Page 22

KATERINA

The energy in the arena is powerful, the kind that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. The next round of qualifiers. Another chance to prove that

Alexei and I belong here. I exhale slowly, bouncing on my skates as I watch the pairs before us. Their routines blur together— good, clean lines, solid jumps, but nothing that scares me. Alexei nudges me.

“Relax, Malyshka. You look like you’re about to stab someone.”

“Maybe I am. If you don’t land our throws today, you’re first on my list.”

He smirks. “Ah, my favourite kind of motivation. Death threats.”

Before I can snap back, my eyes land on Aiden. His presence is like a shift in gravity, and suddenly, I’m hyper-aware of every breath, every inch of space between us.

“What do you want, Knight?”

I say without looking at him, my nerves already getting the best of me.

“Just checking to see if you’re about to flake under pressure.”

I do turn then, meeting his annoyingly smug expression.

“Oh, please. The only thing I flake on is showing up when you expect me to care.”

I snap. His smirk deepens. “Sure, Angel Face.”

I roll my eyes.

“Stop calling me that.”

“No.”

I glare at him, then an idea pops in my head. I’m a genius.

“Then I’m calling you Aidy.”

His jaw twitches.“Oh, what’s the matter?”

I coo. “Not a fan?”

“Angel Face,”

he says, voice dropping low, teasing. “You don’t want to start something you can’t finish.”

Before I can retort, Alexei throws an arm around my shoulder. “If you two are going to flirt, can you at least wait until after our program?”

I shove him off.

“We are not flirting.”

Aiden shrugs. “She wishes.”

I narrow my eyes at him , while he has a stupid grin on his face.

“Is that right? Aidy.”

His nostrils flare slightly, and for the first time, I think I might actually win this one. But then he steps closer, invading my space. “I’ll remember that.”

The way he says it—low, full of promise—sends an entirely

different kind of chill down my spine. Done with this conversation, Alexei mutters something in Russian and skates off to stretch.

I square my shoulders. “Are you done?”

“Not yet.”

Before I can react, he cups my jaw, leans in, and presses a firm, fleeting kiss against my lips. My brain short-circuits. My heart starts pounding against my ribcage. By the time I process what just happened, he’s already pulling back, that cocky, insufferable grin back in place.

“Go win, Angel Face.”

Aiden walks off, leaving me stunned, my heart pounding, and my brain refusing to function. Alexei skates back up to me.

“Did I just see that correctly?”

I snap out of it. “Shut up.”

Alexei grins at me.

“You’re bright red.”

I nudge his arm with a glare on my face. “I will push you on the ice.”He laughs, holding up his hands in surrender. “Fine, fine. But at least now I know where your head’s at.”

I inhale sharply, pushing every thought of Aiden out of my head. Focus. Compete now. Kill Aiden later.

We take our positions, the announcer calls our names, and as the first note of our music plays, I let everything else fall away. The fire in my veins is stronger than ever. Game on. The second the music starts, my body moves on instinct. Every step, every glide, every jump—I don’t think, I just do. The ice is mine, and nothing exists beyond the routine Alexei and I have perfected.

The tension from Aiden, the way his lips felt on mine before the program—I shove it down. It doesn’t belong here. Alexei and I move as one. The opening step sequence flows effortlessly into the side-by-side triple salchows, and our timing is flawless. The energy in the arena shifts, the crowd catching on, realizing that we’re not just skating—we’re performing. Aiden said to win. So I will.

Alexei throws me into a triple twist, and I land it with perfect precision, the blades of my skates carving clean into the ice. I can feel his grip tighten when he catches me in the final lift, and as we glide into the closing spin, I hear the audience roar before the final note even plays.

When we finish, my chest heaves, the adrenaline still pulsing through my veins. The arena erupts in cheers. Alexei grins, spinning me in a tight hug before lifting our clasped hands in the air. “We did it,”

he breathes, his forehead pressing against mine for a second. “That was flawless, Malyshka.”

The moment we step off the ice, the cameras swarm. The interviews blur together, my responses automatic, but my mind is elsewhere. All I can think about lately is the grumpy hockey player I live with and how his lips felt on mine.

I know he stayed for the performance. I can feel him watching me. His presence burns at the edges of my awareness, even as Alexei’s arm stays firmly draped over my shoulder.

My body still buzzes from the performance when we reach the locker room. I leave Alexei to celebrate, but when I turn the corner, I nearly crash into a solid wall of Aiden. He’s leaning against the wall, arms crossed, with an unreadable expression.

“What do you want, Aidy?”

His jaw tightens, but he doesn’t take the bait. Instead, he pushes off the wall, stepping closer until I have to tilt my chin to meet his gaze. “You skated well,”

he says, voice lower than usual.

