37. Partnership
Despite how hard she fought it, Katia”s motherly instincts were impossible to quell when she noticed the tutor quivering on the floor. Being in the Mafia was typically a groomed lifestyle. From the time she was four years old, Katia was exposed to guns, drugs, and naked women to the point where she envied these girls with big boobs, hoping she would have ones just like them one day. She knew what guns were worse than others. And that cocaine was supposed to be as good as ice cream.
Jolie was a twenty-three-year-old newborn, and Katia felt responsible for her in Adrik”s absence. Only because her daughter loved her so.
With words of encouragement, Katia gripped the young girl”s arms and got her to her feet. Jolie”s body continued to tremble as they struggled with the steps. Katia knew shock all too well and didn”t fault her for it, but it was still annoying. ”Come on, girl,” she murmured, panting as they finally reached the top of the stairs. She thought about bringing Jolie straight to her bedroom, but it wouldn”t sit with Katia to leave the woman in such a state, so instead, Katia brought her into her own room. The bedroom had been trashed, and everything she owned had been thrown on the floor. She cursed Yakov some more as she moved them to the bathroom. She kicked aside all the medicines and toiletries spilled on the tile and rested Jolie on the toilet seat. Katia spun around to turn on the faucet to the Jacuzzi tub, searching the ground for bath salts.
This was the first time Yakov had done something so damaging. Would this alter their future? Would Adrik finally see Yakov as the enemy he was?
Katia moved through the mess to the side door connected with Helina”s bedroom and peeked her head in. Helina remained asleep, and Katia thanked Adrik for putting in soundproof walls. Her daughter was safe for now.
When Katia found out she was having a girl, she grieved. There was no happiness for women in the Mafia. There was pretend and sacrifice. Helina”s future was already set in stone despite how Adrik fought it. He had seen what happened to his sisters and wanted more for Helina. But it was a stupid hope that would only hurt Helina in the long run. The sooner Helina understood her fate, the less painful it would be.
It”s like giving birth to a child with a terminal illness.
Katia”s phone was ringing, but she had enough of mafia life for the time being and wanted nothing to do with any of them. She clicked it off and hid it under her pillow before returning to the bathroom.
”A bath will help you,” Katia assured Jolie. ”Can you get undressed?”
Jolie barely registered but began undressing subconsciously. Katia helped briefly with her pants and then aided her in climbing into the tub. The hot water sparked life into Jolie”s eyes, and she moaned at the sting.
Katia smiled and cooed, ”There you are.”
Jolie rubbed her face with it, looking around, forcing her eyes to blink.
”Are you the same woman who saved my daughter in a gunfight?” Katia joked. If Jolie had known the things Katia witnessed and the moments where fear overwhelmed her, she wouldn”t have been able to play around. There were times when Katia was embarrassed by her reactions, but time and repetition strengthened her. As she believed, one day, Jolie would be immune to such things, if she stuck around.
It made her sad for Jolie”s innocence. As much as Katia hated it about her, it was also something she envied.
Jolie sat back, keeping her knees to her chest and her arms crossed in front of her. ”I shouldn”t be here,” she finally managed to whisper.
Katia smiled, knowing the woman was talking about the house and not her bathroom. ”No, but here you are.”
”Is it too late?”
”Maybe,” she admitted softly. Katia sat on her knees and rested her chin on the tub”s edge.
”Why are you being so nice to me?”
A shrug, and the thought stuck with her about the reason. The words breached her lips without intention. ”When I was a little girl,” she found herself saying, ”I wanted to be a nurse. I wanted to care for people. I used to carry around a briefcase full of supplies and bandage up all my stuffed animals.” Her eyes drifted as she tried to remember what it felt like to want something so badly it hurt. ”But I was always reminded that it would not be so. I was meant to be a wife and mother and nothing else.”
”That”s terrible.”
She shrugged. ”It is the life I”ve been given.”
”Aren”t you bored?”
Katia giggled and nodded, ”Yes, immensely. But shopping helps.” The words were expected of her. She”s a girl, so she must love shopping. She knew how to play the role she was made for, but sometimes, she wished she was strong enough to get out.
A knock on her door sparked fear, and Katia spun her head, but then she remembered who it might be. ”Excuse me.” She got to her feet and shut the door behind her. With a deep breath, a shake of her blonde hair, and a forced light in her eyes, she opened the door to find Gil. The look on his face was one she couldn”t turn away, and she stepped back to let him through. In Russian, she whispered in warning, ”Jolie”s in the bathroom.”
