Embracing the Dark Side (Morozov Mafia #2)

34. Justice

Chapter thirty-four

Justice

Adrik sat at the table with his breakfast. He cut into the sausage, taking a bite. Vincent lay naked, strapped to a gurney in front of him, held in a vertical position. He was bruised and bloody, but this was only the beginning. Adrik liked to torture slowly, much like fucking. He liked to take his time and start with just a soft touch, a soft thrust, before putting in the effort.

Vincent’s head bobbed as he woke. Panic was instant, and he panted, looking around with wide, fearful eyes. They eventually landed on Adrik.

“Good morning,” Adrik greeted, sipping his coffee. It’s been six days since they captured him, and Adrik hadn’t visited once. He wanted the bastard to sit in his silence. To come to the conclusion he was in hell and there was no escape.

Vincent struggled against his chains but tired quickly. “How you’d find me?”

Adrik found that question humorous. Did Vincent really think Adrik’s family would be silent? The moment he was released, there were phone calls by the dozens giving Vincent up, and they took no time turning on each other. “Does it matter? ”

Vincent dropped his gaze to the floor. He knew it didn’t. There was no fixing it. No revenge. Because there was no escape. “I’m not gonna beg.”

Adrik doubted that. “What did Katia promise you?”

“I’m not—”

“I have your nephews,” Adrik said, cutting him off. Some people really didn’t understand when they were defeated.

Vincent paused, uncertain. “I don’t believe you.”

Adrik flicked his hand, and Filip came over with his phone, showing him a picture of the boys tied up. It was an easy photo to get, and afterward, he had let the boys go. But Vincent wouldn’t know what.

Vincent jerked hard. “They’re kids. That’s against your mafia’s rules.”

Adrik chuckled, resting his fork down. “You murdered my father as a guest in my house. There are no more rules.” Adrik basked in the horror on his face. “What did Katia promise you?”

Vincent panted through his nose, once more trying to fight against the chains that caged him. Adrik let him try, continuing with his breakfast.

“Katia’s gonna come for me.”

Adrik cackled. “How does she plan to do that from Russia?” The hope drained from the man’s hazel eyes. “She left with her parents. Whatever she promised you, it doesn’t seem to matter.”

Adrik chewed slowly, watching all the emotions run their course. The man had no idea what kind of woman Katia was. He honestly thought she’d follow through.

“We signed a contract.”

Contracts held weight, but had it been done before a priest? Russians were very religious people. Making vows before God was not something they did often. But if Vincent knew Katia’s history, he’d be aware that Katia’s promises were always empty. He waited, allowing the man to realize he’d been bamboozled and left for dead. Vincent was not a smart man, only greedy, and now that greediness destroyed him. It was ambition that made a man, but that ambition must come with patience and grace. Without it, it would develop into narcissism.

“Where’s Jolie?”

Adrik chewed slowly. He didn’t want to expose weakness for the woman, so he threw out, “Where whores go.”

Vincent’s head snapped up. But it was only momentary before he smiled. “Bullshit. You and I both know what kind of person Jolie is, and a whore isn’t one of them. She’s rare, isn’t she?” Vincent played with him, the only moment of power he’ll ever feel again. “She’s the kind of girl you bring home to Mommy. She’s sweet and nice and everything a wife should be. And then the lights shut off, and she’s on her knees begging for more.”

Adrik took a sip of his coffee. “From my understanding, she wasn’t begging you for anything.”

“Gotta say, you taught her how to suck dick pretty good.”

Adrik felt himself crack a fraction. He knew it wasn’t true. But her lies were a weakness in him now. Jolie didn’t understand how she fucked up so much. She took the one thing that could hurt him and exploited it. Vincent shouldn’t have any power over him and yet one single sentence shook his foundation.

To snatch back that power, Adrik stood with a knife in hand. He took a final sip of his coffee before setting it on the table and approaching. Vincent watched him with tight lips, pushing his tired head back against the gurney. Adrik played with the tip, a sharp, pointed edge gliding along his finger. “Your father begged me to forgive you.”

