Wicked Games

49 - Ivan

Chapter Forty-Nine | Ivan

"You're lucky I'm cuffed to this bed otherwise I would have already killed you by now." I roll my eyes at another one of Reid's protests.

Tank and Brick manhandled us into this room, cuffing us to the beds and then doc decided to save our lives afterward.

"I'm so scared." I reply sarcastically, looking at him in the corner of my eye and like I suspected his fists are clenched tight and his jaw ticks. "What is your fucking problem, Reid?"

His head snaps in my direction.

"You, Ivan. You are my fucking problem!" Jesus how has Eliana put up with this fucker for so long.

"To me, you sound insecure." I shrug.

"I'm not insecure." He huffs, pulling at his cuffed wrists.

"Scared then."

"Why would I be scared?" He scoffs, keeping his gaze on the doors ahead where Tank and Brick keep guard in case we manage to escape. I know this was Eliana's idea, so I don't want to piss her off more than she already is.

Eliana.

I admit I was jealous of Reid. I was very jealous when we were younger and I did want her all to myself, but Eliana was and still is loyal. I always felt her loyalty to Reid when she was with me. We kissed once and she cried after, apologising to me because her heart was with him.

I respected it because I respected her. Yes, I loved her. Yes, I wished she was mine — still do sometimes, but I know I can never have her love and I've learned to be okay with that. I'm happy to accept a friendship and I will still lay my life on the line for her if I have to one day because I love her and that will never change.

"You've created some kind of narrative that I'm trying to take her away from you. Since I've been here, have I managed to achieve that? I've barely spent anytime with her." I state. "If you had taken the time to get to know me all those years ago you would know I'm not your enemy, Reid. You treat me like I'm on Baker's level."

"I know you're not." He huffs.

"When I first arrived at the orphanage, nobody would talk to me, and I barely knew English. I met Eliana and she didn't shout at me because I didn't understand her, she was patient, she taught me English, comforted me when I grew frustrated and cried to her about missing my family who were killed right in front of me. How could I not have fallen for her?" I tilt my head up at the bright white light on the ceiling and then close my eyes.

"It's hard not to," Reid mumbles beside me.

"You never knew what it felt like to have no friends in that place. To be hated by most of the kids because of where you came from. Eliana struggled and so did I. We found comfort in each other. Eliana was grateful to have another friend and I didn't want to let her down."

"I know," Reid whispers, looking down at his lap, a strand of his brown hair drooping across his forehead and he flexes his fingers. "I know." He swallows and finally looks at me.

"I kept my boundaries out of respect for you. Despite you hating me, I knew you were Eliana's world. You always have been, and you always be. The jealousy you carry, and all that anger might make Eliana start to feel as though you have no trust in her." I admit and his back straightens.