41. Problems
Jolie felt like a train sat on her. The pounding in her head was equivalent to a hammer on her brain. She didn”t want to move, but the disgust in her mouth and the tacky feeling of her tongue forced her to open her eyes. The room was dark still, with only a ray of sunlight sneaking through the sides of the blackout curtains. She was in a hotel room, a beautiful one at that.
Jolie rolled to her side, groaning, wanting to cry. She clenched her hair, apologizing to her body for doing this to it. She was better than this, she knew. Regret was piling into her as she sat up.
”You”re awake.”
Jolie snapped her head up, clenching her fist against her pounding temple. Katia stood from a recliner and sauntered over to the curtains. Before Jolie could protest, she slapped open the sheet, and like a vampire caught in sunlight, Jolie shrieked and threw the blanket over herself.
”Here.”
Jolie peeked out to see Katia handing her Tylenol. Squinting, she sat up, holding out her hand. Katia gripped her wrist and pinned it to the bed with her knee against Jolie”s forearm. She cried out in surprise until she saw a knife in Katia”s hand. The woman pressed it against Jolie”s palm.
”What are you doing?” she screeched, trying to get away, but Katia pressed her knee harder, cutting off the blood supply to Jolie”s arm.
”Did you tell Adrik about me and Gil?”
Jolie pulled and pulled, slapping at her, but Katia pressed the point of the knife into her skin, and all her fighting stalled. ”Wait, wait, stop, stop.”
”Did you tell Adrik about me and Gil?” Katia asked calmly once more.
”No,” Jolie whimpered. She looked up at Katia”s face. ”No.”
”How did he find out?”
”I don”t know.”
Katia pressed harder, and blood puddled in her palm. She ignored Jolie”s little groans.
”I don”t know.”
”You know what he would do to you if he found out you work for the FBI?” Katia met her eyes. ”He”d do what he did to my fiancé: skin you alive. Cut you up into little pieces while you are still awake. He”d start with your toes. Then your fingers.”
Jolie squeezed her eyes, slapping a hand over her face.
”This is the man you love, Jolie. You better learn to fucking accept it.”
She shook her head. Disbelief was the only way to keep moving.
”Did you tell Adrik about us?”
Aggravation boiled over, and Jolie gathered all her courage and bit, ”No!”
Katia watched her. She couldn”t tell, really. Jolie was turning out to be one hell of a liar. It was a good trait to have in the Mafia. It was the only sign that she might survive in their world. Katia released her, and Jolie quickly tucked her bleeding hand to her chest, squeezing the blanket against her palm.
Katia cleaned the blade with a napkin. ”You”re lucky I believe you.”
Jolie sneered, panting through her nose. ”You”re crazy.”
”No.” Katia smiled adoringly. ”I”m a wife to a mafia king.”
When Katia left the room, Jolie still didn”t move. Her trust in the woman was shattered. All their fun last night dissolved like a dream.
Jolie stood on shaking legs, hating how her adrenaline left her feeling. She forced herself to move to the bathroom. Tears were plenty, but nausea kept creeping back in.
Jolie stared at her face in the mirror. She looked exactly how she felt: horrible. She giggled at herself, hanging her head. It wasn”t one of her proudest moments. She held her hand in the sink; the blood clotted and left behind an ugly cut. It was in a terrible spot where even a Band-Aid wouldn”t stick. ”What am I doing?” she groaned, her legs giving out. She rested her back against the cabinets, staring blindly.
She was in Hell, trying to keep her angel wings. It wasn”t possible. If she didn”t surrender to the darkness, she”ll be devoured.
”Come to the dark side,”Adrik whispered. And maybe that”s what she had to do. She”d have to embrace every bad thing inside her. Every good instinct would have to be deleted.
I won”t make it otherwise.
Then, it would be better to go.
But I can”t. If I leave now, I”ll never be safe again.
It was past the point of no return. She was trapped. There was no running.
There was a knock on her door, and Jolie hesitated to answer it. She looked like she got run over a few times. Her hair was in crazy wild knots, and her eyes were bloodshot. She was pretty sure that the garbage smell was coming from her mouth.
Jolie pulled back the door an inch. A nurse and a waiter stood outside. The waiter held a white box and a bouquet of red roses.
”Excuse me for interrupting. Mr. Morozov wanted to invite you to breakfast on the roof.” Jolie allowed them in, and the servant placed the box on the bed and the roses on the table. ”This is Nurse Julie. She will provide an IV to help with the effects of a hangover.” Jolie”s eyes widened as the nurse pulled in a tray, setting it on the bed. ”Mr. Morozov expects you in one hour.”
Jolie followed the rules of the nurse, sitting down as she set up the IV in her arm. The liquid flowed into her veins, and as the minutes passed, she felt her headache begin to ebb and her nausea disappear. Jolie eyed the box beside her, not daring enough to open it when someone else was in the room.
When the nurse was done and shut the door behind her, she felt brand new. She never knew people used IVs to treat hangovers. It must be a rich people thing.
