They’d done it. The Blackhawks had only needed four games to advance to the second round of the playoffs. They would find out in a couple of days who they’d be facing next. Viktor and Jane had the day to themselves and so far they’d spent it in bed.
Jane was wearing one of Viktor shirts and he was only wearing his underwear, while they stood in the kitchen. Jane had just finished making the pancakes and had put the pan aside, when Viktor wrapped his arms around her from behind. He pulled her close and pressed a kiss to the side of her neck.
“Jag älskar dig (I love you),” Viktor said, feeling Jane stiffen in his arms. Her Swedish was more than good enough so that she understood what he’d said. “I’ve been in love with you for some time now. I know that you’re afraid of commitment, and I know why. Don’t want you to say anything to this.” Carefully he turned her around to look in her eyes. “But please understand that I couldn’t keep this to myself anymore.” He brushed her hair from her face and kissed her forehead.
“Okay,” Jane said a little unsteadily, nodding her head. Oh, damn. She had to get out of here.
“Are you really okay?” Jan nodded her head again, but didn’t look him in the eye. Viktor sighed. “Jane, look at me!” Slowly she raised her head and did what he asked of her. “Why can’t you be honest with me?”
“I don’t know.” She took a few steps back to put distance between them. They’d been together pretty much non-stop for the last couple of weeks. “I think I need some time to myself.” She walked past him to the bedroom and got dressed.
Viktor followed her and stood in the door, watching her. He hadn’t actually wanted to tell her all that, but it felt god. Really good.
“Just do me one favor, okay? Talk to Abby or Patrick, but please don’t stay alone for too long.” He’d only worry about her.
“Okay.” Jane took her purse and walked up to Viktor. “I’ll call you.”
“Okay.” Viktor nodded, but stayed in place when she walked past him. He only moved away from his spot, when he heard the front door close.
He rubbed a hand over his face. With everything going on right now, he didn’t feel well leaving Jane alone at all, but he had to do it. He couldn’t run after her when she needed time to herself. Instead he went back to the kitchen and ate a couple of pancakes. They were delicious, but he couldn’t really enjoy them. It was something he had been looking forward to, but only with Jane by his side.
After cleaning up the kitchen, he took a long, hot shower, spending extra time, so he wouldn’t bother Patrick too soon. But once he was out of the shower, dressed and his hair was dry, he called him.
“Viktor!” Patrick exclaimed. “What can I do for you?”
“Hello. Um… Has Jane called you by any chance?”
“No, why?”
“Has she called Abby?”
Patrick asked his wife, before he got back to Viktor. “No. What is going on?”
Viktor told him what had happened earlier. “So I told her to get in touch with you or Abby. Could you try to call her? Just to verify that everything is alright.”
“Of course.” Patrick seemed alarmed. It wasn’t like Jane to say one thing and do the other. Viktor said that she’d said, she’d call him or Abby, but she hadn’t, so something must be wrong with her. “I’ll get back to you.”
Viktor was pacing through his apartment. Her clothes were still there, but the apartment seemed less alive without her. He’d gotten so used to living here with her, that it was very unusual to not have her around.
When his phone rang, Viktor immediately answered it.
“She’s not answering her mobile phone or her home phone. We both tried it. I don’t like this one bit, Viktor.”
Neither did he. He was already putting on his shoes, when he said to Patrick: “I’ll drive to her apartment. I have a key. If she’s not there, I’ll call you again.”
“What makes you think I’ll stay home?” Patrick got up and slipped on his shoes. He waved to his wife as he left the house.
“I’ll be there before you,” Viktor stated, grabbing his car keys. He flew out of the apartment and to the elevator in record time. “We’ll talk there.”
Viktor shoved his phone in his pants pocket and walked to his car. The drive to Jane’s apartment seemed to take forever. Every traffic light he had to pass was red. He cursed loudly a couple of times. He got a very bad feeling. Actually, he’d been having it since the moment Jane had left his apartment.
Finally he was there. He got out of the car, ran up the stairs and stopped in front of her apartment door. Something seemed off, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Trying to calm his breathing down, he pressed one ear to the door. It sounded like someone was inside, but it was very quiet. It could have come from a different apartment.
Viktor took the key out of his pocket. He couldn’t wait for Patrick, so he unlocked the door as quietly as possibly and stepped inside, leaving the door ajar. Should something happen, Patrick would still be able to get inside.
Okay, the noises he heard had definitely come from inside the apartment. He took a step forward and could now make out voices. Or rather one voice.