Embracing the Dark Side (Morozov Mafia #2)

33. Rejuvenate

Chapter thirty-three

Rejuvenate

The guard told Adrik that Jolie was waiting in his room. He wasn’t about to leave the party to argue with her. Why tonight of all nights? He could barely enjoy himself, only getting drunk enough and high enough to take the edge off but not silence the thoughts.

Plastered was the only way to deal with the constant barrage of people wanting his attention. He had to pull off two women who tried to corner him. They were worse than car salesmen. And what excuse did he have for not fucking those girls? Absolutely none. Even in grief, mafia men fucked. It was how they channeled their emotions. He wasn’t about to have a sit-down conversation about all his inadequacies as a boyfriend.

Adrik didn’t have the mental capacity to deal with Jolie. His attention was already divided up in a dozen different directions. His family took the biggest piece because what they saw right now was a weak leader who allowed a woman to beat him, a low-level soldier to destroy him, and his brother to betray him. In the coming weeks, he’d have to re-earn his place. Taking out a few members of the family did nothing to sedate them. If anything, it would fracture more. They wanted forgiveness for their role in Vincent’s momentary takeover, which was laughable. They would soon find out how he felt about forgiveness.

Adrik sat on the couch, tired, staring at Alexei’s gigantic face. He questioned if staying in the game was worth it. Maybe it was time to cut his losses and run. But if he did that and gave up his power to his uncle, he’d never get Helina back.

As people began to trickle out, Adrik left the party and finally went to his room. There was a distant hope that maybe they could just fuck their problems away, and only for that did Adrik enter his bedroom.

Jolie was asleep on the couch. He scoffed, pissed that he wasted a perfectly good night to get wasted for her to be sleeping. He didn’t bother waking her; perhaps it was better this way, because he was not in any mood to placate his attitude. He took a shower instead, but when he came out of the bathroom in sweatpants, she was sitting on his bed, her eyes wide gawking at all the bruises.

Adrik bypassed her, but Jolie raced to the door and blocked him.

“Talk to me,” she begged.

Adrik clenched his teeth. “And say what?”

“I betrayed you. Tell me you hate me. Tell me you’re done with me. But don’t ignore me anymore.”

Adrik knocked her arm out of his way and went out into the living room, snatching his phone off the dresser, and a bandage wrap before sinking onto the couch. He typed a message, keeping his attention on the screen. Jolie stared down at him, waiting for more that he wasn’t going to give.

Jolie didn’t know what to say, where to start, how to stop this from sinking. She didn’t know where he was at, if he wanted to try at all, because as of right now, he was distant and stalwart. But she knew if she dug just a little, his broken heart would be in the palm of her hands. She wasn’t going to give up. “What happened? Why are you so beaten up?"

Adrik ignored her as he wrapped up his forearm. His fracture was healing, and he was advised to wear a cast, but it left his arm immobile. It was too dangerous to have such a clear injury. Jolie reached for the bandage, but he yanked back, glaring at her.

"I just want to help."

Adrik shifted away from her and she scoffed with aggravation. He finished wrapping it up as she watched and as soon as he tossed the excess bandage, he snatched up his phone again and went on ignoring her.

Jolie clenched her teeth. Did he think this was a game or something? She was one foot out the door and he was giving her no reason to stay. "Stop being an ass and talk to me.”

“I can’t!” Adrik bit, his leg bouncing with aggravation. He kept his attention on his phone, if only to hide any bit of revealed emotion. “I’m trying hard not to be disrespectful to you. Give me two more days, and I’ll talk. But tonight is not a good night.”

“It wasn’t respectful when you screwed me and walked away, so why should I expect anything else?”

“What the fuck do you want me to say?” Adrik tossed his phone and stood. She wanted him to talk, but now there would be no backing out, even as she stepped back, a slight fear sparking in her eyes. “You were betraying me from day fucking one. I brought you into my home, into my family, and every word out of our mouths you were feeding to the goddamn police. And with a straight fucking face, you looked at me and asked me to try. To fucking try to give you everything you were supposed to deserve. And I would have given you fucking everything.”

She was speechless at first, and then a pathetic attempt at redemption weaseled its way in. “I didn’t give the police anything.”

“That’s not the point, Jolie. How do I know that you weren’t working with Vincent? How do I trust you again? Why the fuck should I?” Adrik snatched his phone back up and sat, eyes returning to the screen so he wouldn’t see her reaction. “All this time, I was working to get you to trust me when I should have questioned why I trusted you. You’re a bitch, just like every other fucking bitch in this world. You’re no different. You ain’t fucking special. And I’m a fool for ever believing otherwise.” He laid his head back on the couch. The words had been spinning around in his head, and now that he had said it, he felt exhausted.

Then the door opened, and he snapped his head up to see her walk out. “Jolie–” Adrik ground his teeth when the door slapped shut. He flinched as if he’d really run after her. But he was not going to do that. He wasn’t going to be a weak-ass bitch chasing after a girl. She wanted a dramatic exit; she got one.

The door popped back open, and she came in. “No,” she said to herself. Courage straightened her. “I screwed up, I admit. But I’ve damn sure made up for it. I’ve earned your trust back. I took care of Helina like she was mine. I didn’t know about Vincent, didn’t know what he was capable of. That was Katia, and you know that. He was a monster to me, and I still can’t get his disgusting touch off me, no matter how hard I scrub. I could have left, but I didn’t. I’m still here, facing up to what I’ve done.” Jolie shoved the tear off her cheek. “Don’t act like my screw-up isn’t fixable.”

