Prologue

"Alex!" She exclaimed in pain. "I think it's time to get to the hospital wing!" She shouted as she felt the contraction rip through her lower abdomen.

She heard two sets of rushing feet heading to where she was leaning against the wall. She automatically knew who it was. Her husband, Alexander, and their son, Dimitri. "I thought I told you to stay in bed, my angel," Alexander said softly as they stopped in front of her.

"Is my butterfly coming?" Dimitri asked in excitement as he bounced on his toes.

Ivy let out a small laugh as she pressed a hand to her abdomen. "Yes, your butterfly is coming." She inhaled sharply as she felt another contraction tear through her body.

He clapped in excitement. "Yay. I can't wait." He said joyfully.

Alexander shook his head with a wide smile as he wrapped an arm around her waist and helped her up. "Go find your uncle." He said as he looked at Dimitri. "Tell him that our princess is coming. You'll stay with him until she arrives." Alexander said as he walked with Ivy in his arms.

Dimitri pouted. "But dad, I want to go with you." He whined.

Alexander shook his head and whipped his head towards Ivy as she let out a shout of pain. "Trust me, son, you want to be with your uncle right now. He'll have his phone with him the entire time and he'll be the first person I call once your butterfly is here with us." He said as he started walking a bit faster.

Dimitri whined some more but took off running towards his uncle's room.

"It's going to be okay, angel. We're almost to the hospital wing." He said comfortingly.

She groaned as she gripped his arm tightly. "Good because your daughter isn't waiting any longer." She said breathlessly. She looked at him and moved the hair out of her face. "She's coming now."

Alexander's eyes went wide. "She's ready to come out?" He asked in horrified shock.

Ivy nodded as she took a deep breath. "She's coming. I can feel it."

He gently swept her into his arms and rushed to the hospital wing as quickly as he could without hurting her. He barged inside and shouted. "Get the doctor! Our princess is coming right now!"

Everyone rushed around as they got Ivy on a stretcher and rushed her into a room. "How long until she's ready to push doc?" Alexander questioned as he walked by her side.

Their doctor, Dr. Reyes, pulled the bed to a stop in the room that they had prepped just for Ivy. "Let me check her out and we'll go from there." She said, walking to the sink to wash her hands before putting on a pair of latex gloves.

Alexander held onto her hand as Dr. Reyes went to the end of the bed. She pulled Ivy's dress up to her waist and had her put her feet on the footrests that were on the end of the bed. "Oh yeah." Dr. Reyes exclaimed with a wide smile. "I can already see the head." She looked up at Alexander. "It's time to push. So I'm going to have you sit behind Ivy and support her while she pushes. Please do it quickly. This little one is not waiting."

Alexander quickly tore his suit jacket off and carefully climbed behind Ivy. They sat with her back to his chest as he wrapped his arms around her gently. He whispered comforting things into her ear as he let her squeeze his hands as hard as she needed to. She cried and shouted in pain as she pushed as hard as she could.

After an hour they finally heard that beautiful cry that meant their princess had arrived. Ivy cried in joy as Dr. Reyes handed their daughter to her. "Oh, she's so precious," Ivy said softly as she held her close.

Alexander sniffled behind her as he wrapped his arms around his two girls. "Yes, she is." He cleared his throat and reached into his pocket to grab his phone. He quickly called his brother. "Hey, Viktor. Bring Dimitri in. Our princess is here."

He hung up and held onto his two girls. It only took a few minutes for them to hear small, rushing footsteps coming towards the room. Dimitri barged in with wide eyes. "Where is she?" He demanded breathlessly.

Ivy giggled and slightly held up the baby girl in her arms. "She's right here."

He carefully climbed onto the bed and sat next to her. Ivy moved over a bit so he could sit next to her fully before handing their baby girl to him. She helped him get settled and hold the baby up correctly. "What's her name?" Viktor asked from the doorway with awe in his eyes.

