Chapter 22: Chapter Twenty Two.

The night air was icy, biting at Xena's skin as she stepped out of the restaurant, waving goodbye to her colleagues. Leonardo, ever the gentleman, had insisted on walking her home.

"You really didn’t have to miss your movie night for me." Xena said softly as they began their walk, her hands stuffed into the pockets of her coat to keep warm.

Leonardo shrugged with a shy smile. “It’s no big deal. Besides, I’d rather make sure you’re safe than watch some boring movie.”

Xena chuckled lightly, but her laughter faded when the distant hum of an engine grew louder. A sleek black car pulled up beside them, its headlights cutting through the darkness.

Leonardo instinctively stepped in front of Xena, his protective stance causing her heart to clench with gratitude.

“Are you okay?” he asked, glancing back at her.

Xena nodded, though unease bubbled under her calm exterior.

Leonardo turned to the car and shouted, “Hey! Can’t you see the road? You almost hit us!”

The driver’s door opened, and Xena felt the blood drain from her face. The man stepping out was none other than Viktor.

Her heart raced in terror as Viktor stalked toward them, his tall, imposing frame cutting an intimidating silhouette in the dim streetlight. His eyes were dark, stormy, and furious, his jaw clenched tightly. Even in the cold night air, he exuded an aura of danger that made Leonardo take a cautious step back.

"H-hey… it’s you from the—" Leonardo began, but Viktor cut him off.

“Get in the car.” Viktor commanded, his voice low but filled with authority. His piercing gaze was locked on Xena, ignoring Leonardo entirely.

Leonardo frowned, stepping in front of Xena again. “Who are you? And why should she listen to you?”

Viktor’s fury deep, his jaw tightened, the muscle ticking dangerously. His fury flared at the sight of Leonardo’s protectiveness. It enraged him that Xena would allow such familiarity from another man.

“She’s mine.” Viktor growled under his breath, his hand moving to his coat.

Xena, sensing the rising tension, tugged at Leonardo’s arm. “Leonardo, let’s just go, please.” she whispered, her voice trembling.

Leonardo hesitated but eventually nodded. “Come on.” he said, guiding her away.

They had barely taken a step when the unmistakable click of a gun being cocked stopped them in their tracks.

“Ah!” Xena gasped, turning around to see Viktor pointing a gun directly at Leonardo.

“H-hey, man, what the hell—” Leonardo began, but his words were cut short as Viktor delivered a brutal punch to his jaw.

Leonardo crumpled to the ground with a groan, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

“Leonardo!” Xena cried, moving to help him, but a deafening gunshot stopped her.

The bullet struck the ground mere inches from Leonardo’s head.

“Next time, I won’t miss.” Viktor warned, his voice cold and devoid of mercy.

Xena’s eyes filled with tears as she stared at the man before her. “H-hospital...he needs help,” she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.

Viktor’s lips curled into a sinister smirk. “He’ll survive,” he said dismissively, taking a step closer to her.

Xena instinctively backed away, but Viktor hated the distance.

He closed the space between them in a heartbeat, leaning in close.

His hand brushed against her cheek, and she flinched. Viktor’s nostrils flared as he inhaled deeply, his eyes fluttering shut for a brief moment.

“You smell so divine.” he murmured, his voice softer now but no less dangerous. When he opened his eyes, they burned with a possessive intensity.

“And I hate it when other men get close enough to breathe you in.” he added, his voice dropping to a menacing growl.

Xena’s knees felt weak, her heart racing as Viktor’s words sank in.

“Get in the car.” he said, his voice sharp once again.

Xena shook her head, her tears spilling over. “Please, let me go.” she begged, her voice cracking.

Viktor’s eyes narrowed. He pointed the gun at Leonardo again, the metal gleaming under the streetlights.

“Now.” he growled, his voice like thunder. “Get in the car like a good girl, or I’ll put a bullet in this useless peasant’s skull.”

Xena’s resolve shattered. Trembling, she nodded and took a hesitant step toward the car. Viktor’s smirk returned as he opened the door for her.

“Good girl.” he murmured, his tone laced with satisfaction as she slid into the car, her tear-streaked face turned away from him.

As the door slammed shut, Leonardo struggled to lift his head, his blurry vision catching Viktor’s retreating figure.

