Page 72 of The Dark Side

"I'm fine, Adrik. I've been through worse."

Adrik clenched his teeth and folded his arms, staring at his brother and seeing every time their father hurt him. It started when Alexei was five. He'd get beat for everything, even if it was Adrik's fault. Alexei had been bigger since they were kids, making it seem like he could handle pain.

Gil leaned up, greeting him, "I think I could still find someone to fuck you if you need it. Might have to pay her a bonus fee."

Alexei smothered his laugh because it hurt too much.

"What happened?" Adrik broke in, fighting the monster in him that was begging for revenge.

Alexei tried to shrug, but he winced instead. "He thinks I'm rubbing off on you."

The answer wasn't what Adrik wanted to hear. "I've been compliant."

"I know. But I guess while he was away, you changed some things."

"Because they're better."

"I know, bro. I know."

Adrik snapped to his feet. "He's so full of himself. The numbers are there! We doubled in nearly every way. And he's had me reverse it. Do you know how stupid it made me look in front of our workers when I told them to go back to the old ways? They all said the same thing: it works. I reorganized our shipments. I've put in so many fucking hours to better our way of life, and it's not enough. It won't ever be enough."

Alexei tried to sit up but surrendered with a sigh. "Adrik, it's fine."

"It's not fine!"

Alexei watched him as he paced. Was this the moment he’d been waiting for? Waiting for Adrik to snap, to tell him that it was time they killed their father? He desperately wanted to say something, but he feared a response. Once he said it, he couldn't take it back. "Adrik, come here."

Adrik collapsed on the chair, resting his head in his hands.

Alexei glanced at Gil, and Gil shifted uneasily in his seat, slightly shaking his head. Alexei and Gil wanted Yakov dead. For Alexei, it was because of the abuse, but for Gil, it was because of vengeance. Gil had learned a few years ago that Yakov was responsible for his parents' deaths. It was guilt that brought the four-year-old boy into the Morozov home. And it was guilt that made them care for him. When Gil found out, he moved away from the family, but never too far from his brothers.

Yakov had given Gil an ultimatum: keep the Morozov name and receive an inheritance. Or try to kill an unkillable king.

Gil chose money because of Adrik and Alexei. But he never stopped thinking about Yakov's death.

Alexei knew this, and if there was ever an attempt to kill Yakov, Gil would be right by his side.

But Adrik? He was the baby. He was the most loved and protected. All the siblings knew this and kept Adrik out of their problems because Adrik was the most loyal. There was always concern he'd rat them out to Yakov.

Alexei leaned over, grabbed Adrik's arm, and pulled him closer. "You know you can rely on me for anything, right?"

Adrik lifted his blue eyes, confused. He flicked his gaze over his brother's malformed face. "Of course."

A knock on the door interrupted, and Alexei laid back, relieved and disappointed that he'd lost his chance. Perhaps Alexei needed to realize there would never be a good time to talk about murdering their father and just do it, like ripping off a Band-aid.

A surprising face stepped in the doorway. "Mama."

Their mother, Tatiana, was a beautiful blonde of sixty. Though she had six children, she was thin and petite, sporting fake boobs their father bought her ten years ago. She never wore anything unfit for heels or less than a thousand dollars.

Adrik got up and was instantly in her arms, like a little boy lost in the woods. She gripped his dark hair with her pink fake nails. "My baby," she whispered. But she detached quickly and came to Alexei's side. Her hand on his forehead felt like heaven, and Alexei basked in her attention. She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Mama's here." She reached out to Gil, and he put his cheek in her palm, kissing her wrist. "My boys."

Tatiana had been gone for six months. She left one day to go shopping and never came back. She called from the plane, shocking them all. Whatever happened, they knew instinctively it was caused by Yakov. There was a long list of possibilities stemming from cheating, lying, or just because he was an ass.

"I thought you weren't going to be here till tonight?"

Tatiana sat back, motioning Adrik to approach, and he sat on the chair, pulling it in to hold her other hand. "I actually came back this morning."

"You did?"