Chapter 30: Chapter Thirty.

After finishing her bath, Xena stepped out of the bathroom, water droplets still clinging to her skin as she clutched the soft towel around her. She walked toward the grand bed, glancing around the room. Her brows furrowed in frustration when she realized there was nothing to wear. 

“Seriously?” she muttered under her breath, biting her lip. The oversized towel wasn’t going to cut it. 

Her eyes caught sight of another door in the far corner of the room. Hesitating for a moment, she decided to investigate. As she opened it, she gasped softly, her breath hitching. 

The door led to a sprawling walk-in closet, a room almost as large as the bedroom itself. Rows of suits in dark, muted tones lined one side, and shelves stacked with polished shoes filled another. It screamed Viktor, with not a single trace of anything feminine. 

“What am I supposed to wear?” Xena mumbled, her eyes scanning the racks. She reached out and hesitated before pulling a plain black T-shirt off a hanger. 

Holding it up to herself, she sighed. “This is going to be huge on me.” But desperate times called for desperate measures. “Well, it’s better than nothing.” 

Swiftly, she slipped the shirt over her head. It hung loosely on her petite frame, the hem brushing just above her mid-thigh. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and gave a small, bitter laugh. 

“At least it’s not a towel.” she muttered. Steeling herself, she turned toward the door. 

Her plan was simple: find a way out of this mansion. She had no intention of being Viktor’s prisoner, no matter how intimidating he was. 

Approaching the large wooden door of her room, she paused with her hand on the handle. Her heart pounded as she slowly turned it, surprised to find it unlocked. Hope surged in her chest. 

But as she opened the door and stepped forward, two towering bodyguards blocked her path. 

“Please step back inside, madam.” one of the guards said firmly, his voice devoid of emotion. 

Xena blinked in shock. “What? No! I need to leave!” she protested, her voice rising in frustration. 

The guard avoided her gaze, his eyes briefly flickering to her attire—or lack thereof. His jaw tightened, and he quickly averted his gaze, clearly uncomfortable. The other guard did the same. 

“Madam, it’s the boss’s order. We can’t let you leave this room.” the first guard said, staring resolutely at the floor. 

Xena’s face twisted in anger. “His order? Are you serious? Tell your boss I want to see him. Now!” 

The guards exchanged uneasy glances but remained silent. 

“Are you kidding me?” Xena’s voice rose with frustration. She took a step forward, but the moment she moved, the guards reached for their guns. 

The sight of the weapons made her freeze in place. Her stomach churned as the reality of her situation hit her again. She was trapped. 

One of the guards motioned with his gun, silently urging her back into the room. With no other choice, Xena stepped back, her jaw clenched tightly.

The door closed with a loud thud, and the sound of the lock clicking into place made her blood boil. 

Furious, she slammed her palm against the door. “Get your boss here! Now!” she shouted, her voice echoing through the room. 

There was no reply. The silence was maddening. 

Xena turned away, her chest heaving with frustration.

“I hate this. I hate him. Why did he have to kidnap me?” she muttered, her voice breaking slightly. She paced the room for a while, the tension in her body refusing to subside. 

Her stomach growled loudly, reminding her of yet another problem.

“Great. Now I’m a prisoner and starving.” she mumbled, flopping onto the bed in defeat. 

Minutes passed, and just as Xena was beginning to think they’d forgotten her, the door creaked open.

Her head snapped up, and her breath caught in her throat as Viktor stepped inside. 

He was as imposing as ever, his piercing gaze locked onto her. The door closed softly behind him, the sound echoing like a final verdict. 

Xena sat up quickly, her anger bubbling to the surface. “What the hell is your problem?” she snapped, glaring at him. 

Viktor’s expression remained calm, but there was a flicker of amusement in his eyes. “Good evening to you too, Xena.” he said smoothly, his deep voice filling the room. 

She stood up, fists clenched at her sides. “Don’t ‘good evening’ me! I want to leave. Now.” 

He tilted his head slightly, his lips curving into a smirk. “And go where, exactly? You’re in Russia, little fire. You don’t even know where you are.” 

Xena’s jaw tightened, her frustration mounting. “I don’t care! I’m not staying here, and I’m not playing whatever twisted game this is.” 

Viktor stepped closer, his towering figure casting a shadow over her. “This is not a game, my little fire.” he said, his voice dangerously low. “And you’re not going anywhere.” 

Her eyes flashed with defiance, but deep down, fear gnawed at her resolve. She clenched her fists tighter, willing herself not to back down. 

