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

43. Choice

Jolie stared out the window of the limo. The bright-blue water stretched forever as they approached the beach. A surprise invitation by Tatianna to join her on the yacht had come this morning, and Jolie couldn”t say no. Six days of waiting for Adrik to return had resulted in misery on top of misery. Jolie was avoiding Katia like the plague. And though Alexei invited her to parties every night, she dutifully declined. His confession at the pool made her weary of his friendship. She didn”t want him to think there was anything between them. She enjoyed being with him, but she couldn”t risk him making a pass at her. Adrik loved his brother. She couldn”t imagine what damage it would do to their kinship.

The limo drove by fishing charters and sunset cruises, and then, as the car kept going down the line, her gaze came upon the largest yacht on the dock. The limo stopped in front of it. Her mouth fell open.

Jolie quickly typed, ”I”m going on a yacht.”

Her mother instantly replied, ”Why didn”t you invite me?”

Jolie smiled, adoring her mother. Heather was the rock these last few days, her only form of entertainment. And though her mother still didn’t know what exactly was going on inside the Morozov household, her advice and affection was still very much needed.

The driver opened Jolie’s door, helping her out. He dutifully took her bag, directing her to the ramp. It squeaked with each step till her feet landed on the hollow deck of the ship.

”Jolie!”

Helina ran down the side of the ship and jumped into her arms. ”Hi, baby girl!” Jolie squeezed her, kissing her cheek.

”Miss Bell!” Tatianna greeted Jolie from the second floor. She had a drink in her hand, oversized sunglasses on her face, and her flowered sundress waved in the wind. ”Come up! We”ll be leaving shortly.”

Jolie followed Helina, taking her around the front of the massive ship. She took her inside where the stairs were. There was a living room with a flat-screen TV, three bedrooms, and three different levels. She couldn”t imagine what kind of price tag this thing had. Helina revealed that Adrik was on the ship, sleeping.

”Your dad”s here?” The words slipped out, too hopeful, but thankfully the little girl didn”t notice a difference. Jolie touched her hair and glanced at herself in the hallway mirror, suddenly more self-conscious than ever. She should have gotten a better bathing suit that didn”t look like an eighty-year-old grandma would wear. Her hair was in a messy bun. With no makeup, she was sure she had bags under her eyes from the lack of sleep these past few days.

But at least I shaved.

With Helina pulling her hand, she was brought to the extravagant breakfast table where Tatianna waited. ”My favorite person! Come sit next to me.” Jolie slid into the booth, and Tatianna kissed her cheek in greeting. ”I”m so glad you could make it. Eat, please; I can”t possibly finish all this. My cooks love to impress.”

Jolie adored Tatianna. She spoke of random extravagances, like dinner parties in Paris and her sixtieth birthday in a Russian ballroom. She wasn”t trying to brag; it didn”t feel like that to Jolie. She only wanted to share the greatness of her life, and Jolie loved to hear it.

It was an hour later when Adrik strolled through the door. He wore swim shorts and flip-flops, exposing his chest and belly, full of decorative tattoos. The light from the windows ignited his blue eyes like little holes to Heaven. A smile bloomed on her face. Any thought of being mad at him disappeared, and she shifted as if to get up and hug him.

Thankfully, Helina beat her to it.

Adrik lifted her, holding Helina against his hip as he approached the breakfast table. His gaze didn”t even glance in her direction. The complete lack of acknowledgment derailed her. Adrik set Helina in her chair and greeted his mother in Russian, picking at the bacon and eggs.

”Manners, Adrik,” his mother reminded. ”Speak in English.”

He sighed and then glanced at Jolie dutifully. ”Good morning.”

Jolie forced a tight smile. ”Morning.”

Adrik sat across from them, piling food on his plate. ”I”m starving.”

”You look too skinny,” Tatianna chastised. ”Are you eating?”

”There is no time, mama.”

Tatianna scoffed. ”Then you make time. You are in charge, and your health is important.”

Adrik chewed without really hearing. ”Where”s Alexei?”

”He had plans already. If only Gil was around.” She sighed.

Adrik eyed her over his plate of food. He knew she was upset that he sent Gil to Puerto Rico, but she would get over it. Adrik pointed. ”Why is the tutor here?”

Jolie kept her eyes down at her plate. His disregard was like being tossed out with the garbage.

Tatianna sipped her cocktail with a smile. ”I wanted to get to know Miss Bell, since my son seems to like her. I haven”t heard Alexei”s laugh in so long.”

Heat spread out over her cheeks. The dinner party was still being discussed, and Jolie wished it could be forgotten. She didn”t realize how much these people love to gossip.

”Papa wasn”t too impressed.”

”Oh, who cares?” she said flippantly. ”Love is love.”

Adrik snorted, and said under his breath, ”I doubt it”s love.”

The insinuation that Alexei only likes her because he wanted to sleep with her unnerved her. And the way they talked about her like she wasn”t there pushed her over. ”Excuse me.” Jolie left the table.

