Page 37 of Kneel for Me

I snorted. “Of course, I’ll visit. Who would I be to deny myself of seeing your wife’s pretty face?”

He scowled at me as he stood from his chair. “Fuck you, Adrian.”

I snickered and pushed back from my desk. “You’ll have Jaxon and Darren handle all this?” I asked, waving my hand over my desk.

He nodded. “Your duties here are over,” he said. When I rounded my desk, he drew me into a hug. I returned it, being careful not to hurt him since he was still early on in his recovery. “Let me know when you make it to Russia, and I’ll set up a time for us to talk about what I need from you.”

I nodded and released him. “Thanks, brother,” I said quietly.

He nodded once. “I just want to see you happy.”

And I was going to be. Just as soon as I got my shit packed, got it prepared to be shipped to Russia, and then got my ass on a plane to my man.

30

Ivan

He hadn’t called. He hadn’t texted. He had gone radio silent on me, and I wasn’t going to be the first one to reach out to him. I’d waited years to have him. I’d already done the chasing. Already showed him what it could be like to be with me. Now, the cards were in his hands, and it was up to him if he wanted to leave the Jackson family. I couldn’t force him, and I couldn’t just take him.

James would not hesitate to start a war if I did. And I respected the Don too much to tread on his toes like that.

Sighing, I tossed my phone down on my desk and headed downstairs to the kitchen. The house was silent, just as it usually was when things were calm. But now, without Adrian around, the fucking place felttoosilent. And I hated it.

Igor was at work and refused to take the day off to keep me entertained. Mark had asked for days off to visit his mother, and I wouldn’t bother him. Aside from those two, I had no one else I truly trusted to allow into my personal space and keep me company.

Which meant I was going fucking crazy waiting to see what move Adrian would make, if any.

A throat cleared behind me. Gritting my teeth, ready to lash out at whoever thought they could step foot inside my home without my permission, I spun around, my hand already reaching for my gun. But then, I halted, blinking in surprise at the man standing before me.

He’d come home to me.

Adrian was standing a few feet from me in front of the closed front door, his brown hair a mess like he’d run his fingers through it too many times, and there were bags under his eyes, showing he wasn’t resting like he should have been. Dressed in his usual attire of dark jeans and steel-toed boots, this time paired with a plain black hoodie, he looked even fucking better than I’d remembered.

Fuck, had it only been a week since I’d seen him last?

“Kotik,” I growled, taking a step closer to him.

He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing. Then, he slowly lowered himself to his knees, his head bowed in submission as he placed his palms flat on his thighs. My cock throbbed at the beautiful sight he made.

“You promised you’d collar me if I came home,” he rasped, not lifting his head.

I quickly erased the distance between us, then tipped his chin up so he was looking at me with those mesmerizing, dark eyes I adored so damn much.

“I did,” I confirmed. “Get up and come with me,kotik.”

I released his chin, then turned on my heel and headed for the stairs. I heard his boots softly thudding behind me as he followed, and when I stepped into my room, I heard him pause for just a moment before he continued inside behind me.

I pressed in the code to my safe, then swung the door open. Reaching inside, I grabbed the long, black velvet box that housed his collar—the piece of jewelry that would mark him as mine for the rest of his life. Turning to face him, I flipped open the lid, showing him the black leather collar with a ring at the front and diamond studs along the leather length.

“The only thing I request is that if you are on a job,” I said, “you don’t wear this. I don’t want anyone using it to choke you and kill you. Understand?”

“Understood,” he rasped, his voice sounding strangled.

I lifted the leather from the case, then tossed the case onto the bed. Stepping toward him, I lifted the collar, then fitted it around his throat. It fit perfectly, just as I knew it would, andGod, it looked fuckingperfecton him. It made himmine.

As soon as I had it locked into place around his throat, I hooked my finger in the loop and dragged him toward me, crashing our mouths together. He moaned and sank into me, allowing me to take control and lead him. He tasted like mint, expensive liquor, andhome. Growling, I sucked at his tongue before sinking my teeth into his bottom lip hard enough to make him bleed.

His whimper wasmusical.

---