jaxon
I frowned at James.“What do you mean Adrik is in bad health?” I demanded to know.
After working out and downing two cups of coffee, I’d come up to James’s office for our daily morning meeting. And he’d decided to drop the news of Adrik’s health first.
“Exactly as I just said,” James told me. “This means we need to increase our guards and the protection around each member of the family. If he is ill, that means soon, his son will find out Adrik never plans to allow him to step up as the Pakhan.”
“Fucking Christ,” I swore, shaking my head. I thrust my fingers through my hair. “Does he want to see Inessa?”
James shook his head. “That’s the second thing I called you here for. He does not want Inessa outside of this house until things settle on their end. He has no doubt he will be passing soon, and he wants Inessa protected.”
I gritted my teeth. “She won’t like this,” I told James. “Inessa loves her grandfather.” And I hated keeping her from him, but if this was the old man’s dying wish, I would respect it.
James sighed. “Unfortunately, as much as any of us would love to grant our women full freedom, you know we can’t. Our lives are dangerous, and their lives are constantly in danger solely because of the fact that they are our wives. Inessa will just have to mourn without saying goodbye to her grandfather. This is his dying wish. If she truly loves him, she will respect it.”
My phone went off, disturbing our conversation. I frowned at the name of Inessa’s guard. “What?” I barked into the phone, not civil in the fucking slightest.
“Sir, Inessa is not eating,” he informed me. “She sent Mrs. Judy away.”
I clenched my eyes shut. “Fuck,” I swore. I stood up from my seat. It wasn’t like my wife to defy me. She knew she was supposed to eat three meals a day. The fact that she wasn’t following the rules I set in place for her meant something was wrong. “I’m on my way,” I told him. I hung up and looked at James. “Let me know of any changes,” I told him. “I need to check on Inessa. She’s not eating.”
He nodded once, dismissing me. I strode from the room, nodding once at Adrian as I passed him on the stairs. When I pushed open the door to my room, my eyes instantly fell on her. She was curled in a ball on the bed, clutching my pillow to her chest.
“Hey, baby girl,” I said softly. My heart clenched in my chest at the sight of her.
She slowly looked up at me. Her eyes were blood shot and red-rimmed, giving away the fact that she’d been crying, and she looked exhausted. It was normal for subs to have lows, and I had no doubt in my mind that she was hitting her first one.
I scooped her into my arms and carried her into the bathroom. “Why didn’t you call me?” I gently asked her.
She frowned. “I knew you were meeting with James,” she said softly.
I shook my head as I gently set her on the counter. “You are my first priority. And James has a wife who is also his submissive. He understands sub lows, and he knows how important it is for men to take care of their subs in times like these.”
She looked at me in confusion. “It’s normal to feel like this?” she asked.
I brushed my lips to hers and nodded my head. “Perfectly normal, little bunny. Now, arms up,” I ordered.
I pulled her shirt over her head and then slipped off her panties. She sat on the counter, watching me as I moved around the bathroom, setting up a bubble bath for us to soak in.
We sat in that tub for a good couple of hours, and by the time I lifted her out of the cooling water, she was asleep. I laid her on the bed and patted her dry before covering her up and tucking her in.
I stepped out of my room and looked at the guard posted outside of the door. “Let me know if she wakes up,” I ordered.
He nodded once. “Yes, sir.”
I jogged down the stairs to the garage so I could go to the store. I hated shopping, but I knew a couple of gifts might help her feel better. A low for a sub could last mere hours or it could last days, sometimes even weeks. But it always helped when a dom did what he could to help bring the sub back to herself.
After grabbing what I needed, I hurried back home. Inessa was just waking up when I walked into our room. I smiled and settled beside her on the bed, handing her the bags.
She frowned in confusion. “What—”
“Open them,” I gently instructed.
She slowly peered inside of one of the bags, and instantly, she began to cry. But I knew they were happy tears. “Jaxon, you didn’t have to do this,” she croaked.
I wrapped my arms around her, watching as she pulled out her gluten and dairy free snacks. She gasped when she pulled out the fuzzy, purple blanket I picked up for her, and then she cried some more when she pulled out the stuffed bear I had bought her.
She turned her face up to mine and kissed me. I tightened my arms around her in response, gently kissing her back.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “This helped a little.”
I brushed my lips to her forehead. “Anything for you, little bunny.” I drew in a deep breath. I knew this would probably make this even worse for her, but she needed to know sooner than later. She’d never forgive me if I didn’t tell her now. “But now, I need to tell you something.”
She frowned up at me, tensing a little. “What’s that?” she asked me.
I blew out a soft breath, trying to prepare myself to say this to her. It was going to break her damn heart. “Adrik is very ill.” Her eyes widened in disbelief. “It’s very unlikely he will survive.” Inessa tensed even more in my arms. I brushed my hands down her back. “He has asked that you don’t come to see him. Things are in turmoil right now, and he wants you safe.”
She nodded. I waited. I knew it was coming, but I still wasn’t prepared when she burst into tears. I pulled her onto my lap and held her, tightening my arms around her. I gently rocked her back and forth, squeezing her to me while she wept for the man who had been more of a father figure to her than her own.
And I gritted my teeth, wishing I could make the man responsible for all of her pain fucking pay.