Chapter 4: His property

Kian’s face hardened as he regarded the newcomer, his eyes narrowing with barely concealed hostility. “Viktor,” he greeted, his tone clipped. “I wasn’t expecting you here tonight.”

The man named Viktor let out a low chuckle, the sound sending a shiver down my spine. “Surely you didn’t think you could keep your little… soirée hidden from me, did you?” His gaze drifted towards me, and I felt a wave of unease wash over me. “And who is this lovely creature?”

Before Kian could respond, Viktor stepped forward, closing the distance between us in a few strides. I shrank back instinctively, my heart hammering in my chest as he reached out and grasped my chin, tilting my face towards his. His touch was rough, calloused, and I fought the urge to recoil.

“Such beauty,” he murmured, his eyes raking over my features with a hunger that made my skin crawl. “I can see why you coveted her, Kian.”

Kian bristled, his jaw clenched tightly. “She belongs to me, Viktor,” he growled, his tone laced with warning. “I won’t have you interfering.”

Viktor’s eyes flashed with amusement, and he released his grip on my chin, turning his attention back to Kian. “Come now, old friend,” he purred, his voice laced with mock sincerity. “Surely you can spare a few moments of your pet’s time for me.”

Kian’s hands balled into fists at his sides, and for a moment, I thought he might strike Viktor then and there. The tension in the air was thick and suffocating, as the two men stared each other down.

 

Kian exhaled a slow breath, his shoulders slumping ever so slightly. “Do I need to remind  you about what happens when someone touches my property?” 

My property.

I felt sick to my stomach at being seen as an object to claim. One moment, I was a college student whose cheating billionaire boyfriend dumped, the next, I’m some ‘property’ to a man I barely knew.

Viktor’s lips curled into a sinister smile, his eyes glinting with a dangerous light. “You wound me, Kian,” he drawled, feigning hurt. “I would never dream of laying a hand on your precious cargo without your permission.”

His gaze drifted back to me, and I fought the urge to shrink away from his predatory stare. “Though I must admit, the temptation is… enticing.”

Kian stepped forward, his body tense and poised for a confrontation. “You’d do well to remember your place, Viktor,” he snarled, his voice dripping with menace. “This is my operation, my territory. You’re only here because I allow it.”

Viktor threw back his head and laughed, the sound grating and hollow. “Is that so?” he sneered, his eyes blazing with defiance. “Need I remind you who it was that pulled you out of the gutter, Kian? Who gave you the means and the connections to build this little empire of yours?”

Kian’s jaw clenched, but he remained silent, his gaze smouldering with barely contained fury.

“That’s what I thought,” Viktor continued, his tone dripping with smug satisfaction. “You may be the prince of this palace, but never forget that I am the king.”

The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife, the weight of their words hanging heavy between them. I felt like a mere spectator, caught in the crossfire of a power struggle that I couldn’t begin to comprehend.

Suddenly, Viktor’s attention snapped back to me, his eyes raking over my form with a hunger that made my skin crawl. “Tell me, Kian,” he purred, his voice silky smooth. “Have you had the pleasure of sampling your new acquisition yet?”

Kian’s expression darkened, and his jaw clenched so tightly that I feared he might crack a tooth. “That’s none of your concern,” he growled, his voice low and dangerous.

Viktor clicked his tongue, shaking his head in mock disappointment. “Such a waste,” he sighed, his gaze lingering on me in a way that made me want to shrink away. “Perhaps you’d be willing to share, just this once?”

Before Kian could respond, Viktor stepped forward, closing the distance between us with a predatory grace that sent shivers down my spine. His hand snaked out, calloused fingers trailing along my jawline in a mockery of a caress.

I flinched at his touch, bile rising in my throat as his fingers traced the curve of my neck, lingering at the hollow of my throat. “Such exquisite beauty,” he murmured, his breath hot against my skin. “It would be a shame to keep it all to yourself.”

In that moment, something snapped within me – a primal instinct for survival that had been lying dormant, biding its time. With a surge of adrenaline, I wrenched myself away from Viktor’s grasp, my hand lashing out in a desperate attempt to create distance.

The sound of flesh striking flesh echoed through the alcove, and Viktor stumbled back, his hand clapped to his cheek as a look of shock flitted across his features. For a heartbeat, time seemed to freeze, the weight of my actions hanging in the air like a tangible thing.

Then, Viktor’s expression contorted into a mask of fury, his eyes flashing with a dangerous light. “You insolent little bitch,” he snarled, his voice laced with venom.

Before I could react, his hand whipped out, backhanding me across the face with brutal force. I cried out in pain, stumbling backwards as stars exploded behind my eyes. The metallic taste of blood flooded my mouth, and I felt a searing ache blossom along my cheekbone.

Kian angrily rushed towards the man and aggressively grabbed him by the neck, shoving him against the wall. “I said that’s enough!” he growled in a low, menacing tone.

The room went silent, and we became the center of attention as all eyes turned toward the commotion. Kian’s grip tightened around Viktor’s throat, his face contorted with rage.

