The Dark Side: A Mafia Romance Thriller (Morozov Mafia Series Book 1)

23. Courage

Jolie stared at her reflection. She wore tight jeans, a nice blouse, and decorative sandals. She was going for a less ‘boy look’ while trying to be casual. Her hair was curled and layered, with just a bit of eyeliner to help her brown eyes pop. And though she appeared calm and collected on the outside, she felt out of breath as her heart pounded excitedly. She didn’t know if this was a date or something else, but it certainly made her stomach twist like it was.

Stop it,she chided herself. It’s just lust. It’s desperation. It’s his undeniable sex appeal.

There were so many reasons to be attracted to Adrik.

And so many reasons to be afraid of him.

Jolie attempted to cover the bruise on her arm, but the coverup only made it look like a bruise with makeup on it.

A knock on her door made her jump, and she spun toward it. A voice on the other end muffled through. “Miss Bell, I’m here to take you to your parents.”

My parents? Who said I’m going to my parents?

Then it dawned on her. It was code. Adrik was not taking any chances.

Jolie snatched the listening device off her dresser and slipped it into her purse. She wasn’t going to use it, but there was always an underlying fear that something terrible could happen to her at any moment. She hoped Agent Mally didn’t put much stock in her ability to get good information. Jolie wouldn’t know even if she succeeded. They spoke Russian more than sixty percent of the time.

A text message beeped on her phone, and she clicked it. ‘I’ll meet you.’

It was from an unknown number, but she knew it was Adrik. Though it made her smile, it didn’t last long. The extent he’s going through to keep anyone suspecting was disconcerting.

It brought Yakov’s warning to her head. ‘You were hired as a tutor, and that is what you will do. Anything else will violate your contract, and I will turn you out faster than I gutted that lion.’

Another text binged, but this was from her mother. ‘Where is this man taking you? I need the exact address.’

Jolie texted back, ‘Can you not be so paranoid?’

‘You’re my only child. I will be paranoid even when I’m dead. Address.’

Though her mother’s overprotectiveness was annoying, Jolie was used to it by now. ‘I’ll send it once I know.’

There was another knock, and Jolie was out the door, following the foot soldier, trying to even out her breathing as she went. She felt giddy, like a kid the night before Christmas.

“Jolie!” Alexei called from the living room as she passed. She spun from the front door, hoping to have an innocent, not caught-in-the-headlights look, but she was sure he saw everything in the reflection of her eyes. Alexei slipped his hands into his pockets. With an unreserved look down her form, he said, “You look nice; where are you headed?”

“Um, uh, oh, am.”

Alexei cackled. “Oh, interesting place.”

Jolie cleared her throat and flushed with embarrassment, forcing out, “My mom’s, sorry.”

“Oh, good. Alright. I was going to ask you out for tonight, but you’re busy.”

The confession was announced so casually Jolie almost didn’t catch it. It took a second for her mind to fully process, and then she blinked. “You were?”

Alexei smirked, an exact replica of Adrik’s that nearly melted her. It was a sin how much they looked alike. “I was. But, uh, I’ll let you go. Maybe we can go to my mom’s dinner together.”

Panic clogged her thoughts, and she mindlessly responded, “Maybe.”

Alexei backed up. “Alright.” His smile never faded. “Have fun.” He watched as she left the house. He bit his lip, proud of himself despite it taking over two weeks to gain the courage to do it. He realized he hadn’t felt like this in a long ass time. Denying it only worsened it to the point where Jolie consumed all his freaking thoughts.

It reminded him of what he felt when he was with Melissa.

At sixteen, Alexei was innocent in everything except death. He had seen his father murder people in front of him and had become immune to the violence. Alexei was known for getting into fights and coming out the winner. And though he had seen his fair share of porn and knew the kind of women his father brought to the house, Alexei was always too shy to pursue anyone. He was never like Gil, who took any random girl to bed, or Adrik, who preferred high-end beauty.

He was selective, as he told Jolie. And though Adrik and Gil called him a pansy every day for years, it never caused him to change. They wouldn’t know love if it smacked them in the fucking head. But Alexei had known it once, and perhaps he was trying to find it again.

He met Melissa at sixteen. She was the one who came onto him, stalking up to him at the end of class, asking him if he wanted to hang out. Until that day, he had never noticed her, but after that day, he never forgot her. Alexei had kept her a secret at first. Like a trinket he stole out of Walmart. But his father knew by the end of the first week. Alexei had yet to learn the art of lies. Yakov had acted like it was the best thing: Alexei finally popping his cherry. But a year later, when Melissa was still hanging around, Yakov shared his concern. Alexei was the heir; no unworthy female would take on the Morozov name.

It was this that ended many things for Alexei. It ended his love for his father. It ended his desire to be a boss. It caused a rift in their family that couldn’t be mended.

Melissa was married now, with two kids, living in England. She was an illustrator for children’s books. He saw her randomly without her knowing, keeping in the back of the crowd at book fairs. It was never a regret breaking up with her, despite how difficult it had been. He saved her life, but the hole she left had never been filled.

Except maybe Jolie could fill it. Alexei was older now, more prepared to deal with his father, more willing to fight. And less caring if his father approved or not.

“Alexei,” his father called. “Come here, please.”

The muscles in Alexei’s jaw clenched, and his eyes darkened. Every part of him wanted to deny his father, but an invisible chain tied to his neck pulled him into the living room. His father sat on the couch, drinking his glass of scotch and reviewing business reports. It was his common end-of-the-night routine. The TV was on, with Judge Judy, the only thing Yakov liked to watch.

Alexei stood behind the couch, with clenched fists. He had purposely asked Jolie within his father’s hearing. It was a not-so-subtle dare. Yakov wouldn’t do anything but make snide comments. The punishment was worth it. Jolie was worth it.

Yakov leaned back and looked behind him. “Do you know why you and I have a problem?”

“You want to control everything I do.”

“I want the best for you, and you don’t.”

Alexei snickered, shaking his head. It was typical of his father to make him always right and his sons always wrong.

“You have been this way your whole life. Thinking you know better than me. But I’ve been around a lot longer than you. Your attitude is rubbing off on your brother. He dared to change things while I was away. I’ve been cleaning up his mess for the last two weeks.”

“Adrik knows business, Papa. You should listen to him.”

“He listens to podcasts and thinks he’s a businessman. But he’s not. And neither are you. You make sure to keep Adrik in line, or I’ll ship you back to Russia.”

The threat was nothing but annoying. “Adrik won’t let you do that.”

“Last I checked, I am the boss in this family. It sounds like you need a reminder.”With a flick of his finger, one of Yakov’s soldiers came from the hall. Alexei stepped back, shifting away as the soldier approached. It was Li-Choy, a fighter his father won in a poker game. It was unusual for a Russian mafia to own a Chinese foot soldier, but Yakov had come to like the talented beast. Behind him, Alexei realized his path was blocked by more soldiers.

Alexei ground his teeth. “I haven’t let you beat me in years; what makes you think I’m going to let you now?”

Yakov watched his son over the rim of his glass as he sipped his scotch. Alexei curled his fists, refusing to cower as the soldiers stepped closer. “I will say this once.” Yakov placed his glass on the table. “This teacher is beneath you. You want to fuck her, fine. But you will not present her to your mother. And you will keep your rebellious attitude to yourself. Adrik is to walk in my footsteps. Not yours. He needs me.”

“He needs you, or you need him?”

Yakov sneered, and with a wave of his hand, he turned back to his paperwork as Li attacked.