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Page 71 of Embracing the Dark Side

Jolie was asleep on the couch. He scoffed, pissed that he wasted a perfectly good night to get wasted for her to be sleeping. He didn’t bother waking her; perhaps it was better this way, because he was not in any mood to placate his attitude. He took a shower instead, but when he came out of the bathroom in sweatpants, she was sitting on his bed, her eyes wide gawking at all the bruises.

Adrik bypassed her, but Jolie raced to the door and blocked him.

“Talk to me,” she begged.

Adrik clenched his teeth. “And say what?”

“I betrayed you. Tell me you hate me. Tell me you’re done with me. But don’t ignore me anymore.”

Adrik knocked her arm out of his way and went out into the living room, snatching his phone off the dresser, and a bandage wrap before sinking onto the couch. He typed a message, keeping his attention on the screen. Jolie stared down at him, waiting for more that he wasn’t going to give.

Jolie didn’t know what to say, where to start, how to stop this from sinking. She didn’t know where he was at, if he wanted to try at all, because as of right now, he wasdistant and stalwart. But she knew if she dug just a little, his broken heart would be in the palm of her hands. She wasn’t going to give up. “What happened? Why are you so beaten up?"

Adrik ignored her as he wrapped up his forearm. His fracture was healing, and he was advised to wear a cast, but it left his arm immobile. It was too dangerous to have such a clear injury. Jolie reached for the bandage, but he yanked back, glaring at her.

"I just want to help."

Adrik shifted away from her and she scoffed with aggravation. He finished wrapping it up as she watched and as soon as he tossed the excess bandage, he snatched up his phone again and went on ignoring her.

Jolie clenched her teeth. Did he think this was a game or something? She was one foot out the door and he was giving her no reason to stay. "Stop being an ass and talk to me.”

“I can’t!” Adrik bit, his leg bouncing with aggravation. He kept his attention on his phone, if only to hide any bit of revealed emotion. “I’m trying hard not to be disrespectful to you. Give me two more days, and I’ll talk. But tonight is not a good night.”

“It wasn’t respectful when you screwed me and walked away, so why should I expect anything else?”

“What the fuck do you want me to say?” Adrik tossed his phone and stood. She wanted him to talk, but now there would be no backing out, even as she stepped back, a slight fear sparking in her eyes. “You were betraying me from day fucking one. I brought you into my home, into my family, and every word out of our mouths you were feeding to the goddamn police. And with a straight fucking face, you looked at me and asked me to try. Tofucking try to give you everything you were supposed to deserve. And I would have given you fucking everything.”

She was speechless at first, and then a pathetic attempt at redemption weaseled its way in. “I didn’t give the police anything.”

“That’s not the point, Jolie. How do I know that you weren’t working with Vincent? How do I trust you again? Why the fuck should I?” Adrik snatched his phone back up and sat, eyes returning to the screen so he wouldn’t see her reaction. “All this time, I was working to get you to trust me when I should have questioned why I trusted you. You’re a bitch, just like every other fucking bitch in this world. You’re no different. You ain’t fucking special. And I’m a fool for ever believing otherwise.” He laid his head back on the couch. The words had been spinning around in his head, and now that he had said it, he felt exhausted.

Then the door opened, and he snapped his head up to see her walk out. “Jolie–” Adrik ground his teeth when the door slapped shut. He flinched as if he’d really run after her. But he was not going to do that. He wasn’t going to be a weak-ass bitch chasing after a girl. She wanted a dramatic exit; she got one.

The door popped back open, and she came in. “No,” she said to herself. Courage straightened her. “I screwed up, I admit. But I’ve damn sure made up for it. I’ve earned your trust back. I took care of Helina like she was mine. I didn’t know about Vincent, didn’t know what he was capable of. That was Katia, and you know that. He was a monster to me, and I still can’t get his disgusting touch off me, no matter how hard I scrub. I could have left, but I didn’t. I’m still here, facing up to what I’ve done.” Jolieshoved the tear off her cheek. “Don’t act like my screw-up isn’t fixable.”

There was a knock at the door, and Jolie spun toward it. A woman stood there with a sweet little smile, dressed in a short, revealing dress and stilettos.

Jolie looked back at Adrik, but he sat on the couch, meeting her gaze daringly. It was spiteful, she knew. It was a way to get revenge. And if she hadn’t just spent weeks in Vincent’s hell, she might have been thrown off by such a disgusting move.

“What won’t be fixable,” Jolie whispered, “is this. Don’t break us before giving me a chance. I understand you lost too many who were close to you so quickly. You think you’ll be better off if I’m out of your life. But you once told me that the risk can’t outweigh the reward. The risk of losing me can’t outweigh your love for me, because I know you love me. I see and feel it, and I know I’m so desperately in love with you that I’ve risked fucking hell to be with you.”

Jolie watched his face, trying to read him, but he stared at the floor, unmoved. She went back to the door. The woman spoke something in Russian, but Jolie, as terribly rude as it was, gently pushed the woman out and closed the door in her face, locking it for good measure. Jolie held tight to the knob, trying to gain courage. “Stay mad at me. Hate me. Use me if it will help ease your pain. But don’t push me out.” She bypassed him and went to the bed, burying herself in the covers.

Adrik sat for a long time, staring straight. He despised his indecision. Part of him knew he was going to forgive her, but how? There was still so much anger. He wanted to be with her, and yet, her being here aggravated him. It was a jumbled mess of emotions, and he didn’t wantto deal with any of it. There was lingering doubt about why she was here, why she was choosing to stay after everything she had gone through. Love wasn’t enough. Did she know that? Love can break, just like trust. They were fragile, and once shattered, the pieces never fit back together the same way. It might just be better to give up on it.

But he could hear his brother tell him to stay, echoing the subconscious desire in his chest.

Adrik stood in the bedroom doorway. She sat on his bed, fidgeting under his scrutiny. He didn’t know what else to do except shut off the lights. The moonlight was enough to see her waiting for a verdict. “I don’t know how to fight you. Katia was easier to deal with.”

“That’s because you’re used to fighting fire with fire.”

“And what am I supposed to fight you with? Fluffy teddy bears?”

Jolie choked on a laugh, smiling up at him.

“You lied to me, Jolie.”

She nodded and bowed her head. “I know. I can’t say I’m sorry enough.”


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