Page 67 of The Dark Side

"Talking like that?"

"About sex?" He popped a fry into his mouth. "Say the word. Sex."

"No. I don't want to."

"You scared?"

"I'm not scared."

"You sound scared."

"Yousound scared."

Adrik eyed her, and she bowed her head, ashamed of her childish reaction. Jolie didn't have many conversations about sex and definitely never joked about it. The whole thing made her super uncomfortable as much as it turned her on. She turned her attention to the game, noticing his score was nearly over two hundred, and she was almost breaking eighty.

Adrik allowed the change of subject. "Think I won."

"Oh, you think?"

He smirked. The movement caused her to remember Alexei. Should she tell him what happened with his brother? She didn't want to come between them, but that sentence sounded so egotistical. Like she could come between brothers.

"I wanted to let you know," she began tentatively. "Your brother asked me out today."

Adrik paused in his movements. "He did?" He sat back. "And what did you say?"

"That I was busy."

Adrik nodded, taking a fry and twisting it between his fingers. He didn't think his brother was going to do it. But then again, it's been a couple of weeks. He finally gathered up the courage.

"Then he asked me to dinner for your mother's arrival."

His brows rose. A date was one thing. Going with her to a family event was another matter altogether. To be so bold wasn't a characteristically normal thing for Alexei to be.

"He likes you." Adrik accepted it despite how much he hated it. "How do you feel about him?"

Her brows knitted. The question was like a slap in the face. Here she was, going on a date with him, knowing full well his father wouldn't like it, and he dared to think she felt something for his brother? And then to ask her about it?

But when has she ever been vocal about her feelings for Adrik? She barely wanted to admit it to herself. Was it so impossible for him to be unsure of how she felt? How could she say it without actually saying it?

His attention shifted from her to behind her, and his facial features altered dangerously. She was so confused by it she turned around to look. A pack of men with tattoos was standing in the middle of the foyer, a frightening bunch of bikers. They were all looking at Adrik.

Adrik's two guards approached him and whispered something in his ear. Adrik nodded and stood. "We have to go."

Jolie glanced at the board. "We have two rounds left."

He grabbed her hand and pulled her along anyway. "But my shoes!"

Adrik kept a tight grip on her hand as they approached the group. He maneuvered her behind him, keeping her nearly flushed against his back. As they got closer, she noticed the guns at their hips. She stopped fighting after that and tucked into his shoulders. Her thoughts went right to the pen. Should she call for help? Or did Adrik know what he was doing? She clenched her fingers around his shirt, holding his hand tighter. Jolie put her life in his hands.

Adrik kept his head high, moving toward them, moving through them. They parted, keeping their narrowed gazes on him as he passed by, going through the exit. He pulled Jolie forward, putting her in front of him and pushing her to the car.

"Russian," one of the men called.

Adrik spun around, but Jolie clung to his backside, desperate to keep him from attacking.

The man wore a thick leather jacket over his body-building muscles. He was nearly fifty, with a thick beard stretching down to his belly button. "Leave the girl."

Adrik snickered. "Not happening."

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