Page 49 of Keeping My Enemies Closer: Pt. 2

The clinic was also surrounded by enough firepower to make a dictator envious.There were armed Korolev guards all over the damn place, and while it should feel comforting, it was just another reminder of a world that I wasn’t sure that I’d ever get used to.

At any rate, on the way over here, Kasimir had informed me that neither Roman Marchetti nor Aleksei Korolev would be here for the blessed event, but that was because it was too dangerous to have the entire Korolev and Marchetti upper hierarchy all in one place, which made sense.However, having all four sons, both mothers, and the only daughter all together under one roof seemed like a huge risk to me also, but what did I know?

It also felt awkward as hell, not gonna lie.While the mothers were behaving as expected, all giddy in anticipation of their first grandchild, the men were on guard enough to make things feel tense.For whatever reason, Kasimir and Stefano kept shooting side glances at each other while Santino couldn’t seem to care less about either man.

“Okay, I can’t hold it in any longer,” Stefano announced.“Who is this, and why are you being a dick and not introducing her properly?”

“Don’t act dumb,” Kasimir snorted.“You know exactly who she is.”

“That doesn’t explain why you haven’t introduced her to us,” Stefano repeated.

“This is the part where you should mind your own business, Marchetti,” Kasimir replied, and while he wasn’t singing, his tone had me feeling uneasy.

“If she’s family, then sheismy business,” Stefano flung back.“Don’t forget that we have a right to know who’s around my sister just as much as you do, if not more.”

“Aurora can take care of herself,” Kasimir argued.

Worried that this might become something more than it needed to be, I said, “I’m Zoya Orlova Kuzmin.”

Stefano Marchetti looked over at me, and there really should be a law against having so many gorgeous men in one room together.“I know your name, Ms.Kuzmin.I would just like a confirmation from your friend here...or is itfiancé?”

“You’re such an asshole,” Kasimir bit out.

“Will you two give it a goddamn rest?”Santino Marchetti sighed.“You’re giving me a fucking headache.”

“He started it,” Kasimir quipped, and they really did sound like siblings fighting for attention.

Santino shook his head.“Unbelievable.”

“Santino is right,” Mrs.Marchetti stated.“We’re here for Aurora and the baby.Now is not the time to discuss business.”

“I have to agree,” Mrs.Korolev remarked, and what struck me as odd was that she hadn’t bothered to ask who I was when I had walked in here behind Kasimir with no introductions.

“We weren’t discussing business,” Stefano replied.“I was asking for a proper introduction to someone who is going to be around my sister on a regular basis.”

“Stefano Marchetti, I’d like you to meet Zoya Kuzmin,” Kasimir drawled out sarcastically.

Stefano grinned my way.“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Zoya.I’m Stefano Marchetti, and that sourpuss over there is my brother, Santino Marchetti.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Stefano,” I muttered expectantly.

“I’d also like you to meet my mother, Rosemary Marchetti,” he went on before calling over his mother.“Momma, come meet Zoya Kuzmin.”

Just then, Mrs.Marchetti walked over to us, a kind smile on her face, and she was just as beautiful as the rest of her family.“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Zoya,” she remarked, echoing the same words as her son.

Then, out of the blue, Mrs.Korolev said, “I am Irina Korolev, and it’s very nice to finally meet you, Zoya.Of course, the plan was for us to have had a nice family dinner for me to meet you properly, but here we are.”

Her voice wasn’t warm or friendly, and it had me wondering if she felt as if I was intruding on this very intimate event.Granted, that could just be me feeling intimidated by her air of confidence, but that still didn’t take away from the fact that Mrs.Marchetti’s introduction had come across so much warmer.

“It’s nice to meet you both,” I replied dutifully.

“Now, do not get me wrong,” Mrs.Korolev went on.“We will still have a proper family dinner to commemorate your engagement to my son, but we will have to wait a while...you know, for when Aurora is feeling better.”

Okay, so maybe that was just the way that she sounded.Not all mothers were warm and nurturing, and having raised two of the most ruthless killers to ever walk the planet, I could see how Irina Korolev might not be the PTA-baking-cookies kind of maternal example.

That also had me thinking about how I hadn’t started my period yet.Though I was pretty regular when it came to my menstrual cycle, I knew that stress could affect the body in a way that I wasn’t too concerned...yet.I’d give it one more week before I started freaking out.

As both matriarchs turned back to continue visiting, I turned to face Kasimir, and lowering my voice, I asked, “Am I going to be allowed to raise our children?”