MEETING THE DARKNESS

37

As the door clicked shut behind her mom, Aryan, and Rhys, the room fell into a comfortable silence. Dia let out a long breath, feeling the tension drain from her body now that everything was out in the open. She glanced at Viktor, who was leaning casually against the edge of the bed, his arms crossed, watching her with a small, teasing smile playing on his lips.

"Why did you say that?" Dia asked, her voice soft, curiosity dancing in her eyes.

Viktor raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. "Say what?"

"You know what," she pressed, narrowing her eyes at him. "You called me your wife."

Viktor's smirk widened, and he took a slow step toward her, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Well, you are, aren't you?" His voice was smooth, laced with teasing. "Legally, at least."

Dia felt her cheeks heat up again, and she quickly looked away, pretending to busy herself with the edge of the blanket. "You didn't have to say it like that, though," she muttered, her heart fluttering in her chest.

Viktor chuckled, the deep sound sending a shiver down her spine. "I didn't know you'd get so flustered, Mrs. Martin."

Dia's head snapped up, and she glared at him, though her blush betrayed her. "I wasn't flustered!" she protested, though her voice was a little too high-pitched to be convincing.

Viktor moved closer, leaning down so that his face was inches from hers, his intense gaze locking onto her. "You were definitely blushing," he said, his voice low and teasing. "Your face was practically glowing."

Dia's breath hitched as his eyes bore into hers, the air between them suddenly charged. "I wasn't," she whispered, though even she wasn't sure if she believed herself anymore. She could feel her pulse quickening, her heart pounding as Viktor's presence consumed her senses.

He leaned in even closer, their noses almost touching, his breath warm against her skin. "You're blushing right now."

Dia couldn't find the words to respond. The intensity of Viktor's gaze held her captive, her body frozen in place. Her heart raced as she found herself drowning in the depths of his stormy eyes, and for a moment, everything else faded away. It was just the two of them, the world outside forgotten.

She felt the pull between them, the undeniable magnetism that had been growing stronger with every moment they spent together. Viktor's hand came up to gently brush a stray lock of hair from her face, his touch sending a jolt of electricity through her. His gaze dropped to her lips for just a second, and Dia's breath caught in her throat.

They were so close now, their faces inches apart, their lips almost touching. Dia's heart pounded in anticipation, her eyes fluttering shut as she leaned in, closing the gap between them—

But just as their lips were about to meet, the door swung open with a loud bang.

"Well, well, well!" Kai's voice rang out, full of amusement. "What do we have here?"

Dia's eyes flew open, and she jumped back, her face turning an even deeper shade of red. Viktor straightened up, an annoyed groan escaping him, but he didn't move away from her, his body still close enough to feel the warmth between them.

Kai stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame with a wide grin plastered on his face. "Am I interrupting something? Should I give you two a moment?"

Dia's mortification deepened, and she covered her face with her hands. "Kai!" she squeaked, trying to hide her embarrassment.

Viktor shot Kai a dark look, though there was a hint of amusement in his eyes as well. "You have impeccable timing, as always," he drawled, clearly irritated but not entirely displeased.

Kai chuckled, stepping fully into the room. "Hey, I just came to check on you guys, but it looks like I walked in on something far more interesting."

Dia peeked out from behind her hands, shooting Kai a glare. "You didn't walk in on anything!" she protested, but her blush and flustered demeanor made it impossible to sound convincing.

Kai raised an eyebrow, his grin widening. "Oh really? Because from where I'm standing, it sure looked like something."

Viktor smirked, glancing at Dia. "It was nothing, Kai. Just my wife blushing again."

Dia groaned, completely defeated, while Kai burst out laughing. "You two are something else," he said, shaking his head in amusement. "I'll leave you alone—for now." He shot them both a wink before turning to leave. "But don't worry, Dia. I'll be back to check on this little romance of yours."

As the door closed behind him, Dia let out a long sigh, sinking back into the bed. "I can't believe him," she muttered, half embarrassed, half relieved.

Viktor chuckled, sitting down beside her. "He does have a knack for ruining moments, doesn't he?"

Dia glanced at him, her heart still racing from their almost-kiss. She could feel the tension still lingering between them, but instead of feeling awkward, she found herself smiling, the warmth of Viktor's presence soothing her nerves.

"Yeah," she said softly, her eyes meeting his again. "But... it's okay."

For now, the moment was over, but the unspoken connection between them was stronger than ever.

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I swear to god Kai has the worst timing possible!

Anyway happy reading.

Hope you guys are enjoying the story!

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With love,

CARA