40. Test
Adrik gripped the steering wheel of his Maserati and pressed hard on the gas. The power of the engine was hypnotic. It sang into the palm of his hand and transformed him into a god. He weaved through traffic, untouchable. But his knuckles hurt, and he had to loosen his hold.
Zinof, Katia”s brother, was currently held in their dungeon. It was a small dark room they used to interrogate. Usually, they kept such things out of their house, but in some instances, with high-profile individuals, they brought them home. It was the best fortification, impenetrable from all angles. And there was no doubt in Adrik”s mind that Katia”s family would be coming for him. What would they bargain? He doubted it would be enough to change his mind.
Gil hung over between the front seats, too big to sit comfortably in the back, but he was smaller than Alexei, who sat in the passenger, looking like a bear stuck in a doggy door. He shifted, trying to move his legs and failing. ”I hate this car. Why couldn”t we take the limo?”
Adrik loved to drive. It was the power of control visibly in his hands.
”I think the girls were trying to get away,” Alexei pointed out. ”We shouldn”t be going.”
Gil fought back with, ”Why should they get to have all the fun? I need a day off, too. You guys got to go to Puerto Rico. I want some Spanish pussy.”
Alexei responded, ”First, we were there for like twelve hours, and second, we didn”t go there for pussy. Is that all you think about?”
”Dude, why isn”t it all you think about?”
”Because I”m an adult.”
”Oh, ”I”m an adult,”” Gil mocked. ”If you”re gay, just say you”re gay. We won”t judge you.”
Alexei attempted to hit him, but the seatbelt kept him tied to his chair and frustrated him more than anything.
”I had a bisexual experience once,” Gil admitted. ”It wasn”t as terrible as I thought it would be.”
Adrik looked up in the mirror, catching Gil”s humorous gaze, and fought off a laugh. Gil was constantly pushing boundaries. Where Alexei was more reserved, Gil never got embarrassed about anything. It was a perfect combination for brothers.
Alexei hid his face. ”God, why do I know you?”
Gil slapped his shoulder, laughing, ”Lighten up! Adrik knew it was a joke.”
”Did I?” Adrik questioned. Gil having bisexual experiences wouldn”t be surprising in the least.
Gil pointed, ”There”s the hotel. I haven”t been to the Don in ages. I think the last time was for my birthday. That was a crazy party.”
”And we were asked not to come back for a while,” Alexei pointed out.
”Oh, they”ve forgiven us by now. It was only a knife fight, and no one died. Win-Win.”
Adrik drowned out their conversation. He was anxious, and it showed through as he bit his nail. This was an opportunity to have Jolie in his bed, which might be his only chance for a while. If he was going to follow Alexei”s rules and not screw Jolie in the house, their time together would have to be planned and staged. It wasn”t the best of circumstances, but it was better than nothing, and nothing was impossible. He was losing his concentration. He knew he should be focusing on the family and figuring out what to do with Katia”s brother, but all he could think about was Jolie. The moment he put his daughter down to bed, he took off with the intention of gaining access to Jolie”s room. This ridiculous ”two-week” idea would come to an end tonight.
Adrik bit his lip, the desire increasing like a volcano ready to explode.
Alexei”s loud voice interrupted his thoughts, ”Would you stop going on about Puerto Rico? You could have come, you know?”
”I”m just saying, Spanish women fuck like porn stars. You didn”t meet any girls there? You are wasting your time, Alexei. You won”t be young forever. You”re barely holding on to your looks.”
”Oh, fuck you. I don”t need a pretty face; I got muscle.” Alexei flexed, slapping his bicep with appreciation.
”All those hours in the gym, and you could have been fucking.” Gil slapped Adrik”s shoulder. ”Tell him. Tell him he”s missing out. You ate some Spanish pussy, didn”t you?”
Alexei snapped his head toward Adrik. They had only spent a few hours apart in Puerto Rico. And though Gil was only speculating, it wasn”t a far stretch for Adrik.
Adrik felt his brother”s gaze and met his eyes. ”What?”
”Did you?”
”Did I?” Adrik mocked.
”Why can”t you answer the question?”
Adrik scoffed, shaking his head and watching the road. Alexei”s feelings for Jolie were one thing, but coming to her defense was another. It wasn”t Alexei”s fucking place. He didn”t know how to handle Alexei”s crush on Jolie. Ignoring it and hoping it went away was his current method. But was Alexei waiting on the sidelines, hoping he”d fuck up?
Because chances were, Adrik was going to fuck up at some point. Did he have to worry about his brother swooping in?
Gil cackled, coming between them, ”Nah, he”s too hooked on Snow White.”
Alexei turned his head away, and too quickly, guilt overcame him. His feelings for Jolie were hard to quell, especially after their time together at his mother”s party. He”d just have to stay away from her as much as possible. Maybe he could find a girl to take home tonight.
The idea made him sick. Girls that were easy made him think about all the dicks that had been in their pussy. He didn”t know how Gil did it without being grossed out.
”I don”t know how you go from Katia to her.”
”Because Katia”s a fucking psycho,” Alexei answered for him, hoping to win some points with Adrik.
