Page 58 of Embracing the Dark Side

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“This isn’t for you.”

It took a minute before Alexei whispered, “What did you do?”

“We don’t have time.” Gil stepped forward, dropping the gun at his side, beseeching in Russian,“You’re in love with her, Alexei. You can have her. Just go.”

Alexei looked back at Jolie. It was a hesitation he hated about himself. In seconds, he imagined if he took Gil’s advice and left with her. Adrik would face whatever Gil had set up, and he’d be there to comfort Jolie. Eventually, Alexei could win her over and finally get everything he’d always wanted. All the moments in his life where jealousy crept in shaped into a giant avalanche he didn’t know how to suppress. When Adrik finds out he kissed Jolie, there would be no forgiveness, so life as he knew it was already over. So why not try to be happy?

But there was no leaving Adrik. They were brothers. He thought Gil could understand that, but maybe he was wrong.

Gil shook his head, sensing Alexei’s determination. “You can’t save him. But you can save yourself.”

Alexei shifted for the door, but Gil stepped in front of it and begged.“I don’t want you to get hurt, so take her and go out the back. The army that’s coming will be too big for you to take on. With Helina as bait, Adrik won’t back down.”

“You fucker. We’re your goddamn family!”

“I had a family!” Gil fought back. “Till Yakov hunted them down one by one like a beast. So now I have no one. No one but Katia.”

“Katia,” he spat. “You’re a fucking tool. Whatever she’s saying to you is all a goddamn lie.”

Gil glanced out the window, and Alexei once more stepped for the door, but Gil flinched, shooting the ground at his feet. Alexei sneered. “You gonna shoot me?”

“I can’t let you try to save him.”

Alexei threw the gun at his feet. “Then let’s go. If you ain’t gonna shoot me, then you’re gonna have to fucking stop me.”

Gil clenched his teeth. “You think so? When have you ever bested me? I’ve been kicking your ass since third grade.” Gil glanced out the window again, watching the helicopter come from above. The army arrived, meaning at any moment, Adrik was about to die. He laid his gun on a coffee table and removed his coat. “Fine.” Gil uncuffed his sleeve, rolling it up to his elbow. “Don’t complain to Mama when—”

Alexei attacked before he could finish, swinging his fist around, but Gil ducked and slipped behind him, punching Alexei in the kidney. He groaned and growled, but Gil only smirked. “Always your problem, brother. You think big muscles are better than speed.”

“Don’t call me brother.” Alexei charged forward with a heavy fist, but like before, Gil ducked and pounded a fist into his chest, forcing Alexei to take a step back. But the hit was barely felt. After weeks of beatings, Alexei was a tank.

A blast sounded, vibrating everything in the house. It set off a panic in Alexei’s heart.

With no time to waste, Alexei swung again. When Gil dived, Alexei slammed a fist into his injured thigh, and Gil fell to the floor with a curse. Alexei didn’t let him get back up. He kicked and smashed his face. Then he jumped on him, sitting on his chest, and pounded a fist into his head. Three hits were all it took for Gil to nearly fall unconscious. Alexei stopped, falling over him. “You were saying about my muscles?”

Alexei looked over at Jolie and held out his hand. She jumped to her feet, and their fingers interlaced. She gave Gil a hard kick in the back, just for spite, and then they darted out the door together.

Chapter twenty-six

Gone

Adrik ran down the driveway. This compound was well situated in the middle of nowhere, but Vincent was a fucking idiot, thinking his people wouldn’t rat on him. It took no time to gain back loyalty. All Adrik had to do was show his face, and within minutes of getting out of jail, he had a militia in his hands.

Part of him, the one raised by a father who took meticulous action against his enemies, wanted to think about how to proceed with logic and strategic movements. But the part that was focused on his daughter and girlfriend had chosen to bulldoze his way into Vincent’s world with brute, unforgiving force.

A dozen men followed Adrik, who took out anyone hiding in the bushes. His team had already secured the gate, and the body of the security guard lay broken on the ground as he passed.

In the middle of the road were two black SUVs, trapped by a roadblock he had in place in case anyone tried to run. He knew Katia would do whatever she could to get out. But he needed to figure out what Boris, her father, would do. Yakov was the one who dealt with Boris in the past. Now he was about to see what the old man was capable of.

Adrik approached his people. Four Ford pickup trucks were positioned vertically, blocking traffic from both directions. A little Kia was backing up in a wild panic and twisting on the side of the road to get away. In the truck bed were three men with AKs pointing at the cars. But there was no movement. A soldier came to him and reported Katia and Boris wouldn’t get out of their vehicles.

“The Stephanovs have a crew on the way. Four cars were spotted two minutes out.”

Adrik stood behind the hedge.“What about the compound?”

“We took it over, but there’s a problem in the house. Alexei’s taking care of it.”

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