Illegally His!!??

XVI

Xavier's POV:

When we finally traced Meera's location to that abandoned warehouse, I could barely contain the rage burning inside me. Dante. Marcus's right-hand man. The moment I saw his face in that footage, I knew this wasn't just some random kidnapping—this was personal.

Marcus had been waiting for a chance to strike, and Dante, that vicious snake, was more than happy to do his dirty work.

My chest tightened with every passing second. Meera was in the hands of the Italian mafia, surrounded by men who would enjoy tearing her apart just to get to me. 

I gripped the steering wheel so hard it creaked under my fingers. Lucian was beside me, his face unreadable, but I knew he was just as tense. He had seen Dante's handiwork before. This wasn't going to be easy.

As the car sped through the dark streets, I couldn't stop the images flashing in my mind—Meera, scared and alone, Dante's hands on her. Every part of me wanted to rip him apart. My mind raced, torn between fury and fear.

How could I even let this happen?

When we finally reached the warehouse, the silence was suffocating, but I knew better. The place was crawling with Dante's men. I barely registered the chaos around us as we broke through their defenses; my entire focus was on getting to her.

And then I saw him.

Dante, with that sickening grin, unbuckled his pants, his filthy hands tangled in Meera's hair, yanking her head back. The rage I felt was beyond anything I had ever known. 

Her eyes—God, the fear in her eyes—she was terrified. I could see the tears streaking her face—the desperation. 

And that bastard was laughing, mocking her, mocking me.

I felt a cold, merciless fury take over. I was going to make him pay.

Dante saw us and didn't hesitate to raise his gun to her temple, his voice dripping with malice. "One more step, and this chick gone."

My vision tunneled. For a moment, the world around me faded, and all I saw was Meera. Her tear-filled eyes locked onto mine, pleading, terrified. For a split second, something inside me broke. But then it was gone, replaced by the icy control I had honed for years.

"LEAVE HER, DANTE, BEFORE YOU REGRET IT!" I snarled, my voice deadly calm as I took another step forward, my revolver ready.

Meera sobbed, her body shaking with fear, her eyes squeezing shut as she braced herself for the worst. Dante pulled the trigger, but I was faster.

BANG!!!

The gunshot echoed through the warehouse as Dante stumbled back, blood pouring from his arm. He cursed, staggering toward the exit, but I didn't let him out of my sight.

"LUCIAN, CATCH DANTE!" I barked. I had no doubt Lucian would take care of him, but I couldn't think about that now. Meera needed me.

I was at her side in seconds, untying her restraints and pulling her into my arms. She was trembling, her skin cold, her eyes wide with shock. I held her close, trying to calm the storm inside me.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for all of this, princess," I whispered, my voice soft now as I rubbed soothing circles on her back. She clung to me, not saying a word, and I realized just how much I needed her to be okay.

Without thinking, I lifted her into my arms, cradling her against my chest. Lucian appeared, his expression as hard as ever, though I could tell he was on high alert.

"We've cleared the area, boss. Unfortunately, Dante escaped," Lucian reported, his tone professional.

I nodded, my voice colder than ice. "Clean it up, Lucian. We're going back to the estate."

Lucian nodded and stayed behind, giving orders to our men in Russian as I carried Meera outside. Marco opened the car door without a word, and I gently placed her in the backseat before climbing in beside her.

The car sped down the empty roads, the silence heavy around us. I kept my arms wrapped around her, holding her close and stroking her back, hoping to give her some comfort.

I could feel her tension, but at least she was safe now.

Then she shifted against me. Her breathing was uneven, and before I could even process what was happening, I felt her lips against my neck. Warm, soft. I froze.

What the hell?

Her breath was hot against my skin as she kissed me again, sending a shiver through me.

Meera, what are you doing?