Page 127 of Icebound Hearts

And I let him.

Because I’m done being scared.

Chapter Fifty - one

KATERINA

The days leading up to Worlds pass in a blur of training, nerves, and stolen moments with Aiden. But before I board my flight to the biggest competition of my career, there’s someone I need to see. Sophia.

She’s waiting for me in her hospital room, grinning from ear to ear the moment I step inside. “Kat!”

I barely have time to brace myself before she throws herself into my arms, giggling as I spin her around. She’s still tiny in my hold, but there’s more colour in her cheeks, more life in her voice. Her numbers are up, and the doctors are optimistic. Aiden told me he’s been sleeping better since the news, even if he’d never admit just how scared he was before.

I set her down on the bed, ruffling her scarf-covered head. “Miss me, princess?”

She nods, swinging her legs. “Aidy said you were too busy training to come see me, but I told him you’d visit.”

I smirk. “You know me too well.”

She beams, then pulls something from under her blanket. “I made you a good luck charm!”

It’s a tiny bracelet, woven in blue and white threads. I stare at it, my heart squeezing in my chest.

“Do you like it?” she asks, suddenly unsure.

I slide it onto my wrist immediately. “I love it, Soph.”

She claps her hands together, satisfied. “Now you have to win.”

I laugh, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “I’ll do my best.”

I spend the next hour with Soph. Her asking me about our final choreography and why mint chocolate chip ice cream, is the best.

I left her room a converted woman.

World Championships are chaos. The moment Alexei and I land, we’re thrown into nonstop training, press conferences, and the heavy weight of expectation. This is our moment. Our last shot before the Olympics team is finalized. And I refuse to let it slip through my fingers.

Alexei meets my gaze across the rink as we step onto the ice for the free skate, his expression determined. “You ready, Malyshka?”

I take a deep breath. “Let’s do this.”

I tighten my grip on Alexei’s hand as we step onto the ice. The crowd is deafening, but in this moment, it’s just us. My best friend. My partner. We take our positions, facing each other. A single breath passes between us. I nod and he nods back.

The music begins. Soft, delicate piano notes ripple through the arena, weaving through the tension in the air. We push off together, our blades carving perfectly synchronized arcs into the ice. Every movement is second nature. Every step, a heartbeat.

I exhale sharply, preparing for our first pass. We gather speed, skating in perfect symmetry toward our first element—side-by- side triple axels.

I take off, then—I land. Clean. Effortless.

Alexei lands half a second later, perfectly in sync, like he’s been doing this with me his entire life.

Alexei reaches for me. Without a shred of hesitation, I jump into his hands, and he lifts me into a soaring quad twist. The world tilts as I spin, his strength keeping me aloft. I spot the ice, knowing exactly when to prepare for the landing. Alexei’s hands catch me like I’m weightless, lowering me smoothly to the ice. The roar of the crowd spikes. But I don’t hear it. I only hear the music, the sharp glide of our skates, the familiar rhythm of us.

We build speed into our side-by-side triple lutz, landing in

perfect unison.

Alexei’s grip on my waist tightens. My body tenses. He throws me into the air. I twist.

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