PUBLIC PROPERTY
766 Words
They dressed her like a trophy.
Aria stood in front of the mirror in a deep red gown that clung to every curve. Viktor’s choice. Expensive. Revealing. She barely recognized herself.
"I can't do this," she said, voice tight. "Not after everything."
Viktor stepped behind her. His hands settled on her hips, possessive. "You can and you will. Tonight the world sees you belong to me."
"I feel like a doll," she whispered. "Your doll."
His silver eyes met hers in the reflection. "Better my doll than their target. Smile tonight, princess. Or they'll eat you alive."
The gala was a glittering nightmare. Crystal chandeliers. Mafia families in designer clothes. Every smile hid knives.
Viktor kept his hand on her lower back as they entered. Heads turned. Whispers followed.
"Look at Kane parading the Frost girl," someone murmured.
Aria's stomach twisted. She lifted her chin anyway.
Sofia appeared within minutes. Blood-red lips curved into a vicious smile. "Well isn't this cute. Viktor finally brought his charity project out to play."
"Don't," Aria warned quietly.
Sofia laughed. "Everyone knows you're just his new toy. Fresh p***y to replace the last one."
The words hit like acid. Aria's face burned.
A man nearby reached out and squeezed her ass without shame. "Nice dress, sweetheart. Kane sharing yet?"
She jerked away. Viktor’s grip tightened on her waist.
"Touch her again and lose the hand," he said coldly.
But Sofia wasn’t done. She stepped closer, eyes gleaming with hate. "Stay in your place, little charity whore."
Her hand cracked across Aria’s face.
The slap echoed. Heads turned. A few people chuckled.
Aria tasted blood again. Tears stung her eyes but she refused to cry. Rage boiled under her skin.
"Why do you hate me so much?" she asked, voice shaking with anger.
Sofia leaned in. "Because he looks at you like he never looked at me. And it makes me sick."
Viktor pulled Aria against his chest. "Enough, Sofia. Walk away."
The music swelled. Viktor didn’t give Aria time to recover. He led her onto the dance floor, spinning her into his arms.
Everyone watched.
His body pressed close. Too close. One hand gripped her waist while the other held her hand tight.
"You’re shaking," he murmured against her ear.
"They all think I’m your w***e," she whispered back, voice cracking.
"You belong to me. Every inch of you." His breath was hot on her neck. "And I don’t give a f**k what they think."
Aria’s body betrayed her. Heat pooled low despite the humiliation. His possessiveness felt dangerous. Addictive.
His hand slid lower, gripping her hip. "Feel that? This is mine. They can look. They can whisper. But they can’t have you."
She shivered. "This is wrong. You’re supposed to be my guardian."
"I’m a lot of things." His lips brushed her ear. "Right now I’m the man who wants to bend you over the nearest table and remind you who you answer to."
Her breath hitched. Desire mixed with shame in a dizzying rush.
A rival don approached as the song ended. "Kane. Nice to see you marking your territory so publicly."
Viktor smiled. It didn’t reach his eyes. "Careful, Rossi. Jealousy doesn’t suit you."
The man laughed and walked away. But the message was clear. She was property now. Viktor Kane’s forbidden obsession.
Later, Viktor pulled her into a private side room. The door clicked shut. The noise of the gala faded.
Aria spun on him. "How could you make me go through that?"
"You needed to be seen," he said calmly. "Protected in public."
"Protected?" Her voice rose. "I got slapped again. Groped. Humiliated. And you just stood there half the time!"
He stepped closer. "I wanted to kill every single one of them. But that’s not how this world works."
She shoved at his chest. "I found the folder, Viktor. I know what you did."
Silence stretched between them.
His expression darkened. "You shouldn’t have looked."
"But I did." Tears finally fell. "You killed my parents. Or ordered it. And now you’re touching me like this? Kissing me? f*****g me?"
Viktor grabbed her wrists. Not hard enough to hurt, but firm. "Dig any deeper and the beast inside me will come out to play."
Aria stared up at him. Heart pounding. Body still humming from the dance floor. "What are you?"
He leaned down until their foreheads touched. His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper.
"The man who will burn the world down before he lets anyone take you from him. Even you."
She should have been terrified.
Instead, the dark thrill only grew stronger.
- Writer
