Chapter 3
3
Ivan
“I apologize on his behalf,” James said, though it looked like it pained him to do so. I imagined it did. Hell, it would pain me to apologize to anyone else. James was a proud man—and a good one. He ruled his people with an iron fist, but he was soft with his wife and kid. He was a man I could easily respect—and I did. I respected him more than I really respected anyone, including the previous Pakhan, who had bent over backward to help my father raise me after my mother just dropped me off on their porch and ran off.
I was pretty sure my father had eliminated her shortly after, but I’d never cared enough about her to ask.
James Jackson was just and fair, and he didn’t take any shit. Just the kind of person I liked doing business with.
“He’s fine,” I assured James. And Adrian was. I hadn’t lied when I said if anyone else had spoken to me how he had, they’d have a bullet through their skull. But Adrian… he was different. He had always been different. There was something about him—something he hid from the rest of the world, including his own family—that called to me. That awoke my own beast, the side of me I only let out when someone crossed me.
The previous Pakhan, Adrik, and my father—God rest his soul—Daniil, had worked tirelessly at making sure I could fit into society. That my psychopathy did not lead me down a dark and dangerous road that would cause upheaval and destroy the Bratva.
That same darkness I had residing inside of me? I saw it in Adrian. And fuck if I didn’t want that part of him to come out and play with me just so I could bring him to his knees.
“He likely won’t be very agreeable and easy to work with,” James warned me as we stepped into the hallway.
“I know how to work with men like him,” I assured James. “I promise, before long, I’ll have him very… agreeable.” Turning to face him, I held out my hand. James eyed me warily, like he was now second-guessing his decision to send Adrian with me. I plastered a kind smile on my face, and he finally relaxed. “I’ll keep you updated on what we find. And if I hear of any moves being made toward you, I’ll reach out immediately.”
James shook my hand. “I appreciate it, Ivan. Have a safe flight back home. And best of luck with Adrian.”
I hummed in answer as I turned and headed toward where my car should have still been waiting out front since I’d told my driver, Mark, to wait. I knew I wouldn’t be gone long. And while this meeting didn’t actually have to happen because Adrian could definitely just fly out to Russia instead, I’d decided I’d needed to physically be here. To escort him to Russia and to my home.
Just because I knew it would make him extremely irate.
One of James’s guards opened the door when I neared it, inclining his head to me as I passed him. “Safe travels, Pakhan,” he said, his voice low.
I nodded once at him. “Thank you. You stay safe as well.”
Mark was waiting beside the back door as I descended the steps from the mansion. When I neared the car, he opened the door, and my lips tilted up just the tiniest bit at the sight of Adrian already sitting there, his thumbs rapidly moving over his phone. He stiffened as I slid into the backseat next to him, but otherwise, he didn’t acknowledge my presence—just kept working furiously at the email he was typing out.
“We should be at the airport in about thirty minutes, sir,” Mark informed me as he shifted the car into drive and began making his way around the circular drive.
“Why the fuck do we have to go to Russia?” Adrian muttered as he locked his phone and leaned to the side, closer to the door, to shove it in his pocket.
“Because that is where I found the leak,” I told him as if it were common sense. But also because I want to get you alone, where I can make you snap. Break. Fall the fuck apart .
“We’re going to make this our priority,” Adrian told me, his attention on the trees we passed as we made our way down the highway toward the interstate that would take us to the airport. “I want to get back home as quickly as possible.”
“And get away from me?” I questioned, knowing I was just, essentially, poking the bear. But goddamn, it was so fun to do so.
Adrian swung his furious gaze to me, those dark eyes burning with fire. “Yes,” he finally growled. “No one truly likes you, Ivan.”
I smirked. “I beg to differ,” I said nonchalantly. “Plenty of people like me.” I looked at Mark. “You like me, don’t you, Mark?”
“Yes, sir,” he said without a bit of hesitation. And it was true. Mark did like me, and not only because I signed his paychecks or that he had a ridiculously amazing benefits package working for me. He genuinely enjoyed my company.
“He works for you. That’s not the same,” Adrian glowered.
“I believe it’s all the same. You and James grew up together, no? Just because you work for him now, does that mean you don’t actually like him anymore?”
Adrian looked like he wanted to punch me in the face because he knew I’d made an excellent point. “Go fuck yourself, Ivan.”
Unable to help myself, I leaned into him, my hand coming up to latch around his throat. He swallowed thickly, his Adam’s apple bobbing against my palm, and his wide eyes met mine. I brushed my cheek against his, letting my lips linger at his ear. “In due time,” I whispered, my voice a mere rasp that made him shiver, “you’ll be telling me to fuck you instead.”
He shoved me away so hard, my back slammed against the door. I barely bit back a wince, but I didn’t retaliate. I’d never lash out at this man in anger. Instead, my eyes remained on him as he glared at me, his fingers clenching and unclenching as he fought to regain control.
Come on, kotik, I silently urged. Let him out to play with me .
But he didn’t. He locked that monster down, just as I’d learned to do numerous times. But unlike him, I knew he hadn’t had numerous psychologists mentoring him and breathing down his neck while he was growing up. And, if my research proved correct, Adrian’s sociopathic disorder hadn’t made an appearance until he was in his twenties. And after diagnosis, he’d stopped seeing a doctor and had learned to control his urges on his own.
Which meant his control would be fragile, at best. I was relying on that.
“Keep your fucking hands off of me,” Adrian finally growled.
I just hummed, not giving him an answer. Pulling out my phone, I shot a message off to our pilot to check that we would be ready for takeoff when we got there. When Adrian realized I wouldn’t be responding to him, he muttered something under his breath I didn’t catch, then turned to face out the window, his body so tense, tension radiated through the whole car, damn near suffocating me.
Before long, kotik , you won’t be repulsed by my touch. You’ll be salivating for it .