Chapter 53: Chapter Fifty Three.

"I... I..." Xena's voice trembled as she looked around, her pulse racing with panic. 

Adrian frowned, his brows knitting together. "Are you okay?" His voice held a trace of concern now, his eyes scanning her face for answers. 

"Yes... I'm fine," she breathed out, though the fear in her voice betrayed her words. 

Adrian wasn't convinced. "Are you sure? You look scared." He reached up, his fingers about to brush her cheek in comfort. 

Xena's heart pounded. Her instincts screamed at her to act fast, to take this chance before it slipped away. 

She grabbed his hand suddenly, holding it tightly as she met his eyes. "Adrian... I need—" 

"XENA!" 

The sharp, furious voice tore through the air like a gunshot. 

Xena gasped, her blood running cold as she snapped her head up. 

Viktor. 

He was storming toward them, his face thunderous with rage, his movements predatory. 

Adrian barely had a chance to turn before Viktor’s fist collided with his face in a brutal punch. 

A sickening crack echoed through the air as Adrian was sent crashing to the ground, his nose instantly gushing blood. 

"Ah! Adrian!" Xena cried out, moving to help him, but before she could take a step, Viktor grabbed her wrist in an iron grip, yanking her back against his chest. 

Her head spun, her heart hammering. "What is wrong with you?!" she screamed at him, struggling in his hold. People around them were starting to stare, whispers rippling through the crowd. 

Viktor ignored them all. His grip on her tightened as he leaned in, his lips brushing against her ear, his voice low and deadly. 

"You’re lucky I didn’t put a bullet in his skull," he murmured darkly. 

Xena's breath hitched. The raw possessiveness in his tone sent chills down her spine. 

He didn't give her a chance to respond. With a firm tug, he started dragging her away. 

"X-Xena!" Adrian called after her, his voice weak, filled with confusion and pain. 

Viktor's entire body tensed, his jaw locking as if barely restraining himself from turning back and finishing what he started. 

They reached his car within seconds. Viktor yanked the door open and shoved her inside, slamming it shut before she could protest. 

Xena barely had time to catch her breath before he slid into the driver’s seat, his hands gripping the wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white. 

The engine roared to life, and without a word, he sped off. 

A tense, suffocating silence filled the car. 

Then, his voice cut through the air like a blade. 

"Who was he?" 

It wasn’t a question. It was a demand, laced with barely contained fury. 

Xena turned to glare at him. "It’s none of your business! You don’t just go around—" 

"Start talking," he interrupted coldly, his voice a dangerous growl. "Or I won’t promise you his safety." 

Xena’s stomach dropped. Fear crept up her spine as she turned fully to face him, her eyes wide. "You wouldn’t," she whispered, though deep down, she knew better. Viktor never made empty threats. 

His grip on the wheel tightened further, the muscles in his jaw flexing. "Try me." 

Xena swallowed hard. She had no choice. 

"Adrian is just a friend from university... back in Italy," she said, frustration creeping into her tone. "We are just friends." 

Viktor let out a slow, sharp breath through his nose, his eyes locked on the road. 

"Well, I don’t like how touchy he was," he muttered, his voice low, dangerous. "I don’t like men touching you. I don’t like them smiling at you." His grip on the wheel flexed as if he were imagining crushing something beneath his hands. "Just like that fucker back at the mall..." 

Xena froze, her pulse stuttering as his voice deepened into something terrifyingly possessive. 

"You belong to me, Xena," he murmured, his tone dark and final. "Just me. No one else." 

A shiver ran down her spine. 

This wasn’t just obsession. 

It was dangerous.

——

As soon as they arrived at the mansion, Viktor shoved the car door open and stepped out, his entire body radiating restrained fury.

Xena barely had time to steady herself before he yanked open her side of the door, gripping her wrist in an iron hold.

"Viktor—!" She gasped as he dragged her out with such force she nearly stumbled.

She didn’t even get the chance to close the door before he started pulling her toward the mansion.

"Let me go!" she protested, trying to wrench her arm free, but his grip only tightened, making her wince.

"Ouch! Ugh! You're hurting me!" she hissed, her feet struggling to keep up with his long, furious strides.

