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“Come and kneel between my feet,” he said, pointing to the floor.

I glanced at the small table beside him and saw a steaming bowl of food sitting there. My hands and knees moved of their own accord until I sat up between his legs.

“Keep the back of your heels touching your ass when you kneel before me,” he said, his voice as cold as ice.

My mind raced as I tried to focus on the task he had given me. It took a few attempts to get my feet to behave, but I did it. When I looked up at him, he held a black leather strap in his hands.

“Can you read this?” he asked, turning it over to show me a small silver plaque on the leather.

Krolik Property of Adrik.

There were metal studs on either side of the plaque. I was confused until he began fastening it around my neck—he was putting a collar on me.

“Nyet, pozhaluysta,” I whispered, but barely a croak came out.No, please.

He didn't respond but moved my hair away before he tightened the collar around my neck. His body leaned down until his white shirt almost touched me.

“Do you feel it? The weight of my collar. It’s not just leather and metal. It’s a promise—a reminder that you belong to me. My little hacker rabbit. My pet,” he said, his voice a low, venomous whisper before he moved back to stare at me.

My fingers touched the metal plaque before tracing the leather around my neck.

“Please, you can’t—I’m not an animal—” I said in a trembling whisper, only for him to cut me off.

“Oh, but you are. You crossed the Bratva. You thought you could outsmart me, didn’t you? Little rabbit, hopping through the dark web, nibbling at my secrets. But now...now you’re caught,” he said with a smirk, but his eyes glinted with a dangerous light. “Iownyou.”

“I-I didn't know, I—” I said desperately as my heart began to race.

“Ignorance is no excuse. You breached my organisation, my world. And in my world, there are consequences. You’ll learn that soon enough,” he said, cutting me off again. Only this time, his sharp words were tight in anger, and the threat that lingered at the end made me panic.

“This collar is just the beginning. A symbol of your new life. A life where you obey. Where you will serve your owner,” he said as his cold narrowed on me.

“You're a monster,” I whispered with my hand dropping from the collar and my head slumping down until I could only see the dark floor and his feet.

“Monster? Oh, littlekrolik. You have no idea what I’m capable of. But you will. Every time you disobey. Every time you try to run. Every time you even think of betraying me...you’ll learn. And the lessons will be...unforgettable,” he said, hissing the vicious words out until I thought my heart would burst from fear of his words.

I kept my head down because I didn't want him to see the tear that escaped and rolled down my cheek.

“By the time I’m done with you,krolik. You will be begging to work for me,” he said, his voice full of icy-cold malice.

“Why are you doing this? Why not just kill me?” I said, my voice hollow with despair as more tears rolled down my cheeks.

“Because death is too humane for me to consider. And you,krolik...deserve so much more,” he said in the same chilling, calm voice.

My entire body trembled in dread. The thought of food made my stomach turn, and I didn't move for a long time, even as I heard his footsteps on the floor or when I heard him close the door and lock it.

???

I was locked in that bedroom for two days, but a maid delivered me my food and water. When I tried talking to her, she wouldn't even look at me, let alone acknowledge me. Since I didn't want her to get into trouble, I stopped trying to talk to her.

Adrik hadn't been back since he put the collar on my neck, but I had regained a fraction of strength and resolve. I was still jittery after being in the horrid cell but I was grateful to be clean again and have access to a bathroom. He hadn’t left me clothes, but I wrapped a towel around me. I tried to block out the way he touched me in the bathroom and the bone-chilling threats that followed.

The collar buckled around my neck was a constant reminder of him. It was not locked, and I could remove it at any time, yet the fear stopped me from reaching back to touch it, let alone remove it. His sinister words remained with me until I began to jump at each sound outside of the door.

I teetered on the edge of a sword, waiting for the door to open and my tormentor to make good on his word. I wished and wished that I had never taken the job, but it was a useless wish in light of the living nightmare I was trapped in—the never-ending inevitable terror of what the Pakhan would do next.

???

They came into my room fully armed in their suits. Viktor moved toward me, and I jumped off the bed with a yelp. He ripped the towel off me before twisting my arm behind my back while Adrik watched from the doorway. His cold, lifeless eyes showed no emotion before he turned to walk away.