Page 26 of Keeping My Enemies Closer: Pt. 2

Chapter 14

Kasimir~

With my ‘work’ schedule being as sporadic as it was, I usually ate whenever I was hungry and didn’t really have much of an eating pattern, much like my sleep cycles.However, since I was spending more and more time at home with Zoya, I found myself cooking for us a lot, which I didn’t mind at all.Cooking for her felt intimate, and I needed as much intimacy with her as I could get.

I’d also gotten into the habit of washing the dishes afterwards, my staff more of security support system than servants.I was a grown man who knew how to use a sink and a dishwasher, so there wasn’t any need for someone to clean up after me.

“Can I ask you something?”

I paused from loading the dishwasher to look back at Zoya, and she was sitting comfortably at the kitchen table, watching me as I had refused her offer of help.I liked taking care of her, and if that meant domesticating myself every now and again, I was perfectly fine with that.

“Anything, you know that,” I replied easily.

“Have you ever killed a woman before?”she asked, and the hitch in her voice told me that she wasn’t sure if she wanted the answer, though she had asked the question directly enough.

I turned fully to look at her, cocking my head a bit.“Do you really want to have this conversation, Zoya?”

She looked hesitant for a second, but then said, “Yes.”

I didn’t say anything for a second before I turned around to finish loading the dishwasher, then wiping down the sink and counter, leaving everything as clean as when I’d started dinner.I also wasn’t taking my time because I didn’t trust Zoya or was mentally making up lies to tell her.I was giving her time to change her mind before the truth added to her already existing pile of emotional confusion.

Once I was finished, I turned to look back at her, gripping the edge of the counter behind me.“Yes.”

Zoya swallowed nervously before asking, “Why?”

“Different reasons,” I answered truthfully.

“So...so you’ve killed...you’ve killed more than one woman before?”she stammered.

I nodded.“Yes.”

“Have you...you ever tortured a woman?”she asked quietly, this question heavier than the first one, understandably so.

I eyed her carefully as I answered with complete honesty.“No.”

“No?”she echoed in surprise.

“Zoya, whether it’s something that feminism wants to admit or not, women fold a lot faster then men do,” I explained.“Genuine fear is usually enough to make a female spill all of her secrets.If not, then all you have to do is threaten their children, and then they’ll tell you everything that you want to know.”

Her hazel gaze widened at that.“Have you...have you ever hurt a child?”

I immediately scowled at that.“Are you out of your mind?I’d never hurt a child.”

“Well, how in the hell am I supposed to know that?”she snapped, her cheeks red with embarrassment.

Softening my voice, I said, “No, I’ve never harmed a child, and I never would.No Korolevs have ever harmed a child.If my father possesses any kind of conscience, that’s the proof.Everyone associated with our family is forbidden from ever hurting a child.”