Alexander smiled softly as he looked at their daughter in Dimitri's arms. "Evangeline Selene Ivanov." He said softly.

Viktor grinned. "Gave her mom's name, I see." He said as he sat down in a chair next to the bed.

Alexander nodded. "Yes. I know that she would have loved Evangeline and I wanted to give Evangeline something to remember her grandmother."

Viktor nodded in understanding. "That's sweet."

They all sat together as Dimitri refused to let go of Evangeline.

Both Evangeline and Ivy were cleared to leave the hospital wing the next day. Alexander refused to leave her side and Dimitri refused to leave Evangeline's side. He slept on the couch next to her with a hand on her crib the entire night. He woke up every time that she made even the slightest of noises, worried that something was wrong.

From the very beginning, the two of them were inseparable. Dimitri wanted Evangeline to be with him at all times. Evangeline seemed to be the same way. She cried anytime that she wasn't around Dimitri and she didn't sleep all that well unless she was close to Dimitri.

From that very first day, they were inseparable and it stayed that way for the next four years.

It was the first day of spring in Russia. The snow had already begun to melt. The family was walking to their private meadow. Their children had found it while exploring the forest one day and they had been going there ever since.

"Slow down baby girl," Alexander called out as his daughter, Evangeline, ran ahead of them.

"I got her dad," Dimitri said before racing ahead to catch up to his little sister.

As they walked into the meadow Evangeline looked up in awe. "Daddy!" She exclaimed in joy as she turned to look at him. "The trees are so tall." She said with a giggle. "The tallest I've ever seen."

Alexander chuckled as he wrapped his arm around his wife, Ivy. Little Evangeline squealed in joy as she pulled her brother, Dimitri, with her. "Dimi look." She said as she pointed at the trees. "The leaves are like emeralds."

Dimitri and Evangeline played around in their little meadow while their parents watched them with happiness and love in their hearts. When the sun started going down Ivy called out. "Alright. It's time to head back home."

Evangeline whined like she always did, not wanting to leave the beautiful meadow. Dimitri grabbed her hand and gently started tugging her towards their parents. "Come on butterfly. We can come back tomorrow."

Evangeline pouted but followed her big brother like she always did. Ever since she was born she had been attached to him.

They made their way home and ran off into their playroom once they got inside. Alexander shook his head. "I swear she listens to him more than she listens to us." He muttered.

Ivy giggled. "Well, you can't say that she doesn't love her big brother."

Alexander chuckled as he hugged Ivy. "That's true."

He kissed her forehead. "I have a bit of work to do but I will join you guys for dinner."

She nodded and kissed his cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too darling." He said.

They went their separate ways, Alexander going to his office, Ivy going to the kitchen to start dinner.

They ate dinner together later that night, enjoying a meal together as a family like they always did.

After dinner, it was bath time and then bedtime. "No fooling around tonight Evangeline. You need to go to sleep." Alexander said softly yet sternly as he tucked her into bed.

She pouted. "But daddy." She whined. "I want to sleep with Dimi."

Alexander sighed. "Baby girl you're growing up. You need to start sleeping in your bed in your room."

Evangeline, only being four years old, started crying. "Daddy." She whined.

He shushed her and hugged her close. "Baby girl you'll be fine. You can see Dimitri in the morning. The quicker you go to sleep the quicker you can see your brother again." He pressed a kiss to her forehead before turning off the light and leaving the room.

He left the door cracked like he always did before going to bed himself. "How did she take it?" Ivy asked as he walked into their room.

He shook his head. "I swear I've never seen any other kid as attached to their older brother as she is to Dimitri." He sighed as he sat down on their bed and ran a hand through his hair. "She started crying again."

Ivy blew out a rough breath as she stood in front of him. "She needs to start sleeping in her room. She's already four."

Alexander shook his head as he took a deep breath. "Maybe we should just let her sleep with him. She goes to sleep so much easier."

