Tough Ice

Tough Ice: Chapter 25 - Katerina

November 4th, 5am, Valery's birthday

I snuck out of Valery's grasp to pick his sister and aunt up from the airport, I'm now standing outside baggage claim at LAX waiting for them.

I tap the sign against the palm of my hand and look off into the distance, then I feel a presence nearing me.
"Мисс Катерина?" I look down at the young girl in front of me, then at the older woman a few paces behind.
"Ты, должно быть, младшая сестра Валерия, Лана."
"Да! И это моя тетя, Яна." Her aunt reaches us and she smiles at me.
"You are- Valery's girlfriend right?"
"да, your English is really good, I take it your niece hasn't started learning yet?"
"She has, she's actually very good at it, not far from fluent, don't know why she's still speaking Russian while we're here."
"I honestly don't mind, but it's good practice, I'm still learning my self though." I take both of their bags off of them and place them inside my car boot and close it, then open the car doors for them. "You can go in." They both smile at me and get into my car, and I walk around to the other side and I get into the drivers seat.
"Мисс Катерина?"
"Lana speak English while we're here please," Yana cuts in. I laugh softly and start the engine.
"Lana you can just call me Katerina or Kat, but is everything okay?"
"да, I just wanted to say that Valery was right, you are very pretty." I blush and look behind me as I reverse the car.
"You're very pretty too Lana, are you excited to see your brother?"
"Very, папа says that he wishes he could've come, but he knows what Valery thinks of him." My smile fades slowly, I feel so bad for them.
"Do you still see your папа even though you live with your aunt?"
"Sometimes, he works a lot though." I'm about to say something when I see a text from Valery. Shit.

'Princess where are you?'
"Hey siri: Text Valery, "In the guest bathroom preparing stuff, don't come in please.'" Siri sends the text and I huff.

"Valery?" I pretend to pop my head out of the guest bedroom, and his face pops out from behind our bedroom door.
"Oh finally love, I missed you."
"Happy Birthday my love!" He smiles as he walks over to me and he wraps his arms around me.
"Thanks princess, can I come in?"
"You can, but close your eyes." He closes his eyes and I guide him through the door, then stop him when his aunt and sister are sitting on the bed in front of him, struggling to contain their laughter.
"Can I open my eyes yet?"
"Yeah, go." He opens them and I hear his breathing stop.
"Lana? Aunt Yana?" They smile at him, and I see tears forming in his eyes. He looks over at me, a huge grin on his face.
"Happy Birthday Valery!"

Hours later Valery's sister and Aunt left out apartment and went to a hotel, leaving us with my best friend, brother, and a few of Valery's friends.

I hop up from the couch, dropping Valery's hand, and I can feel his sad gaze piercing into me, so I turn around and smile at him quickly.
"I'll be back in a second babe." He sighs and I walk into the kitchen, and grab his cake out of the fridge, then I grab a couple of candles, and place them in a smiley-face around the cake.

"Happy Birthday to you!" I walk into the lounge room, lit candles on the cake in my arms, and everyone else joins in, then I place the cake down in front of him.
"Thank you!" I smile at him and point to the candles.
"Make a wish my love." He stares off into space for a bit, then blows out his candles and smiles at me. We clap and I take the cake back to the kitchen to cut it up, then I feel arms wrapping themselves around me from behind.
"Do you want to know what I wished for love?"
"The wish will be ruined."
"I wished that we will be together forever, that we get married, and have kids, only if you want them."
"You ruined it." I turn around and frown at him, but he laughs.
"Who says that's how wishes work?"
"Literally everyone babe."
"Everyone doesn't matter, just you and me." I smile and kiss his cheek softly, then he grabs my face and kisses me passionately, and we sort of start making out.
"If you guys could stop making out for a second and bring us cake, that would be great!" I pull away from Valery, face flushed in embarrassment as I put the cut up cake into plates and shuffle into the lounge room and I hand them out. I walk back into the kitchen and Valery smirks at me.
"We'll finish this later darling."

I pull my snapchat camera out and start filming us while we cuddle, and I pose. He notices the camera and groans tiredly,
"Stoppppp." I giggle as he hides his face under the sheets and I stop filming the video, save it, then I duck my head under the sheets and kiss him.
"Did you like your gifts Orlov?"
"I loved them princess, my favourite ones were your kisses though."
"Crazy."
"Crazy about you." I slap my face, and drag my hand down, until my eyes meet his again and he smirks. "You're very pretty."
"And you're only just noticing that Valery?"
"What? No- you've always been pretty- that's not what I meant love." He runs a hand through his hair and I start laughing.
"I'm just messing with you pretty boy." He grins and moves to kiss my forehead, but then he decides to crawl on top of me and he leaves soft kisses all over my face.

"I love you so much princess." He leaves a trail of kisses down my neck, making me whimper when he reaches the spot.

"Goodnight Valery, I love you."
"Goodnight sweetheart, I love you so much." He kisses my temple and I close my eyes, and he smooshes his face further into my chest.

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Sorry it took so long, I've just been super busy with school at the moment