5. My Savior

Madison

Victor doesn’t say a word while I tell him about Gustaf and the chat that I found on his phone. He just stares at me with his intense, calculating gaze. It’s impossible to know what he is thinking, and I swallow thickly.

Does he even think my situation is serious?

I try to gauge his reaction, but his expression gives nothing away. It’s as if he is lost in his own thoughts, but then I see his jaw thick, and I know he is listening.

I continue talking, finishing my story before taking a deep breath. Victor is stroking his chin between his thumb and forefinger, his piercing blue eyes as intense as ever.

Then in a calm tone, he asks. “So your ex-boyfriend spread your nudes all over the internet?”

For some reason, I shiver. Victor is calm, but there is no denying the murderous glare on his face. Is he angry at me or at Gustaf? I can’t tell, and it frightens me. I don’t remember Victor ever being violent, but he is a grown man now, and all his muscles are tense.

I nervously lick my lips. “Not just nudes, Victor. Videos of us having sex. Where people can see all my embarrassing parts and...comment whatever they want.”

“I see...” a ghost of a smile fleets over his lips. “And where can I find these videos? Do you have a link?”

All fear leaves out the window, and I gasp. “Victor!” Is he seriously trying to seize the moment to get a chance at seeing me naked?!

Victor’s lips twitch in amusement at my reaction, and his dimples are flirting with me as he smiles. “What?”

I glare at him. He is much too good-looking for someone like me, wealthy too, so I doubt he wanted to snatch the chance at seeing me naked.

I sigh. “Nothing...”

He chuckles. “I’m not a pervert if that’s what you’re thinking. I wouldn’t want to see someone I consider my sister naked. I simply need to know where these videos and images are so I can take care of them.” A small smile teases his lips.

Take care of it? What the hell does that mean?

“What are you talking about?” I ask.

Victor leans forward, his eyes still locked on mine. “I’m talking about getting those videos taken down, of course. No one should have their privacy violated like that.”

I feel a wave of relief washes over me. “Oh, right. Sorry, I thought you meant something else.”

Victor raises an eyebrow. “What else could I mean?”

I fidget nervously. “I don’t know...”

Victor chuckles. “Anyway, I have ways to get things done, so maybe I can help.”

I shake my head. “No, you shouldn’t get involved. This is my mess, I should be the one dealing with this.”

Victor stares at me intently. He almost looks angry. “Look, I understand that you want to handle this on your own,” Victor says firmly. “But you don’t have to. You don’t have to go through this alone. I’m offering to help because I care about you.”

I feel a lump form in my throat, moved by Victor’s words. He cares about me?

“But what can you possibly do? Go to Gustaf’s house and beat him up?” I ask.

Humor lights up in his eyes. “If you think he deserves it, sure, why not?”

I can’t help but laugh at his response. “No, I don’t think violence is the answer.”

“We agree to disagree,” he says grimly.

Something in his voice shows me that he might not be joking, but I decide not to dwell on it. “Now, back to those videos. I really want to help you sort this out.”

I give him a small smile. “Thanks, Victor. I appreciate it.”

“Of course,” he says. “Now, let’s get to work. Do you have any information on where these videos are posted?”

I nod and pull out my phone. “I have a list of sites that they were uploaded to. I’ve been trying to get them taken down, but it’s been difficult.”

Victor takes the phone from me and begins scrolling through the list. “Hmm...first thing first. I have these taken down, and then...”

“Then what?” I ask curiously.

“Nothing. Don’t worry about it, Maddie,” Victor says.

I give him a suspicious look. “What do you mean, ‘nothing’? What are you planning?”

Victor raises an eyebrow. “Just trust me, Maddie. I will take care of it.”

I hesitate for a moment but ultimately decide to trust him. “Okay, fine. But I want to know what you’re planning eventually.”

Victor grins. “Fair enough.”

We sit in silence for a moment. It’s one of those comfortable silence where you don’t feel the need to fill the space with meaningless chatter. I can feel his eyes on me, but I don’t turn to look at him.

Victor yawns. “Anyway, it’s getting late, so I’m going to hit the shower. Try not to burn the place down again while I’m gone.”