There was a knock at the door, and Jolie spun toward it. A woman stood there with a sweet little smile, dressed in a short, revealing dress and stilettos.

Jolie looked back at Adrik, but he sat on the couch, meeting her gaze daringly. It was spiteful, she knew. It was a way to get revenge. And if she hadn’t just spent weeks in Vincent’s hell, she might have been thrown off by such a disgusting move.

“What won’t be fixable,” Jolie whispered, “is this. Don’t break us before giving me a chance. I understand you lost too many who were close to you so quickly. You think you’ll be better off if I’m out of your life. But you once told me that the risk can’t outweigh the reward. The risk of losing me can’t outweigh your love for me, because I know you love me. I see and feel it, and I know I’m so desperately in love with you that I’ve risked fucking hell to be with you.”

Jolie watched his face, trying to read him, but he stared at the floor, unmoved. She went back to the door. The woman spoke something in Russian, but Jolie, as terribly rude as it was, gently pushed the woman out and closed the door in her face, locking it for good measure. Jolie held tight to the knob, trying to gain courage. “Stay mad at me. Hate me. Use me if it will help ease your pain. But don’t push me out.” She bypassed him and went to the bed, burying herself in the covers.

Adrik sat for a long time, staring straight. He despised his indecision. Part of him knew he was going to forgive her, but how? There was still so much anger. He wanted to be with her, and yet, her being here aggravated him. It was a jumbled mess of emotions, and he didn’t want to deal with any of it. There was lingering doubt about why she was here, why she was choosing to stay after everything she had gone through. Love wasn’t enough. Did she know that? Love can break, just like trust. They were fragile, and once shattered, the pieces never fit back together the same way. It might just be better to give up on it.

But he could hear his brother tell him to stay, echoing the subconscious desire in his chest.

Adrik stood in the bedroom doorway. She sat on his bed, fidgeting under his scrutiny. He didn’t know what else to do except shut off the lights. The moonlight was enough to see her waiting for a verdict. “I don’t know how to fight you. Katia was easier to deal with.”

“That’s because you’re used to fighting fire with fire.”

“And what am I supposed to fight you with? Fluffy teddy bears?”

Jolie choked on a laugh, smiling up at him.

“You lied to me, Jolie.”

She nodded and bowed her head. “I know. I can’t say I’m sorry enough.”

Adrik ground his teeth, fisting his hands. Her honesty had been something he loved about her, but now, he didn’t know what to believe. Jolie had been sincere and genuine, and the whole time, she was lying. It’s impossible to let it go when he had suspected nothing. “Did Vincent hurt you?” Adrik had read the results of her health exam, but even though there was no proof of any foul play, it didn’t mean there wasn’t.

Jolie hesitated. There were so many things that Vincent did that she doubted she would ever get over. But Adrik was asking for specifics. “No.” Her gaze turned toward the window as she thought of every time he gripped her arm, and whispered threats.

“What then?”

She twisted her lips, trying to control the level of pain that was surfacing. “I was scared for so long. Santiago tried to kill me, tried to rape me. Vincent was cruel, caring one minute and mistreating me the next. I couldn’t sleep. I could barely eat. Poor sweet Helina was the only person who brought happiness to my life, and now she’s gone!” A sob cut through her throat, and Jolie slapped a hand on her lips to stop it, but it just kept coming. “Every day, I hoped you’d come, and every day, you didn’t. It was hell, and I know I screwed up, and you’re mad at me, but I’ve suffered enough. Please, I can’t take any more. I’m not a terrible person. I promise I won’t ever screw up again. I really just want you to hold me and tell me everything’s okay.” She cried harshly, keeping herself small, hoping to sink into the thick comforter. She didn’t want to be weak in front of him, but he was finally here, and all her walls were crumbling.

Jolie’s vulnerability destroyed his anger. Adrik remained standing, trying to keep his distance, but every sob felt like a sledgehammer. It was because he failed to protect her that this happened. If he had been stronger, better, more like his father, he would have had steps in place to take care of her even if he wasn’t around.

His pride was destroyed, and he didn’t know if he could ever rebuild it to the level it was at before. Being in jail for six weeks kept him at rock bottom, and without Alexei and Gil, he didn’t know if he could climb up by himself.

But with Jolie, he would do whatever he had to do to get back to the surface .

Adrik laid down in bed and stared at the ceiling. He ground his teeth as her heavy cries shook the bed with every breath taken. He resisted, telling himself she deserved the pain for what she’d done. Telling himself it was her own fault for getting involved with this world in the first place. He told her to go in the beginning. He told her things wouldn’t be perfect.

But how could he ignore her?

Adrik touched her back, and she fell into him, burying her face into his neck. Her cries echoed. One arm gripped her back while his other hand buried into her hair, holding her tight. All the days he spent agonizing over her, she was finally here, back in his arms. He came undone. Adrik kissed her forehead, clenching his eyes shut. “I’m here, baby. I’m here now,” he whispered to her. “Shh, you’re alright.” He comforted her in a way he’d never done to a woman, and it rejuvenated him. It brought back the power he’d been missing, the strength to protect her, the courage to destroy all that harmed her. He was back in control.

Vincent had been left down in the cellar. And Adrik felt the fire revitalized inside him. He was gonna make the fucker beg for death.