”Are you alright?”
”Yes, thanks to you.”
”Katia.”He reached out, gently touching her hand.
Katia closed her eyes, and though she wanted nothing more than to collapse in his arms, she stayed stiff and distant, walking away from him. ”You didn”t give me a pen,” Katia began. ”So, who”s pen was it?”
Gil straightened his back, putting up his own walls to protect himself. ”I don”t know.”
”How could it be the same?”
”I don”t know that either. There was a little difference. The shape of it.”
Katia tried to make a connection. ”Adrik didn”t interrupt the Secret Service transport. My family did. I gave you that pen. There is no possible way another could have gotten into the house. Unless…” Katia shifted her gaze to the bathroom door.
Gil also glanced toward the door, whispering, ”Do you think it was her?”
”If it was, then she saw us.”
”And she”s working for the police.”
Katia rolled all this around in her head. There was a benefit to it, but she would have to be careful. ”Don”t share this information. It might be helpful to me. Goodnight,” Katia dismissed, opening her bedroom door.
Gil closed the distance between them, a hand on her cheek even though she tried to pull away. He gripped the side of her face, forcing her eyes on him. Katia flicked her eyes over him; every second he looked at her, questioning silently if she was okay and if she needed more than she was saying, it knocked another brick out of her sturdy walls. She swallowed, hating the water stinging the back of her eyes.
Not wanting to weaken her, Gil stepped out of the room, ”Goodnight.”
Katia shut it, locking it, resting her head against it, and breathed, fortifying her wavering strength. She took one last breath and went back into the bathroom.
Jolie was getting dressed, slipping a shirt over her head.
”I saw your face.” Katia stood against the doorframe, watching every emotion come across the girl”s features. ”At breakfast, when I kissed Adrik.”
Jolie stared, wide-eyed, at the floor.
Katia laughed. She loved when she was right. ”If you plan on staying in the Mafia, you must do better at hiding your thoughts.” Katia turned out of the room, sat on the bed, and waited.
Jolie slowly stepped into the room, guilt and shame soaking in her stance.
”Are you and Adrik fucking?”
With a quick shake of the head, Katia reiterated, ”Are you dating?”
Hesitantly, Jolie nodded.
Katia knew it was only a matter of time, but she was surprised at how fast Adrik moved. Usually, he played with girls like a cat after a stray mouse. But this one was different, she knew. He was no doubt in love with her. ”Are you in love with him?” Katia laughed. ”What am I asking? Of course, you are. You left your entire life behind to join a dangerous criminal family. No one does that for sex.” The way Jolie knitted her brows and thought, maybe the realization hadn”t dawned on her yet. This was the time to hit her with something else, but Katia flicked the light on before she asked, ”The pen was yours, wasn”t it?”
And like she knew she”d see it, the fear ignited in her gaze. If she had been looking at Yakov when he asked, he would have known it was her instantly.
”You are working with the FBI.”
”No, I—” Jolie struggled with a defense. Everything could fall apart here if she didn”t salvage it.
Katia held up a hand to stop her. ”I”m not going to turn you in.”
The chaos in her face stalled. ”You”re not?”
”You saw Gil and I.”
She nodded sheepishly.
”So, then we are even.”
Katia could see the confusion. Their secrets were not evenly matched, true enough, but Katia couldn”t risk Adrik finding out about Gil. Not with what happened last time. Gil”s survival meant her escape from the Morozov family.
”Are you still working for the FBI?”
Jolie shook her head.
”Why not?” But the answer was already on her lips. ”Your target was Adrik.” She giggled at the irony. ”God loves drama.” Katia shifted as her plan began to take shape. ”Won”t the FBI get upset with you?”
”I don”t care.”
Katia tapped a finger on the nightstand, contemplating. No, Katia needed Jolie to keep her connection with the FBI. Katia might need it one day. ”Alexei is an easier target.”
”I thought you cared for Alexei.”
She snickered. ”I have no care for anyone in this family. Think of me from now on as your partner. I will help you navigate the Mafia and find ways to get the information you need. And you will keep my secrets.”
Jolie clenched the towel tight to her chest. ”I don”t want to help the FBI anymore.”
”But you will.” Katia smiled. ”Because you want to help Adrik get rid of his father. And it might be the only way he”ll forgive you.”