I blink. “That almost sounded like a compliment.”

“It was. Don’t get used to it.”

I roll my eyes.

“And here I was, thinking you might be capable of saying something nice.”

Aiden smirks. “I kissed you before your program, didn’t I?”

My stomach flips, but I force myself to scoff. “You ambushed me.”

He shrugs. “You didn’t stop me.”

I hate that he’s right. I hate that the warmth of his lips is still lingering on mine, that my heartbeat hasn’t quite settled since it happened. “Enjoying yourself?”

I ask dryly. Aiden leans in slightly, and I don’t step back. “Immensely.”

I let out a frustrated breath. “You’re impossible.”

He chuckles, and for a second, something soft flickers in his gaze.

“Yet, here you are, still talking to me.”

I hate that he’s right. I hate that I like it.

I don’t know how long I stand there, staring at Aiden like he’s some impossible puzzle I can’t solve.

His eyes flicker over my face, something unreadable in them, but his usual smirk is nowhere to be found. Instead, he’s watching me like he’s waiting for me to say something first. I won’t because I don’t know what to say. The memory of his lips on mine is still fresh, lingering, and I hate that it’s all I can think about. The warmth, the pressure, the way he pulled away like he hadn’t just completely thrown me off my game. Aiden’s fingers twitch at his side like he’s debating something.

“You gonna keep staring, Angel Face, or do you want to get another round of interviews where you pretend you don’t love the attention I give you?”

And there it is—the arrogance. His smirk creeping back in like he’s reclaiming his territory.

“Oh, shut up, Knight. You love it just as much.”

“You know, the last time someone told me to shut up, I kissed them.”

He adds with a grin, as his gaze lands on my lips. My face burns, and he knows it. I see the flicker of amusement in his expression, the way his lips twitch as if he’s daring me to react. I take a slow breath and cross my arms. “Do it again, and I’ll break your nose.”

Aiden tilts his head, stepping closer, and I hate that my body reacts before my brain does. The heat, the anticipation, the way-too-much awareness of him. “Tempting,”

he murmurs, eyes dropping to my lips before

flicking back up. “But I’d rather wait until you want it. I open my mouth to fire back some snarky remark, but Alexei’s voice cuts through the thick air between us.

“Kat! Come on! The scores are going up!”

I tear my gaze away from Aiden, yanking myself back to reality. Right. Scores. Skating. My actual life the thing that should matter more than whatever the hell this is between me and Aiden Knight.

I storm past him, refusing to look back, but I feel his stare on me the entire way.

The crowd gets louder as Alexei and I approach the scoring area. Everyone gathers around the screen as our final score flashes across the monitor.

A hundred and eight points. We won Gold again. I let out a breath, the tension in my chest finally releasing as Alexei pulls me into a tight hug.

“Another win for us, Malyshka!”

he laughs, lifting me off my feet before spinning me. I laugh, but my mind is still clouded. We did it. We won. And yet, my thoughts are tangled in him. I glance over my shoulder, my eyes instinctively searching the crowd, and of course, I find him immediately.

Aiden’s standing off to the side, arms crossed, watching. He’s not smiling, not clapping, just watching. Something about it sends a shiver down my spine.

But before I can process what it means and figure out what the hell is going on between us, I hear Alina’s voice calling my name.

“Kat! We’re celebrating tonight!”

I snap my focus back, forcing myself to push Aiden out of my head. Right. Celebrating. I glance at Alexei, and he grins, already knowing my answer. “Hell yes, we are.”

Tonight, I’m not thinking about Aiden Knight. I refuse.

The celebration is in full swing when we arrive at the bar. Music thrums through the air and the neon lights cast a moody glow over the packed crowd. Alina, Alexei, Maddie, and I push through the sea of bodies, heading straight for the VIP section Roman somehow managed to snag for us. It should be a perfect night. We won. We dominated. I should be riding the high of victory, soaking in the attention, basking in the feeling of success. But instead, my eyes keep searching for him.

The moment I spot him, my stomach twists because he’s not alone. Some tall blonde girl is draped over him, fingers tracing the tattoos on his forearm like she has every right to. She’s laughing at something he says, flipping her hair like girls do when they want to be noticed. And Aiden— Aiden is letting her.

Something bitter curdles in my stomach. It’s stupid. So stupid. I have no claim over him. He’s an arrogant, cocky, infuriating hockey player who gets under my skin like no one else. I don’t like it. I don’t like the way she’s touching him. I don’t like how he leans in slightly like he’s enjoying the attention. And I don’t like the way my chest tightens and my hands clench into fists at my sides.

“Kat.”

Alina’s voice snaps me out of it. I turn, forcing a smile that probably looks as fake as it feels.

