Page 22 of Keeping My Enemies Closer: Pt. 2

I also didn’t move a muscle as I felt Kasimir crawl onto the bed next to me, wrapping his arms around me, still mindful of my injuries.Now, while I hadn’t gone to sleep naked, I didn’t care that I was only half-dressed in one of Kasimir’s t-shirts, my panties somewhere on the bed or the floor.I was not going to let reality intrude on this moment until I had no choice.

“I’ll never go that long without touching or tasting you again,lepestok,”he said softly from behind me.“I was close to losing my mind.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at that.“Pretty sure you lost that a long time ago.”

“Maybe,” he muttered quietly.

“Kasimir?”

“Yeah, baby?”

“Thank you.”

“For what?”he asked, pulling me closer, though still careful with my ribs.

“For trying,” I answered tiredly.“For just trying.”

“Apart from letting you go, there’s nothing that I won’t do for you, Zoya,” he said seriously.“If it is in my power to do so, I will do whatever it is you need from me.”

I didn’t say anything, but I didn’t have to.I knew that he wasn’t just talking to talk or making declarations to impress a woman.More importantly, he knew that I knew.Kasimir Korolev wasn’t the type of man that had to prove himself to anyone, including me.

“I’ll figure it out eventually,” I finally said, hoping that I wasn’t lying.

“Well, I’m here to assure you that it’s okay if you don’t,” he replied, and tears immediately sprung to my eyes.Kasimir was giving me permission to remain broken, letting me know that he’d still love me anyway.

I started crying.

I started crying, and he didn’t let go of me until I fell into exhaustion again.

Chapter 12

Kasimir~

Zoya was tired of feeling helpless, and while I understood how frustrated she must be feeling, her insistence that we finally go back to her mother’s house wasn’t sitting well with me.She was still raw, and going back to her mother’s house might hurt more than it might help.

Nonetheless, when she’d woken up this morning, over breakfast, Zoya had asked me to finally take her back to her mother’s house to begin the process of saying goodbye for good.Granted, if she wanted to keep the house, I had no problem with that.I could pay it off, and it could sit vacant for all I cared.