Ivy scoffed as she sat next to him. "You're only saying that because she's your little girl. She has you wrapped around her finger."

He chuckled. "She has every single person she meets wrapped around her finger. She's an angel."

Ivy nodded in agreement. "Well, this has to happen. We can't let her get used to it any more than she already is."

"I know," Alexander said as he stood up. "Doesn't mean I like seeing her cry every night that I put her to bed."

Ivy stood up and wrapped her arms around his waist. "She'll be okay, love."

He nodded and kissed her temple. "Let me get ready for bed and then we can get some sleep. You know how Evangeline is."

"Always up at the crack of dawn." She said with a shake of her head. "Just like her daddy."

He chuckled as he walked to the bathroom.

Once he was ready for bed they laid down together and went to sleep.

Alexander groaned as he felt small hands shaking him. "Dad," Dimitri whispered. "Wake up."

Alexander cracked his eyes open with a reluctant sigh. "What is it, son?" He asked as he rolled over to face Dimitri.

Dimitri frowned as he looked towards the door. "I think there's someone in Evie's room." He whispered in concern. "I can hear noise coming from her room."

Alexander was out of bed in the blink of an eye. "Are you sure it isn't your sister?" He asked as they started walking towards Evangeline's room.

Dimitri sighed. "She would have just come into my room if she was awake. We both know that." He said with a frown.

Alexander gave him a nod as they stopped in front of Evangeline's door. "Wait here," Alexander whispered.

He quietly opened the door and was frozen in his tracks at what he saw. There was a man with a face mask on climbing out of the window with Evangeline in his arms. He could tell that the man had drugged her to keep her asleep. Alexander stormed into the room but wasn't quick enough. The man jumped out of the window and landed on the ground before taking off in a black car with no license plates.

He stood at the window breathing heavily as Ivy came into the room with Dimitri. "Alex." She said quietly. "What's going on?" He could hear the fear in her voice as he turned to face them.

"Someone took her." He whispered brokenly. "Someone took my baby girl."

Ivy fell to her knees next to Dimitri as she let out a heartbreaking sob. "Evie's gone?" Dimitri whispered in a hoarse voice.

Alexander knelt in front of Dimitri and Ivy. "We will find her and get her back. I promise."

They sat huddled together on the floor of Evangeline's room for a few minutes before Alexander stood up. "Time to wake up the house and start a war." He said before leaving the room.

First, he called his brother, Viktor. Once Viktor was in his office with him they woke up the entire mafia and called a meeting. Alexander stood in front of everyone with Ivy and Dimitri at his side. "I apologize for the middle of the night wake-up call but something has happened."

"What is it?" Viktor asked from his spot against a wall close by.

Alexander exhaled roughly. "Someone has stolen Evangeline from us." He spoke loud enough for everyone to hear him.

Everyone stood there in shock and horror. Everyone in the entire mafia family loved Evangeline. She was their sunlight. Especially for those who hadn't found their saving angels yet. She brought joy and happiness to everyone. Her being taken was a personal blow to every single person that was standing in that room with him.

"We need to start looking for her. We need to find her." Alexander said. "I know this is hard for everyone. Evangeline brought joy and light to all of us, even in our darkest moments. We all need to stay focused though. We need to keep our heads on straight so that we can find her." He shook his head. "Whoever took her will pay in blood for this. So let's get to work."

Alexander and his family spent the next eight years trying to find her. They finally caught a break and got close. When they finally got to the house that she was being kept at though she was already gone. Some signs showed that she had been there before but had been moved in a rush.

It was heartbreaking for everyone but they kept searching. Of course, they had their everyday responsibilities but they were always searching for her. They never stopped. They would never stop until they found her. Whether it was dead or alive. They would find her. They just hoped that they would find her alive.

Evangeline ground her teeth together as the whip hit her back again. After the first couple of times being in the torture chamber, she refused to make a sound when she was in there. It only gave the men more pleasure when she made noise. "Do you know why you're in here this time Evangeline?" The camp's commander asked as he stood in front of her.