“What?”

She follows my gaze, and the second she sees what I’m looking at, her lips curve into a knowing smirk.

“Oh my God,”

she says, sing-song. “You’re jealous.”

“I am not.”

A scoff slips past my lips at the ridiculous idea.

Alina grins. “You so are.”

I sip my drink, ignoring the heat rising in my cheeks. “Please. He can do whatever he wants. It’s his life.”

“Mhm.”

“I don’t care.”

“Right,”

Alina says with a teasing smile.

“I don’t!”

I insist. Alina raises a brow. “So, if I dared you to go over there right now and introduce yourself to his little friend, you’d do it?”

I freeze, my throat tightening. Shit. Alina laughs. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

I grit my teeth.

“It’s not jealousy.”

She pats my shoulder, looking way too amused for my liking. “Whatever you say, Ale.”

I groan, turning away, determined not to look at him anymore. Instead, I focus on Alexei, who’s already on his second drink, gesturing wildly as he tells some dramatic story to Roman and Will. I slide onto the couch next to him. “You’re already this drunk?”

He smirks, leaning over to clink his glass against mine. “I’m celebrating, Malyshka.”

I roll my eyes but take a sip anyway, letting the warmth of the alcohol settle in my stomach. It works—for about two minutes. Because then, I hear her giggling again. What the fuck is she laughing at? Aiden isn’t even that funny.

I make the mistake of glancing over just in time to see her press a hand against Aiden’s chest, leaning in close. Too close. Aiden doesn’t push her away.

He doesn’t even look at me. Something inside of me snaps. I don’t think—I just act. Before I can stop myself, I grab Alexei’s hand and pull him onto the dance floor. He stumbles slightly, laughing. “Kat, what—”

“Dance with me.”

He raises a brow. “Oh? Is this to make someone jealous? I’m gay, it won’t work.”

I glare. “Shut up and dance,”

Alexei smirks but obliges, spinning me into the rhythm of the music. The bass pounds in my chest, my heart hammering with something far more complicated than adrenaline. I let myself get lost in it—the movement, the heat, the feeling of Alexei’s hands at my waist as we move.

I feel eyes on me. With every move I make, my skin burns from the attention. I don’t even have to look to know Aiden is watching. It’s like a magnet, the way my body instinctively knows where he is. I risk a glance, and sure enough, his eyes are locked on me, dark and unreadable. The girl is still talking to him, but he’s not listening. His jaw is tight, and his grip on his drink is stiff. Good, be jealous, Asshole.

I spin closer to Alexei, laughing a little louder than necessary. Glancing at Aiden again, I see him move. One second, he’s across the room. The next, he’s right behind me, his presence demanding.

Alexei notices first. Before he can say anything, a warm hand wraps around my wrist, tugging me back. I turn—And I crash into Aiden. My breath catches. His grip is firm, his eyes burning into mine, and suddenly, the air between us is thick.

“What are you doing?”

I ask, my voice steady despite the way my heart is pounding. His jaw clenches. “What the hell was that?”

I blink. “What was what?”

Aiden narrows his eyes at me. “Don’t play dumb, Angel Face.” I tilt my head, pretending to think.

“Ohhh, do you mean me dancing? Because last I checked, you looked plenty entertained over there.”

His grip tightens on my hand, as if he doesn’t want to let go of me. “That’s what this is about? You’re jealous?”

“I don’t care what you do, Aiden.”

I snap, glaring into his eyes. His expression darkens. “Bullshit.”

We’re too close. I should pull away. I don’t. His hand is still wrapped around my wrist, his thumb absently brushing against my skin.

“Why do you care?”

he asks in a murmur, voice lower now. I hate that I don’t have an answer. Because I do care. And I don’t know why.

“I don’t.”

I lie. Aiden studies me, his gaze flickering to my lips for half a second before he stares into my eyes again. “You sure about that, Angel Face?”

I swallow hard, my heart pounding out of my chest. “Positive.”

His smirk is slow, knowing.

“What are you so afraid of?”

I refuse to answer. Then, just to infuriate me, he leans in—so close that I can feel his breath against my ear. “Let me know when you’re ready to be honest.”

And then he lets go.

Just like that, he walks away, leaving me standing there, breathless and furious.

Alexei slides up next to me, sipping his drink. “Well, that was hot.”

I groan, pressing my fingers against my temple. “I can’t stand him.”

Alexei grins.

“Oh, Malyshka. I think you might be in trouble.”

I roll my eyes.

“I’m not in trouble.”

Alexei tilts his head. “Then why do you look like you’re about

to pass out?”

I glare, but my stomach twists because—damn it—he’s right.