Adrik chewed his bacon, staring at his food.

”What was that?”Tatianna chided in terse Russian. ”I didn”t raise you to be disrespectful. Go talk to her.”

There was hesitation, but he got up and kissed Helina”s forehead before whispering, ”Stay with grandma.”

Adrik went out into the hallway but had no idea which way she went. He wasn”t about to chase her either. He jotted down the stairs and thankfully found her hanging onto the railing as the yacht went out to sea. It weaved through the harbor slowly, with the morning light shining on the city buildings. There were still too many ships this morning, with too many spies. He couldn”t risk touching her till they were deep in the gulf.

Adrik called her, and though she was refused at first, she thought better of it and crossed her arms as she approached. He held the door open for her and shut it tight. He stood in front of her, observing all the walls she had in front of her. He took a step back to make room for it. Adrik had hoped her temper would have abated by now. ”Have you thought about my words?”

She stood silent, with a pout.

”I”m not good with this kind of shit,” Adrik admitted. ”I knew you”d start with that feminist crap, but I thought you”d also see reason. Having men touch you will never be acceptable.”

Jolie bit out, ”I get it.”

”You do?”

”Yeah, but it”s the way you”re treating me that I”m pissed at.”

Adrik clenched his fists. If it wasn”t one thing, it was another. ”My mother is very perceptive. What did you want me to do? Make out with you at the breakfast table?”

”No phone calls?”

”I couldn”t even call Helina. Larger things are going on than us. I don”t have time for it.”

”Then, maybe I should leave.”

He turned from her with a scoff, cursing in Russian. There were too many things happening, and on top of it, he was starting a new relationship, one that needed proper attention, but how was he supposed to stretch his time? This was why he never dated, and he hated himself for doing it during one of the most crucial moments in his career.

”I”m not an afterthought, Adrik.”

He faced her with knitted brows. ”Is that what you think?”

”What am I supposed to think? You are barely around to begin with. You show up whenever you want, and I”m supposed to be waiting around for you, hoping you remember to stop by. It sucks.”

”I”m running an empire, Jolie. This is not a nine-to-five, Monday-Friday type of job. I don”t get to go to every birthday. I don”t get to go to every dinner. My success is based on what I put into it.”

”That sounds sad.”

Adrik slipped his hands into his pockets. ”That”s funny coming from someone broke their whole life.”

”Oh, now you want to attack my lifestyle?”

This was getting out of his control. He wanted to make up with her, not make it worse, yet here he was, going down a slippery slope. But backing down from an argument wasn”t a talent Adrik possessed. ”When have you ever worked hard in your life? Too busy watching sunrises and babysitting. But it”s money that makes this world, and I mean to have plenty of it.”

Jolie shook her head. ”And all this money, will it be holding your hand if you get sick?”

”I won”t need anyone to hold my hand. I”ll have the best doctors in the world and survive.”

”Then, why am I here? If you have all this money that can take care of you, you certainly don”t need me.” Jolie spun to go, but Adrik latched onto her wrist.

She fought it, but he caught her eyes, keeping her still. ”I don”t need you,” Adrik affirmed.

The words were painful to hear, and Jolie nearly cracked, but Adrik brushed his fingers through her hair. ”I want you. And I hope you appreciate the difference.”

”What”s the difference?” She wiped a tear from her cheek.

Adrik stepped before her. ”Needing someone means there”s no choice. It”s a miserable thing not being able to pick who is by your side for life. But wanting someone”—Adrik touched her cheek—”means out of every woman I”ve ever met, I chose you.” She dropped her head and tears flowed down her cheeks. He hoped it was because of relief and latched onto this moment of vulnerability with eagerness. ”Be honest with yourself, baby; you don”t need me either. You can take care of yourself. You could go on and do amazing things without me. But here you are, enduring, struggling, accepting this life, because you are choosing me.”

Jolie kept her head down, staring at his chest. The tattoos were vibrant, some more dull, some with color. Her fingers rested on his pectoral, over his heart. The touch was a soothing balm on his temper. He swallowed it down, allowing her to bring out the softness in his voice.

”My time is sparse. But know that any second I have free, I come to you because you are where I want to be. So, enjoy today with me. You can hate me tomorrow.”

A smile teased her lips. ”I don”t hate you.”

”No? Even though you think I”m a misogynist?”

A giggle breached her throat. ”I can fix that.”

”I”ll let you try.” Adrik stepped forward, and the walls that separated them burned to ashes. Her hand spread on his chest, and he wondered if she could feel the heavy beat of his heart. He leaned down and kissed her. Softly, hesitantly.

Jolie broke from his lips and hugged him. He sighed into her touch. A silly hug wasn”t sexual, but it was everything he wanted from her.

”Is everything better now? Are you back for good?” she wondered.

