Chapter 18: Chapter Eighteen.

The moonlight bathed the quiet street as Xena and Leonardo stopped in front of her house. She smiled warmly at him, genuinely thankful for his company. 

"Well, thank you so much for guarding me home. I really appreciate it." she said, her voice light and sincere as she turned toward the porch. 

"Wait." Leonardo blurted, reaching out to grab her hand but immediately pulling back as if it burned him. His face flushed, and he nervously scratched the back of his head. 

Xena raised an eyebrow, confused by his sudden behavior. "Yes?" 

He stammered, his hazel eyes darting everywhere but her face. "Um... d-do... a-are you busy on Saturday?" 

Xena tilted her head, a small smile tugging at her lips. "You know I’m always busy, Leonardo." 

"Oh, y-yeah. Right. Ha ha." He let out a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of his neck like it was a reflex. 

Her smile faded slightly as concern crept into her tone. "Is there something wrong?" 

"No, no, no." he said quickly, shaking his head. "It’s just... there’s this movie that just came out, and I was wondering if you’d like to go. Just me and you—I mean, me, you, and some friends," he added hastily, his words tumbling over each other. 

Xena blinked, caught off guard by his awkwardness. "Oh, that sounds like fun. But, I’m sorry, Leo. My schedule is pretty tight this week. Maybe another time?" 

"Sure, sure. No problem." he said quickly, his voice forced into a cheerful tone. "Ha ha. Well, goodnight, Xena." 

He spun on his heel and walked away before she could say another word. His shoulders slumped noticeably, and for a moment, Xena just stood there, watching him retreat into the night. 

"What’s wrong with him?" she murmured, frowning slightly. Shaking off the thought, she turned to her porch and rang the doorbell. 

The door swung open almost immediately, and Diego, her younger brother, grinned widely. 

"You’re finally back!" he exclaimed. 

Xena smiled at his enthusiasm, stepping inside and letting the door close behind her. 

Meanwhile, Leonardo had stopped a block away from Xena’s house. He glanced back over his shoulder, his face a mix of frustration and sadness. 

"Stupid, stupid." he muttered, smacking his forehead with his palm. "Ugh, she’ll never love me." 

He groaned, raking his fingers through his hair in exasperation, before letting out a heavy sigh. With one last look at her house, he turned and trudged away into the night. 

But neither Xena nor Leonardo noticed the figure lurking in the shadows, watching the house with sharp eyes.

The man from the restaurant earlier stepped out from the darkness, his face partially obscured by his coat’s collar. His gaze lingered on the warm glow emanating from Xena’s home. 

Raising his phone to his ear, he spoke quietly but firmly. "Boss, I’ve found where she lives." 

A cold, dark chuckle echoed faintly from the other end of the line. 

"Good." the voice replied, low and dangerous. 

The man stepped back into the shadows, disappearing as if he had never been there. 

Miles away, the mysterious man leaned back in his chair, the faint glow of moonlight cutting across his sharp, muscular features. His lips curled into a sinister smirk. 

"My *precious*." he whispered hoarsely, his voice dripping with possession. His fingers traced a small photo on the table before him—the same girl with fiery blue eyes who had haunted his thoughts.

♧♧♧

As Xena stepped out of the bathroom, wrapping a towel around her damp hair, her phone buzzed on the bedside table. She was about to reach for it when her Nana's voice startled her. 

"That was one young, fine gentleman." Nana teased from the doorway, her tone playful and full of amusement. 

Xena gasped, spinning around to face her. "Nana! You scared me!" she exclaimed, pressing a hand to her chest as her heartbeat calmed. 

Nana merely smiled, clearly enjoying her reaction. "You didn’t answer me, *flower*" she said, raising an eyebrow. 

Xena rolled her eyes, already anticipating where this conversation was headed. "Nana, it’s not what you think. That’s Leonardo—remember him?" 

"Who could forget?" Nana said with a knowing smile. "The gentle guy who helped you tirelessly in the restaurant for a week without asking for a penny. Or the one who followed you like a puppy all day. Or better yet, the one who came all the way here looking for you, only for me to tell him you’d traveled—and the poor boy looked so heartbroken." 

Xena couldn’t help but laugh at her Nana’s dramatic retelling. "Nana, you’re impossible." she said, shaking her head. 

"Impossible? Me? I’m just saying the truth, flower." Nana teased, her smile widening. 

"Leonardo is just a friend." Xena emphasized, crossing her arms in mock indignation. "There’s nothing going on between us. And what’s with you always trying to set me up? Huh?" 

