Page 34 of Icebound Hearts

Back at the hotel, the celebration is in full swing. Alexei is basking in the win, holding court in the centre of the room, while Alina is practically glowing, still riding the high of her gold medal. Drinks are flowing, music is blasting, and the weight of competition isn’t pressing down on us for once. But I can’t relax. Not completely. I keep glancing at Aiden, who’s sitting in the corner, beer in hand, talking to Will and Roman like nothing happened earlier. As if he didn’t just throw a punch that has probably already made the rounds on social media. Alina plops down beside me, nudging my arm.

“You okay?” I force a smile.

“Yeah. Just tired.” She hums knowingly, her gaze flicking toward Aiden before returning to me. “So, when will you admit that you’re into him?” I nearly choke on my drink.

“Excuse me?” Alina grins, completely unbothered. “Oh, come on, Kat. It’s painfully obvious. The way you two bicker, the way he watches you like he’s waiting for you to throw the first punch—” I groan.

“That’s just Aiden. He’s annoying. He gets on my nerves on purpose.” “Mmm,” Alina muses. “And yet, you haven’t stoppedstaring at him all night.” I open my mouth to argue, but—damn it—she’s right. Before she can say anything else, Aiden makes his way towards us,

“Are you okay?” Aiden asks, his voice gentle. Alina leaves, making her way towards Roman, sending an I told you, so look behind her shoulders.

I nod, swallowing hard. “Yeah.” A beat of silence stretches between us before he mutters, “If he tries anything again, I will hit him harder.” A laugh escapes me before I can stop it. “Violence isn’t always the answer, you know.” Aiden smirks.

“Worked pretty well today.”

The buzz from our victory still lingers, but the weight of everything else threatens to crush it. Even as the celebration rages on around me, laughter and music filling the air, I can’t stop thinking about him. The way he looked at me, the smugness in his voice, the reminder of everything I’ve worked so damn hard to bury. And then there’s Aiden. He’s been watching me all night. Not obviously, not in a way that screams concern, but in that way, he does when he thinks I won’t notice. Like he’s waiting for me to crack, I won’t. I refuse. But as the night drags on, I feel my grip slipping.

“You need to breathe,” Alexei murmurs beside me, his voice low enough that only I can hear. I force a small smile. “I am breathing.”

He raises his left eyebrow, unconvinced. “You’re also gripping your drink like you’re about to throw it at someone.” I glance down at my hand. He’s right. My knuckles are white against the plastic cup; my fingers curled so tightly around it that it might shatter if I squeeze harder. I exhale sharply and loosen my grip. Alexei studies me for a moment before tilting his head toward the door.

“Let’s get out of here for a minute.” I blink at him.

“What?” He shrugs. “Let’s go get some fresh air. You need it.” I hesitate, glancing around the room. Alina is caught up in a conversation with Roman, and Will is in mid-argument with Grayson about some play from the last hockey game. Aiden…Aiden is still watching me. I need space.

“Fine,” I mutter, letting Alexei guide me toward the exit. The night air is sharp against my skin, a welcome contrast to the heat of the party. I inhale deeply, filling my lungs with crisp, cool air, trying to ground myself. We walk silently for a few minutes, the crunch of gravel beneath our feet the only sound. It’s peaceful. Calming. And then Alexei sighs.

“You’re thinking about him.” I stiffen because he is right. Max has total control of my mind right now.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He gives me a look that says, ‘I know you’re bullshitting me.’

“You do.” I swallow hard, shoving my hands into the pockets of my jacket.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“It does matter, Kat. He’s still getting in your head.” I shake my head, jaw tightening. “No, he’s not.” Alexei stops walking, turning to face me fully.

“Then why are we out here instead of celebrating?” I don’t have an answer to that. Because the truth is, Max is in my head. Not just because of the past but because he’s here. No matter how many gold medals I win or how many times I prove that I don’t need him, he still has the power to unnerve me. And I hate it.

I swallow the lump in my throat, forcing a tight smile. “I’m fine, Lex.”

His gaze lingers on me, searching for something, but eventually, he sighs. “If you say so.” We walk a little longer before heading back inside. The party is still going strong, but my mood hasn’t shifted. If anything, I feel heavier.

And then I see Aiden. Why is he everywhere I am?

He’s leaning against the wall, arms crossed, brows drawn together as he watches me. I don’t know what expression I have on my face, but whatever it is, it makes him push off the wall and start walking toward me. Alexei pats my shoulder. “I’ll leave you to it.”

“Lex—”

But he’s already gone. Traitor.

Aiden stops before me, and for a moment, neither of us speaks. The air between us is thick, the noise from the party fading into the background.

“You good?” he asks finally. I huff out a mocking laugh. “Why do you keep asking me that?” He shrugs. “Maybe because you look about two seconds away from snapping.” I cross my arms. “And if I was?” Aiden tilts his head.

“Then I’d be here to ensure you don’t do something stupid.”

“Like what?”

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