He wanted to call out to Xena, to stop her, but the pain and the fear kept him rooted to the ground. And he did the only thing he could, he struggled to pick his phone from his pocket.

The car sped off into the night, leaving Leonardo alone on the cold pavement, the blood on his lips a bitter reminder of the danger Xena was now in.

◇◇◇

The car ride back to Xena’s place was oppressively silent. Xena sat stiffly, her fingers clenching the hem of her coat as she stared out of the window.

Her chest tightened with every passing moment, and her thoughts raced.

Viktor’s presence beside her was suffocating, his commanding aura filling the space even without words.

Finally, the car slowed to a halt outside her house. Xena’s heart sank when she spotted her Nana pacing nervously on the porch, her shawl clutched tightly around her shoulders.

The old woman’s anxiety was evident in the way she kept wringing her hands and glancing toward the street.

Xena gulped, dread settling deep in her stomach.

Why was Nana out here, especially at this hour? Was it because of her?

Viktor stepped out of the car and walked around to open the door for Xena, his movements calm and deliberate.

She hesitated for a moment before climbing out, her legs feeling like lead.

Viktor shut the door behind her with a soft click, his imposing figure framed by the dim glow of the porch light.

As Xena began to walk toward the house, she glanced nervously at her Nana. The elderly woman had stopped pacing and was now staring directly at Viktor.

Her eyes narrowed, and her expression shifted from confusion to what Xena could only describe as recognition—and fear.

“Thank you.” Xena muttered to Viktor, her voice barely above a whisper.

He nodded, his intense gaze never leaving her. She turned to leave, eager to escape his suffocating presence, but his voice stopped her cold.

“Give me a kiss.”

Xena froze mid-step, her heart hammering wildly in her chest. Slowly, she turned to face him, her eyes wide with disbelief. “W-what?” she stammered, her voice shaky.

“You heard me, little fire.” Viktor said smoothly, his lips curling into a smirk.

Xena’s throat tightened, and she instinctively took a step back, her pulse racing.

She didn’t respond, instead spinning around and rushing toward the porch where Nana stood frozen, her eyes darting between Viktor and Xena.

“Nana? W-why are you still out here?” Xena asked, her voice trembling as she fought to steady her breathing.

Nana didn’t reply immediately. Her sharp gaze was fixed on Viktor, who had taken a step closer to the house.

The moment their eyes met, Nana’s face paled, and she visibly stiffened. Her lips parted as though she wanted to say something, but no words came out.

“Nana?” Xena pressed, her concern growing.

Without a word, Nana grabbed Xena’s hand and tugged her inside the house, slamming the door shut behind them.

Viktor remained on the porch, watching the scene unfold with a calm expression, though his piercing gaze lingered on the door long after it closed.

Inside, Nana locked the door and turned to face Xena, her face etched with fear and urgency. The transformation in her normally composed demeanor made Xena’s stomach churn.

“Nana, what’s going on? Why are you so scared?” Xena asked, her voice laced with worry.

Her grandmother’s hands trembled as she placed them on Xena’s shoulders, staring her straight in the eye.

“Xena.” she began, her tone sharp and unyielding—something Xena had never heard from her before. “How do you know Viktor Sokolov?”

Xena blinked, taken aback. “Nana, how do you know him?” she asked hesitantly, her voice barely above a whisper.

“That’s not important!” Nana snapped, her voice cracking slightly. “Tell me, Xena—how do you know that man?”

Xena hesitated, her thoughts scrambling for an answer. “I... I met him in New York.” she finally admitted, her voice faltering and she told her everything.

Her grandmother gasped softly, her grip tightening on Xena’s shoulders.

“You shouldn’t have come near him. That man... He’s dangerous, Xena. You need to stay away from him.”

Xena’s chest tightened as a wave of fear washed over her. “Nana, please.” she whispered. “How do you know him?”

But Nana shook her head, her expression clouded with a mix of anger and terror.

“It doesn’t matter how I know. What matters is that you listen to me. Viktor Sokolov isn’t someone you can ignore, and he doesn’t let go once he sets his sights on something—or someone.”

Xena’s knees felt weak, and she sank onto the couch, her mind spinning. If her Nana’s reaction was any indication, Viktor was far more dangerous than she had imagined.