“Ha, ha.” I roll my eyes.

Victor stands up from the couch and stretches his arms. His biceps are thicker than my thighs. “But seriously. You don’t need to go through things alone. Next time come to me when things like that happen.”

I nod, feeling a bit more reassured now that Victor is on my side. “Thanks, Victor. I really appreciate your help.”

“Anytime, Maddie,” he says with a smile before heading toward the bathroom.

I’m left alone in the living room again, and I can’t help but wonder what Victor has planned. He has always been a bit mysterious, and I can’t shake the feeling that there’s more to him than meets the eye.

But for now, I push those thoughts to the back of my mind and focus on the fact that Victor Giovanni, my old childhood crush, is now in the shower right next door. Naked.

Holy shit. I wonder what he looks like underneath his suit. His muscles are larger now. Chin more proud and those eyes? Holy Maria, for all that is good, he is hot!

But entirely out of my league.

I shake my head. I need to stop thinking about Victor. What the hell is wrong with me for imagining him naked!? Bad Maddie! I slap myself to make sure that I’m properly punished for these inappropriate thoughts.

No, no, no. This is not the time or place for this. I need to focus on removing those videos, not on Victor’s naked body. I just got out of a terrible relationship with Gustaf, so the last thing I need is to think about another man.

Besides, Victor will never be interested in someone like me. I’m Stanley’s baby sister, and that’s how he looks at me, I’m sure of it.

As I sit and scroll through my phone, I hear the shower running.

I turn the TV on, hoping it will distract me, but the sound of the running water is making it difficult to concentrate. I can’t help but wonder what Victor looks like.

His body is all wet, drenched in soapy water.

No, Mads. Stop it! I groan out loud and smack a throw pillow against my face. Has my brain always been this stupidly shameless?

I go back to the TV, but nothing seems interesting enough to watch, so I try looking at my phone again. But then, I watch my screen go black.

Dammit! Did my phone just die?

I look around for my chargers, but it’s nowhere to be found. But then I remembered where it was and realized that I had left it in the bathroom.

I tiptoe toward the bathroom and pause in front of the door, and smirk as I hear him humming in the shower.

Hmm... I didn’t take him for a Bruno Mars fan.

I hesitate for a moment, then knock.

“Victor? How much longer are you going to be in the shower? I need my charger!” I say, but he doesn’t answer. “Victor!” I whine.

Still no response from Victor.

Fuck it, I will just go in and grab it really fast.

I take a deep breath, turn the doorknob, and push the door open slowly. The steam from the shower rushes out, clouding my vision. I squint and make my way to the counter, where I remember leaving my charger.

But then, as I reach for it, I catch a glimpse of Victor through the foggy shower curtain. My heart skips a beat as I take in the sight of him.

His broad shoulders, muscular arms, and toned abs glisten under the water. He is using both his hands to wash his face while facing the stream, and my eyes land on a bulbous man’s butt that definitely took dedication at the gym.

I just want to go down on my knees and bite it!

No, bad, Madison!

I quickly avert my gaze and grab my charger. And now to make my escape...

I turn around to leave the bathroom. I can see the exit right in front of me, and I almost make it out.

Almost.

My foot catches on the edge of the rug in front of the door, and I lose my balance. I try to grab onto something, anything, but I end up falling face-first onto the hallway.

“Ow!” I cry out, clutching my arm.

“MADDIE!”

I hear Victor shout, and it’s then followed by a rustling noise behind the curtain. He must be on his way to my rescue.

This is so fucking embarrassing.

“FUCK!” I hear my savior shout again, and then the sound of a gunshot echoes through the bathroom. I look inside the bathroom and see a huge hole in the ceiling with debris flying everywhere.

“What the hell, Victor?!” I yell out in shock.

There’s no answer from Victor for a moment, and I start to panic. Did he hurt himself? But then he bursts out of the shower curtain, fully naked, with a gun in his hand.

“Uhh...I think I ruined Stanley’s apartment even more. There is a hole in the wall, but the good thing is that he always complained he barely saw his neighbors. Now he will get the chance to see them every time he showers.”