Page 78 of The Dark Side

Jolie shook her head. She was comparing an eighteen-year-old virgin to a man with experience. No doubt Adrik knew ways to please without even trying.

As a shiver of anticipation ran through her, Jolie hardened herself.It doesn't matter. I must be as logical as possible about our situation, and sex will only hinder my decisions.

A text message sprung hope in her, but it was only her mother.'How was bowling?'

'I lost.'

'Obviously.'

'I don't appreciate your lack of faith.'

'I have faith in God; that is all the faith I need.'

Jolie giggled, adoring her sarcastic mother. The weeks here at the Morozov mansion were only bearable because of the hour-long conversations with her mother every night. Sometimes, they didn't even talk; they shared the quiet together as Jolie read a book and her mother made dinner. Simple things like that made Jolie feel a little less alone.

It was then Jolie realized where most of her hesitation was coming from.

Her mother's approval.

Chapter twenty-nine

Poker Night

Adrikglancedathiswatch. 11:25 p.m. He put the cigar back in his mouth, puffing as he held his cards. He hadn’t thought he’d be caught in a poker game at this time, but here he was. A random party had popped up when Gil brought in a group of women. He was slightly drunk, really high, and looking for a good time. Now the girls sat at the bar, getting drunk, while some got naked and were twisting on the stripper poles, gyrating to the music. The lights flickered in colors with the music, and it vibrated the floor, making his drink of whiskey ripple. He tossed a card, and the dealer handed him a new one. The five of clubs only pissed him off. He was gonna lose the roundandmiss his meeting with Jolie.

Alexei sat next to him. He asked for this impromptu gathering. He was covered in black and blue and moving hurt, but he wanted to get drunk and forget that his father had beaten him the night before.

His mother and Alexei both asked Adrik not to do anything in revenge, and though he assured them he wouldn’t, there were little things he could do to fuck over his father. Subtle things that could be deniable. The shipment of his father’s cigars would be lost. The whiskey he loved would disappear. The sugar-free donuts his father adored would go out of stock. It was petty, perhaps, these silly little ramifications. But it would prove to Yakov one thing: Adrik had control of this company, not him.

“Game’s rigged.” Alexei cursed, unimpressed with his cards.

Adrik hid his amusement. His brother was never good at bluffing. He was too honest. A woman passed by, a hand on Adrik’s shoulders. She smiled and winked before sauntering over to the stripper pole. Adrik humored her because he had to. She didn’t know that after years of this shit, it was boring. It had nothing to do with her, because she was a beautiful woman. But it didn’t matter. Adrik was no longer interested in what she had to offer, and he didn’t want to pretend to be.

“Want the last hit?” Gil nudged his head to the final white line on the glass tray. Adrik shook his head and watched him take a glass straw and stuff it up his nose.

“Take it easy, brother,” Alexei chastised. “You want to be alive tomorrow?”

“It’s the weekend,” Gil fought. “Besides, I’ve never had an apology taste so good.”

Alexei chuckled as he held his ribs. Yakov’s apology came in the form of an ounce of cocaine and a new Rolex left on his bed while he slept. It was an empty gesture, put there out of obligation and fear of Adrik’s retaliation. He did admit that the Rolex looked great around Gil’s wrist.

Gil flexed his arm, pulling the sleeve up to expose the watch. “And it’s never looked so great either.”

Though Alexei and Gil found it amusing, Adrik was far from allowing humor to ease his anger. If Yakov believed he could do something like that, what else did he think he could do? He thought his father would have limits when it came to his kids. But the evidence was proving otherwise. Yakov was more daring than Adrik ever hoped to be.

“You should get beat more often, Alexei,” Gil joked, high as a kite. “This is a great fucking night.”

Alexei took a big swig of his whiskey and sighed, “I’ll try.”

Adrik bit the inside of his cheek to keep quiet. He wasn’t going to ruin his brother’s high. But the more the night wore on, the more the petty shit wasn’t good enough.

“Oh, shit,” Alexei cursed.

Adrik looked at him, only to see his eyes at the doorway. Jolie stood there, frozen with her mouth open. She saw the bar full of women, the stripper poles where naked girls danced, and the bowling alley full of people smoking weed and sorting out a line of cocaine. Guns were out on the table, watched over by a guard to ensure no one popped off in a fit of anger after losing a stupid game. Alexei stood, and it broke Jolie out of her stupor. She ran from the doorway.

It was Adrik’s fault. He asked her to the movie theater that was three doors down. No doubt she would have gotten lost.

Alexei sat down and glanced at him with a glare.“She doesn’t belong here.”