Sweet Riddle

KATYA

The seconds stretched into eternity, but all I could focus on was the way Ivan's arms enveloped me. His body was warm, strong, and for a fleeting moment, I allowed myself to believe that maybe, just maybe, everything would be okay.

He didn't say anything at first, just held me close, like he was trying to shield me from the chaos I had just unleashed. The blood on my hands—the literal blood—didn't seem to matter to him. For once, I didn't feel judged. His arms around me felt like a fragile safety net, and it made everything inside me ache.

But I couldn't let myself get soft. Not here. Not now.

I pulled back slightly, just enough to look at him. His face was unreadable, a perfect mask of control, but I knew him better than anyone else. His eyes betrayed the slightest flicker of something—something I didn't want to decipher.

"Ivan," I whispered, my voice shaking. "I didn't mean for it to get out of hand like that."

He didn't speak at first, just kept his eyes locked on mine. I could see the anger brewing beneath the surface, but it wasn't directed at me. Not completely, at least. He was pissed—pissed at the situation, at the risk I'd taken, at the guard's stupidity.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he spoke. "You never know when to stop, do you?" His voice was low, almost regretful, as if he had expected better from me.

But I wasn't about to apologize. Not this time. "He touched me," I said, my voice steady despite the chaos inside me. "He deserved it. He should have known better."

Ivan took a deep breath, his fingers brushing the bloodstained edge of my sleeve. "I didn't ask for this." The words were harsh, but his tone softened when he added, "And you know better than to do it like this."

I could feel the weight of his disapproval hanging between us, thick and suffocating. But beneath it, there was something else. Something unspoken. A hint of care that I didn't know how to process. I was angry at myself for even noticing it.

For the briefest moment, I allowed myself to lean into him again, my forehead pressed against his chest. His heartbeat was steady and strong, but my own was erratic, a reminder of the mess I had created.

"I didn't know what else to do," I whispered.

He was silent for a long moment. The room felt too small, too tight. Too heavy. Finally, he cupped my face with one hand, lifting my chin so our eyes met. There was something in his gaze that made my heart clench. It wasn't pity. It wasn't even anger. It was something far more complicated—something that terrified me.

"I won't let this go," he said quietly. "But... I'll deal with it. Not now, not here."

I nodded, barely able to process his words. His arms were still around me, pulling me into the familiar safety of his presence. But it wasn't just the safety I needed. It was understanding, something I didn't know if he could give me.

As I stood there, in the silence of Ivan's arms, I realized something I hadn't fully understood until now: I was completely tangled in this mess, in this life, in him. And no matter how hard I tried to fight it, I wasn't sure I could pull away.

For better or worse, I was his. And somehow, I knew he was mine.

As he stepped back, his fingers brushed through my hair, a touch that should've been gentle but felt heavy with the weight of everything unspoken.

"We'll fix this," he said, his voice low and determined.

I didn't answer. I couldn't. Because deep down, I didn't know if we ever could.

But I was in it. All of it. Whether I liked it or not.

And as the world outside continued its chaos, all I could do was stand there, with Ivan, caught in the storm we'd created together.!

PS:stay tuned for vol II;)