Page 5 of Kneel for Me

Fuck my life.

I closed my eyes, forcing myself to sleep. If I could just sleep, I could ignore the fact that Ivan was only a few seats away from me. I could ignore that we were in a small space, forced to be near each other. Forced to breathe the same fucking air.

Goddammit, sleep was going to evade me. I already knew it.

Growling under my breath, I pulled my phone back out to reply to James’s text.

Adrian:

I could never forget the family, James, but I’m still pissed about this.

James:

You are my only hope, Adrian. The only person I trust with this. Trust with their lives. I need you for this.

I blew out a harsh breath and glanced out the window, watching as the city got further and further away and the earth became smaller and smaller.

Adrian:

I hate when you say shit like that. I’ll keep you updated.

With that, I locked my phone and shoved it back into my pocket. The flight attendant stopped by a few minutes later, that pleasant smile still on her face. Usually, I’d be able to reciprocate it, but I just couldn’t bring myself to right then. My nerves were rubbed too raw, and I was too damn tired after dealing with Ivan all afternoon.

“Would you care for something to drink? Or eat?” she asked.

I shook my head. “No, thank you.” I just wanted to be left the fuck alone.

She patted the back of the seat next to me. “Just let me know if you change your mind, Mr. Miller.” With that, she strode away, heading back toward the front of the plane again.

Reaching up, I rubbed at my temples, already feeling a migraine coming on.

Fuck, I hated this.

The shit I did for fucking family.

5

Ivan

My eyes flew open when the plane suddenly jerked, and I gripped the armrest, scanning my surroundings. Seeing nothing amiss, I glanced down at my watch, noting the time. We were supposed to be over Russia by now after stopping in Washington to refuel. I looked out my window, grinding my teeth when I couldn’t see a damn thing through the pitch-black darkness.

When the plane jerked roughly again, I flung my seatbelt off and went in search of the pilot. Why wasn’t he warning us of turbulence? Why wasn’t he doing his fucking job?

Grabbing the handle, I tried tugging it open. I snarled under my breath when I found the door to the cockpit locked. I knocked roughly on the door, but I didn’t get a fucking thing from in there. The flight attendant wasn’t around either.

What the fuck was happening?

The plane jerked roughly again, and then, it got marginally quieter—like one of the fucking engines had gone out. I barely had time to brace myself before the plane began to shake and sputter. I didn’t know where that goddamn flight attendant was or why the fuck the pilot had come on to tell me what thefuckwas going on, but I knew we were about to crash. Knew it deep in my gut, and my gutneverled me astray.

I needed to get to Adrian.

I sprinted for the back of the plane, slamming into the seat next to him just as the plane began to nosedive. “Adrian!” I barked. His eyes snapped open, tired dark eyes looking at me in annoyance. I quickly fastened in my seatbelt. “I don’t know what the fuck is going on, but an engine has gone out, the pilot is silent, the flight attendant is MIA, and we’re about to crash.”

“What?!” he barked at me, his eyes now wide and frantic.

I gripped his face in my hands, trying to keep my nerves steady. It wouldn’t help if both of us panicked. Ninety-five percent of people survived plane crashes, and I was about to make damn sure that we were part of that ninety-five percent. I wasnotfucking losing him, and I wasn’t goddamn dying before I got to even have him.

“Breathe,” I told him as we descended further and further down, our speed increasing. My gut swooped, but I ignored it, focusing on him. “We’re going to survive this. But you need to hold on.” Releasing him, I brought my legs up, curling into the tightest fucking ball I could manage because it was the only thing that made sense to do. Itmightkeep my legs from snapping on impact. Adrian, without having to be told, did the same thing I did, then tucked his face down.

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