Donetsk, Russia: 2018

Time× 1:12 pm

Natalie glared hard at Viktor as she shivered inside the holding cell. It was taking everything in her right mind, not to get up and run up to him and punch him straight in his strong face. Even though it wasn't Viktor's fault that they were in here, she did partially blame him because he couldn't control his anger.

And because she missed her audition.

The lights flickered in the cell, and Natalie visibly gulped. This place was creeping her out and all she wanted to do was leave. "Nat," Viktor called with a sigh, he looked at her tiredly. "Would you please just come sit by me?" He asked her desperately. He knew she was uncomfortable and wanted to at least make her feel better.

"Stop speaking to me," Natalie said, harshly. Maybe a little too harsh. "All you had to do was walk away. That's all and we wouldn't be in here right now!" She huffed. "I missed my damn audition, do you not know how long it took me to get it? Five months Viktor, five whole freakin months."

Viktor stood up, mentally thanking the world that they were the only two in the cell. "Calm down Nat, before they come here."

Natalie's eyes widened, and Viktor grimaced at how scary she looked. "D... did you just tell me to calm down?!" Natalie asked angrily.

Viktor didn't know whether to answer or not, but he did. "N... no." He stuttered, actually scared for the first time in years. The look on Natalie's face was purely demonic and it sent chills down his spine. "J... just breathe."

Natalie stood up and marched over to him. She pushed him, causing him to fall on the cell bench. "You're lucky you're a man because if you weren't, I would have smacked you." She walked away from him, sitting back on her side of the bench. Her stomach grumbled, echoing throughout the cell.

"Nat, I'm sorry," Viktor said he meant it. He really did. "What was I supposed to do? Let that old fucker talk bad about you?" He questioned. "No way. No one disrespects you while I'm around."

Natalie sighs, calming down. "Look, I know you're not going to sit back and watch as people disrespect me, but just can't let your anger get the best of you. You have to learn to walk away sometimes."

"You didn't walk away," Viktor responded.

"That's..." Natalie stuttered. "That's because I was helping you. I wasn't just gonna sit and watch you get jump."

Viktor chuckled. "You put that guy down pretty good."

Natalie smiled small. "I did, didn't I." She said, gloating. "I've been practicing."

Viktor smirked. "You have? Well, maybe it's a good thing you have me." He flirted. "I can teach you some moves. Even the ones that don't require actual fighting."

Natalie licked her lips and crossed her arms. "I'm sure you're the one that needs to be taught Viktor."

"Oh yeah?" Viktor pointed at her. "Why don't you come over here and teach me something."

Natalie rolled her eyes, before standing back up. She walked towards him and when she was close enough, Viktor pulled her onto his lap. They stared at each other, before Viktor moved his face closer to hers, kissing her passionately.

Their lips moved in sync as the both of them moaned at the delicate and warm feeling brewing up. Natalie pulled away, catching her breath. "You think they'll mind if we get dirty back here."

Viktor smiled, placing a finger on her nose. "You're so naughty." Was his only response as he quickly pulled her into another kiss. The tender touch of their lips makes the room around them disappear. They wanted each other and they wanted each other now, not caring that they were in a holding cell.

Their world soon came to an end as someone tapped against the cell gate. Both Viktor and Natalie pulled away, looking at the officer who arrested them. He wore a scowl on his face, looking angry. "Both of your bails have been posted." He said, looking at them in disgust.

"About time!" Cheered Natalie. She jumped out of Viktor's lap and quickly ran towards the gate. The officer opens it, and she walks out, before turning around to look at Viktor. When he stood up, the officer immediately closed the gate, keeping him trapped in the cell. "What the hell are you doing?" Natalie questioned the officer, confusion marked all over her face.

The officer gave her a look, before returning his gaze back onto Viktor. "Your father has requested that you stay in here for the rest of the day." He said, seriously. "Once she leaves, he'll come in and talk to you."

"You have to be kidding me, he can't do that." Natalie objects. "And you can't keep him here if his bond has already been paid."

"I can do whatever the hell I want." He said eyeing her.

"Well, I'll just report you." She said, eyeing him right back. "Now let him go."

The officer chuckled. "О, правда? Is that supposed to scare me?" He asked, "You're even stupider than you look."

Viktor glared at him, walking towards the gate. "Don't fuckin talk to her like that." He said, getting angry.

The officer scoffed. "Yeah? Or what? What are you going to do Мальчик?"

"Open the gate and I'll show you." Viktor threatened.

The officer pulled out his gun and pointed it at Viktor. "Let's see if you can do that with your head blown off."

Natalie's eyes widened and she screamed. "Stop it." She cried, fearing for Viktor.

Viktor wasn't scared when the officer pulled out the gun on him, but he did get scared when the gun got pointed at Natalie. His heart leaped out of his chest. "Don't point that shit at her!" He yelled.

"There you go telling me what to do again." The officer said. "You may be Ivan's son and a boxer, but it doesn't make you any less untouchable." He pulled back the hammer of the gun. "Now tell your pet over here to leave this damn station, before her blood is all over the place."

