CHAPTER 56: 56

XAVIER

"What do you mean they’re holding Rex?" I asked as I walked towards the parking lot.

I got a knock on my door early that morning, and I was told that my brother, Rex, was in trouble. He was held by Marve, one of my rivals in business.

"It seems like he went to discuss something with him, and the stakes turned against him. He was apprehended and kept. Used as bait to get you to come see Marve." Brian informed, and my anger spiked.

What exactly was Rex looking for going to meet my enemy? He knew the history I had with Marve and...

"It might not be what you’re thinking. Don’t conclude just yet." Brian spoke from beside me as if he read my thoughts.

It was suspicious. Rex went to meet my enemy. What did he go to discuss behind my back that he couldn’t just bring to me? Well, I chased him away, but what if this was a trap?

"We got a video of Rex in torture. It’s not a trap. Even if it is, I don’t think Rex would sacrifice his face for it." Brian spoke again, betraying my thoughts.

I hummed in response. This was one of the many reasons why I didn’t want to get involved with Rex. He was always trouble.

"Why would he go to my rival to discuss with him? If it isn’t the lack of common sense?!" I blurted, gritting my teeth to hold back my anger.

Brian stared at me without saying a word, but I knew he too thought it was senseless.

Well, that was not the only reason I was cross. He made me leave Nylah that early after I’d planned to take her in the most depraved way possible.

"Maybe he wanted to prove you wrong this time," Brian replied, and I scoffed.

"Yeah right." Rex scattered a deal with a client for me a long time ago because he was trying to ’prove me wrong I told him to leave it to my team to discuss with the client and settle the deal but he insisted that he knew what he was doing and he needed to do it on his own.

After a lot of back and forth, I let him handle it, and he proved me right instead of wrong. Made the customer lose it, and we not only lost the deal, we lost that customer for life.

His excuse was that I put too much pressure on him, so he overreacted trying to get the contract. We both knew it was some bullshit excuse, but he wanted me to believe it and give him another chance. I had no time for such bullshit so I told him off.

"We’re close," Brian informed, and I looked out of the window. The only reason why I was going to save him was because Marve crossed the line.

He could use anything to threaten me but not my family. He knew this. That was why he took Rex. He knew it was the only way to get me to respond to him.

The car stopped, and I got out of the car and walked towards the big gate.

Marve had his men man the gate with weapons that I acted like I didn’t see.

Two guards tried to block my path when I approached the gate, but they stepped back the minute they saw my face.

I walked into the gate while my men moved the car in. I wanted to walk through so that bastard could see me walking in.

I didn’t stop until I got to the entrance facing another guard. Muscular, hard faced, and heavily armed.

"Take me to your boss," I demanded, and he moved immediately. No stupid questions or resistance. He walked into the guest living room and to the elevator. I followed.

He pressed the ’top floor’ button, and a smirk played on my lips. Marve, that peasant was on the top floor. He was too scared to meet me on the first floor in case I lost my temper and dealt with him, the escape would not be easy for me because of the men he had the entire mansion filled with.

What a coward.

The elevator doors opened, and we stepped out of it.

The place was large. Almost like a hall but with a table and swivel chair in one corner, a shelf with books in the other corner, a cushion and a glass table in the center, and a television facing the cushion. The other corner was dark, I couldn’t make out anything from it.

Marve was seated on the swivel chair, swinging it from side to side with a smoke pipe in his mouth.

"To what do I owe this visit?" He said aloud when he saw me. I rolled my eyes mentally.

He apprehended my brother and sent me a message to show up. I did, and he is asking why I was there. What a dumb fuck.

"I think you know why I am here. Where is Rex? Release him and I will take my leave." I replied, walking ahead of the guard who’d led me up to the place.

Marve chuckled, his voice made me want to split his throat and end things there but I held back. He derived pleasure in taunting me.

"I wish that was how things worked. Then I wouldn’t have resorted to kidnapping your brother would I?"

"Well, I wouldn’t say I kidnapped him. I mean, he walked into my office by himself spewing rubbish and I thought to grab the perfect opportunity." He cocked his head to the side, flashing me a smile that wasn’t friendly.

No, the smile was the type an enemy flashed before they drew the sword on you.

"What do you want?" I asked with scorn.

"Before you say anything, I have to see my brother," I added and he snapped his fingers, his gaze fixated on me with that sick smile that made me want to claw his face or make him toothless and watch him writhe in pain and humiliation.

Two guards emerged from the dark part of the hall with a third man whose head was covered with a sack.

They dragged the sack, revealing Rex’s face. I gritted my teeth, suppressing myself from reacting in a manner that would give me out.

Rex’s face was swollen. I doubt he could see me. His eyes were purple and swollen, blocking his vision. His mouth had dried blood and it was swollen as well.

"Hey, Rex, your brother is here to save you," Marve said with mockery. I saw Rex’s forehead fold, he couldn’t see me but he knew I was there and he was embarrassed about it.

I folded my fists beside me and gritted my teeth. "What do you want?!"