Page 16 of Slipping into the Dark Side

Yakov poured him whiskey and passed him the drink. “We are the same age.”

“From separate worlds.” Fedor raised the glass in salute and inhaled it. An embarrassing cough followed that he tried to suppress.

Yakov couldn’t disagree. He killed for the first time at ten, merely by accident, which taught him all the ways he could get away with murder. He lost his virginity at twelve, learning early how he could use his good looks for nearly anything. He was drinking and doing drugs by fifteen. Unfortunately, the only lesson learned from that was addiction can screw you up worse than STDs.

As good as a man Fedor appeared, Yakov was using this night to find his flaws because everyone has shortcomings. And Yakov’s theory was that women were Fedor’s downfall. So, he made sure to have plenty of options tonight. Every race was inattendance. How often did Fedor meet with people of his own color? Being surrounded by people who looked nothing like him had to be odd. Yakov could relate. There weren’t many people that possessed the amount of power he had and whenever he met someone like him, he became enchanted.

With a few drinks, Fedor sat relaxed on the couch. Yakov passed him a vial full of white powder, but Fedor waved it away. It annoyed him. Fedor was keeping track of his liquor intake, staying just above plastered. No matter how much Yakov pushed, the man knew his limits.

“So when is your wedding?”

“Two months,” Fedor said with a smile.

“It is a long engagement.”

“Yes. Tatianna wanted to have enough to plan a glorious wedding. She likes to keep busy.”

“How did you meet?”

“Many years ago. Her brother and I were best friends. Before he passed away, he asked me to look after her.”

“I didn’t know.”

“It was terrible. Alexei was a very funny man. A disease ate away at him till he was nothing more than skin and bone. Tatianna suffered greatly at his loss.”

Yakov nodded. Loss wasn’t something he was privy to. There was very little grief when his mother and father died. And though he saw death often, he didn’t connect the pain of it. There weren’t many people Yakov cared for. In fact, as of right now, there was only one.

“I look forward to an invitation to your Stag party.”

Fedor snapped his head. “Really? Would you come?”

“Of course. Are we not friends?”

A wide grin spread on Fedor’s face. “Of course,” he laughed. He took up his drink and clinked Yakov. “Wonderful.”

Yakov watched him gulp it back. He made sure to quickly refill it before he waved to the women waiting against the wall. He leaned back and gestured. “A preview.”

Fedor’s eyes widened as they approached. He probably had never seen so many pairs of tits in all his life. They wore only panties and heels. Fedor shifted uncomfortably, glancing at him. “Tatianna is only in the next room. I think I should go.”

“Nonsense. You are only looking, Fedor. And perhaps touching.” Yakov winked. “There is nothing wrong. Don’t tell me you are a virgin.”

Fedor kept his attention on the women as they danced before him. “My father paid someone when I turned sixteen. But she was very aggressive, and I embarrassingly left.”

Yakov cackled. There were always horror stories when it came to hookers. He had a few of his own. “Well, they will be as gentle as you desire.”

With a nudge of Yakov’s head, one of the girls approached Fedor, taking his hands and shaping her breasts with them. He took in a sharp breath and watched his thumbs wave over the woman’s nipples. Only seconds later was she straddling Fedor’s lap, and his hands had her ass in his palm.

Yakov took that as his cue to leave. A woman touched his shoulder, but he waved it off. He lit a cigarette, leaning against the wall, and less than a minute later, Tatianna was in the doorway.

Right on time, Luerna.

Yakov observed Tatianna. He didn’t know what she would do. He imagined her stomping up to Fedor and slapping him, but instead, she backed out of the room.

Yakov chased after her. He checked the room the women were hanging out in. Their loud, shrill voices were enough to keep him hidden, but Luerna was checking the door, and as soon as she saw him, she winked and pointed toward the balcony.Yakov gave her a smile, the only sister out of the lot of them who was worth her weight. He walked along the hallway till he got outside, and there Tatianna stood against the balustrade with a cigarette between her lips and her arms crossed and hip propped. From behind, she looked like a woman of power equal to him, and it caught his breath.

He was slow to join her. Sometimes, watching her was better than talking to her.

Tatianna glanced at him but turned and studied the hedge maze below. “You must think I’m stupid.”

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