Page 40 of Keeping My Enemies Closer: Pt. 1

"I’ve already explained...she left with mewillingly,”I repeated.“I’m just not...letting her go home.”

Knowing me as well as he did, Viktor said, “Just do us a favor and keep us informed of...of her willingness or lack thereof.I don’t want to get blindsided.”

“It’ll be fine,” I assured them.“I refuse to let it be anything else.”

“Well, I suppose this is one way to ensure that she’s never harmed by the hands of a Korolev,” Viktor drawled out.“Though I guess that depends on if you view a hostage situation as harmful or not.”

“Your wife only said that she was not to come to anyphysicalharm by a Korolev,” I pointed out.“And she has not.”

“Whatever the case, just be sure to keep us informed,” my father stated.“I’m with Viktor on this one, Kasimir.I do not want to get blindsided by the police or...or have the poor girl begging me to save her from you.”

That had my back snapping straight.

“I want to make something very clear to everyone in this room,” I said, that familiar tune beginning to hum in the back of my head.“I will not allowanyoneto take Zoya from me, and when I say anyone, I’m also talking about the two of you.If you think that I’m difficult to reason with now, try to take her from me, and I’ll show you a side to me that no one will ever be able to recover from.”

My father straightened as he glanced at my brother before looking back at me.“Are you threatening your Pakhan, Kasimir?”

“No,” I answered truthfully.“I am warning my father and my brother that my mental state is questionable as it is on a good day, so I cannot guarantee that I will behave in a sane or mature manner if Zoya tries to leave me or gets any help in leaving me.”

“How is that supposed to reassure us in this matter?”Viktor asked.

“It’s always better to be prepared than caught unawares, right?”I retorted.

“Perhaps we should continue this conversation at a later date,” my father suggested.“I also would like to speak with Zoya, Kasimir.I want a better understanding of what is going on here, but I want it from her point of view as well.”

“You’re welcome to come over at any time,” I replied.“Just call or text first.I’d like to make sure that we’re both presentable before you arrive.”

My father let out a heavy sigh.“Of course.”

“Okay, well...I suppose I better get back,” I remarked.“She might be setting the place on fire in a bid to be saved by the fire department or something.”

“That’s not funny, Kasimir,” Viktor drawled out.

“I wasn’t kidding, Viktor,” I snorted.

“Let Zoya know that I will be speaking with her within the next couple of days,” my father said, ending the meeting.“We will discuss this then some more.”

I gave him a terse nod before telling my brother, “Give Aurora my best.”

“Your best will still never be good enough for her,” he huffed.

“Just like she’ll always deserve way better than you,” I shot back, grinning because we both knew it was true.

Viktor flipped me off, and just like that, everything was right with the world again.