Ivan by Lexi Buchanan

Author:Lexi Buchanan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HFCA Publishing

16

PAYTON

Time is ticking along too fast, and as each day is crossed off the calendar in the kitchen, my heart gets nearer to being crushed. Ivan has two days left in this country and I find myself close to tears at all times of the day and night. He knows too. It’s difficult to hide my tears when I’m in his arms. I want to keep them around me for the rest of my life.

The fans are sad to be losing their defender and are more vocal tonight. His last game. He asked me to be here. I wanted to refuse. Instead, I’m wearing a large pair of sunglasses that Addison gave me. I can’t bring myself to join in the chatter because my tears are so close to the surface. If I open my mouth to speak, I’ll break.

I recognize the sadness in Ivan, even if others don’t. It’s in the way he moves. The way he keeps his features emotionless. There is nothing there tonight. No anger. No beast. He’s just a man who is being forced to do something he doesn’t want to do.

By the time the game is over my tears flow free down my cheeks. No matter how many times I swipe at them, more flow. A strong arm wraps around my shoulders, and I freeze and whip my head around. Wyatt.

“It’s okay,” he mouths over the racket of fans shouting and cheering and singing. I nod and sag into him. “Come down to the ice,” he shouts into my ear.

I shake my head. “I can’t.”

“Don’t let him be alone for this.”

His words hit me in the chest. Alone. We’ll both be alone.

Without another word, Wyatt leads me down to the ice and waits for the gate to be opened and a cover to be rolled out. The players and team know what is going on, and when my eyes find Ivan, his expression gives away his true emotion—this is killing him.

The second the gate opens, Ivan takes me from Wyatt and slides his fingers through my hair to cup the back of my head. His forehead rests against mine and our eyes hold. “This is difficult,” he confesses.

I nod, wrapping my arms around his waist and bury my face in the crook of his neck. “I can’t say goodbye to you.” I cry and let my tears soak into his jersey. Ivan holds me tight, his body tense. He’s fighting hard not to give in to his emotions.

A hand presses into my back and I vaguely hear words in Russian exchanged before Ivan eases me away, but not far. He keeps me at his side as his mom and sister join us.

Maria puts both her hands on Ivan’s face and whispers to him in their native tongue. Ivan presses me closer and says, “Da,” softly to his mom. She leans in and kisses my cheek, her eyes sad.

A rumble in Ivan’s chest works it’s way up and out in a grunt.

Wyatt waits.

Ivan’s hand clings to mine.

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