Page 38 of Keeping My Enemies Closer: Pt. 1

“What about...what about my clothes and-”

“You’ll do fine in my t-shirts, but if you need more, we can pack your stuff together, or else I can order you all new stuff,” he replied evenly, as if we were discussing the weather.“It will be up to you.”

Letting go of my arm, he turned to walk over to one of the end tables that littered his living room, and I watched as he grabbed a set of keys, and I could feel my stomach tighten with a sense of dread that made last night seem tame.No matter how nice his condo was, Kasimir was holding me prisoner here, and my mind was still reeling with the fact.

“I will be back in a couple of hours,” he announced.“I promise not to be much longer, but just know that if you try to leave, it will not bode well for you,lepestok.”

As soon as Kasimir locked the door behind him, I raced for my purse, searching for my phone, even though I knew the truth of where it was.When I couldn’t find it, I dropped on the couch, and I didn’t know whether to cry or rage.If Kasimir really was serious about keeping me here, how was I expected to fight that?How did someone fight a goddamn Korolev and win?

I also had no desire to drag Marcelle into this mess, but it was true that everyone else knew me as Montana Hughes, so what in the hell were my options now?No matter how completely...engulfed I’d been last night, there was no way in hell that I could live with someone like Kasimir Korolev.

Don’t forget, you might also be pregnant.

Christ, what was I going to do?

Chapter 19

Kasimir~

My brother and father just stared at me, but I wasn’t overly concerned with the way that they kept sliding looks at each other, no doubt wondering if I’d finally lost my mind, which could be a genuine possibility if I wanted to be completely honest.

“Let me see if I’ve understood you correctly,” my father said.“You’ve been...uhm, keeping an eye on Zoya Orlova, and now you’ve got her held hostage at your condo...is that correct?”

“You’re taking all the romance out of it, but yes,” I replied.

“The romance out of it?”Viktor echoed.

“I’m fairly certain that I’m in love with her, and so I’m keeping her,” I informed them both, making my father visibly pale while Viktor choked a bit.

“You’re...you’re in love with her?That’s what you...that’s what you’re saying?”my father asked, and I wasn’t sure if I’d ever seen Aleksei Korolev at a loss for words.“You’re in love with Zoya Orlova?”

I nodded.“Yes.”

“And...and how does she feel about the situation?”Viktor asked when he was finally able to compose himself.

“It doesn’t matter,” I answered seriously.“She’s no choice in the matter.”