“You’ve crossed a line, Viktor,” Kian snarled, his voice laced with venom. “This is the last time you’ll lay a hand on what’s mine.”

Viktor’s hands clawed futilely at Kian’s iron grip, his face turning an alarming shade of purple as he struggled to draw breath. For a moment, I thought Kian might actually choke the life out of him right then and there.

But just as Viktor’s eyes began to bulge, Kian released his hold, allowing the other man to crumple to the floor in a wheezing heap. Viktor clutched at his throat, drawing in ragged gasps of air as he glared up at Kian with undisguised hatred.

“This isn’t over, Kian,” he rasped, his voice little more than a hoarse whisper. “Mark my words, you’ll pay for this.”

Kian’s lips curled into a humorless smile. “I’d like to see you try,” he taunted, his tone dripping with disdain. “Now get out of my sight before I change my mind about letting you live.”

For a tense moment, it seemed as though Viktor might defy Kian’s command. But then, with a final withering glare, he hauled himself to his feet and stalked away, disappearing into the throngs of partygoers.

Kian turned to me then, his expression softening ever so slightly as he took in my disheveled appearance. Without a word, he reached out and gently brushed his thumb over the split in my lip, his touch surprisingly tender.

“Are you alright?” he murmured, his eyes searching mine with an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine.

I could only nod mutely, my heart still pounding in my ears from the confrontation. Kian’s brow furrowed, and he cupped my cheek with his hand, his thumb tracing the burgeoning bruise left by Viktor’s blow.

“I won’t let him touch you again,” he vowed, his voice low and serious. “You’re mine, Isadora. And I protect what’s mine.”

His words should have filled me with revulsion, a reminder of the twisted dynamic that had brought me into his possession. But instead, I found myself leaning into his touch, craving the security and protection he offered – no matter how warped the circumstances.

Kian must have sensed my acquiescence, for his lips quirked into a faint smile. “Come,” he said, taking my hand in his. “It’s time we left this place.”

He led me through the maze of corridors, his strides long and purposeful as we left the chaos of the ballroom behind. I followed in a daze, my mind still reeling from the events of the evening.

Finally, we reached a set of ornate double doors, which Kian pushed open with a flourish. We stepped into a bedchamber, the air thick with the scent of expensive cologne and the faintest hint of smoke.

Kian released my hand and moved to pour himself a glass of amber liquid from a crystal decanter. He downed the drink in one smooth motion, his throat working as he swallowed.

“Viktor has been a thorn in my side for far too long,” he said, breaking the silence that had settled over us. “He fancies himself the puppet master, pulling the strings from the shadows.”

He turned to face me, his expression grave. “But he forgets that I’m the one who built this empire from the ground up. Without me, he would be nothing.”

I opened my mouth to respond, but Kian held up a hand, effectively silencing me. “No, let me finish,” he said, his tone brooking no argument. “Viktor has designs on expanding his reach, consolidating power under his control. And he sees you as a valuable asset – a bargaining chip to use against me.”

My blood ran cold at his words, the gravity of my situation sinking in. I was nothing more than a pawn in a twisted game of power and manipulation, caught in the crosshairs of two ruthless men.

“But he underestimates the lengths I’m willing to go to protect what’s mine,” Kian continued, his gaze boring into me with an intensity that made my breath catch in my throat. “You belong to me now, Isadora. And I won’t let anyone take you from me – not Viktor, not anyone.”

He closed the distance between us, his body mere inches from mine. I could feel the heat radiating off him, the scent of expensive cologne and the faint tang of sweat surrounding me like a heady veil.

“Do you understand?” he murmured, his voice a low, dangerous purr. “You’re mine, and I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”

I could only nod mutely, my heart pounding in my chest as a strange mix of fear and exhilaration coursed through me. In that moment, I realized that my fate was inextricably tied to Kian’s – for better or worse, I was trapped in this gilded cage, at the mercy of a man whose motives were as opaque as they were dangerous.

Kian’s hand reached out, his fingers grazing the curve of my jaw in a deceptively gentle caress. “Good,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “Then we have an understanding.”

Before I could react, his lips crashed against mine in a searing kiss that left me breathless and disoriented. His touch was possessive, demanding, as if he were staking his claim on me in the most primal way possible.

I should have recoiled, should have fought against his advances with every fiber of my being. But something within me craved the security he offered, the promise of protection from the dangers that lurked beyond these walls.

So instead of pushing him away, I found myself responding to his kiss, my lips parting beneath the onslaught of his desire. Kian growled low in his throat, a sound of approval that sent anticipation surging through me.

His hands roamed over my body, rough and insistent, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. I surrendered to his touch, my senses overwhelmed by the heady mix of fear and desire that threatened to consume me.

As Kian’s lips trailed along the curve of my neck, his teeth nipping at the sensitive flesh, I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of twisted bargain I had struck. Had I traded one form of captivity for another, exchanging the horrors of the auction for the gilded cage that Kian offered?