“I’m not your prisoner.” she said through gritted teeth. 

Viktor leaned in slightly, his gaze locking with hers. “Of course you are not, you’re under my protection. And as long as you’re here, you’ll do as I say and don't raise your voice at me.” 

His words sent a shiver down her spine, but Xena refused to show it. Instead, she took a step back, glaring at him with all the fire she could muster. 

“I don't have to listen to you, you took me away from my family.” she said

Viktor straightened, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips. “Oh, I know, little fire and It’s only just begun.”

Viktor’s gaze drifted downward, landing on the oversized black T-shirt Xena was wearing—*his* T-shirt. His eyes darkened, and his jaw clenched as something primal seemed to awaken within him. 

"You look good in my clothes," he said, his voice low and commanding. 

Xena followed his gaze and suddenly felt self-conscious. The way he was looking at her—with that dark, unreadable intensity—made her heart race. She instinctively took a step back, but her movement was restricted by the bed behind her. She lost her balance and sat down abruptly. 

Viktor’s lips quirked into a smirk as he approached her, each step slow and deliberate. He stopped in front of her, towering over her seated form. Then, leaning down, he braced his hands on either side of her, caging her in. 

Xena’s breath hitched. She looked up at him, her pulse pounding in her ears.

"G-get off." she stammered, trying to sound firm, though her voice trembled slightly. 

"Feisty." Viktor remarked, his smirk deepening. "Even in a situation where most would beg for mercy, you still fight. I saw that little fire in your eyes the first day I met you." 

Xena glared at him, refusing to show the fear simmering beneath her defiance. 

"You." Viktor continued, his voice dropping to a whisper, "will be the queen of my empire." 

Her eyes widened in shock, and her hands shot up to his chest, pushing against him with all her might. "Never! Let me go! I will never, you almost kill Leonar—" 

She stopped mid-sentence as a flicker of rage darkened Viktor’s expression. His eyes turned cold, and a growl rumbled deep in his chest. 

"I don’t ever want to hear that man’s name from your pretty mouth again." Viktor snarled, his voice dangerously calm. 

Xena’s breath caught. She could see the storm brewing in his eyes, and she gulped, nodding quickly. 

“Understood?” he asked, his tone deadly quiet. 

"Y-yes." she whispered, her defiance momentarily slipping away under the weight of his presence. 

"Good girl." Viktor’s thumb brushed against her trembling lips, his touch as possessive as his gaze.

"These lips are meant for one thing only—screaming my name." he murmured with a wicked smirk. 

Xena frowned and turned her head away, but Viktor didn’t let her retreat far. 

He straightened, towering over her once more, before pulling her up with him. His strong arm wrapped around her waist, drawing her against him. 

"No man will ever see you like this again." he said, his voice filled with an unyielding possessiveness. "Your body belongs to me, Xena. It’s for my eyes only." 

Xena stiffened as she felt his other hand slide down her back, his fingers stopping just shy of her thigh.

A strange mix of fear and defiance swirled within her, and she struggled to break free. 

Finally, Viktor released her, stepping back. Xena quickly put distance between them, her breathing uneven as she stared at him with a mixture of anger and unease. 

Without a word, Viktor turned and walked to the closet. Moments later, he returned, holding a pair of sweatpants. He handed them to her, his expression unreadable. 

"Put these on. You need to eat." he said simply, stretching the pants toward her. 

"I’m not—" Xena started, only to be betrayed by the loud growl of her stomach. 

Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment, and she glanced at Viktor, who was now smirking. 

She snatched the sweatpants from his hand, clutching them to her chest. "C-can you turn around?" she asked awkwardly. 

Viktor crossed his arms over his broad chest, his smirk never fading.

"You have twenty seconds to put them on." he said, his tone teasing yet commanding, "or I’ll do it for you." 

Xena’s eyes widened in panic, and her mouth opened in disbelief. She quickly turned away, slipping the sweatpants on with fumbling hands.

Once she was dressed, she shot Viktor a glare, but he only chuckled. 

Without a word, he walked to the door and opened it wide, gesturing for her to step through. 

Xena hesitated, her instincts telling her to stay put. But the thought of finally leaving the room—and potentially finding a way out of this nightmare—pushed her forward.

She squared her shoulders and walked past Viktor, her head held high. 

As she passed him, she felt his gaze on her, heavy and unrelenting. It was as if he were silently reminding her of his control, his claim. 

"Good." Viktor said softly, more to himself than to her, as he closed the door behind them.