Page 85 of The Dark Side

"I don't approve. I most sincerely do not approve. This is stupid and dangerous—"

"You've said that."

"And I'll say it again. This isstupidanddangerous.But"—Alexei stalled, shaking his head and looking around before he forced his head toward his brother—"my little brother's in love." He dropped a hand on the back of Adrik's neck, squeezing as he grinned. "It's great. I'm happy for you. And I'll do whatever I can to help. But you have to understand the risk."

"I do."

"Does she? Have you explained your situation?" A nod eased him in one direction but depressed him in another. "I can't believe she's willing to do this. She must be in love with you, too."

Adrik kept his gaze on the window, but a smile teased his lips. That may be true.

"And I fucking asked her out like a dumbass. Did she tell you?"

"You didn't just ask her out," Adrik bit. "You asked her to a family dinner."

Alexei tried to defend himself, and admitted, "Just to piss off Dad. It worked, apparently."

Adrik snapped his head toward him. Though it was dark in the car, he could still make out the bruises. "You provoked him," Adrik sneered. "Damn it, Alexei. That's your fucking problem, you know that? You fucking push."

"I'm not going to be controlled like a little fucking puppet."

"Is that how you see me? Look at me, asshole. Is that how you see me?"

Alexei turned his gaze to his brother. He ground his teeth, unsure of what to say. Honesty was the go-to. "A little."

"Oh, fuck you."

"Everyone knows that Papa is past his prime. The whole fucking family is waiting for you, and you just sit there as he fucks shit up. You know he lost a case of cocaine? How does someone do that? How do you lose a million dollars’ worth of supplies? Where the fuck did it go?"

Adrik rolled his eyes. "No, he didn't."

"Adrik, you don't see it, because you're so far up his ass. He's been making mistakes. Why do you think he left for those two months?"

"Because he nearly had a heart attack."

"Fine, believe what you want, but don't come after me because you are too busy being daddy's little bitch."

Adrik bit the inside of his lip. He had half a mind to break one of his brother's fingers, just to sedate the rage inside him.

"Oh, God." Alexei rubbed his face, setting panic in Adrik as he watched him.

"What?"

"Mom. She'll see it the moment you look at Jolie. You can't look at her, do you hear me? Or she'll know."

"I won't look at her," Adrik agreed, but he didn't know how much of not looking he could do if Jolie were in his line of sight. What was the alternative? Stay out of her reach. Stay out of the house.

Looking for a distraction, Adrik asked, "Any luck finding Katia's brother?"

"That's what I was coming to tell you. I have a lead. Think he went to Puerto Rico. Gonna head out there on Sunday after the dinner. See if I can't flush him out."

"I'll go."

"To Puerto Rico?"

"Yeah." Adrik needed the trip. Needed to get away because his brother put into words every fear he had. There was not going to be a happy ending for them.

Unless he could prove that Katia knew the hit on their daughter was coming. Part of him wanted it to be true simply to be rid of her, but the other part prayed it wasn't. Helina deserved a mother, and though he hated Katia, he didn't want her to be absent from his daughter's life.