Page 88 of Embracing the Dark Side

There was a glance toward him, a moment when her eyes met with his, and he saw her disappointment, her pain, her anger, and the yearning just beyond, and he flinched, as if to step toward her, to stop her, but he kept his hands locked in his pockets, and she turned to the door and left.

Adrik stood there staring at it for an entire minute, waiting for her to change her mind.

But she didn’t.

And he had to leave.

With a nod of acceptance, he stepped out, fixing his jacket. Filip didn’t look at him, keeping his head straight.“Let’s go.”

Taking the lead, Filip led him out the back where two black SUVs waited. It was time to move on, time to get revenge, and get back on top. Wasting even a few moments here set him back. He needed to focus on important things, like destroying Katia and putting Uncle Yefim back in his place. But even those things lacked meaning, and Adrik stood in front of his car, with the door open, finding it difficult to move forward. He rarely felt regret in his life, but if he got in that car without Jolie, it would be a weight that would be too hard to carry.

No.He turned around, facing the church. No one said no to him.

Even her.

The door shoved open just as he stepped for it, and his heart hammered in his chest, begging it to be Jolie.

With an arm around her throat, and the barrel of a gun pressed against her temple, Jolie stumbled out, with wide, terrified eyes meeting him. Mally cowered behind her, keeping all her vital areas covered. She inched along the wall, putting distance between them.

“Adrik,” Jolie whimpered.

“It’s alright,” he assured with one hand. The other slipped into his jacket.

“Don’t!” Mally warned, tightening her hold.

Adrik removed his hand, holding it up. “Or what? You will shoot a civilian?”

“To bring you down? You should ask yourself, what won’t I do?”

Mally hissed when Jolie raked her nails down her arm. She pressed the gun harder against Jolie's temple. “You get away with everything. There’s no justice. You have your hands in everything!” she bit violently. “I worked my whole life to minimize the corruption, but it’s never-ending. Even if you’re dead, it will still live on, like a well-oiled machine, never faltering, never stopping. I only wanted to do good.”

Adrik watched Jolie, the desperation in her brow worsening as Mally’s monologue continued. There were ways to kill Mally, but the risk to Jolie was too big. Even a one-percent chance of death was too great. Jolie was his reason for fighting. Without her, all the vengeance in the world couldn’t fill him.

Mally glanced around. There were four other guards with guns on her. There was no getting out of this alive. But she had known this before she even came to the church. She knew Adrik would come eventually, like amoth to a flame. He was seeking redemption in Jolie, but what he failed to understand was that there was none for men like him. God would never forgive. There was already a special place in Hell for him, and Mally would be proud to send him there. “Do you see, Jolie?” Mally said. “You are a pillar. One more to tip him over. One more to destroy him.”

“Come on, Agent. You aren’t a killer. Don’t you want to bring me in? I’ll confess. I killed Nikolai. I set the fire to your building. What else do you want to know?”

Light ignited in her eyes. “Did you have your father killed?”

“No. That was Vincent.”

“Where is he?”

“In my guesthouse. Half-alive. You might be able to save him if you hurry.”

A breathless laugh escaped her. “I knew it. I told them, but they wouldn’t listen to me.”

“You were right.”

The patronization was recognized, and Mally tightened her hold on Jolie’s neck, nearly squeezing the air from her lungs. “You still think you are in control?”

Adrik slipped his hands in his pockets. “Aren’t I? You kill her, you die, and all the information I gave you goes with it. It’s pointless pointing the gun at her. Point it at me. My men won’t shoot. Use her as a shield and walk away.”

Her wild eyes flicked between him and his men. She was searching for the trick. There had to be one. But he was right. Threatening Jolie was stupid. She was her ticket out of here. As long as Jolie was wrapped around her, no one would take a shot at her. Mally straightened her arm, pointing the gun at Adrik. “I could shoot you."

"You could. But there is plenty of information I could share with you. Imagine taking down every mafia family in Florida."

Mally couldn't pass up such a chance. "Move your men. Tell them to drop their weapons.”

---