Tough Ice

Tough Ice: Chapter 46 - Katerina

I sit up in the bed and heave a few times before looking around, and Valery has his eyes on me worriedly.
"You okay?" I brush a piece of hair behind my ear and pull the blanket further up on my legs.
"Yeah, I'm okay."
"Was it a nightmare?" I nod softly. "Love-"
"I know. I know he can't hurt me anymore, I'm fine." He looks up and down my face a few times before sighing.
"Do you need anything? Water? Food?"
"No I'm fine, let's just go back to sleep." He kisses my forehead softly before lying back down, and I do the same, and look at the wall, and he turns my head towards him.
"You know I'm right here with you baby, hey?"
"Yeah I know Orlov, I don't think we'd be engaged if you weren't." He laughs loudly and stares into my eyes.
"Mhm, yeah, that's why we're engaged." I giggle softly and turn on my side away from him, and he snakes an arm around my waist softly. "I love you Katerina."
"Love you too cap."

I wake up to the smell of bacon and I grin widely, and step out of bed, and I run out into the kitchen.
"Good morning!" He turns around and grins widely.
"Good morning sweetheart." I smile and sit up on the bench.
"You're making breakfast!"
"Good observation love." I frown, then I hear the front door open and I peek my head around the corner, and Natasha and Ares run over to me.
"You okay Kat?" They ask at the same time.
"Yeah I'm fine." Ares kisses the top of my head softly.
"I love you Kat."
"I love you too bro." He hugs me and runs his hand up and down my back.
"I've got to get to work, but just remember, if you ever need anything, call me." I nod, and then Natasha hugs me tight.
"Kit Kat- I'm so sorry."
"Why are you sorry?"
"I'm sorry that this happened to you, you didn't deserve it... I love you." I laugh softly and squeeze her.
"I love you too, now get to work, I don't want either of you losing your jobs." They laugh softly and wave goodbye before leaving, and I turn back to my fiancé, who's looking down at the pan, and avoiding eye contact.
"Valery?"
"Yeah?" He looks up at me and brushes a hand over my cheek.
"You okay?"
"You shouldn't be asking me that darling, I should be asking you that."
"Hm... but are you okay?"
"I'm fine love, and don't ask me that again." I smirk and push on his chest, and he stumbles back. "Oh that's how you wanna play it Petrakis?" I grin and cross my arms over my chest.
"Yep-" I yelp as he chucks me over his shoulder and I bang on his back and he walks out of the kitchen. "The bacons gonna burn!" He sighs, turns off the stove, and starts walking out again. "Valery! Put me down!" He  chuckles and I feel his chest moving with every laugh against my legs, which he grasps after I punch his back again.

He chucks me down on the couch and I stick the finger up at him.
"Fuck you." He smirks and sits down beside me.
"Hm pretty girl."
"Don't pretty girl me."
"Why?" I furrow my eyebrows while he grins at me.
"Shush." He throws a hand to his chest while I laugh at him.

"I'm so scared." Valery turns his head to my and sits up on the couch.
"What? What for? You're safe now."
"No... I'm scared about the olympics... it's only a few months away."
"Sweetheart... even if you don't win, which is highly unlikely, you've still got a great future ahead of you."
"I know... but it's still so scary, like I'm literally performing in the fucking olympics..."
"I know baby..." He brushes his thumb across my cheek while looking into my eyes. "But you'll do great."
"You really think so?"
"Yes."
"Okay... can we go out shopping?"
"Uh... sure I guess."
"Yay! I'll go get ready!" He frowns when I move away from him, and I laugh. "I won't be long."
"You say that but then take like an hour to get ready."
"I'm a 22 year old girl, give me a break." He rolls his eyes playfully and I go into the bathroom and take a shower, and look down at my abdomen, where the bruises have turned a dark purple colour.

I walk back into the lounge room and Valery jumps up and wraps his arms around me.
"Hi..."
"I missed you."
"I was about 20 metres away from you."
"But I couldn't see you." He pouts and I roll my eyes.
"You ready to go?"
"Yes." I grin and walk out of our apartment and press the button of the lift, and he jogs after me. "Wait up."
"You're just slow." He narrows his eyes while the doors open, and I step in quickly and close the doors, and I hear him shout indistinctively until I start going down, and his yells disappear, then my phone starts blowing up.
Valery: "Katerina!"
Me: "Use the stairs."
Valery: "😑"
Me: "Love you too!"
He hearts the message and the lift doors open, and I see him standing in front of the doors out of breath, and my jaw goes slack.
"How'd you get down here so fast?"
"I skipped a few stairs."
"That's dangerous Valery."
"For you? I don't care about safety." I roll my eyes and start walking towards the car, and he runs in front of me and opens the passenger seat for me.
"What are you doing?"
"Being a good fiancé, why?"
"You're being weird."
"No... I just missed you."
"While I was getting ready?"
"No."
"Then when?"
"You know what I'm talking about Katerina."

____________

Hi guys! I'm so sorry about the delay, I had just found out that some of my friends had made fun of my stories and I wanted to take a little break, but I'm back now :)