Adrik didn”t want to tell her he had been back in town for three days. He stayed an hour away at a hideaway house. He had too much on his plate, and he knew that going back home with Jolie there would only distract him.

”No. I only have today, and then I have to return tomorrow.”

”Is it because of Zinof?”

Her interest pleased him. Adrik wanted her to be curious about his life. One day, he could get her opinion on matters, and they could be a team, like his father and mother in their younger years. But he wouldn”t mess it up like his father had. He”d be faithful, for one.

”It is.” Adrik leaned back against a bar top, pulling her hips to him. ”Katia”s father, Boris, sabotaged some shipments in the harbor. Killed a few of my men.” They were low-tier members that Adrik didn”t have names for. But the sign left above their heads, ”Give back what”s ours,” was more important.

The police were in a rage, and Agent Mally was coming after multiple members, interrogating and threatening. The situation was slowly increasing daily, and it wouldn”t be long before a war ignited. Adrik dreaded something like this because of the bloodshed that would follow, but he also looked forward to it. It would give him just cause to divorce Katia.

Today, he refused to take a phone call. There were a few ”managers” that Adrik left in charge, including his brother Alexei. He pretended that he hadn”t known where Alexei was when he had given him a specific job to keep him off the boat this morning.

Adrik was done talking about business. Other things were on his mind, and he couldn”t hold himself back any longer. ”I”ve missed you.”

A warmth spread over her cheeks, and Jolie nodded. ”I missed you, too.”

He leaned down and barely touched her lips with a soft kiss. ”Date number one,” he whispered. ”This boat is under my command. Have no fear of guards here. Any time my mother or Helina appear busy, sneak away with me.”

Jolie bit her lip, sinking into his body like Play-Doh. ”Oh, yeah? And what are we going to do in those moments?”

Adrik captured her lips with his to show her.

Adrik directed Jolie back to the breakfast table, much to his mother”s delight. Tatianna greeted her with so much excitement Jolie couldn”t stop smiling, listening to her go on. Adrik wanted them to spend more time together because he hoped to reveal soon that he was dating Jolie, not Alexei. He wasn”t quite sure how his mother would respond. ”Love is love” was a great saying for people who could do whatever they wanted, but she understood his responsibility to the family just as much as Adrik did. Would she be against it?

Would it matter if she was?

It took an hour to get to the middle of the gulf, without an eye on them. It was a blank canvas aside from the three-speed cruisers that followed them. His guards watched from a distance. There were ten soldiers on the ship, but he didn”t want Jolie or Helina to be overwhelmed by the mass of soldiers. It was paranoia that kept them close. Boris was being more forceful than Adrik thought he could be. He couldn”t take the chance that someone came upon them while he was out on the sea.

Adrik spent the morning playing with Helina. It was much needed after so many days away. He basked in her attention, sparing no moment to make her laugh. She was getting smarter, and her ability to speak English increased daily. Small words, small sentences. But impressive, nonetheless. Jolie was good at her job, as he knew she would be. Jolie was dedicated and not one to turn away from hard work. She would make a perfect mafia member if she let go of her angelic morality.

When Helina looked sleepy, he carried her to his mother”s room, where Tatianna was already napping, and snuggled her in. He put a guard outside their door to tell him when they woke.

Jolie was sitting on the leather couches in the living room. She wore a bathing suit with a loose, see-through beach dress. Throughout the afternoon, there were spare minutes of slipping into a hallway or a closet and making out with her, touching her in random places before she slipped out of his arms, giggling as she went. He felt stressless here. It was slowly becoming one of the best days of his life.

Adrik approached, and her gaze caught him with a smile. She was a beautiful woman, and keeping his distance from her was getting harder and harder. But for now, he didn”t have to. The space between them disappeared, and he kissed her harshly, desperately, pushing her down on the couch as he climbed over her. The seriousness freaked Jolie out; she giggled and tried to push him away. ”Adrik, your daughter.”

”They”re sleeping. Don”t worry.” Adrik kissed her neck, holding himself above her between her legs. He rubbed himself against her, groaning into her skin. ”I want you,” Adrik whispered. ”So fucking badly.” He nipped at her throat before lifting to her lips again. His tongue found hers, and he swirled it with hers till they struggled to breathe. Her hips met him with every rocking movement he made, and it only pushed him out of control.

Adrik shoved himself off, panting, sitting beside her as he calmed himself. He felt like a pubescent boy in her arms, already so close to exploding.

Jolie watched with a heaving chest, red cheeks, and eyes full of want. ”Don”t stop.” There was no option but to stop. They were still days away from the designated two weeks, and he was being as respectful as he could by honoring her wishes.

She sat up, sitting against his side. She gripped his jaw, forcing his head to her, and kissed him gently. Her hand slithered down his chest, her palm sliding over his nipple. Further still, her hand descended till she touched the rim of his swim shorts.

Adrik smirked into her lips. ”Touch it,” he tempted, leaning back, allowing her full control. ”I dare you.”