snatched up enough stuff in my arms, I placed them on the bed and took my time getting to the closet.
Kazimir stood by the closet door. “Where are you going?”
“To a non-bombing house.” I walked past him, entered the walk-in closet, and wrenched my jacket off a hanger.
“You think it will be that easy to leave me?”
“I think you better not get in my way.”
He snorted.
Putting my jacket over my pajamas, I whispered goodbye to all my wigs. There was no way I could bring them with me.
I’ll be back for you all, ladies. Don’t worry about that.
I pulled out a small bag in the corner, left the closet, and looked at him. “Did you bomb anything else?”
“Not yet.”
“Asshole.” I dragged the wheeled bag to the bed, opened it, and slung clothes inside.
“You should be in bed, healing. This is a waste of time.”
“What is?”
“Packing.”
“Why?”
“Because I won’t let you leave.”
“If you want dead Russians littering your city, then go ahead and try to stop me.” I zipped up my bag. “I told you what would make me stay. Do you remember? That’s you getting rid of the damn bombs. If you want to be stubborn—”
“Stubborn?”
“And fucking. . .”
“What?”
I shook my hands in the air. “I don’t know I’m pissed and tired and in pain.”
His face went sad. “I’m sorry.”
“No, you’re not.”
“I’m not sorry about the bomb, but I don’t want you upset.”
“I’m upset because of the bomb.” I sat on the bed and put on my sneakers. I had no time to change out of my pajamas and put on regular clothes, not with Kaz brooding and standing near.
He raked his fingers through his hair “Don’t go. I can’t un-bomb the place now.”
“Yeah. That’s why you shouldn’t do it in the first place.”
“I don’t like it, when we argue.”
“Then don’t put holes in cities.” Gazing up at him, I took in a deep breath. “Kaz. . .are you done?”
He scowled.
“End the war, please. Kaz. . .don’t do this because of me.”
“If I don’t act with force, then any idiot with a group of men and guns will come for you. And next time we may not be so lucky.”
“I won’t get kidnapped again.”
He tilted his head to the side. “You can guarantee that?”
“I can.”
“Then, you haven’t been paying attention to my world at all.”
“You want war with Jean-Pierre? Fine, but leave France alone.”
“Maybe, I’ll compromise. I won’t bomb most of France, but I will destroy Paris and Nice.”
“Excuse me? That’s crazy. Your beef is with Jean-Pierre and his cousins not the citizens there.”
Kaz walked over to the bedroom door and leaned against the wall. “I told you that I would destroy the world if it calmed you. Did you doubt me?”
“Well, clearly now I don’t doubt you. But, guess what? I’m calm. End this.”
“I’m sorry, but I won’t stop. Just give it time. You’ll understand eventually.”
“I’m not giving it time.” I placed the bag on the floor and was happy it had wheels. “I’ll send my men for the rest of my things.”
“Oh, will you?”
“Yes.”
“Hmmm.”
“And you won’t touch them.”
He continued to lean near the door but wasn’t directly in the way of me leaving. “You’re simply exhausting yourself today.”
I opened the door.
He shut it.
I stepped back. “Don’t play with me.”
“Where are you going?”
“Probably home.”
He widened his eyes. “New York?”
I rested my hand on my hip. “Maybe, I’ll go to New York. Either way, I’m leaving Moscow.”
“Why?”
“It reminds me too much of you.”
Sighing, he rolled his shoulders “I don’t understand.”
“I don’t have time to help you.”
“This is what confuses me.” He stopped leaning on the wall and towered over me. “How are you leaving Moscow? On what plane? What airport would let that happen? What train would let you board? I’ll lock down this entire city. Block every exit. Every border. Don’t make me cage you here. I know you don’t like to be trapped.”
“You’re going to bomb airports and trains now?”
“No. It would just take a phone call.”
I met his glare. “If you want me by your side, then you better put your temper in check. Be normal like a regular person. Write your feelings in a journal. Hit a punching bag, but what you don’t do is bomb a city.”
He loomed closer. “If you think that I will lay in bed alone without you, then you haven’t been paying attention. If you believe that I will reach across the sheets for you and only touch empty space, then you’re not as smart as I thought.”
“I guess not.”
The door opened.
This