Page 96 of The Dark Side

"Nothing dangerous, I hope?"

Alexei slapped a hand on Adrik's back, "Wouldn't dream of putting your favorite in danger."

Yakov chuckled, and reminded, "A parent has no favorites. That being said, if you come back without him, you might as well not come back."

Alexei laughed a dry and forced laugh. He glanced at Jolie and received a weak wave. "I'll call you,” he boldly stated, glancing at his father for a reaction but Yakov yanked up his newspaper and stayed quiet.

Jolie flinched when the door shut. Her hand fell numbly in her lap. Adrik was sleeping his wife. It shouldn’t sound so absurd or heartbreaking and yet, it was. She told herself it was a wake-up call. She needed to see it to fully realize what was going on. This was not a life she wanted for herself. Adrik was not husband material. He was not father material. There was nothing that could come from him but heartache.

Jolie slipped into her pocket and clicked the pen. This is why she came: to find a way to bring down this mafia family that had destroyed the lives of thousands of people. She would find something substantial that she could use so that by the time Adrik returned, she could leave.

Jolie focused her attention on Yakov. He had a scar on his chin, and the stubble refused to grow. He had a fat nose, long ears, and dark, cold eyes. Yakov read some papers, holding one up, inspecting it. He shoved food into his mouth, chewing grotesquely. All her hatred for Adrik bubbled up and directed toward him. Katia spoke in Russian, and they had a conversation that she couldn't be a part of, but she continued to sit there, hoping something they said would be relevant.

Tatianna surprised her, calling her name, "Miss Bell, you are a most wonderful girl. First, you saved my granddaughter, and now you make my son smile. We must get together and have some girl time."

Jolie met Yakov's gaze. As dead as she felt inside, he still sparked a flame of fear, but she dared him now to make a threat so the police could use it. Instead, he smiled. "Yes, I must say, it is a nice change."

Jolie couldn't stand the lie. Did Tatianna know how he had threatened her? How well did this woman know her husband?

Jolie’s phone rang, much to her surprise. It was eight in the morning on a Sunday. Her mother should be at church. Jolie took up the phone, finding the number private. She almost ignored it, but something told her to answer it.

"Hello."

"Say ‘hi, Mom.’" It was Adrik, and the pain she had stuffed down nearly boiled over.

The words took a moment to process, and even then, she didn't know how to make her voice sound the same. "Hey, mom."

"Excuse yourself from the table."

After a moment to find a way to move, Jolie stood. "Excuse me," she whispered, and Yakov waved a hand.

"Go down the hall to the right."

"No, I can talk," Jolie said as she hastened for the exit.

"Keep going till you see the painting of Ivan the Terrible and his son."

"Dad didn't mean it." She played along, her voice echoing.

"Turn left and go through the door."

Jolie had never been down here because it was the ’servants’ quarters. She went through the door to another hallway, but it was empty. She found a storage closet and dived, leaning against the door. Tears were already in her eyes.

"You alone?"

Jolie struggled to keep any emotion from her voice. She didn't want to talk. She didn't want to hear what he had to say. It would be excuses and a bunch of bullcrap. She knew how cheaters manipulated and lied. She couldn't count the times when she saw Vincent talking to another girl, and he made her feel stupid for thinking he'd cheat on her. She always ended up apologizing for thinking the worst.

"Yeah," she murmured against her will.

"Listen to me and listen closely because I will not say it again. I did not fuck Katia."

She rolled her eyes as tears fell down her cheek.

"Katia and I are pretending to appease my father. Katia hates me, Jolie, and I despise her."

Jolie squeezed her eyes shut. Relief came so quickly, and she hated it. She believed him instantly, like an idiot. "You seemed pretty comfortable."

"You cannot fault me for being a good actor." The cockiness made her want to hit him, and at the same time, a smile broke for a second on her lips before it fell. The pain of deception still lingered. Had she learned nothing from the years with a liar? They knew what to say and how to reel you back in like a fish for slaughter.