Page 60 of Icebound Hearts

“Yeah… okay.” Then, without warning, he wraps his arms

around me in a tight hug. Before I can even return it, Aiden clears his throat—loudly.

“Uhm, yeah, take your hands off her now,” he says, his voice

laced with warning. I glare at Aiden, but Roman just smirks, unfazed. He squeezes me one last time before pulling back.

“Jealous much?” Aiden doesn’t deny it. Instead, he grabs a pillow from my bed and launches it at Roman’s head, which Roman quickly catches, laughing.

“Seriously, man?”

“Seriously,” Aiden deadpans. I roll my eyes. They act like they are ten years old sometimes.

“Roman, just try, okay? Talk to Alina after the game. Take her out to eat, spend time together, and then bring her back to talk.” Roman nods, determination flickering in his eyes. I hope he understood what I said and really tries to open up to Ali.

“Yeah. Yeah, I can do that.” He exhales, shoving his hands into his pockets before giving me one last hug—purely to piss offAiden, I’m sure. Aiden retaliates by hurling another pillow at him, this time nailing him right in the face.

“Fuck you, you jealous prick,” Roman mutters, dodging the next pillow. “She’s like my sister.” I smile, shaking my head as he heads for the door.

“Thanks, KitKat. I appreciate it.” He yells through the hallway.

“You got this,” I ye. He throws one last glare at Aiden before disappearing down the hallway. The moment the door clicks shut, I spin on my heel, arms crossed.

“Why would you do that?” Aiden shrugs, unapologetic. “Because he ruined our fun time.” I sigh. Of course.

Aiden flops onto my bed, stretching his arms above his head, his shirt lifting just enough to reveal a sliver of skin. My eyes betray me, flickering downward before snapping back up. He notices, and a smirk tugs at his lips. “But let’s go get that bath,” he says, voice smug. I grab a pillow and smack him in the chest. “You’re impossible.” Aiden laughs, but before I can move away, he grabs me by the wrist, pulling me down onto the bed with him. His hands frame my face, his touch warm, steady—

possessive.

And then his lips are on mine. It’s slow at first, teasing like he’s savoring how I melt against him. But then something shifts, and suddenly, we’re not just kissing—we’re drowning in each other. His hand slips to my waist, fingers digging in, pulling me closer. My hands tangle in his hair, nails scratching lightly against his scalp, making him groan into my mouth. The sound sends a shiver down my spine.

I need him. But just as his hands start to roam, a familiar fear creeps in. I want to keep him, and I want this. But what happens when he learns about my past?

What happens when he sees the parts of me I’ve kept buried? Will he still look at me the same way? Will he still want me? Thethoughts are suffocating as Aiden pulls back slightly, brushing his lips over my jaw.

“You okay?” he murmurs, his voice low, gentle. I force a smile, pushing the doubts away—for now.

“Yeah,” I whisper, pressing my lips to his again.

Maybe I can hold onto this a little longer before it all comes crashing down.

Chapter twenty - nine

KATERINA

The following day, I wake up next to him. Aiden’s arm is draped over my waist, his body curled around mine like it’s the mostnatural thing in the world. His warmth seeps into me, his slow, steady breathing the only sound in the quiet room, and I hate how much I like it. How much I don’t want to

move. How much I want to stay in this stolen moment, pretend that this is normal—that we are normal.

But reality crashes in too fast, too sharp because this isn’t normal. We aren’t normal. Whatever this is—whatever we keep doing—it isn’t safe.

So, I move. I shift carefully, trying to slip out from under him without waking him up. But the second I do, Aiden grumbles in his sleep, his arm tightening around me, his nose brushing against my neck. My breath catches.

“You’re not sneaky, Angel Face,” he murmurs, voice rough with sleep.

I freeze. His grip tightens just enough to pull me back against his chest.

“Where do you think you’re going?” I swallow, forcing myself to sound unbothered.

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