”But she”s a ten!” Gil fought back.
Adrik flicked his eyes to the rearview mirror again. He studied Gil as he went on about his preferences. He was laughing and looking out the window, making ill jokes, but Adrik sensed something.
He was always good at reading people, Katia being the exception. Gil was never good at hiding, but secrets were common in the family. He didn”t fault Gil for not telling him everything.
It had to do with a rumor.
A woman had told Adrik that she saw Gil and Katia arguing at the dress shop. She said that Gil reached for her hand in a very delicate manner. More of a ”lover”s touch” than anything else. Adrik had blown it off, suspecting the woman was more jealous than concerned, but now it planted a seed in his head, and he was looking for the signs.
Was Gil betraying him by fucking Katia?
Adrik couldn”t give two shits who Katia fucks. She was a whore, and if she wasn”t the mother to his child, he”d have put her on the streets like she should be.
But it mattered who Gil took to his bed.
Gil was his brother, and his loyalties weren”t up for debate.
Now, Adrik needed to test this rumor. If it proved false, he”d buy Gil a nice gift for Christmas as a way of an apology. He knew exactly what the guy wanted: his own private plane. Gil had wanted to be a pilot for the Air Force when they were younger. He wanted to ”drop bombs.” But none of them could do what they wanted with their lives. So, Gil would be happy with his own charter.
But if Adrik was right, he was still determining how he would react.
They pulled to the hotel entrance, and the valet hustled to the car, greeting him by name. ”Your wife is on the roof.”
Adrik buttoned his jacket, the black fabric tight around his muscles. It was a hot late September night. Living here for ten years made him expect nothing else. He walked into the hotel and was instantly bombarded by the front desk secretary, who handed Alexei the code to the elevator to access the private rooftop. He was overdressed, as he always was. It was a way to stand out from the regular drug pins, traffickers, and the like. They never took much time in their appearance because there was no one to impress, but power doesn”t come from any outside force; it comes from within, like an ooze. It”s why people felt inferior in his presence. It”s why drug pins and traffickers struggled to keep their people in line. They are seen as equals and not as less than they were. It”s what makes the Mafia different. Mafia people knew they were better and ensured everyone knew it.
They stepped out of the elevator. Gil was on his left, and Alexei was on his right as Adrik walked onto the pool deck. Katia”s guards stiffened and made no sound till he questioned where his wife was. With hesitation and fear, one pointed behind him.
In the center of the dance floor, his wife and girlfriend were dancing in their bathing suits with a bunch of hungry-looking drunks reaching and touching wherever they could.
Adrik clenched his teeth, feeling a burst of madness. He pinned his eyes on Katia because, unlike Jolie, she knew better than to make a fool of herself in front of vendors. And there were plenty here.
One by one, people stopped what they were doing. Some shifted away out of fear, hoping not to get in his eyesight. Then the DJ cut the music and the lights.
”What?” Jolie spun around. ”What happened?”
Katia saw him first. The panic on her face brought a low level of satisfaction. At least she knew what she had done wrong. She swayed, catching Jolie. ”Adrik. Adrik,” she nipped, trying to turn Jolie around.
Jolie blinked, “Adrik?” She snapped her head this way and that before she dumbly grinned. ”Hey!”
Katia grabbed her before she could greet him inappropriately in public. She quickly whispered in her ear something that sobered Jolie enough that her smile fell. Katia and Jolie, with their arms entwined, used each other as support as they stumbled and swayed. It was duel looks of childish guilt as they stared down at their bare feet.
”Adrik,” Katia greeted with a fake smile. ”What a surprise. We weren”t expecting you.”
Jolie slapped a hand to her mouth suddenly, to the concern of everyone watching. Her eyes were wide.
Katia whispered, ”No, no, no, not here.”
And then Jolie bent over and threw up right in front of Adrik”s feet. The throw-up splashed, and all the pretzels, chips, and nachos decorated the pavement.
Jolie straightened as she rubbed her mouth. ”I feel better.”
”Good,” Katia whimpered. ”Let”s get you cleaned up.” She glanced nervously at Adrik, but he said nothing as they moved around him to the elevator.
Adrik eyed the onlookers, finding three of his own among the crowd. They nodded in greeting, and he looked past them. With a nudge toward the DJ, the musician quickly started the music again and got the lights going. Adrik walked over and started a conversation with one of the distributors, attempting to save himself from the humiliation the girls caused. Two of them had been invited to his ridiculous birthday party. No doubt word would get back to Yakov.
An hour later, with enough damage control, Adrik was in the elevator with Gil and Alexei.
”Go easy on them,” Alexei murmured.
”Katia knows better,” Adrik bit. His fists were at his sides.
Their suite was easy to find; it was the only one with a guard standing outside. Upon Adrik”s approach, the guard quickly swiped a card and pushed open the door for him. He paid no attention to the extravagance. The large living room, the kitchen equipped with a waiting chef, and the dual hallways spreading to opposite sides of the floor to the bedrooms were common to his lifestyle. He bulldozed toward the only bedroom with a light on and burst into the room. Katia snapped her head toward him, putting a finger to her lips. She was helping Jolie to bed, her hair wet from a shower, her clothes on the floor, and the smell of vomit unmistakable.
