Chapter Seventy Two.

Chapter Seventy Two.
His eyes glinted like steel. “Because I want to be the only one close to your heart. I want you all to myself, yes i am a selfish Bastard.”

Xena’s heart slammed against her ribs.

“And as for Marco…” he trailed off, the softness in his tone disappearing. His entire body tensed.

“When I find him…” he let out a dark chuckle—low, dangerous, promising ruin, “his generation will end.”

And before she could even blink, he lifted her effortlessly into his arms, like she weighed nothing. Her arms instinctively curled around his shoulders as he started walking, up the stairs.

“Viktor…!” she gasped, voice laced with panic and confusion.

But he didn’t stop. He didn’t even glance at her.

“Don’t worry Little Fire,” he whispered near her ear. “you are safe.”

Xena’s heart pounded against her ribcage, his grip firm and protective, almost like he feared she’d disappear if he let go for even a second.

There was a storm unraveling inside her.

Yes, she knew he had kidnapped her. That was a fact.

But… how did he still manage to fall for her at first meet?

When she met him, She was scared and their second encounter, made her leave New York.

That confession he’d made clear to her downstairs… it had made her cheeks flush.

But still

Was it possible? To see him differently? With what she heard from Zoya and Alina, how he helped, honestly she was starting to think perhaps....
To let go of the fear, the confusion — and maybe, just maybe… give him a chance?

Her eyes wandered to his face. Sharp, unreadable.

I don't even know anything about this dangerous Russian Man...

But giving him a chance meant falling headfirst into this world. This dark, deadly world.
She swallowed hard.

Viktor suddenly pushed open a tall door and stepped into a dimly lit room, the warm flicker of fire dancing across the shadows.

He lowered her gently onto the bed, careful, almost reverent, but didn’t move away.

Instead, he stayed kneeling at the edge, one hand still resting on her waist, the other bracing beside her.

His dark eyes locked onto hers. Like she was something rare. Fragile.

“You need rest,” he murmured, voice low and deep.

Xena bit her lower lip, hesitation swirling inside her.

But there was something she needed. Something more important than rest.

"Viktor..." she said softly, her voice barely a breath.
"Can I… talk to my Nana?"

His jaw tensed immediately. He straightened, rising from the bed like a shadow unraveling.

"Why?" he asked flatly, but there was an edge to it, not anger… something else. Possessiveness? Fear?

Xena exhaled. “Because she’s my only family. Her and my little brother. I haven’t spoken to them in days, they must be terrified.”

She paused, meeting his gaze. “Please.”

There was silence. His eyes studied her — unreadable, hard. Then slowly, his fingers curled into a tight fist by his side.

“Fine,” he muttered under his breath, then stepped closer again.

From his pocket, he pulled out a phone and handed it to her.
As their fingers brushed, Xena’s breath caught.

“You have five minutes,” he said, voice deep and close, barely a whisper now.

She nodded, her throat dry. “Thank you.”

But even as she reached for the phone, her hands trembled.

If she was going to talk to her Nana, really talk, she needed privacy. But with the way Viktor was still looming—dark, unreadable—Xena knew it wouldn’t be easy.

She cleared her throat softly. “C-Can I have a little privacy?”

Viktor’s eyes narrowed instantly. “No,” he replied coldly. “You have five minutes. That was the deal.”

Xena’s lips parted in disbelief. “Of course,” she muttered under her breath, eyes flicking away. Crazy man. She sighed. Fine. Two can play this game.

She dialed her Nana’s number quickly, and as it rang, she noticed Viktor crossing his arms, watching her like a hawk.

By the third ring—

“Hola?” her Nana’s voice broke through, warm and emotional.

Xena’s eyes welled up instantly, switching to Italian without hesitation. “Nana!?”

“Xena?! Tesoro mio! Sei tu?” her Nana gasped, the sound of her voice trembling. “Oh Dio... ci manchi tanto, bambina mia.”

(Xena?! My darling! Is that you?.... Oh God… we miss you so much, my little girl)

“I miss you too, Nana,” Xena whispered, heart full and breaking at once. “Come sta mio fratellino?”

( How is My little brother?)

“He is fine. Ma... stiamo morendo di paura per te.”

Viktor’s brows furrowed, his jaw tightening as he watched her speak fluently in her language he couldn’t understand. His patience was wearing thin.

But Xena ignored him. She had one shot.

“Nana...” she paused, voice low. “Mi dica solo una verità. Una sola. La prego.”

(Nana… just tell me one truth. Just one. Please.)

A silence followed, and her Nana seemed to hesitate.

Xena’s voice trembled. “I miei genitori... hanno fatto un accordo con una famiglia potente? Ero... promessa a qualcuno?”

(Did my parents… make a deal with a powerful family? Was I… promised to someone?)

The line went dead quiet.

“Nana?” she whispered. “Non è vero... vero?”

(It’s not true… right?)

A long breath, then:

“Mi dispiace, amore mio.”

(I’m sorry, my love.)

Xena froze.

“Abbiamo cercato di proteggerti. Di nasconderti... ma Viktor ti ha trovata per primo. Poi Marco ti ha vista—e tutto è andato in rovina.”

(We tried to protect you. To hide you… but Viktor found you first. Then Marco saw you—and everything fell apart.)

Click.

The call ended abruptly—maybe by Nana, or just ended by itself. But Xena just sat there, frozen.

The phone slid from her hand to the bed.

Her breath caught, shallow. Cold. So Marco wasn’t lying…?

Her body stiffened as realization slammed into her chest like a train.

They threw me into a storm… blindfolded.