Page 27 of King of Shadows

Something about her immediately puts me at ease. Maybe it’s the warmth in her smile or the way she welcomes me without making me feel like an outsider. I have a feeling Sofiya and I are going to be good friends.

“Your things have already been brought over,” she tells me. “They’re in your bedroom.”

“Thank you.”

Before I can say anything else, Kazimir takes my hand and leads me upstairs. Our bedroom is even more impressive than I expected. It’s huge, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the estate.

“This place is beautiful. And grand.” I walk toward the windows, taking it all in.

He smiles and gestures toward another door. “That’s the bathroom.”

I walk over and push the door open, and my mouth falls open, the bathroom is enormous, with a his-and-her sinks set into a long marble vanity, a spacious glass-enclosed shower, and a large freestanding bathtub positioned near the windows.

“And that’s the closet,” Kazimir says, pointing toward another door.

I follow him inside, and my eyes widen all over again. It is a walk-in closet, but calling it a closet feels like an understatement, the space is large enough to rival an entire bedroom, with rows of shelves and hanging racks stretching along the walls.

“This is your section,” he says, leading me toward one side.

Everything from my old apartment has been moved here, but that is not all. There are rows of clothes I have never seen before, along with shoes, handbags, watches, and a separate section filled with jewelry.

I turn to Kazimir. “I didn't buy any of this.”

“They're yours.”

My eyes move back to the shelves, the handbags look familiar, but I know they are not mine. I walk closer, picking up one of them before looking at the label. “What did you do?”

Kazimir's mouth curves into a small smile. “There is no way my wife is going to walk around carrying knockoffs.”

For every knockoff I had, he has bought me the original. I look around the closet again, taking in the clothes, the shoes, the handbags, and the jewelry, and my chest tightens with emotion. He has taken the small collection I could afford and replaced it with things I never imagined I would own.

I walk straight into his arms and wrap mine around his neck. “Thank you,” I whisper before pressing my lips to his.

He holds me close. “You’re welcome baby.”

Chapter 8

Kazimir

I’ve just gotten off the phone with Chloe, and I find myself staring at my phone with a smile on my face. I don’t even realize how wide I’m smiling until the door to my office opens and Lev walks in.

“What the fuck is that?”

I look up at him. “What?”

“That smile.”

He walks farther into the room, looking at me like I’ve grown another head. “Is this what marriage does to Kazimir Sokolov?”

“Shut the fuck up, Lev.”

He drops into the chair opposite my desk, still grinning. “I’ve never seen you smile before.”

I shake my head, but I can’t stop the smile from returning. “What’s the update?” I ask, steering the conversation away from my marriage.

“Everything is on track. All you have to do is warm up to Olov and make sure you sign a big, fat check for his wife’s charity.”

Olov is the last council member whose vote I need. One more man standing behind me, and the position of Pakhan will be mine.