Page 100 of The Dark Side

"It was mine,"Gil broke out, stopping the soldiers.

Jolie hesitated. She didn't understand what they were saying, but something had happened, and the words clogged her throat.

Yakov rolled his eyes."I don't believe you."

"Adrik interrupted a shipment of spyware to the Secret Service. Pens, pendants, earpieces, buttons, even things to put on the bottom of our shoes. I had the pen on me when I met Katia in the hallway to talk to her about Adrik's party. She asked if I had a pen, and I gave it to her."

"It didn't work,"Katia murmured, latching on to the story.

Gil pointed out,"Which is why she must have thrown it away."

Yakov listened, but there was much doubt in his face."Why did you have the pen on you?"

"I had a meeting with the Toxins an hour before. They speak Spanish, and I wanted to make sure they weren't double-crossing me."

"If"—Yakov emphasized the word—"what you say is true, then you'd have another one. Let me see it."

There was a hesitation that Yakov took as a sign. He waved again to the soldiers to take Katia into the room, but once more, Gil persisted. He shouted to one of the guards, and they ran out of the house.

Yakov snapped his fingers, and an ashtray was put in the palm of his hand. He worked all the ashes off slowly as they waited."I'm curious why Adrik didn't tell me this."

"Are you?"Gil nipped,"He wanted to use these things to spy on you."

A snicker sounded deep in Yakov's throat.

The soldier rushed through the front door, with a pen in his hand. It was silver, like Jolie's, and hope formed in her gut. Where had they gotten a copy? Yakov took out his own and compared them on the desk. Jolie held her breath as she watched him, searching for any movement in his face that would reveal her future. All the pressure of the world rested on her back.

Yakov motioned, and the soldiers let Katia go.

Jolie released her breath, sinking to the ground, pressing her face into the carpet. The tension in the room eased a little, and though she didn't know what happened, she felt saved.

"You're going to regret this," Katia vowed. "Crazy old man."

Yakov held up a hand."No harm done. Perhaps this is a learning experience. I may be old, but my reign is far from over."

Chapter thirty-seven

Partnership

Despitehowhardshefought it, Katia's motherly instincts were impossible to quell when she noticed the tutor quivering on the floor. Being in the Mafia was typically a groomed lifestyle. From the time she was four years old, Katia was exposed to guns, drugs, and naked women to the point where she envied these girls with big boobs, hoping she would have ones just like them one day. She knew what guns were worse than others. And that cocaine was supposed to be as good as ice cream.

Jolie was a twenty-three-year-old newborn, and Katia felt responsible for her in Adrik's absence. Only because her daughter loved her so.

With words of encouragement, Katia gripped the young girl's arms and got her to her feet. Jolie's body continued to tremble as they struggled with the steps. Katia knew shock all too well and didn't fault her for it, but it was still annoying. "Come on, girl," she murmured, panting as they finally reached the top of the stairs. She thought about bringing Jolie straight to her bedroom, but it wouldn't sit with Katia to leave the woman in such a state, so instead, Katia brought her into her own room. The bedroom had been trashed, and everything she owned had been thrown on the floor. She cursed Yakov some more as she moved them to the bathroom. She kicked aside all the medicines and toiletries spilled on the tile and rested Jolie on the toilet seat. Katia spun around to turn on the faucet to the Jacuzzi tub, searching the ground for bath salts.

This was the first time Yakov had done something so damaging. Would this alter their future? Would Adrik finally see Yakov as the enemy he was?

Katia moved through the mess to the side door connected with Helina's bedroom and peeked her head in. Helina remained asleep, and Katia thanked Adrik for putting in soundproof walls. Her daughter was safe for now.

When Katia found out she was having a girl, she grieved. There was no happiness for women in the Mafia. There was pretend and sacrifice. Helina's future was already set in stone despite how Adrik fought it. He had seen what happened to his sisters and wanted more for Helina. But it was a stupid hope that would only hurt Helina in the long run. The sooner Helina understood her fate, the less painful it would be.

It's like giving birth to a child with a terminal illness.

Katia's phone was ringing, but she had enough of mafia life for the time being and wanted nothing to do with any of them. She clicked it off and hid it under her pillow before returning to the bathroom.

"A bath will help you," Katia assured Jolie. "Can you get undressed?"

Jolie barely registered but began undressing subconsciously. Katia helped briefly with her pants and then aided her in climbing into the tub. The hot water sparked life into Jolie's eyes, and she moaned at the sting.