Unleashed

Chapter Two

The Meeting

Victor couldn't breathe.

The bond between him and Nadya pulsed between them, a force undeniable and wild, but she wasn't giving him what he wanted. Not yet. And damn, did that make it worse. The raw hunger gnawed at him, a constant ache deep in his chest. He wanted her—wanted to claim her, to mark her as his in every way possible. But she wasn't just going to fall at his feet. Not like the others.

No. Nadya wasn't like the others.

He could smell it on her—her resistance. It wasn't fear. It wasn't hesitation. It was something far more dangerous. She was making him work for it, testing him. She wasn't going to make this easy. And that made the beast inside him roar. The animal wanted to take her, to force her to submit. But there was something else in him—a flicker of something he didn't want to acknowledge—that told him she was worth the wait. Worth the fight.

Victor was willing to play her game.

He leaned against the bar, eyes never leaving her as she cleaned glasses, her movements fluid and confident. She was still so close, just within reach, but he could tell that she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of simply falling into his arms. No, Nadya was playing a game. And he didn't mind. If anything, it only made the hunt more exciting.

A part of him, the darker part, wanted to shove all the rules aside. He could take her here, now, in front of everyone. He could dominate her and make her bend to his will. But there was another side to him—the side that knew this was more than just a conquest.

The bond was fierce. The need to possess her was overwhelming, but it was more than that. It was the fact that she wasn't giving in. She wasn't begging him to take her.

And that made him crave her even more.

Victor stood still for a moment, watching her work, the way her body moved with a kind of predatory grace. Her eyes were focused, intense, and there was no sign of the weakness that so many of the other women he'd encountered had shown. No, Nadya had power, control, and she wasn't afraid to use it. She wasn't afraid to make him prove he was worthy of her.

Victor chuckled darkly to himself. She's playing a game. Fine. I'll play along.

He stepped forward, his boots heavy on the floor as he closed the distance between them. Nadya looked up at him, but she didn't say anything right away. She just studied him, her eyes narrowing, that same challenge burning in her gaze.

"You know what we are," he said, his voice a low growl. "You know what we have between us."

Her lips quirked into a half-smile, and she shrugged, as if it didn't matter. "Yeah, I do. And I'm not some easy lay, Creed. I don't fall at your feet just because you think you can take me."

The challenge in her voice was enough to make Victor's blood run hotter. She wasn't giving an inch, not even a little. But there was a flicker of something else, something deeper, that told him she was just as hungry for him as he was for her. It wasn't fear in her eyes—it was desire. She wanted him, but she wanted him to work for it.

Victor took a step closer, his body towering over hers as he placed a hand on the counter, leaning in, forcing her to look up at him. "I'm not like the others. I don't need you to fall at my feet. But you will submit, Nadya."

She didn't flinch. Instead, she leaned in closer, her breath warm against his ear. "Maybe," she whispered. "But not until you've proven you deserve me. I'm not just some prize for you to claim."

Her words cut through him like a knife, but they only made him want her more. He could feel the tension building between them, the air thick with desire, but also something else. It was a test. A challenge. And he wasn't sure how far she was willing to push him before he snapped.

Victor inhaled sharply, his jaw tightening as the beast inside him, Sabretooth, growled in frustration. The animal wanted to take her now, wanted to claim her, but Victor fought the urge. He knew this was more than just a simple conquest. It was a battle of wills. And he would win it.

He could feel the primal hunger swirling inside him, his body responding to her closeness, to the way her breath teased his skin, to the way she held her ground. It was maddening. And he loved it.

"You think you can resist me?" Victor's voice was darker now, thick with hunger. He reached for her, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers grazing her skin. His touch was electric, sending a shiver through her that he could feel. "You think you can make me wait?"

Her gaze was steady, unwavering. "Yes. I can make you wait. I want to see how far you're willing to go."

Victor's heart pounded, the pulse in his veins roaring. The animal inside him was hungry, ravenous, but she wasn't giving in. And that only made the bond stronger. The need to claim her, to break her resistance, was consuming him.

He leaned in close, his lips brushing against her ear. "You're mine, Nadya. I'll make you submit. I'll make you beg for it."

Her hands gripped the edge of the bar, her knuckles turning white as she held back the need that flared to life between them. "We'll see about that," she whispered back.

Victor could barely control himself now. The desire burned through him like wildfire, the bond pulling him closer, dragging him to the edge. But there was something else—something deeper—that made him hold back. He had to prove himself to her. He had to show her that he was more than just a beast. He had to make her understand that their connection was real.

He could feel the animal in him, the primal hunger threatening to take over, but he wouldn't let it. Not yet. He had to show her. He had to earn it.

He wasn't going to break. Not yet.

With a final, long breath, he pulled back, his gaze never leaving hers. "You want me to work for it?" he asked, his voice low and rough. "Fine. I'll work for it. But when I'm done, you'll know just how much you need me."

Nadya didn't flinch. She didn't back down. She just stood there, the smirk never leaving her lips.

"Prove it," she said, the challenge in her voice clear.

Victor could feel the anger, the desire, the hunger building inside him, but he knew one thing—this wasn't just about physical conquest. It was more than that. This was about dominance. And she wasn't going to make it easy for him. But that was the game. And Victor Creed had always played to win.