He didn't slow down.

Zoya, who had been walking past the grand entrance, stopped in her tracks as she saw Viktor storm inside, dragging Xena behind him like a prisoner. Her eyes widened in alarm, but she knew better than to interfere.

The other men in the mansion also noticed, but none of them dared to say a word. Their Don was angry—no, beyond angry.

Viktor's grip on Xena's wrist was punishing, his fingers pressing into her delicate skin so tightly that it stung.

"Viktor, please!" Xena pleaded, but he didn't even acknowledge her.

He was too consumed by the seething rage burning inside him.

He dragged her up the stairs, through the hallways, until they reached his bedroom. Without hesitation, he threw the door open, pulled her inside, and slammed it shut behind them with a force that made the walls tremble.

Xena stumbled forward, her heart hammering, rubbing her sore wrist.

Viktor remained by the door, one hand still pressed against it, his broad back rising and falling with heavy, controlled breaths.

He was trying to compose himself.

Trying to restrain the storm inside him.

But Xena could see it—the tension in his shoulders, the way his jaw clenched and unclenched, the way his fingers twitched against the wooden surface as if itching to release his fury.

She swallowed hard, taking a cautious step back.

"Viktor," she whispered, her voice hesitant. "Why are you so angry?"

At first, he didn’t respond.

Then, slowly, he turned his head, his piercing eyes locking onto hers like a predator sizing up his prey.

"You really have no idea, do you?" he murmured, his voice dangerously quiet.

Xena shivered. A part of her wanted to run, but there was nowhere to go.

And another part of her… couldn't look away.

"I told you, Adrian... was just a friend back in university—"

"Then why the fuck was he touching you?" Viktor cut her off, his voice like a blade, slicing through the tense air between them. He took a slow, deliberate step toward her.

Xena instinctively stepped back, her breath catching in her throat.

"Did you like his touch?" he pressed, his piercing gaze burning into her. "Did you like him back then?"

Her back met the cold wall, but she forced herself to stand her ground.

"W-what? No!" she snapped, her heart hammering in her chest. "I… I don’t like his touch! And I never liked him back then either!"

"Then tell me," Viktor growled, his fists clenching at his sides, "tell me you have no man in your life. Tell me you belong to no one but me."

Xena's stomach twisted at his possessive words. She glared at him, anger rising to the surface, pushing past her fear.

"I have no boyfriend," she admitted, but before she could say another word, Viktor grabbed her chin, tilting her face up to his.

"Good," he murmured, his breath fanning against her lips. "Because I am the only man for you."

Xena's eyes widened before she shoved his hand away. "No, Viktor. You are not!"

Something snapped inside him at those words. His jaw clenched, his entire body going rigid, and a dangerous glint flickered in his darkened eyes.

Xena was scared, but she refused to back down. If she didn’t speak now, she never would.

"Yes, Viktor, you are not!" she repeated, her voice shaking but firm. "I met you at a club in New York city —recruiting helpless girls to God knows who. Maybe to traffic them!"

Viktor's expression darkened, but she pushed on.

"Then you tracked me down to my hometown and kidnapped me! You took me away from my life! For God's sake, I don't even know who you are!" Her voice cracked, but she didn’t stop. "All I know is that you’re a dangerous mafia boss. I don’t know anything about you, and yet you claim I’m yours?!"

Her breathing was heavy now, her chest rising and falling rapidly, but she refused to let the tears spilling down her cheeks silence her.

"Well, I am not!" she declared, her voice laced with defiance. "You don’t own me, Viktor! I want to leave this forsaken life you forced me into and go back to my family—the only people who truly love me!"

Viktor stood there, completely still, his eyes unreadable as he listened to every word.

Xena sniffled, her entire body trembling, but she didn’t look away.

"I don’t want to be a part of your life," she whispered, her voice breaking, "or this mafia nightmare. I just… I just want to go home."

Silence stretched between them.

Then, without a word, Viktor turned on his heel, walked to the door, and pulled it open.

He stepped out.

And left.

The second the door slammed shut behind him, Xena collapsed to her knees, sobs racking her body.