Page 55 of Embracing the Dark Side

“Wonderful,”Mr. Stephanov praised her in Russian, making Helina glow with pride. “I take it the tutor will be coming with us?”

Jolie snapped up, hope like a bullet bursting through her chest. It may not be the best option, but staying here would be detrimental to her. Vincent had made too many passes at her to make her feel safe.

Vincent took a sip of his wine. “No. Not yet. I’ve learned some information and want to see how it pans out. When we are married, I will bring her with me.”

Katia turned her head to Jolie, watching the emotion spread over her face till she bowed her head, trying to hide it. She gripped Vincent’s hand. “Helina will be crushed. Please, let her come.”

He shook his head. “She’ll be fine for two months. They can call each other all they want. Unless, of course, you want an earlier wedding? Perhaps by Christmas.”

Katia stuttered, trying to recover. “I could never prepare in time. That’s six weeks away.”

Vincent leaned up, gently gripping her arm and pulling her in close. “Less of a wait for us,” he whispered, and Katia leaned into him, kissing him.

Then she pushed him away, laughing. “Not in front of my father.”

Jolie shifted her eyes to the doorway where Gil stood. She watched his face as he stared sightlessly ahead, quiet and stone. He had been Adrik’s brother, given all the leeway a Morozov son was allowed, and now, in Katia’s care, he was a foot soldier, meaning nothing more than a random bodyguard.

He must love Katia more than Jolie could imagine. But how could he stand there and be so closed off as the woman he betrayed Adrik for takes another man? Jolie wondered what Katia promised Gil in the dark. Did he really think she would follow through with any of the things she said?

“Mr. Ortez, I’m going to be honest with you,” Boris began. “Yakov Morozov was a friend of mine for many years. I’m still finding it so hard to believe that you managed to do what you did. I respect you for your tenacity, but at the end of the day, you are a low-level street rat. You are barely holding on to the power you’ve stolen. I could wait until you are devoured and take what is left over. So, I have to ask. Aside from harboring my granddaughter, what do you bring to the table?”

Jolie kept her face hidden behind her hair. There was a smile teasing her lips, a satisfaction at someone putting Vincent in his place. He constantly thought himself above the rest. She wanted him to feel like the cockroach he truly was.

Vincent took a slow sip of his drink before he answered. “My business—”

“Let me reiterate. I cantakeeverything you have right now in seconds. So why should I let you live and, more importantly, marry my daughter?”

Vincent sucked on his teeth. “I know for a fact you are getting charged twice the rate for cocainethan I am.”

Mr. Stephanov snickered. “It is a flat rate from every distributor across the board.”

“Not for me.”

“And how much do you bring in? Five pounds? Fifteen? I bring in sixty thousand pounds a month. It requires more men and resources to bring in such an amount.”

“That’s true. I don’t bring in nearly close to that. But I promise you, I can get it for half as much.” Vincent sat back, smug, and took a sip of his wine before he added, “And there’s always the, ‘If I die, what do you think will happen to your granddaughter?’ problem.”

Katia interrupted, “Father, please. What is this talk? We’ve already agreed.”

Boris tapped on the table. “I hear you are talking to the Utkins.”

Vincent shrugged. “Always have a backup.”

Gil’s phone rang, breaking his frozen form. He clicked it on, and Jolie watched his whole face go white. His eyes widened, his mouth falling open. And then he dived for Mr. Stephanov and whispered into his ear. She strained to hear it, but it didn’t matter. He spoke in Russian.

Mr. Stephanov nodded and abruptly stood. “Something has come up. I’m sorry we must leave.”

Vincent got to his feet, surprised and fearful. “What happened?”

Boris ignored him. “Katia, let’s go.”

As Gil came around to help her out of the chair, she twisted out of his hand. “No. I’m not leaving Helina again.”

Her father eyed her from across the table and then snapped his fingers. Gil hesitated before he pulled out a manilla folder from inside his coat. He was slow, watchingKatia as he handed it over. Mr. Stephanov pulled a pen from his pocket and slapped the folder on the table. He scribbled his name three times before he passed it to Vincent.

“Please, hurry. We have to go.”

“I hope everything is alright.” Vincent glanced at one of his soldiers, but the man only shook his head. Vincent signed his name and then pushed it to Katia. She quickly scribbled her signature, taking one sheet and handing the other to Gil, who tucked it back into the folder and slipped it into his coat again.

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