Chapter 60 #2
God, she was the perfect Russian Barbie.
Pulling her sunglasses up to rest on her head, something sparkled in the light as she moved her hair.
Her gaze immediately shot to the gym. She looked around like she was looking specifically for something…
and her eyes stopped on me. I gave her a friendly smile, but she didn't return it.
Instead, her hostile gaze raked down my body and I stiffened, despite my heart pounding against my ribs. A chill exploded down my spine and my stomach churned.
All the noise in the background faded away and I immediately looked over my shoulder at Kova. He stood with his hands on his hips, intently watching Katja, but he wasn't looking at her with hearts in his eyes.
No, he was staring at her like he was terrified he was about to lose everything, despite his confrontational stance.
I glanced back toward Katja and her eyes were still on me.
I shook it off and walked to step in line as Kova made his way toward her.
He opened the door and stepped up to her, placing a kiss on her cheek.
I looked around the gym to see if anyone had noticed anything, but it appeared they hadn’t.
Holly and Reagan were having their own conversation, and Madeline was watching Kova and Katja with a big grin on her face.
The rest of the gym was in their own world.
Confused, I looked around again. I was missing something, I just didn't know what.
Trying not to let the awkwardness of the situation bother me, I shook it off and took off running and completed another tumbling pass, landing it nicely this time.
A cramp formed in my stomach and I looked around, trying to make a point not to stop on Kova and Katja and make it seem like I was aloof. My skin prickled with awareness, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
Maybe it was just me. My nerves were jittery, and I was guilty of sleeping with her man.
I got back in line and watched Holly tumble. Reagan stepped up behind me and my gut told me not to take a turn.
But I did. I had a meet coming up and I had to practice.
I took off running again and heard Reagan say something to Holly about celebration right as I started my tumbling pass halfway across the floor, but I accidently undercut, making it difficult to perform the next sequence of skills because of my poor hand placement.
I didn't do the double back twist, instead, I did a simple back layout mid-flight.
I tried not to look toward the lobby, but I did. All I could see were lips moving and Katja's startling peridot eyes fixated on Kova. Her eyes shifted toward me and I quickly averted my gaze, pretending I was looking somewhere else.
She definitely caught me looking at her. Guilt consumed me, and I kept my eyes focused on the floor as I got back in line.
I was too ashamed, yet I wasn't. He needed something she couldn’t give him, and he found it with me.
"Yeah, I'm so happy for them," Reagan said cheerfully to Holly.
I applied some chalk to my hands to absorb the moisture then stretched my wrists, flexing them back and forth, pushing on my palms. They'd been aching lately from the hard impact they often took.
I'd have to get my wristbands from my bag just to be safe.
"Me, too," Holly responded. "It's about time. I mean, I knew they would eventually tie the knot after how long it's been. They seem so in love."
My head snapped up and I glared at Holly, but Madeline called my name to go. Reagan eyed me too curiously and I struggled to look away.
But I didn't. Our eyes locked onto each other and something tender shifted in her eyes that said everything, everything I needed to know.
I blinked. There was no way.
Lips parting, my chest rose and fell faster with each intake of air.
"Adrianna! Today!" Madeline shouted, clapping her hands, but I couldn't tear my eyes from Reagan's or allow my mind to drift from replaying what I’d just heard over and over.
It couldn't be. There's no way Kova would do that to me. Not after he made love to me last night.
"Adrianna," Reagan said gently, "let me go first." My vacant eyes shifted to hers, but I ignored her and took my position.
My mind thought back to the sparkle I'd seen when she walked in. I felt like I would be able to spot an engagement ring.
The knot in my stomach tightened. Had I and not realized it?
"Keep going and I'll be right back," Madeline said, then jogged away toward the lobby.
Inhaling then exhaling a huge breath of air, I tried desperately to focus as I rose up on my toes and leaned forward. I started running, eyeing the corner, and angled into a round off, my mind replaying their conversation.
"It's about time."
"They would eventually tie the knot."
"They seem so in love."
There was no way Kova wouldn't tell me if he got married, especially after last night. My mind had to be playing tricks on me, it had to be.
No, I thought to myself as my feet punched the floor and I leaned backwards into my back handspring. Eventually meant they had gotten married, I thought as I rebounded and reached for the sky, turning into a full twist, and rotating my hips so I could pull a double back tuck.
But I didn't.
I only executed one twist and landed with both feet, a sharp pain shooting up my leg.
I feigned a rebound and grabbed my leg, then hobbled away, pretending like it never happened and I was stretching it out.
This time, I kept my gaze strictly on the floor as I made my way back to the corner, even though I could sense eyes were on me.
Holly was in front of me when I uttered the words to Reagan, though my focus was anywhere but on her.
"Are they married?" I asked, barely moving my lips. I knew I shouldn't ask her, my tone giving a lot away, but I couldn't not. I had to know. I had to.
My eyes lifted to the scene in the lobby. I watched as Madeline leaned in and kissed Katja's cheek. I assumed they exchanged joyous words, judging by their happy expressions and how Madeline lifted Katja's left hand, but she blocked the view.
My heart dropped. No… It couldn't be. It just couldn't.
"I found out two days ago from my mom. I thought you knew too," Reagan said quietly under her breath. I shook my head, staring straight ahead. "It's why there's a big celebration dinner for both parents and coaches tonight."
She found out two days ago.
All air left my lungs.
My chest caved in and I struggled for oxygen as my eyes locked onto Kova's grief-stricken eyes that were begging, literally begging me for forgiveness.
Kova was married. No. There was no way in hell he would marry, let alone leave me in the dark for everyone to know but me. He wasn't that cruel.
Tears tickled my eyes, my jaw ached with a pain so severe I fought to conceal my emotions. Kova subtly shook his head but I ignored it.
I didn't understand why he was shaking his head no, but I refused to allow this bombshell to mess with my focus. I refused. Not after how far I'd come.
Feet together in the corner, I made an effort to complete another tumbling pass…but I couldn't. My foggy mind wouldn't let me. I ended up executing a skill, something so simple and almost mundane for my level, then got back in line, totally empty inside.
I couldn't help myself and I shot a brief glance over my shoulder toward Kova. His eyes were already looking for me and all I could think was, you married her.
His burning green eyes held my gaze for a long moment and the stone-cold conviction in them made me look away.
It told me everything I needed to know. Everything.
Kova, was in fact, married.