But for some reason, her brain couldn’t quite generate an action or a response. At least it couldn’t until he strode to her closet, opened the bifold doors and reached for her suitcase stashed on the top shelf. “What are you doing?”

“Assisting you.” He opened the suitcase, scanned the room as though trying to determine where to start, then headed to her tiny dresser.

When he opened the top drawer and started reaching for her bras and panties, her body finally got in motion. “Hold up.” She grabbed his wrist right before he pulled out a fistful. “Why am I packing, and where am I going?”

He frowned and faced her. “That email was a threat.”

“Maybe. Maybe not.”

“No maybe. Someone knows you’ve been helping me.”

“Yes, but I don’t know what I’ve been helping you with.”

“Helping me find the person who killed one of my own. Now are you packing, or shall I?”

The world got scary silent, even her heart slowing to the point that a frightening nothingness filled her ears. “Killed one of your own?”

“One of my men. They were murdered as retribution for Sergei’s actions against Alfonsi.”

Murder.

Retribution.

Sergei’s actions.

Simple words on their own, but strung together they were too startling to do anything other than leave her standing in one spot, gaping.

“Here you are unprotected,” Kir said. “With my family, that will not be the case.”

She shook her head and tried to clear the jumbled chaos in her head. “You want me to move in with you?”

“Nyet. My home does not have sufficient surveillance. I will move you to Sergei’s house.”

“I can’t move in with Sergei.”

“You can. You will.” He turned back to the drawer, clearly intent on finishing what he’d started.

She yanked the clothes from his hand and threw them back in the drawer. “It was just an email. Who knows who sent it? It could just be a prank. Certainly nothing to make me move. And even if it was a threat, I can’t just move in with people I barely know and bring that threat with me. He’s got a family. A life. It’s not right to intrude on that.”

While his features were pinched with concern, he took a slow breath in as though mining for patience and lowered his voice. “You will not intrude. They have space for you. Sergei confirmed it.” That unyielding determination she’d glimpsed earlier dropped into place, and his lips firmed. “Now you can either dress and pack, or I can take you as you are, and my men will come back and pack your belongings later. Your choice.”

“You can’t force me to move!”

“I can, and I will.”

Not a dare. Not an idle threat. But a promise.

She paced away from him. Fisted her hair on the top of her head and tried to process it all. But it was like trying to put together a thousand-piece jigsaw puzzle in the middle of a hurricane. “That’s...that’s...crazy!”