Page 43 of The Dark Side

"Are you serious?"

"If my father thinks you and I are fucking, he'll try to get rid of you."

Fear spread on her face. "What?"

Adrik cackled, resting a hand on her arm, incapable of resisting touching her when she was so close. "Do not worry. We are not fucking."

She cringed and yanked out of his grip. "No, we're not."

The way her cheeks reddened in the light provoked him. "I have a question."

"How is there possibly anything that you don't know?"

His smile grew. "You aren't going to like this question."

"Say it already."

"I overheard my men talking about your belongings."

Jolie hid her face. "Oh, God. I already know. Not every woman wears thongs, okay? It's not like I go out to the club or anything."

Adrik knitted his brows with a grin. "So, granny panties are a thing?"

She pushed him. "Shut up." Jolie grabbed the door, shoving him through it. He was laughing every inch.

"But wait, wait, that is not my question."

Jolie pressed her forehead against the door.

"You don’t have a boyfriend, and yet, there were no devices—" Jolie slammed the door in his face, humiliated.

Then the door popped back open, and Adrik was there again. "I feel this will work. You teach my daughter. And I teach you."

"Teach me what?"

Adrik gripped her arm and pulled her close till his lips were on her ear. "Bad things." He heard her quick intake of breath and bit his lip to stop himself from tasting her skin. He let his nose tickle the hairs on her skin and felt the shiver it induced. A smirk twisted on his lips. He yanked himself away and shut the door behind him.

Chapter sixteen

The Family

Morningcouldn'tcomesoonenough. It was a dreadful night, with only Adrik's voice to soothe her. She went through their conversation with a fine-toothed comb, searching for the toxicity she was familiar with, and was discouraged to notice there wasn't enough to fortify her walls.

I like him.

She groaned in self-loathing.

Jolie forced herself up, using the pain as a distraction. She wasn't going to allow herself to dive any deeper. She would find all the bad things about him, of which there should be plenty for a mafia boss. She was being thrown off because he seemed more likable than she imagined killers to be.

Yeah, so was Ted Bundy. That's how he was able to ensnare all of the women he raped and murdered.

"Good point," Jolie muttered to herself. "He's Ted Bundy."

Now, with a suitable headspace, Jolie got herself dressed. She found the pen in her purse and debated taking it. What would happen if someone found it on her person? Could she act confused, or would that not matter?

The sooner I get the information the FBI needs, the sooner I can get out of here.

Jolie slipped the pen into her pocket before she moved to the door. Adrik said she wasn't a prisoner, yet she didn't feel right leaving her room without someone telling her she could.