Jolie approached the box. She untied the sash, cringing, hoping nothing was battery-operated.
To her delight, it was a beautiful sun dress with yellow flowers, a yellow hibiscus hairpiece, and white sandals. Underneath was a pair of black lace panties. Despite the misery this morning, his actions managed to bring a smile. She may be in Hell, but she was falling for a sexy, thoughtful devil.
After showering, scrubbing the horrible taste out of her mouth, and dressing up, Jolie arrived on the roof, directed by the attendant. The air was warm, and even the heavy breeze didn”t ease the humidity. But the sun was barely over the horizon; from this vantage, it was the most gorgeous sunrise.
Adrik sat on a couch in the corner, on his phone. There were mimosas and a bowl of fruit on the table. He stood when he heard the door open, slipping his hands in his pockets as he greeted her with a smile.
Jolie kept herself stiff. ”Is it safe here?”
He nodded and assured, ”The Don is one of my investments. They are loyal to me.” Adrik held a glass up to her, and she tentatively took it. He kissed her cheek in greeting before directing her to a seat. Jolie loved his care. She felt important in his presence, like her comfort mattered.
”How do you feel?”
”Good now. Thank you.”
His phone rang. ”Excuse me.”
Jolie watched him as he sat back, putting the phone to his ear and resting his ankle on his knee. He was relaxed today. Something must have gone his way. It gave him the bad boy look, uncaring of the haters. The tattoos on his hands, along with the rings, brought all sorts of desires to her.
I want to lick his skin.
Jolie winced. Her mind has been saying the weirdest things lately.
Adrik glanced over at her, spoke into the phone, and winked. Jolie giggled like a silly schoolgirl and dropped her head. He knew how gorgeous he was and enjoyed being ogled. She rolled her eyes, hating herself for being another fan girl.
When he hung up, Jolie asked, ”You seem happy?”
”I am.” He watched the rising sun in the distance, enjoying the breeze. ”My father will be leaving soon, and I have finally gotten hold of the man who ordered the hit on my daughter.”
”Katia”s brother?”
”Yes. He will pay for his sins.”
Jolie bowed her head. Agent Mally had been right. Adrik found him. If she was a better person, she would take that information to Mally, and maybe she could save the man from dying. Because that”s what”s going to happen, wasn”t it? Adrik was going to kill him?
Katia”s voice broke into her thoughts. ”He”d do what he did to my fiancé. Skin you alive. Cut you up into little pieces while you are still awake. He”d start with your toes. Then your fingers. This is the man you love, Jolie. You better learn to fucking accept it.”
”Are you—” The words caught in her throat. She could feel Adrik staring at her, waiting for her to finish the sentence, but she couldn”t. She took a sip of her drink instead.
”I am not killing him if that is your question. I can”t. The contract between our families forbids it. But I can make him suffer and keep him locked away for the rest of his miserable life.”
She shook her head, staring at the wound on her hand.
Adrik shifted, sitting forward on the couch and resting his elbows on his knees. He followed her gaze, seeing the bandage. ”What happened to your hand?”
She shook her head, clenching her fist. ”It was my fault.”
Adrik had no care to question further. He made himself talk about yesterday, ”Did you have fun last night?”
The redirection was welcome, and Jolie latched onto it. She shoved the horrible thoughts of Adrik hurting someone to the back of her mind and slammed the door. She instead focused on his amazingly bright-blue eyes in the morning sun.
”It was awesome. I never drink, but”—she shrugged—”I needed a night to relax.”
Adrik bit the inside of his cheek. He was talking to a feminist; no doubt any reprimand would be twisted into a women”s rise about suppression. It was one of the reasons why he only fucked Russians. Those women knew what was expected of them.
”Your actions yesterday were not appropriate.”
The defense in her was instant, and he hung his head.
”What did I do?”
With a deep breath, Adrik continued, ”I am very particular about my expectations, Jolie. I expect respect and loyalty.”
”I haven”t disrespected you—”
”No? Allowing another man to fondle you isn”t exactly a form of respect. You are lucky I didn”t break their hands.”
”Adrik—”
”My reputation is important to me. I control a vast number of very dangerous people. The only way that is possible is by being something to fear. If they have the audacity to touch what is mine, they do not fear me properly, and the potential to be disloyal rises. Now, these men didn”t know you belonged to me; it is not their fault.” He paused. ”It is yours.”
Jolie struggled to speak as the red poured into her vision. ”So, you don”t want me to have any fun?”
Adrik despised the fact it was the same response as Katia. ”Is that what you heard?”
”Don”t be patronizing. I was dancing. I didn”t do anything wrong.”
”I”m telling you, you did.”
She nodded, licking her lips, getting more pissed as the seconds continued. ”Naked girls on stripper poles are a ”lifestyle hazard,” but me dancing with other people is unacceptable?”
Adrik twisted the ring on his finger, watching her, disappointed in her overreaction. He was trying to be patient, but her inability to admit that what she did was wrong was chipping away at his self-control.
