Page 29 of King of Shadows

I squeeze her hand. “You’ll be fine.”

We move through the room, greeting guests as I introduce her. People are clearly enamored with her. A few women shoot her dirty looks, but Chloe handles it all beautifully.

Not long after, Olov approaches us with his wife. He’s in his sixties, with neatly combed gray hair. His wife is around the same age.

“Kazimir,” Olov greets, extending his hand.

“Olov.”

We shake. Then his eyes move to Chloe. “So it is true. When I first heard the news, I thought someone was playing a joke on me.”

Chloe laughs softly. “No joke.”

Olov smiles broadly. “Well, fantastic. Absolutely fantastic.” He reaches for Chloe’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure is mine.” She turns to me, “I going to get something to drink.” I nod, keeping her in my line of sight as she walks away.

Olov turns back to me. “I have to say, Kazimir, I’m glad to see this. You settled down.”

He continues before I can respond. “This is what true leadership looks like. A leader has to be able to lead himself first. Then his home. Only then can he truly lead others. If you have no home, you have no one holding you accountable. You live wild. That is not what we want for the next pakhan.”

He has no idea how wrong he is. Being married doesn’t automatically make a man responsible. A ring doesn’t suddenly give someone discipline, loyalty, or principles.

My father was married to my mother. He was also one of the most irresponsible men I’ve ever known. He manipulated my mother until she saw no other way out.

She took her own life. And that bastard eventually drank himself to death. I don’t tell him that marriage isn’t what made me responsible.

Olov claps my shoulder. “I’m pleased. It tells me you’re ready.”

Then he gives me exactly what I’ve been waiting for. “And you don’t have to worry about my vote. You have my vote, Kazimir.”

A ghost of a smile appears on my face. “That is music to my ears.”

As Olov walks away, I immediately spot some fucking jerk standing too close to my wife. My jaw tightens when I see his hand reach toward her, I cross the room before he can touch her and hear him say,

“How about we go somewhere quieter and talk?”

“How about you get your filthy hands off my wife?”

The imbecilic bastard turns, and the color drains from his face when he sees me. “I’m sorry. I had no idea—”

I grab him by the front of his shirt and pull him closer. “The ring on her fucking finger wasn't big enough? Are you fucking blind?”

“Kazimir,” Chloe says, touching my arm. “Please calm down.”

I force myself to let him go, but I don't take my eyes off him. I make a small gesture toward my men, as the man looks between us before taking off toward the exit. Everyone around us is staring, but I don't give a damn.

“We're leaving.”

Chloe's eyebrows pull together. “What? The party isn't even over.”

I take her hand and lead her outside. The moment we're inside the car, she turns toward me, clearly pissed. “What is wrong with you? Why did you have to do that?”

“No one touches my wife.”

“He was just talking to me.”

“He wanted to take you somewhere private, and he put his hands on you.”