Page 6 of Keeping My Enemies Closer: Pt. 2

My eyes narrowed angrily, tears clogging my throat immediately.“Do you really think that they’re going to want to hear from the person who got their daughter killed?”

Instead of resorting to a bunch of platitudes that most people would deliver at a time like this, and that most people would be expecting, Kasimir just stared at me with those dual-colored eyes of his, knowing that nothing he could say right now would make me feel better.While there were so many compassionate quotes about death, none of them actually made a difference.There were no words that could make anyone feel better about losing a loved one, and so all that prattling on really was to help make the other person feel less uncomfortable.

Finally, he said, “I think that you need to get some rest.You’re going to need to save your energy for all that self-loathing and guilt that you’re going to be carrying around for the next few months.”

“It’s true,” I said, needing to feel something other than hollow.“If it wasn’t for me, my mother would still be alive.”

At that, Kasimir stood up, then leaned up against the rail of the bed.“I’m curious,lepestok,”he drawled out quietly.“Why would you say that your mother’s death is your fault?How are you responsible for two menrandomlybreaking into your home to rob you?By your own accounts, you didn’t recognize the two men, correct?”

Shit.

“I didn’t save her,” I said, hoping that the explanation sounded reasonable enough.“I did nothing to save her, Kasimir.”

“Were you expected to save her?”he asked coldly.“As one of the men was beating you unconscious, were you expected to save her?Did he take a break, giving you time to free her from the chair with your three broken fingers?Were you going to be able to carry her out with your cracked ribs and concussion?”

“Stop it,” I bit out.

Kasimir cocked his head, and he almost looked amused, though I knew that he wasn’t feeling particularly happy at all.“While I can appreciate everything that you’ve been through, my brother and I are not stupid,lepestok.In case you’ve forgotten, we’re the nightmares that visit regular criminals in their dreams.So, while I’ve no doubt that you’ve told us the facts of what happened at your house, I’m also very aware that you’ve left out quite a bit of details.”

My heart started hammering in my chest, and it hurt enough to make me need to catch my breath.While I knew that Kasimir and Viktor weren’t stupid, I also hadn’t expected Kasimir to call me out on how I had purposely omitted the one thing that could help them find out who the men were.

“I...I don’t know what you’re talking...talking about,” I lied.

“I’m going to let that slide because of the physical, emotional, and mental condition you are in, but know that this will be the only time when I will allow you to lie to me, Zoya,” he replied firmly.“We are not going to be a couple who cannot trust one another, and once we say our vows, you better believe that I will not tolerate deceit of any kind.”

I had nothing to say to that because I really was lying, and even in a normal relationship between a man and a woman, trust was a necessity and even expected.So, Kasimir wasn’t wrong for insisting that I never lie to him, and for whatever reason, I felt properly chastised.

“I’m tired,” I said, and though I was just saying it to bide myself some time, it was also true.

I felt fucking exhausted.

“While I am certain that you are, just know that this isn’t over,lepestok,”he stated evenly.“However, for now, I will go speak with a nurse and have the doctor called.”

“I can wait until-”

“You can be as polite as you want to, butIcannot wait until he makes his rounds,” he said, interrupting me.“You are not just anybody, Zoya.The staff of this hospital will make exceptions to the rules if they want to continue to breathe.”

“Jesus, Kasimir,” I rushed out.“That’s not necessary.”

He shrugged like he hadn’t just threatened the lives of many innocent people.“We’ll just have to agree to disagree on the subject.”

Letting that go, I asked, “Do you know if I’m allowed back at my house?”

Kasimir shook his head.“You will not be going back there, Zoya.Not only might it still be a crime scene, but it’s not safe.You will be going home with me, and since you assured me that all of your belongings were already packed, I will be picking up those boxes for you.Once you are feeling better, and once the police are done doing whatever it is that they do, we will return to your mother’s home to clean it out.”

I didn’t say anything to that because there wasn’t anything to say.Even though Kasimir had already come into my life, upending it like I hadn’t ever expected, my life was never going to be the same again, and I wasn’t sure of who I was going to be when I came out of this on the other side.

My mother had been murdered, and I’d been left for dead, and I knew who was behind who’d done it, and how was I expected to be the same person after such a thing?How was I expected to just go on as if my entire life hadn’t just been shattered?A life that I couldn’t imagine could be shattered any more than it’d been when we’d found out that my uncle had been working for the Korolevs.My life felt like a horribly scripted movie, and as much as I wanted to turn away from the screen, I just couldn’t.

Looking back down at my lap, I asked, “How am I supposed to live with this?”

“I’ll have an answer for you as soon as you tell me everything that really happened,” he replied smoothly, making my head snap up.“I cannot help you if you are not giving me all the tools to help you,lepestok.”

I hated how simple he was making everything sound, and I also hated how he could make me feel guilty with the truth when I had more important emotions to navigate right now.I’d just lost my mother, and I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to handle it once I had no choice but to accept it.