Nana’s playful expression softened, her eyes holding a hint of sadness. She reached out, gently holding Xena’s cheek.

"I just want to see my great-grandchildren before I pass away." she said, her voice tinged with wistfulness. 

Xena’s eyes widened in shock. "Nana! What are you even saying?" she asked, her voice edged with anxiety. 

Her grandmother chuckled, patting her cheek reassuringly.

"I’m teasing, my silly girl." she said. "But honestly, that Leonardo doesn’t look like someone who’s satisfied with just being friends." 

Here we go again, Xena thought with a groan. "Nana, not every guy you see around me has feelings for me. Leonardo and I are close friends—nothing more, nothing less. He’s just being a good friend." 

Nana chuckled knowingly, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

"*What elders can see is often difficult for youngsters to understand.*" she said in Italian, her tone cryptic. 

Xena frowned, her brow furrowing. "Huh? What’s that supposed to mean?" 

Nana didn’t answer, instead standing up from the edge of the bed. "Nothing, my flower. Have a good rest, okay?" she said with a sly smile. 

As she reached the doorway, she paused and glanced back. "Oh, and Leonardo’s right—you should see that movie with him. You have a day off on Saturday, after all." 

Before Xena could protest, Nana was gone, leaving her standing there, speechless. 

Xena sighed, sitting down on her bed and staring at the closed door.

"What is wrong with everyone and everything recently?" she muttered to herself. She flopped backward onto the mattress, her mind whirling with thoughts. 

She loved her Nana dearly, but sometimes her meddling—and her cryptic wisdom—made Xena’s head spin.

Just as Xena tried to settle her thoughts after Nana’s teasing, her phone buzzed again. She glanced over, and her lips stretched into a smile when she saw the notification—it was from Elena. 

Without hesitation, she unlocked her phone and opened the message.

Elena had written to let Xena know that she had landed safely in Paris. Relief washed over her as she immediately tapped the video call button. 

It only rang twice before Elena's face appeared on the screen. 

"Oh my God! You’re safe. I was so worried." Xena exclaimed, her voice bubbling with relief. 

But her smile quickly faded when she noticed Elena’s expression. Her best friend’s eyes were red, her face pale, and she looked utterly distraught. 

"Elena? Are you okay? You look... disturbed. What’s wrong?" Xena asked, leaning closer to the screen, concern etching her face. 

Suddenly, Elena broke into tears, her sobs racking her body as she tried to speak. "I’m so sorry, Xena. I’m so sorry." she pleaded, her voice trembling. 

Xena’s heart clenched. "Oh my God, Elena. Why are you crying? And how many times do I have to tell you—it’s fine. Whatever it is, it’s okay." Xena said, her tone soft but filled with worry. 

Through her tears, Elena shook her head. "No, Xena, it’s not fine. I don’t want him to take you. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry." she blurted out, her voice cracking. 

Xena froze, her mind racing. Take me? What is she talking about? She swallowed hard, forcing herself to stay calm. "Elena, listen to me. You need to calm down, okay? Take a deep breath." she urged. 

Elena hiccupped, trying to steady her breathing as she wiped at her tears. 

"Good. Now, I’m fine, okay? And I’m so, so glad you’re safe too. Whatever happened before—it’s in the past. It’s over. We’re both safe, and that’s all that matters now. Please, stop crying." Xena said soothingly. 

Elena nodded, though her fear lingered. "Xena, please promise me you’ll be careful. I don’t know why, but something doesn’t feel right. Please, stay safe." Elena said, her voice trembling. 

Xena’s heart ached for her friend, but she forced a reassuring smile. "I promise, Elena. I’ll be careful. Now, you need to rest. You’ve had a long journey. We can talk more tomorrow, okay?" 

Elena hesitated but finally nodded. "I love you, Xena." she said, her voice filled with emotion. 

"I love you too, Elena." Xena replied softly, and the call ended. 

Xena stared at her phone, her mind swirling with questions.

What could have made Elena so anxious? Why did she say she didn’t want him to take me?

The words echoed in her mind, her unease growing by the second. 

She shook her head, trying to push the thoughts away. "I need to sleep." she muttered, rubbing her temples. "My head hurts." 

Sliding under the covers, she stared at the ceiling, willing herself to relax. But as she lay there, her mind wandered to Viktor—the man she prayed she’d never see again. 

A shiver ran down her spine at the mere thought of him.

God, please don’t let him find me she thought before closing her eyes, desperately hoping for a dreamless sleep.