter with his entourage. As soon as Brad saw him, he stopped and said something to his colleagues, who glanced at Dax then all scurried away.

‘What do you want?’ Dax asked when he reached the bottom of the stairs. It was obvious from the way he’d dismissed all witnesses that Brad had something to say.

‘I heard about Ivy, about the bounty, I’m sorry.’

‘Are you?’ Dax asked. He and Brad had a relationship of avoidance in that they tried their best not to be around each other when either was in a sticky spot. Brad observed him with an interest that betrayed his true motive. ‘I’m not sticking around. You can keep your empire.’

Brad relaxed enough to smile, though the gesture was false. ‘Mauri is known for always getting what he wants.’

‘You and I both know that we’re incapable of working together,’ Dax said. ‘We don’t trust each other.’

‘No, we don’t.’

‘So I’d hazard that’s why you’ve kept your head down while Ivy and I have been around.’

‘I’m not going to encourage you to stay, although my father wants me to.’

‘You’d rather have needles stuck through your eyes,’ Dax said. ‘Don’t worry, Brad. It’s all yours.’

Mauri did have a talent for encouraging everyone around him to defer to his wants. Brad didn’t want Dax to stay, but he didn’t want to go against his father’s wishes by asking Dax to leave either.

‘If you find out anything about Ivy’s situation I’d appreciate a heads up,’ Dax said.

Brad might be on the suspect list, except Dax couldn’t fathom any motivation. Brad wanted them gone, and he’d know that Mauri would use this threat as a chance to keep the couple here. The possibility still existed that Mauri wanted Ivy gone with the belief Dax would fall into line without her, which was another reason Brad had no motivation to get Ivy out of the picture.

Brad nodded and turned to depart the foyer in the direction his staff had gone. Dax continued his journey to the Stark mansion garage where he got a car and drove off the property to head for the beach house. It would take an hour or so to get there. Serg was still back at Mauri’s, but there would be plenty for him to do while Dax dealt with Ivy and tonight they would all need to be at their best to pick out the threat.

After lunch Ivy had needed another distraction, so she went for a dip in the bathtub in the downstairs family bathroom, it was the only tub in the place. With waterfall taps and recessed lighting, the gleaming tile was dazzling, but the water had felt good seeping into every crevice of her body. After an hour or so in there, she was beginning to prune, so she climbed out, drained the water and wrapped a fluffy white towel around her body.