Viktor balled up his fist, before looking at a scared Natalie. "G...go home Nat." He stuttered. "I'll come over when I get out." Natalie shook her head, not wanting to leave him alone. Viktor looked at her pleading eyes.  "Please Nat, I'll be fine." He said. "I promise."

Natalie closed her eyes, before releasing a breath. "Fine, I'll go. But if I don't get a call from you, by tomorrow morning I'm coming back here gun blazing." She said, sternly while looking at the cop. With the wave of a hand, she walked away leaving both Viktor and the cop alone.

The officer looked back, to make sure that Natalie was really gone. "Ivan, you can come talk some sense into your son now." He put his gun, back in its holster. "It appears that he doesn't have some." He said while walking away.

From the side of the room, Ivan comes walking down the hallway with a scowl on his face. "What did I tell you about that girl?" Is the first thing he asks. "Didn't I tell you she was trouble!"

Viktor groaned, before sitting on the bench. "My God, would you just please stop talking about her. I'm not even here because of her!"

"Чушь собачья!" Ivan yelled, angrily. "Listen and listen carefully Viktor, because I won't say it again. If you don't stay away from that girl, I won't be the one responsible for what happens to her. It'll be on you because you don't listen."

"Are you threatening her?" Viktor asked, angrily.

"I am." He admitted like it was nothing. "And it would do you some good if you heeded my warning. I'm trying to make you into a brand Viktor, to shape you into a better me. But it can't happen if you're with that girl and you know that. You know how the people in our country think, do you really think they'll give you a shot if they see a black woman in your arms?"

Viktor glared at his father. "Fuck what they think and what they feel and most importantly fuck you!"

Ivan nodded. "See that anger, use it for your match tonight I'm sure it'll help you. And after your match you're gonna have a seat with that recruiter, since you wanted to skip out on meeting him this morning."

"I don't wanna fucking fight!" Viktor yelled, having enough. "I don't even want to meet with the recruiter!"

"Well I don't want to have to be your father, but guess what? I have to be." Ivan said. "Wake up and smell the coffee Viktor, people don't get to do things that they want!" He yelled. "Now get your act together, before you get kept in this place forever and that girl that you won't stay away from, has something really bad happened to her."

——————

Viktor felt like his fist was going to fall off as he continued to throw blows into the face of his opponent. Not once did he think to stop, his anger fueling him to continue. There was a possibility that he was going to kill the man, but right now he just didn't care.

"Let him go!" The referee yelled, seeing enough. Viktor ignored him and continued to beat the shit out of his opponent. Sweat drenched his body, while his heart pounded hard in his chest.

It wasn't until Viktor felt the nose of his opponent crack, that he finally let go. His breathing was fast-paced, his body numb. His life felt like it was sinking, that at some point he questioned his own existence. "Ahhh!" He yelled, throwing off the boxing gloves as the crowd cheered for him. Viktor stepped off the ring and walked to the locker room.

It wasn't quiet, but it was enough for him to hear clearly. Ivan had threatened him and Viktor couldn't believe it. Ivan was his father and... and he threatened to put him and jail and hurt the one girl that he cared about.

Feeling something drip from his hand, Viktor looked down at his hand, only to see blood. "Fuck." He cursed, before punching one of the lockers.

"Woah, somebody's mad." Viktor heard someone say from behind him. He turned around and glared at his recruiter. Buddy Marcelle lifted his hands up in surrender. "Don't look at me like that champ, I'm just here to talk."

"Well talk," Viktor said, sounding annoyed. Buddy stayed quiet, looking at him with raised eyebrows. "Go ahead and talk!" He said, sternly.

Buddy cleared his throat before speaking. "Since your father already signed your contract, I've taken it in my best interest to sign you up for the fight of your life."

Viktor leaned against the wall. "What do you mean?"

"Have you ever heard of the name Adonis Creed?" Buddy asked. Viktor nodded, automatically knowing who the guy was. Hell, he'd be a fool if he didn't know who he was. Once when Viktor was a kid, he got curious and decided to google search the man that his father killed. He was shocked to know that Apollo Creed had a son, a son that was older than him.

Viktor shook his head, putting everything together. "I'm not fighting his son," Viktor said sternly.

Buddy smirked. "I'm afraid you don't have a choice, Vik. Can I call you Vik." He didn't wait for an answer, he just continued to talk. "When your father signed your contract, he basically signed over your rights. You have to do everything I tell you, or else I will sue you... and I'm sure you don't want me to do that." Buddy walked closer to Viktor, his hands in his suit jacket. "All you have to do is fight Adonis, win and then move on to the next fighter. This fight is one of a lifetime and it'll boost up your fighting cred."

"My dad killed his father, I doubt he'd even agree to fight me."

"Oh he will," Buddy said knowingly. He clapped his hands together. "Pack your bags, in two days you and your father will be on a flight to the United States." He walked out of the locker room, leaving Viktor alone.

As soon as the doors to the locker room shut, Viktor lost his mind and began punching and knocking things over. He fumbled within himself, realizing that he was in some deep shit.

The only thing on his mind was what to tell Nat.

I finally graduated yall !