Page 14 of Embracing the Dark Side

Alexei questioned, “I thought the leader of the Toxins was Frank?”

“Frank’s my father,” Vincent answered. “Now that I’m out of prison, I’ve taken over. So, I guess I got you to thank for that.”

“Oh?” Adrik looked at Katia.

She smiled warmly, ignoring his gaze. “Glad you could make it.” Then her attention drifted. “Jolie, you look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

The name sparked surprise in Vincent’s face. He leaned around Alexei and found her standing there. “JoJo?” he questioned.

Jolie sheepishly smiled. Five years ago, Vincent was the love of her life. The first boy to give her attention,to make her feel desirable. He had the bad-boy vibe that every good girl sought. But then he had robbed a bank. She was the reason he had been thrown into jail for the last five years. What could she possibly have to say? Vincent had never replied to her letters, and she had received nothing from him for that entire period of time. Since she met Adrik, he hadn’t been a thought in her head. Except to think about all the mistreatment she suffered while she dated him and how much better Adrik was.

Jolie realized she hadn’t said anything yet. “Hey.”

Adrik took a sip of his drink, flicking his eyes between them. Having Jolie’s ex-boyfriend show up wasn’t a coincidence. Katia did this to spur him into action, but he would not be moved. Perhaps jealousy ruled him when he was younger, but being older gave him the confidence to not be intimidated by a past lover. Jolie was his. His cum still dripped from her pussy.

What bothered him more was Katia’s intentions.

“Why are you here?” Adrik asked with little decorum. It was pointless of a gang leader so far down the totem pole to be here. They didn’t understand the game played by the rich. Gangs were pieces, meant to be thrown out if proved no longer useful.

Vincent moved his hazel gaze to Adrik. “I thought you and I could have a talk.”

Adrik swirled his drink, uninterested. “About what, exactly?”

“Why you felt the need to cancel our orders, trying to get the Garcias and my gang to fight?”

Adrik drowned the rest of his whiskey, catching Alexei’s wide eyes. His brother understood, at least, the audacity this prick had to bring up things like that here.This was why the uneducated weren’t supposed to come to these parties.

“Let’s table the business talk,” Katia interjected. “I’m interested in why you called our tutor ‘JoJo.’ Do you know each other?”

Jolie had always given Katia the benefit of the doubt, but there was no making excuses for this. She had intentionally found out about Vincent and invited him here, if only to bother Adrik and ruin his birthday. How could Jolie learn to protect herself from people like Katia? Because the chances were in Adrik's life, there would be more just like her.

“It’s nothing,” Vincent answered. “We knew each other in high school.” He scratched his temple, exposing the family ring on his finger, with a fake little chuckle on his lips. “I figured you’d be in the Peace Corps or something.”

Katia shook her head with a broad smile. “What a small world.”

Adrik wrapped a firm hand around Katia’s biceps. “Excuse us.”

Katia struggled slightly against his hold. “Why don’t you two catch up?” She stumbled as Adrik yanked her, and she cursed at him, her heels clicking hard against the pavement.“Better hurry.”Katia glanced over her shoulder to the two of them talking.“They look pretty friendly.”

Adrik pulled her behind a cabana, and though it was dark, stringed lights made it visible to see them.“You got him out of prison?”

She shrugged.“Wasn’t too hard.”

“You have no right to deal with my affairs.”

“Oh, relax. I thought I was doing something nice for your new girlfriend. She talked about himallthe time.”

“You think I am the same man I was five years ago?”When she refused to answer, Adrik gripped her jaw, forcing her to look at him.“Your life is in my hands, Katia. Don’t mistake my mercy for forgiveness.”

“I’ve been behaving.”She gritted her teeth. “Six more hours, and you promised I could go home.”

“I did. But then your parents decided not to come. Where are they, Katia?”

She stuttered. Such a believable action that Adrik would have bought it if he trusted anything she did.“I don’t know,”she protested.“I haven’t been able to talk to them all day because you won’t let me use the phone.”

Adrik studied her face. What was it about her that he wanted to believe her? Was it because she was the mother of his child? Because he had loved her once? Or was she that good at acting? Adrik pushed her away from him, and she stumbled on her feet, but so quickly, she righted herself with a smile, glancing about and ignoring the curious gazes from the lounge chairs as she went back inside.

Alexei caught his eye, and Adrik nudged his head, bringing him over.“Katia’s planning something. Find out what it is.”Alexei didn’t need to be told twice. He pulled out his phone and began to work. Adrik’s gaze landed on Jolie. Her ex leaned into whisper something in her ear. It was time for this street urchin to return to the gutter where he belonged.

---