Page 18 of Embracing the Dark Side

He stared blankly at her, annoyed by her constant feminist shit. “Depends. Are you planning on becoming my enemy?”

“Adrik—”

“Katia almost killed my daughter. To compare yourself is ridiculous.” Adrik walked up to her, impressed that she didn’t step back this time. He stood before her, keeping his hands in his pockets so she wouldn’t feel threatened.

“Would you ever hit me?”

Adrik hesitated. He didn’t want to lie to her. “Not willingly.”

“What kind of answer is that?”

“An honest one. If you were to disrespect me in front of my men—”

“If you hit me, I’ll hit you back.”

He smirked. God, he loved when she threatened him. “Promise?”

Jolie scoffed and turned to leave, but Adrik grasped her arm and waited for her to stop bucking like a horse. She needed to be tamed, and he had all the desire to be the one to do it. “Listen to me. The society I am in is very different from how you were raised. I will protect you from it. But you must trust me. Can you?" He paused, waiting. "I suggest you make a decision before we continue.”

Jolie didn't hesitate. “I can.”

“Good.” Adrik kissed her cheek before slipping further in to whisper in her ear, “Because there are still plenty of bad things I would like to do to you. And I don’t want you to be afraid of me when I do them.” The way she closed her eyes and leaned into him encouraged him to place a hand on her hip, to bring her back into the room and give her just a tiny sample of what he hoped to do to her one day. But a sudden bark of laughter from down the hallbrought reality back in. There was still a party to attend. He stepped by her, leaving her wanting in the doorway, enjoying the disgruntled scoff that followed him.

Chapter nine

Favor

Jolie fell against the wall with a dreamy smile on her lips. Adrik’s cologne lingered on her skin, and she felt her arms, imagining they were his fingers. Jolie didn’t know what it was about him that could influence all thoughts and feelings into his control. She was addicted to Adrik’s touch, willing to do anything for it.

Her smile faltered. The word ‘addicted’ left a bad taste in her mouth. How could she tell the difference between falling in love and falling in lust? Was it happening too fast to be love? The overwhelming feeling she had for him told her it wasn’t just physical. There were so many things about him that she found attractive.

But it was the bad things she needed to pay attention to. Could she love a man who gripped a woman’s face with such anger? Could she love a man who killed?

It was hard to fathom Adrik being capable of such terrible things. When he stood in front of her yesterday, covered in blood, she made the choice to take care of him. She wanted to be the one he chose to come to when the world was against him. She wanted to be the anchor that kept him in place. What he did had meant little to her at the time. But it did matter.

Adrik killed. How often did he do it? Would she always know? Or would he keep it a secret? Was there something mentally wrong with her that it didn’t bother her as much as it should?

Jolie wanted to talk to someone. Preferably a woman married into the mafia life. She wanted to know what to expect. If her hopes for a bright future were as ridiculous as they sounded, or if they were possible. Adrik’s mother was a beautiful version of positivity and sunshine. But there was evil in her, too.

Jolie watched Tatianna kill two men without even batting an eye.

Was that something Jolie was going to do one day? Was it expected?

There were so many questions going into this sort of life. She needed it to go slow. She needed time to wrap her head around everything. If what she felt for Adrik was real love, then time would be the best thing on her side. She’d learn to accept Adrik with all of his flaws, and he’d value her patience and commitment.

So, no more sex till I’m sure it’s love.

Jolie nodded to herself. It was the only way she’d know because Adrik’s hands could convince her of anything.

Jolie shook her head, took a breath, and forced her feet to move.

She jolted backward as Yakov took up the space of the doorway. Her heart jumped into her throat, clogging up any greeting as she backed away. He took a step in, and three soldiers slipped into the room.

Jolie could tell the difference now between Yakov’s men and Adrik’s. Yakov liked giant muscle men who were older, like him, while Adrik kept the young ones who relied more on their guns.

Jolie’s back hit the counter, and her hands braced it. There was no exit, no one to call, and her voice couldn’t carry up three floors. She flicked her eyes around for any possible weapon, but this was a candy room—a rainbow of M&Ms and gumballs.

Yakov smiled tightly. “I thought we understood each other, Miss Bell.”

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