Ice & Prejudice

Chapter 58

Ria's POV:

The rain drummed steadily against the window as I stared out into the gray afternoon. I'd tried reading to distract myself, but the words blurred on the page, my mind refusing to focus. It had been two days since Nikolai's grand, public declaration of his feelings for me in the cafeteria, and I was still reeling from it.

I couldn't just forgive and forget. The wound he'd inflicted on my heart was still too fresh, too raw. Despite my feelings for him-feelings I'd tried so hard to bury-I knew that being with him was like holding a ticking bomb. He had hurt me, and even if it was only with words, the pain had cut deeper than any physical wound ever could.

The emptiness of my apartment, now that Stacy was gone, only made everything worse. I felt out of place, like I didn't belong anywhere anymore. I've spent more than three years with her-I couldn't just ignore that. My heart was heavy, and my mind was a mess of conflicting emotions.

When I noticed it was raining, I didn't hesitate. The rain had always calmed me, washed away the noise in my head. I threw on a pair of jeans, a warm sweater, and a jacket, slipped on my shoes, and stepped outside for a walk.

The cool, wet air hit me as soon as I stepped out of the building, the rain soaking into my hair and clothes almost instantly. But I didn't care. I welcomed it, letting the rain cleanse the turmoil inside me.

I was just a few steps into the parking lot when I saw a car pull up next to my building. My heart skipped a beat as I recognized Nikolai's sleek black car. Before I could even process what was happening, he stormed out of the car, heading straight toward me like a man on a mission.

"Victoria!" he called out, his voice cutting through the rain.

I froze, watching him approach, his broad shoulders hunched against the rain. His eyes were intense, fixed on me with a determination that made my pulse quicken.

When he reached me, he didn't hesitate. "I really, really like you, Victoria. And I know for a fact that you feel the same way about me," he said, his voice firm but tinged with desperation.

I opened my mouth to argue, but he wasn't done. He stepped closer, his hands gripping my arms, the warmth of his touch searing through the cold, wet fabric of my jacket.

"I've messed up," he continued, his voice cracking slightly. "I know I've hurt you, and I can't take back the things I said, but damn it, Vic, I can't keep going without you. You're all I think about. Every minute of every day, you're in my head, driving me crazy. Everything I do, I do thinking you're watching or just nearby. You haunt me. Not just when I'm asleep, Vic."

His words were like a punch to the gut, knocking the wind out of me. I could see the sincerity in his eyes, the vulnerability he was so rarely willing to show. But the pain he'd caused still lingered, a sharp reminder of the risks of letting him in again.

"Nikolai, I-" I started, but he cut me off, his voice growing more desperate.

"No, just listen," he pleaded, his grip on my arms tightening. "I've never felt this way about anyone before. You get under my skin, Victoria. You make me want to be better, to be someone worthy of you. But I'm terrified that I've already blown my chance. That I've lost you for good."

His words hit me like a wave, overwhelming and relentless. The rain continued to pour down on us, but it was nothing compared to the storm raging inside me.

"Nik..." My voice was shaky, barely a whisper.

He shook his head, as if refusing to let me finish. "I'm not giving up on you, on us. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make things right. I'll beg if I have to."