All she did was glare at him. She knew exactly why she was there. She had snuck into the commander's office again. Only this time she had gotten caught.

So now she was being tortured. He shrugged. "Give her some more boys. About twenty more strokes should do and then toss her into the medical bay. We need her out on a mission tomorrow."

The soldier holding the whip gave the commander a single nod before continuing. He whipped Ivy twenty more times before dropping her off in the medical bay. "She needs to be ready to go out on a mission tomorrow." He said to the doctor.

"Not a problem." The doctor said, getting to work on the mess that turned Ivy's back into.

The next day she was sent out on a mission. She didn't go on the mission though. She used it as a means to escape the camp. She had felt herself losing a bit more of her humanity every day. She didn't want that to happen so she knew that she had to escape. She made a plan to use her next mission to escape and that's what she did.

Evangeline had flown to Poland after leaving for her mission. It was the closest place that she could think of at the time. She had to try to find a way to Scotland now. She had a friend there that was going to help her hide until she was ready to burn the camps down. He was the person that she was going to use for weapons. Despite her being out of the camp she still loved weapons. That and she knew that she had to be prepared for anything. She never knew what Nikolai would throw her way once he found out from the commander that she had escaped.

She wasn't expecting to run into Luca though. He was the brother of the leader of the most powerful Italian mafia leader. He brought her home with him and took care of her. Even though assassins and a Russian mafia could come after her at any time.

Luca never thought that he would find a tiny woman completely covered in weapons when he went to Poland for a conference. Despite her being covered in weapons he could tell that she needed help. He didn't know what kind of help she needed but he knew she needed it all the same. She was cautious and defensive. She didn't let her guard down until she got to know him and his wife. It was an easy decision for him. Sure she seemed like she was dangerous but he wasn't going to let that stop him from helping her.

So he brought her to his home. His wife wasn't very happy about it at first but she gave him a chance to explain. He followed her to their room and spoke with her. "I'm sorry my love. I didn't have time to talk to you about this first." He said quietly.

"Where did you even find her?" Aurora demanded. "She is covered with weapons from the neck down!" She exclaimed as she sat down on their bed.

He sighed as he sat down next to her. "I found her in Poland. Outside of a restaurant that I was at to grab a quick bite to eat." He explained.

"What made you bring her home?" She questioned as she grabbed his hand in hers.

"Aurora, she needs help." He said softly as he looked at their intertwined fingers.

She scoffed. "It doesn't look like she needs help." She mumbled.

"Not that kind of help." He stood up and started pacing. "When I looked into her eyes I could see the torment that she was feeling. You can still see it if you look into her eyes. It wasn't until we were on the plane that I knew for sure though."

Aurora looked at him with furrowed eyebrows. "What do you mean?" She asked in confusion as she looked up at him.

He ran a hand through his short hair. "She has scars all over her arms. I don't think they're self-inflicted so that can only mean one thing." He said as he stopped in front of her with a creased forehead.

"She was tortured," Aurora said softly in realization.

Luca nodded. "Yeah. Not only that but she was also very cautious and defensive."

Aurora sighed with a nod. "Alright. We'll help her."

They went back into the living room to find Evangeline standing by the door while looking out of the window. "Is everything okay?" Aurora asked quietly.

Evangeline spun around as she reached for her sai blades.

Luca moved to stand in front of Aurora with his hands held up in front of him. "It's alright. You're safe here." He said softly. "No one is going to hurt you here."

He watched as she relaxed just enough to take her hands away from her weapons. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

"Are you hungry?" Aurora asked softly. "I could make you something to eat."

Evangeline bit her lip as she looked around the room. "Okay." She whispered.

Luca could tell that she was uncertain but she was trying. He knew that it was going to be a long time before she truly trusted them fully but at least she was willing to try. Though he could tell that she hadn't trusted anyone in a long time.