Page 49 of The Dark Side

Jolie and Helina looked at him, and though he spoke in Russian, he was sure his tone didn't go unnoticed. Katia always managed to bring out the worst in him.

Katia smiled back."You're just mad I'm not as dumb as you think I am."She nudged her head toward Jolie."Are you her bad little student?"

Adrik slipped his hands in his pockets to stop himself from laying hands on her. He had only done it once, and Helina had been there. It was enough to keep him back, even when he only wanted to hurt Katia as much as possible. His words would have to be enough."You weren't this ridiculous when I brought three women to my room. Are you intimidated by her? You think she can replace you? Because chances are she'd be a better mother. Hell, Esfir is a better mother."

Helina latched onto her mother's leg."Daddy, Mommy, don't fight."

Katia changed her language. "Say it in English," she goaded. If he didn't give a shit about the teacher, he'd say whatever he wanted loud enough for her to hear.

When Adrik turned out of the room, Katia knew she had won.

But it wasn't victory she felt. This new strange woman would be around her daughter. Was Adrik hoping to find a mother for Helina because he was going to kill her? Panic made Katia pick up her daughter. "Get out," she ordered Jolie. "Get out!" she yelled again, and the woman rushed out of the room as Katia stood there, squeezing her daughter as if she'd never get to hold her again.

Chapter eighteen

Contract

Joliesatonherbed, scared and confused. Katia kicked her out of the room after she fought with Adrik. Not knowing Russian was becoming a huge inhibitor. She was gonna have to make an effort to learn.

If I'm choosing to stay, which still hasn't been decided.

Jolie stared at the clock. It was nine in the morning—when she was supposed to start her new job.

This isn't working.

Jolie took the pen out of her pocket. It was still activated. "I need to see you," she spoke into it. "I want to get out. I'm gonna go for a run. Find me." She rushed through her drawers, searching for her yoga pants, and slipped them on, changing out of her dress. She found her running shoes in the closet. Everything was lined up nicely. Someone had come through her room again to clean what was already cleaned. Her bed was made. Her dirty clothes were gone. Everything she had touched had been put back at a precise angle.

She couldn't live like this. There was no privacy. Nothing went unnoticed.

Jolie slipped the pen into her sports bra. No way was she going to leave it behind.

To her surprise, there wasn't a problem with her walking about. The house was quiet, aside from the servants dusting, sweeping, and washing the floor. Jolie went out the front door and stood on the steps, stretching, looking all around, searching for an exit out of the compound. A driver was standing next to a black Lexus, waiting for her, but when she jogged down the steps and turned left, he stared after her in confusion. She set off into a run, going down the elongated driveway till she reached the gate, waiting for it to open. An intercom came on, and Russian flowed through the speaker. She could only guess what they were asking.

"I'm going for a run," she said into the stone pillar. "I'm allowed to leave," she put out there, more of a reminder to herself than them. She blew a breath of relief when the gates opened.

Running down the sidewalk, the neighborhood was for billionaires, every house as lovely and massive as the last. The street was done in cobblestone. The trees and grass were trimmed and aligned. She didn't have any idea where she was, but she kept running, hoping to find something familiar.

Another runner was coming toward her, and she tried to move out of their way. They tried to move out of her way simultaneously, and they bumped into each other. "Sorry."

"Go to Starbucks."

"What?"

The woman bent down to tie her shoe that was already tied. "Starbucks." Then she bit, "Keep moving!" And the stranger got back up and raced away.

Jolie forced her feet forward. Would it be a good idea to follow such an instruction? Maybe it was a trap? Or perhaps it was Agent Mally.

Jolie found Starbucks on the corner and went into it with a bit of hesitancy. Mally wasn't around, and without knowing what else to do, she ordered a coffee. When her name was called, she grabbed her cup, only to find a message written on the cardboard. 'Go to the bathroom.'

Finding all this clandestine activity over the top and kind of funny, Jolie suppressed her smile as she went into the restroom.

Agent Mally stood there with a finger on her lips, like Adrik had done the first time he came to her house. She waved a wand over her body, down to her feet, but when the only sound came from the pen, Mally stood up. "He still trusts you."

"Was all this necessary?"

"Yes. And the fact you can't see that just tells me you're in over your head."

Jolie narrowed her eyes. The only reason she was there was because of the damn cop. "Of course, I am!" Jolie snapped. "I don't want to be here at all. I want to get out."