Page 19 of Embracing the Dark Side

Jolie wanted to cave, cry, apologize, and beg for mercy. But that would give Yakov power over her, and she refused to hand it over so easily. If she was going to be a girlfriend to a mafia king, then she needed to at least have courage. Even if it was all fake. “We did. Till I realized that Adrik deserves better.”

The smile drifted from his face. Darkness flowed into his bright-blue eyes, like a threatening storm. “You should never come between a father and his sons. You have no idea the extent I would go to protect them.”

Jolie’s knees wobbled, but she clenched the marble till her nails hurt. “And who’s protecting them from you?”

A small, heavy chuckle tickled Yakov’s throat. “I see it. What the boys see in you.” Yakov sighed, cursing in Russian. “You care. Do you treat him like a hurt puppy? A stray you’ve picked up off the side of the road? Do you nourish him back to health?” Disgust came from his lips. “I was young once. But you are a weakness they cannot afford. This isn’t Candyland, girl. This is Hell, and you do not belong.”

A shift of his hand had his guards taking hold of her. Jolie slapped at their hands, trying to run. She screeched when they grabbed her arms and yanked with their tight fingers. “Help!” she screeched. The panic was only getting stronger with every second. One guard took out handcuffs and a bag for her head.

“There you are.” Tatianna’s voice came from behind. Jolie’s gaze reached out like hands desperate to latch onto her. The older woman didn’t look at her, though, as Yakov turned around.“I think it’s time to sing Happy Birthday, my dear.”

Jolie’s breathing was the only sound in the silence. She didn’t know what was going on between them. Not until Tatianna’s blue eyes lifted to her, and she brilliantly smiled as she asked, “Have you tried the shrimp? It is imported from Malaysia. Absolutely amazing. Please, go have a taste and tell me what you think.”

The hands on Jolie didn’t loosen. Not until Yakov nudged his head just an inch. They released her, and Jolie stumbled for the exit, nearly colliding with Tatianna. The woman held her arm, and the warmth helped bring feeling back into her feet. Tatianna traced Jolie’s hairline in a sweet, calming gesture. “Alexei is surely missing you. Go to him.”

Dumbly, Jolie simply nodded. “Thank you,” she whispered as she rushed away. She had a hand against the wall to steady her shaking legs as she tried to run while controlling her chaotic emotions. She glanced back to see Tatianna step into the room and close the door. Jolie had never seen her look so powerful. The woman was an enigma, and Jolie was sure she wasn’t even close to comprehending the complexity of such a person.

At the final step of the staircase, just on the outside of the party, Jolie rested back against the stairway. She breathed, shaking the trembling out of her hands, and blowing out air like she was blowing out candles. She thought fear would be something she would get used to. She wanted to be like Katia, cursing and spitting, unafraidto fight against Yakov. She wanted to be smarter, to never find herself so easily placed in the hands of the enemy.

With another breath, Jolie regained herself. She had to be better. She couldn’t let herself be alone or give Yakov another chance.

Jolie searched for Alexei. She pushed her way through the crowd, using them as protection, even as they whispered about her as she passed. There were nearly a hundred people here scattered along the property, and though they were all murderers and drug pins, she felt safer in their company. They created their own little cliques by the pool, on the dock, and at the entrance of the dining room. She spotted Adrik through the crowd, and Jolie nearly rushed to him, but he had Katia beside him, reminding Jolie of her place. Katia looked perfect next to him. They were wedding cake toppers, a couple that everyone aimed to be. Self-hatred was bubbling inside Jolie. Jolie was weak now, but that was going to change. She was going to become Adrik’s equal.

Jolie found Vargo, or perhaps he saw her. She was relieved by his presence and slipped into a small hole against the wall, blending in like a lamp on the side of the room. It wasn’t long after Yakov’s henchmen weaved through the crowd. They were searching for her, touching their earpieces, and when they spotted her, she held her head high, daring them to try. She wasn’t going to live in fear. Not when Adrik was in the same room. They didn’t approach, but she was kept in their line of sight.

In a moment of weakness, Jolie texted Adrik. 'I need you.’ But it wasn’t as sexual as it sounded. She wanted to bury herself in his arms and feel the safety he provided. She felt raw, having come so close to an‘accident.’

SomethingYakov’s very good at.

Katia approached, and Jolie stiffened her spine, stuffing her phone back up on her sleeve. She mentally prepared herself for whatever backward comments Katia would have about her state of dress. She turned and stood beside Jolie, watching the festivities, and Jolie counted the seconds till she opened her mouth.

“I need a favor.”

The words were a surprise, and Jolie snapped her head. “What?”

A touch of her hand brought Jolie’s eyes down, but Katia hissed, “Don’t look.”

Jolie forced her head up, her attention back to the crowd. A piece of paper shifted into her fingers, and Jolie curled her fist around it.

“Give it to Gil.”

Though Jolie had wanted nothing but the woman’s friendship since she got here a month ago, there was still a scar on her palm from where Katia pressed a knife into her skin. “Why should I?”

“Because I hold your secret,” Katia whispered back, with a pleasant smile. “The fact that Adrik is still looking at you tells me you didn’t tell him you worked for the FBI.”

The words said out loud were a terror that Jolie couldn’t stomach. She glanced around them, but no one was close enough to hear. It didn’t ease the panic, and her heart pounded like a drum.

“I’m curious. What do you think his reaction will be? Or maybe you hope love will conquer all your problems.” The sarcasm was no longer veiled. "Look," Katia pointed as a strange woman leaned against Adrik's arm, whispering in his ear. "He fucked her about a month ago and she can't seem to get enough. Kind of like you."

Her words were like a physical punch and Jolie braced a hand against her stomach at the sudden anxiety that boiled into her. The woman was beautiful, sexy, and clearly wanting. But what Katia failed to notice was how Adrik responded. He kept his eyes far from her, even though her breasts nearly fell out of her dress and he eased away from her touch. His body language said everything Jolie needed to know, and the pain ebbed. Adrik was hers and Jolie wasn't going to let Katia create doubt in their relationship.

Katia could see her words didn't have the effect she wanted. “You are a dumb woman, Jolie.”

“At least I didn’t try to murder my own daughter,” Jolie snapped back. Katia’s words could no longer affect her. Any respect she had for Katia had been destroyed by that terrible piece of information.

Katia bowed her head; shame crept into her, and self-loathing wasn’t far behind. But to explain herself to someone like Jolie was pointless. The woman was blind to all the darkness that surrounded her. But she didn’t want to burn her bridges completely. Jolie could still be helpful in the future, and she needed her to have some sort of compassion, if only to be able to use her. “Love makes us do regretful things,” she whispered. And then, like a switch, Katia held her head high and smiled wide. “A word of advice. These people will hate you no matter what you are or what you do, so embrace it. What’s that silly motto you do-gooders like? Kill with kindness?” Katia shot out to someone walking by and left Jolie against the wall.

Jolie looked down at the paper, turning slightly so no one could see it. The words were written in Russian, annoying her. She knew where Gil was. He would bewith all the women, and sure enough, she found him by the pool, with a circle around him as he babbled on in a foreign language. The girls surrounding him were all dressed in minimal clothing, their dresses straight from a runway in Paris. They were already tall to begin with, but they wore extravagant, glittering heels five to six inches off the ground. She looked down at her feet self-consciously. Her heels were only an inch high, and she proudly found them for seven dollars at Goodwill.

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