My hands shake from interacting with Aiden, and my heart is still pounding. I feel like I just stepped off the ice after a perfect routine— electrified, high, completely on edge. Except this isn’t the ice. It’s him. Aiden Knight.

I glance around, my eyes instinctively searching for him again, but he’s nowhere to be seen. The blonde girl is also gone, and I hate how much I care about that detail. Alina suddenly appears beside me, offering me a fresh drink.

“Here. You look like you need this.”

I take it without question, chugging half of it before finally exhaling. “Thank you.”

She watches me for a second, then raises a brow. “So, are we going to talk about that?”

“No,”

Alina smirks. “Oh, we absolutely are.”

I groan, throwing my head back. “Why does everyone suddenly think I have some kind of thing with Aiden?”

Alina snorts.

“Because you do. ”I whip my head toward her in disbelief.

“I do not.”

“Kat.”

Alina says my name, as if asking me to be honest right now.

I cross my arms. “Alina.”

She sighs, like I’m a child she has to be patient with. “Fine. Let’s put it this way. If you don’t have a thing for him, why did you pull Alexei onto the dance floor the second you saw Aiden with that girl?”

I open my mouth. Close it. Open it again. Damn it. Alina grins.

I groan. “I don’t like him, okay?”

She takes a sip of her drink while rolling her eyes at me. “Sure you don’t.”

I glare. “I don’t.”

Alina just pats my arm.

“Oh, honey. You can keep lying to me, but at some point, you’re going to have to stop lying to yourself.”

“He will leave me, or worse, hurt me,”

I say, picking the red polish that coats my left thumb. Alina sighs, wrapping her arms to hug me.

“Maybe he won’t. Maybe he’ll stay and love you right.”

I scowl, chugging the rest of my drink as she walks away, laughing under her breath.

I avoid Aiden most of the night, but I see him the second I step outside for fresh air. The cool breeze does nothing to soothe the fire in my veins, the remnants of alcohol buzzing beneath my skin as I lean against the wall, closing my eyes. I just need a second. Just one moment to breathe without feeling like I’m suffocating under the weight of him—

“I was wondering when you’d run.”

I snap my eyes open, my body immediately locking up at the sound of his voice. Aiden is leaning against the railing a few feet away, watching me like he expected me to come out here. Like he knew I wouldn’t be able to stay inside any longer. I inhale slowly, steeling myself before meeting his gaze.

“I wasn’t running.”

He shakes his head at me with a glint of amusement on his face. “Sure, Angel.”

I cross my arms, scowling at his pretty face. “Stop calling me that.”

“No.”

I groan in annoyance, and Aiden chuckles, taking a slow step toward me.

“You didn’t answer my question.”

I narrow my eyes,“What question?”

I ask, my voice laced with confusion. “The one I asked before I walked away.”

My stomach twists at the reminder, but i feign ignorance. “I don’t remember.” He tilts his head like he sees right through me.

“Liar.”

I hate him. I hate how easily he gets under my skin. I shift, feigning nonchalance. “You ask a lot of questions, Knight. Maybe if you weren’t so—”

“What are you so afraid of?”

I freeze. His voice is low and quiet, but there’s something sharp underneath it. Something raw. Something that makes my breath catch. I swallow hard, my throat dry.

“I’m not afraid.”

Aiden steps closer, the distance between us almost gone. His scent makes my mind hazy. I feel drunk on him.

“Then why do you keep running?”

I don’t move. I can’t. My back is already against the wall, and he’s right there, his presence suffocating, intoxicating, too much.

“I’m not,”

I whisper, but it’s weak, even to my own ears. Aiden exhales through his nose, shaking his head slightly like I’m exhausting him.

“You can dance with Alexei all you want. You can pretend you don’t care, pretend I don’t get to you. But you and I both know the truth, Kat.”

I hate how easily he says it. Like it’s a fact. Like he’s already won. I lift my chin, meeting his stare head-on. “And what truth is that?”

A slow smirk tugs at the corner of his lips, but his eyes are dark, full of something I don’t want to name.

“That no matter how hard you fight it…”

Aiden whispers, leaning in, his breath warm against my ear. “You want me just as much as I want you.”

My body betrays me, shivering at the sound of his voice, at the heat of his presence. And unfortunately for me, he notices. His smirk deepens, his fingers twitching at his side like he wants to touch me like he’s waiting for me to break first. I swallow hard, forcing myself to find my voice. “You don’t know anything, Aiden.”

His grin is slow and confident, as he right fingers graze my left arm from top to bottom. Burning my skin with his touch “Keep telling yourself that, baby.”

And just like before, he turns and leaves, walking away from me for the second time tonight.

Leaving me standing there, breathless, frustrated, and completely undon e .