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stassi

“Thank you both for bringing this over. This was an unexpected surprise,” my new neighbor, Alex, said as we sat in his apartment, sharing a huge bowl of borscht I’d made with help from my mother over FaceTime.

Alex was massive compared to my husband, his long black hair framing broad shoulders that looked like they could crush someone with ease. It made sense why they called him “The Punisher,” or so Dimitri had told me.

My husband sported curly blonde hair and bright blue eyes and boasted a tall, slender frame, making him quite the heartthrob, especially on social media. However, he was the coldest person I’d ever met.

Dimitri was transfixed on the television. He couldn’t bother to look at me, like he hadn’t that night we had sex. He fucked me from behind until I bled all over his couch.

The next morning, I woke up to a homemade breakfast. I thought maybe he regretted how he’d treated me, that perhaps he’d been drunk, but it didn’t stop with that one night.

It happened every single night since we’d been married.

I grew used to it, bracing myself for the pain, closing my eyes, and reminding myself it would be over soon.

At least tomorrow would bring me breakfast in bed and, if I was lucky, an extra hour at my new rink.

“Are you okay?” Alexsey asked, and I suddenly shook the thoughts of the last week out of my head, grateful that tonight was a distraction instead of waiting for the inevitable evening.

“Sorry. Lost in thought.” I gave him a small smile before returning to my food.

“She often does that,” Dimitri didn’t bother to look up from his obsession with the game.

“I don’t mind—must mean you’re thinking about a lot.” Alexsey smiled at me.

I gave him a quick nod of appreciation.

“Thank you for inviting us in. You didn’t have to. We know you’re a busy man,” my new husband told his teammate.

When I discovered our new neighbor was Alexsey Popov, I remembered his name from being involved in winter sports through the years.

I was already cooking, so I figured it might be nice to bring him a taste of home.

Dimitri thought I was going to bother him, but he agreed to come upstairs to see if he was home and wanted some.

“Not too busy for a little taste of home,” he whispered and took a bite before looking at me. “Beef or pork?”

The corners of my lips twisted into a soft smile. “Beef.”

“It tastes like the shop near my house back in Moscow when I used to live there and play.” We smiled at each other while Dimitri stared at the basketball game playing on the TV.

“So.” Alexsey tried to break the awkwardness that was very clear between Dimitri and myself. “You got married a few weeks ago?”

I nodded. “Actually, last week.” I held up my hand for Alexsey to see my ring.

“Yup, no baby yet,” Dimitri huffed.

I looked back down at my food, praying that the tears wouldn’t come back. If I embarrassed him, Dimitri told me I’d really “get it.” I didn’t want to begin to know what that meant.

Alexsey coughed and then spoke up. “I don’t think that’s how it works. Otherwise, I’d probably be running around with a whole basketball team,” he said jokingly.

I looked up slowly, and his gaze was transfixed on mine. His voice was cheerful, as if he was trying to lighten the mood after Dimitri’s intense remarks.

“Whatever,” my dearest husband retorted.

There was a knock on the door.

“Excuse me. I guess tonight is full of unexpected visitors.”

Murmuring came from down the hall, and I took a moment to look around Alexsey’s home while Dimitri remained fixed on the game.

It was very different from our apartment.

It felt warm. In the main room, which was off the corner, there was a large, brown leather couch and a few chairs.

The entire ceiling had exposed wooden beams, and I realized the floors matched the same wood.

The table was dark wood, and we were sitting on black chairs.

It didn’t feel as stark as Dimitri’s apartment.

“Look who the fuck is here.” A booming male voice echoed from down the short hallway to the front door.

I put my spoon down and stood up when Dimitri did. Another guy who was similar in stature to Alexsey and had shaggy hair came running in, slamming Dimitri on his chest.

“Bro,” the new guy shouted. “I didn’t get the dinner invite, and I’m just next door. What the fuck?”

Everyone looked in my direction, and my hands flew to my cheeks in panic. The redness grew.

“I-I’m so, so sorry.” I was appalled at myself, and I didn’t dare make eye contact with my husband, who I already knew must’ve been disappointed in me.

Somehow I should have made more than enough for anyone to eat it. Somehow I should have known who on the team lived here and invited them... Somehow...

Alexsey came up behind the new guy, giving his shoulders a squeeze, and then gestured to the open chair next to his. “It was a surprise visit. Anastasia, made borscht.” He nodded over to the counter where my pot was sitting. “There’s plenty extra. Want a bowl?”

“What is it?” the new guy asked.

“A dish from Russia. It’s essentially beet soup,” Alexsey told him as he handed the new visitor a bowl, and we all sat down.

“My name is Dirks,” the guy said with a mouthful of red soup. “I’m the goalie.”

“Nice to meet you. My name is Stassi Il?—”

Dimitri pulled at my waist. “Sokolov.”

Dirks put down his spoon, the liquid dribbling down his chin, then turned to Dimitri. “No shit. You’re married?”

He looked between us. “Yeah. This is my new wife, Stassi.”

“Bro. I had no idea you were even engaged.” Dirks stood up and gave Dimitri a handshake-hug from over the table. “Congrats.”

When he was sitting back down, Dirks turned toward me. “This,” he said as he pointed to the bowl, “is fucking good. Don’t forget about me next time you drop off some food for this shithead. I’m a lonely single guy, too.”

I giggled. “You got it.”

The conversation shifted to hockey as Dimitri and Dirks talked in depth about what this new coach was like. From what I gathered, he wasn’t going to be great and didn’t have the strongest reputation, but since they were a new team to the league, their options were limited.

Dimitri’s attitude and demeanor toward me took a weird turn. He pulled my seat closer to him and snaked his hand around my lower back. He was no longer eyeing the television, but was now intent on the conversation happening.

“Anastasia?” A deep voice shook me from my thoughts yet again.

I looked up, and my eyes clashed with Alexsey’s green ones.

The corner of his lips twisted into a soft smile, which was such an odd look because here he was, this big hockey player, who looked like he could tackle you, but the way he was looking at me was so gentle.

The complete and total opposite of my husband, who looked gentle, but was horribly rough on the inside.

“Thank you.” He lowered his head briefly.

“For what?” I whispered back, not wanting to bother Dimitri, who was still deep in conversation.

“Thinking of me.”

The blush heated my cheeks yet again. “I’ve only lived out here for a few months, and I miss home a lot, so I can’t imagine what it was like being here for years.”

His gentle smile momentarily captured my attention, causing the nearby conversation to fade into the background. I was laser focused on the sorrow reflected in Alexsey’s expression.

“It felt lonely, until today.”