Page 55 of The Dark Side

"No, no. I'm…" Alexei stifled his words. He wasn't about to say he was waiting for the perfect woman, because that sounded too much like a line, despite it being true. Unlike Adrik, he was allowed to marry any person he wanted. As long as they were Russian. Alexei shifted uncomfortably, and said, "I'm selective. What about you?"

Jolie took a breath, sighing out, "No. I can't seem to find someone worth my time."

Alexei cackled, "Yeah, I get that, too."

"Hey." Adrik broke in from the side of the pool. He had his phone in his hand."Did you start up distribution for the Toxins?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Because it was causing problems." Alexei glanced at Jolie before switching to Russian,"There were three murders this past week."

Adrik dropped his phone, glaring at Alexei."You should have fucking talked to me. I talked to you about doing shit without me."

"I'm not gonna come to you with every little problem. I can handle shit on my own."

"That's the problem, Alexei; you can't handle shit, because you aren't in charge. You talk to me or Papa. They fucked us, and I don't want to deal with them anymore."

Alexei got up, approaching."What did they do?"

"They pissed me off."

Alexei threw a hand in the air."You'd destroy our family if someone pissed you off. You got to grow the fuck up."

"You piss me off."

"Yeah, same."

Jolie stood, hoping to stop their argument, "You guys okay?"

Alexei shook his head, stomping away into the house, leaving Jolie bewildered.

She looked down at Adrik and accused, "What did you say?"

Adrik lifted himself out of the pool, and her question was instantly forgotten. Water dripped around him as he stood. The sun shined like a spotlight, his skin sparkling like a marble statue. Jolie couldn't close her mouth as he approached, his blue eyes on her, pinning her where she stood. This last week, she was desperate to lay eyes on him but was too paranoid to go to breakfast. The pen was starting to feel like a hot poker in her pocket, a constant reminder that she was playing a dangerous game.

When Adrik leaned in, her heart pounded in her throat. She could scarcely breathe, watching with parted lips, noticing how the closer he got, the more she leaned in.

Adrik snatched the towel off his chair and swung it around his shoulders with a grin. "You okay?"

The tease broke her, and Jolie forced out sarcasm. "You are a bigger ass than I can handle."

"That's probably true." He rubbed his face dry, running the towel through his hair and spraying her with water.

She flinched with aggravation, "Would you stop?"

Wrapping the towel around his waist, he asked casually, "What did my father say to you?"

Jolie bowed her head, afraid he’d see the fear in her eyes. His father was way more frightening than any of them. Adrik knew it, or he wouldn't be so concerned. She didn't want to cause a problem, so she answered with a light response, "To not leave the house without someone. I specifically remember asking if I was a prisoner here."

"You are not a prisoner, but you need an escort."

"Yeah, thanks for the email, even if it is a few days late."

"I aim to please."

"I doubt that." Jolie went to step around him, but his hand rested on her wrist, stalling her. She stared down at it, at his fingers. There were so many tattoos she didn't know where one began and another started. She wanted to know what each one of them meant. Why had he suffered such pain for them?