Vincent swallowed, and a flash of guilt reflected in his dark eyes.

“Even asked me to trade his life for yours.” Adrik noticed the tears that shined. “Do you know what I told him?”

“Katia told me what you did to that guy, Nikolai. I’m not dumb. I know what you’re gonna do. So, this psychological shit isn’t going to work on me. Go fuck yourself and get it over with.”

Adrik nodded, and with a glance toward Filip, he stepped back. Filip opened the door to a side room and shoved a person through it. Santiago was dragged in, his leg swollen and infected from a gunshot wound. His clothes were rancid and stained, and there was a gag in his mouth. Behind him, someone else emerged. “Papa?” Vincent whimpered as his father stumbled into the room. He was tied at the hands, wearing only underwear, with a gag like Santiago. He shivered, standing there, looking like any feeble old man and not the powerful cartel leader he was.

Vincent snapped his attention to Adrik. “Let him go! Let him fucking go!”

“Let’s talk about justice,” Adrik began. “You kill my father. You steal my daughter. You punch my girlfriend in the face and subject her to weeks of your threats.” Adrik shook his head. “Your death just doesn’t add up, does it? No, there needs to be equal measure, equal justice.” He looked at the father, trying to decide what to do next, but he already knew the answer. “So, let’s start evening things out.” Adrik shot Santiago in the back of the head and then Vincent’s father. Their bodies fell into each other, collapsing into tangled dead limbs. Blood splashed over Vincent as he screamed. Every vein in his neck pulsed out as he cried. He struggled and kicked, and his whole body shook.

Adrik enjoyed the show, watching with a humorous smile. This was what he had been waiting for—revenge. He forgot how fulfilling it was. If only Alexei was here to see it.

Vincent tired and nearly passed out from exertion. Adrik directed Filip to give Vincent a quick bump of cocaine. It would wake him up, help him endure the next few hours of torture, and when he came off his high, the pain would be amplified.

Adrik leaned against the table after taking his own hit, rubbing his nose as it burned the back of his throat. He waited for Vincent to come to life. When Vincent’s gaze lifted, full of malice, with snot and tears dripping down his face, Adrik began again. “How else can I get even?” He thought for a moment while already having the answer on his tongue. “Your son.”

Vincent tugged on the chains. “Don’t you fucking touch him.”

“He’ll be an orphan. Should I just leave him in the system? We both know how lost he could get. He could be in a sex ring by his sixth birthday, wearing a chain around his neck, with bruised knees.”

A breathless “You sick fuck” sounded like music to Adrik. But panic was beginning to surface on Vincent’s messed-up face, and that was the part that Adrik enjoyed the most. They always believed him capable of the worst, simply because he was part of the Mafia. The reputation of his family was something he would gladly live off of. Adrik had no idea where Vincent’s boy was. More than likely the Stephanovs had found him when they invaded Vincent’s home. But Adrik didn’t need to hurt Lorenzo to produce fear. Only simple possibilities would make any man rash.

“I-I took care of her,” Vincent began, desperate. “Your daughter and Jolie. I didn’t let anyone touch them. Please.” Tears dripped down his face. “Don’t hurt my boy. I’m the one that fucked up. I get it. I’m yours. I’ll be loyal to you. I swear it. Everything I have is yours.”

The words were funny, and if Adrik were in the mood to laugh, he would’ve. He glanced at Filip, for a single half-second thinking Alexei would be there. Adrik mentally flinched and he looked away, glancing at the bag of coke on the table, wondering if another hit would help.

“Everything you have is mine already.” Adrik stepped up to Vincent, recalling the conversation they had over the phone. “It’s not personal,” Adrik quoted. “I don’t know you enough to hate you.” But it was personal, and Adrik was consumed by hate for weeks. Now it was time to unleash it.