Page 80 of Hate You Most

Dakota remained quiet.

Viktoriya pressed the words out her mouth. “Everyone knew about us. Everyone.”

“No.” Dakota fiddled with her hands for a moment. “Nobody knows, not even my family. What everyone knows is just rumors and speculation.”

“You are an idiot for believing that.” She forced her tone to remain neutral. “It's all over the internet.”

Dakota scoffed, shaking her head. “Articles and gossip forums aren’t proof of anything.”

“Online there are pictures of us holding hands, and pictures of us kissing in hotel hallways from the security cameras.”

“That doesn’t mean anything.”

“There are interviews. You refuse to answer when asked if we’re together.”

She crossed her arms. “Because it wasn’t any of their business.”

Viktoriya let out a short, frustrated breath. “Exactly. You denied it and that made it everyone’s business.”

“That’s not how that works.”

“That is exactly how that works,” Viktoriya snapped. “People are not blind, Dakota. They have watched us for years.”

Dakota’s jaw tightened. “They’ve watched two skaters who have trained together.”

“They’ve watched two people that could barely stand next to each other without looking like they were about to kiss.”

“You’re exaggerating.”

Viktoriya gave a dry laugh. “You think I am exaggerating? There are entire compilation videos.”

Dakota groaned under her breath.

Viktoriya raised the phone slightly. “Millions of views, Dakota.”

“That’s the internet being the internet.”

“No,” Viktoriya said sharply. “You do not care about your reputation. Or mine.”

Dakota turned her chest away. “You care too much about yours.”

Viktoriya grabbed her by the hand, turned her around to face her once more.

“I can not go home,” Viktoriya said, raising her voice. “Russia don't have what I am. Russia don't allow what we are, and you just refuse to care. It means something you know, it means something to me.”

“I care,” Dakota said firmly.

Viktoriya shook her head. “No. You say you do. You say that you care, but then you talk about it like it's simple.”

“It isn’t simple,” Dakota replied. “I know that.”

“Do you?” Viktoriya shot back. “Because for me, it is not just politics—it is my life.”

“I know. I'm not asking you to do anything that you don't want to, I'm asking you to listen to me.” Dakota dragged a hand through her hair, clearly frustrated but she forced herself to slow down. “I know that Russia isn’t safe for you,” she said. “For us. I know what that means. I’m not pretending that part is easy or that it doesn’t matter, because it does.”

“Then stop talking like I have options,” Viktoriya said. “I don't have any options, you of all people should know that.”

“I’m not,” Dakota replied quickly. “I’m trying to explain why I did what I did.”