Page 6 of Ruby Menace

I need to find Tiana. I’d be a fool to think that this hasn’t upset her. I have to speak to her and then sort out this shit with Zoya.

What are you going to say to her, dolboyob?

“You will stay with Dima,” I say to Zoya now. “He will see you to your room with the boy… Stepan.” I aim a tight smile at the child.

“Thank you, Kirill,” she gushes out the words. “You won’t be sorry. We’re going to make this work. You’ll see.”

I ignore what she’s saying and turn my attention to Dima. He’s been standing awkwardly by the doorway all this time. “Don’t let her out of your sight. Is that clear?” He nods. “Not a foot off the property. Or even out of this house.”

“But, Kirill, I-” she begins.

“I said not a foot, Zoya!” I stiffen my bearing. “We will talk when I am ready. Until then, you will watch your step.”

“Understood, milaya.” She gives a smile. “I will take the time to reacquaint myself with our home once again. There will be plenty to keep me and your son busy.”

“That’s not what I mean. You keep your nose clean. Stay out of trouble. And you do not cause shit with Tiana, do you hear me?” When she gives a shrug, I step closer and lower my head to her ear. “If you do not obey me, it will not be the Petrovs you have to fear.”

She sucks in a breath but doesn’t cower. Nor does she flinch when I straighten abruptly and turn from her. In fact, she reaches for my arm yet again, her fingers closing over my bicep.

“Watch yourself!” I turn back and lock eyes with her.

Her eyes narrow. “Husband, I will do as you tell me. It is my duty, after all. But hear this: don’t fool yourself into believing that you could ever breed yourself an heir with a… trembling mouse. She would not be able to handle this life,” There is so much conviction in her voice, I almost believe it. “You know this as well as I do.”

“I don’t need you to tell me how to manage my affairs,” I huff.

“She will become a target, if she hasn’t already. Or worse, she will turn you into a target, Kirill,” she hisses. “Mark my words. That girl will be the weak link in your chain. You know exactly what I am talking about.”

With a low growl, I yank my arm away from her and put distance between us, stalking toward the door. She has no idea. She doesn’t know what Tiana is capable of. No idea of the woman’s strength. If Zoya thinks that she’s a fragile little girl, she’s dead wrong.

I have to set this right.

Chapter Three

Tiana

“It’s me! Open up, dammit!”

The door swings open the second time I bang on it. It happens so abruptly that I almost stumble into the room.

“Babe! What the hell?” Roxie stares at me dumbfounded, her hand still on the doorknob.

I push past her, head into the room, and sag onto the bed, sinking my head into my hands. It’s not the first time I’ve done this in the past twenty-four hours. Roxie shuts the door and walks over to stand in front of me.

“Thank God you’re okay,” she exhales. “I’ve been worried sick about you. Where did you go? I didn’t think you’d be back and-”

I hold up a hand. “Long story.”

“I bet.” She sits next to me, her shoulder pressing against mine. “Want to talk about it? I really hope you do, coz I’ve got like a billion questions.”

I inhale a deep breath and bite on my lower lip to stop it from wobbling. “I don’t even know where to begin.”

What do I tell her? That the FBI is investigating the man I’d just decided to marry? Or that his wife popped out of the woodwork to throw a spanner in the works?

“Start from where you climbed out of the window like a lunatic.” She shoulder-bumps me. I glance up at her.

“Right.” I inhale deeply. There’s no way I can tell her about what happened in that van. It’s not safe. It’s bad enough that I’ll be up to my neck in shit if Kirill finds out about it. I can’t drag Rox into it too.

“Fuck,” I groan, twining my fingers into my hair. “This is such a fucking fuck-up.”

---