”Eat.”
”I don”t want to,” she nipped back, resting the glass on the table and folding her arms.
Pouting was not a way to get his attention. Adrik leaned back and went back to his phone.
Jolie didn”t like being ignored. ”I”m a grown adult. You can”t tell me what I can and cannot do.”
Mindlessly, he responded, ”I just did.”
Jolie snapped to her feet. ”You are being ridiculous!”
Adrik looked up at her, and very quietly said, ”Lower your voice.”
”Why? Are you going to hurt me if I don”t?”
Adrik tossed his phone on the table and got to his feet. She took a step back as he approached, the sudden spark of fear blared on her face, and it pissed him off. ”You truly believe I would hurt you? Then, why the fuck are you with me?”
Jolie strengthened against him. ”You talk about torturing a man for years, and you don”t want me to be afraid of you?”
To compare herself to someone who shot at his child blew him out of the water. She wasn”t even making sense in her defense. ”I”ll let you think on my words. You are overreacting.”
”This is just another attempt to control me.”
Adrik scoffed, smiling despite how angry he was. ”Go ask your mother if I am overstepping.”
”Don”t bring my mother into this.”
Adrik slipped his hands into his pockets and observed her. Her defiance triggered dirty thoughts, and they roamed in his head freely. He wanted to be aggravated with her but was too turned on to care. All he wanted to do was put her in her place: on her knees or on her back.
”What?” She twittered on her feet, looking down at herself.
He shook his head, shrugging. ”I am wondering if you like your ass smacked while I take you from behind.”
Her face ignited in red, and he chuckled, adoring it.
”Don”t make this sexual. This is a problem.”
”I agree. You want respect, but you don”t want to give it.”
”Excuse me?”
”I respect you by keeping my distance from other women. But when I request the same from you, I”m controlling you. Talk about double standards.”
The door on the roof opened up, revealing Alexei and Gil. She was relieved to see them and rushed to Alexei, gripping his arm. ”Can you please talk to him? He”s acting like I did something wrong last night.”
Alexei glanced at his brother and slowly slipped his arm out of Jolie”s grip. He gave her a reassuring smile, but that was all he offered as he sat on the couch.
Jolie scoffed, throwing her hands in the air. ”I was just having fun.”
Adrik had enough conversation. Nothing he was saying was getting through, and he wasn”t about to repeat himself. ”A car is waiting to take you back to the house.”
”I don”t want to go back to the house.”
The rebellion was unnecessary, but it was predictable. Adrik nodded to his head guard, Dima. ”I”ll talk to you later.”
Dima gripped her arm, and she snapped out of it. ”Don”t touch me.” But Dima latched on harder. ”Stop, you”re hurting me.” The sentence made him flinch, and then Dima changed his tactic, wrapping both his arms around her and picking her up off her feet. ”Let me go! Help, let me go!”
Her voice disappeared into the elevator as Adrik sat down. He thumbed his lip, looking out into the ocean.
”Did you have to do that?” Alexei questioned.
Gil responded, ”Fuck yeah, he did. She was being ridiculous.”
Adrik snapped his head toward Gil. ”What the fuck are you doing here?”
Gil knitted his brows. ”Why wouldn”t I be here?”
”I threw you out yesterday.”
”Yeah, well, that was yesterday.”Gil pulled out a cigarette and lit it, ignoring Adrik”s glare. He took a puff before defending himself. ”Come on, Adrik, we”ve been through worse.”
Adrik stood, buttoning his coat. ”You think trying to fuck Katia is something I”ll get over?”
Gil hung his head. ”Don”t act like she matters—”
”All she has to do is spread her fucking legs to get you on her side. She has been trying to destroy me for years, and you want to be her lap dog.”
Gil snorted, glancing at Alexei for support. But he should have known better. Gil gripped his cane and stood. ”I”ve been with you for over twenty years. You think I”ll stab you in the back because of some chick?”
”I don”t have the luxury to wait for it.”
Gil couldn”t hide the hurt in his eyes as he stood there. He remained quiet, knowing Adrik better than he knew himself. No apology was going to make it better. Only punishment would do. ”You kicking me out of the family?”
Adrik turned his back. That would generally be the answer, but Adrik didn”t want to do something he couldn”t take back. Instead, he said, ”I”m sending you to Puerto Rico, since you want to go so badly. The cartel down there isn”t producing enough, and you will find out why and fix the problem.”
Gil pressed his cigarette into the ashtray. ”Bullshit,” he cursed. The cartels down there don”t have much respect for Russians. They have never produced enough because they steal it for themselves. Sending him there was like dropping him in the ocean and hoping he didn”t come home. ”As you wish, boss,” he stressed. It was a word like venom on his lips. Adrik was his brother, and yet, here and now, he felt more like an employee. Gil turned away and walked to the elevator before he said over his shoulder, ”If you ever saw me as your real brother, you wouldn”t be shoving me out.”
”If you ever saw me as your real brother, you wouldn”t have tried to fuck my wife.”