Chapter 84: Gunfire

They had just finished loading the last of the bags into the trunk when it happened.

Aria was climbing into her own car a few spaces away, still waving one last time over her shoulder, when the quiet of the parking garage was shattered in an instant.

Masked men appeared from between the parked cars, guns already raised, and the first shot cracked through the air before Sienna even had time to understand what was happening.

Everything after that moved too fast to fully process.

Viktor’s body slammed into hers before she could scream, his arms wrapping tightly around her, pulling her down and back, shielding her completely with his own frame as more gunfire erupted around them.

She felt the heat of his body pressed against her, heard the sharp, deafening crack of bullets meeting metal and concrete, heard his men shouting orders, shoes pounding against pavement, the unmistakable sound of return fire tearing through the air just above her head.

She couldn’t see much from where Viktor had pinned her against the side of the car, his broad shoulders blocking most of her view, but she could hear everything. The shouting. The gunfire.

Someone crying out in pain somewhere nearby. Her whole body trembled violently, her breath coming in short, panicked gasps, her fingers digging hard into the fabric of Viktor’s jacket, holding on like he was the only solid thing left in a world that had suddenly turned to chaos.

It felt like it lasted forever. In reality, it was probably only a minute, maybe two, before the sound of sirens cut through the noise, distant at first, then closer, growing louder with every passing second.

The masked men began retreating almost as quickly as they had appeared, melting back into the shadows between the parked cars, leaving behind nothing but scattered shell casings and the sharp, acrid smell of gunpowder hanging in the air.

Viktor didn’t move right away, even once the shooting had stopped completely. He stayed exactly where he was, his body curved protectively around hers, his heartbeat pounding hard and fast against her back.

"Are you okay?" he asked finally, pulling back just enough to look at her face.

Sienna nodded, though her whole body was shaking, her skin pale, her eyes wide and unfocused. She opened her mouth to answer him properly, to say something, anything, but the world tilted sharply sideways instead, dark spots creeping in at the edges of her vision.

She fainted before she even finished the thought.

"Damn it," Viktor muttered, catching her before she could hit the ground, scooping her up carefully into his arms.

He turned immediately toward the car, shouting orders to Marcus and the rest of his men without ever once loosening his grip on her.

Aria came running toward them, her face pale with panic. "Is she okay? Oh my god, is she okay? I want to come with you..."

"It’s too dangerous," Viktor said firmly, already moving toward the open car door. "Go home, Aria. Now."

"But.."

"Now," Viktor said, his voice leaving no room for argument.

Aria hesitated only a second longer before nodding, tears welling in her eyes as she watched Viktor settle Sienna carefully into the back seat. "Take care of her," she called out, her voice cracking slightly.

Viktor didn’t answer her directly. But the look he gave her over his shoulder, sharp, fierce, and completely certain, told Aria everything she needed to know. He would take care of Sienna. There was no version of tonight, or any night after it, where he wouldn’t.

The drive back to the Kessler mansion felt longer than it should have, Sienna’s unconscious form resting against his side the entire way, Viktor’s hand never once leaving hers.

By the time they arrived, the house had already been transformed. Every trace of the bloodbath from the night before had been scrubbed away completely, fresh guards stationed at every entrance, new faces replacing every single old one, all of them thoroughly vetted, thoroughly loyal, exactly as Viktor had ordered.

Even the household staff had changed overnight, new maids moving quietly through the halls, careful and efficient, none of them familiar enough with the family to have been compromised the way the old staff clearly had been.

Viktor carried Sienna straight up to the bedroom himself, laying her carefully on the bed before calling for the family doctor.

The doctor arrived within the hour, moving through his examination with quiet, practiced efficiency, checking Sienna’s pulse, her blood pressure, shining a small light carefully into her eyes.

"She’ll be fine," the doctor said finally, straightening up and closing his bag. "It looks like a stress-induced fainting spell. Understandable, given the circumstances."

"This isn’t the first time," Viktor said, his arms crossed tightly over his chest, his eyes never leaving Sienna’s still form on the bed. "She’s fainted before. More than once."

The doctor frowned slightly, considering. "It could be several things," he said carefully. "Low blood pressure, anxiety, dehydration, even underlying heart issues in some cases. Without a full workup, proper bloodwork, a complete cardiac evaluation, I really can’t say for certain what’s causing it."

"Why does she keep fainting," Viktor muttered, almost to himself, more of a demand aimed at the universe than an actual question. "What’s wrong with her heart?"

"I can’t tell you that," the doctor said gently, "not without proper testing. I’d recommend bringing in a cardiologist, someone with her full medical history if possible."

"Okay," Viktor said finally, exhaling slowly. "Thank you."

The doctor nodded and let himself out, leaving Viktor alone in the quiet room with Sienna, the soft rise and fall of her chest the only sound besides his own low, steady breathing.

He sat down slowly on the edge of the bed beside her, reaching out to brush a strand of hair away from her face, his jaw tight with something that looked almost like fear, an expression that would have surprised anyone who thought they knew Viktor Kessler well.

After a long moment, he stood and stepped out into the hallway, pulling out his phone.

"Marcus," he said the moment the call connected. "Get me in touch with the doctor Sienna used to see. Before all of this. I want her full medical history, and I want it fast."

"On it, boss," Marcus said.

It didn’t take long. Within the hour, Marcus returned with a name and a number, and Viktor wasted no time dialing it, pacing slowly back and forth outside Sienna’s door as the call connected.

"This is Viktor Kessler," he said, his voice low and controlled, though something tight and urgent ran underneath every word. "I need to ask you about a patient of yours. Sienna Vale." A pause. "I need to know what’s wrong with her heart."