Katia pulled the blanket over her and shut off the light. He left and went into the living room to wait. Alexei dismissed the chef and double-checked the rest of the suite to make sure there was no one else.
Katia was slow to approach, wearing a white bathrobe with her wet hair over her shoulder.
Adrik wanted to hear her excuse, forcing the silence between them before she finally caved.
”We were having fun,” she defended pathetically.
”At my expense.”
”Of course, it”s about you. Everything everyone does is all about you.”
”You made a fool of yourself in front of my people.”
She laughed, yelling, ”We were having fun!”
Adrik took a step but stopped himself. ”Watch yourself.”
Katia ground her teeth and lowered her voice. ”I”m not going to apologize for pretending for a few hours that I wasn”t part of your insufferable family. I didn”t even do anything terrible.”
Adrik couldn”t believe her. ”Men were touching you. Touching her.”
”That”s what it”s about. Her. She embarrassed you, and because you are still pretending to be a good man, you are taking it out on me instead.”
Adrik hastened toward her, gripping her arm, and though she struggled, she stayed. ”Every time I give you an opportunity to redeem yourself, you fuck it up. How many times do you get before I don”t bother anymore?”
There was guilt on her face, but it was brief, and it fled quicker than it came. ”I don”t need to be redeemed. Divorce me already.”
It was time to test his theory. Adrik gripped her throat and flicked his gaze at Gil, who stood on the back wall, pretending not to be interested. He didn”t move, didn”t flinch even as Adrik increased the pressure, and she grasped at his hand.
”If that”s what you”re waiting for, it”s never gonna happen.” Then he changed his tactic. He pulled her closer, his lips at her ear. ”I still need an heir from you.” Adrik pulled at the tie around her waist, loosening her robe. She screeched and smacked at him.
And there it was. The slightest flinch, almost undetectable, had Adrik not been paying attention.
He shoved Katia to Gil, and the man caught her arms as she held her robe together. At first, Gil just stared at Adrik, but then there was a brief recognition. Gil put Katia behind him, a bold fucking move.
Adrik couldn”t believe it. All the years they”d spent together, and here it was, the bitter truth, Gil biting the hand that feeds. It was too much to process. Adrik couldn”t speak at first, and Gil had nothing worth saying.
Alexei was standing between them, and he flicked his gaze back and forth, ”What”s going on?”
Adrik glanced at his brother before he pinned his gaze back on Gil. ”Can”t you tell, brother? Gil”s been fucking Katia.”
”What?”
Gil curled his fist. ”Adrik. It”s not what you think.”
He could see it now. The way he stood before her like a knight. ”You”re in love with her.” Adrik didn”t know what he wanted, but the silence wasn”t it. ”Do you want to deny it?”
Gil licked his lips and tentatively admitted, ”No. But she”s not in love with me.”
”Have you fucked her?”
”No.”
Adrik took another step. ”Did. You. Fuck her?”
”No!”
Alexei dived between them, putting his hands on Adrik”s chest and pushing him back as Adrik screamed at him, ”You”re fucking lying! I know you, brother. I know you.”
”You know me,” Gil agreed. ”When has Katia ever been more than a bitch to me, huh? She doesn”t love me. I made advances, I admit, but she never gave me the time of day.”
Adrik shoved Alexei”s hands off him, pacing the room. He didn”t know if Gil was telling the truth, and it almost didn”t matter. The fact that Gil would even try was enough of a betrayal to leave him disgusted. The ever-present pressure of the gun in his back was pulling at him, begging him to fix it. It would be so easy and give him a temporary feeling of revenge, but it wouldn”t last.
Alexei, who was always trying to make everything better, interrupted. ”I think it”s late. Let”s deal with this in the morning. Katia, why don”t you get to bed?” Alexei could see the temper in her raise, but then she thought better of it and stomped away, slamming her door. ”Gil, you should head back.”
”Adrik.” Gil dared to step forward. ”I”m sorry.”
”You”re sorry,” Adrik mocked. ”Haven”t I given you everything?”
”Of course.”
”And this is how you repay me?”
”I shouldn”t have to repay you if you really saw me as a brother.”
Adrik fastened on him, gripping his shirt. ”You ungrateful piece of shit.”
”How long am I supposed to be grateful?”
Adrik couldn”t stop it; he punched Gil in the cheek, sending him back against the door. Alexei once more interrupted, pushing Adrik back into the living room. The pain in his knuckles was like a rush of adrenaline, drowning him in satisfaction. He wanted to do it again.
Gil touched the blood on his lip. ”You want to act like I”m part of this family, but I”m not, Adrik. Yakov killed my parents and kept me as a consolation prize. I have always been unwanted.”
”You betrayed me, and you want me to feel sorry for you? I have no time to hear your sob story. Go find a whore to cry to.”
Gil ground his teeth and nodded, quickly diving out the front door and slamming it shut.