King of the Underworld by RJ Kane

Chapter 98

Chapter Ninety-Eight
Adrik
It was early afternoon. Misha had Sephie’s attention, telling her some story. I stood off to the side, watching her as she listened intently to him. Ivan walked up beside me. “Everything okay now, Boss?” I knew he was referring to seeing me get angry with Sephie earlier.
I sighed. “For now, yes. I agreed to lay off the doctor threats, but I don’t know what else to do if she doesn’t start
healing.”
He crossed his sizable arms across his chest, turning to look at me in the eyes. “I’m not telling you what to do when it comes to her, Boss, but I recognize the look in her eye when it comes to the thought of doctors. She let us take her to the hospital after she was attacked because she didn’t have a choice. It was basically the same when we got to the ranch up north. She was too exhausted and in shock to protest. There’s something there that she doesn’t want any of us to see yet that prevents her from trusting doctors. It’s the same look I have.”
I thought for a moment. They were very similar in their aversion to doctors. I could easily see that. I didn’t know the whole story on Ivan, but I knew doctors had basically used him as a test subject when he was younger because of his inability to feel pain. I suspected it was not a happy story. I wasn’t sure why Sephie had such a mistrust of doctors, but
I was fearful it was also not a happy story.
I exhaled. “I know, Ivan. I know you’re right. I know there’s something there. I just want to help her so badly and I can’t think of a way to make that happen without a doctor. I want her to be well again. I still feel terrible about
everything that’s happened.”
“We all do, Boss. Even though she just told me earlier she was going to kick my as s if I didn’t stop it, I still feel terrible
about it.”
I chuckled. At least she was back to acting more like herself, despite her pain. “Let’s just hope your honey trick works so I don’t have to call a doctor and make everything worse.”

He placed his hand on my shoulder. “It will, Boss. You just have to be patient and give her time to heal herself. She’s been through more than most people I know. I don’t think that girl knows how to quit. Let her use that instead of forcing something on her that she doesn’t want.”
I ran my hand through my hair, pondering what Ivan had just said. I closed my eyes, exhaling, trying not to stress over it all. I felt Sephie’s arms slide gently around my waist and her lips press gently to mine. When I opened my eyes, she was looking up at me, her sweet smile stretched across her face. “You look like you just had a very serious
conversation.”
I leaned down and kissed her once more. “You’re rubbing off on Ivan. He’s quite good at telling me what I need to hear now.” I looked in the direction where Ivan had been standing, only to see that he was gone.
She grinned. “Ivan is wise beyond his years. He just doesn’t want anybody to know it. He likes his peace too much.”
“When we get home, you’re coming to work for me.”
She cocked her head to the side, thinking. “I’ll consider it. Maybe if you offer to pay me in Vinny’s sandwiches, I’ll
consider it more seriously, she laughed.
“Are you hungry again already?” I asked, pulling her closer to me.
She laughed. “No. Well, not yet. Give me twenty minutes and then ask. I am dying to get back just so I can go there. Misha promised me all the Vinny’s I could eat after the ball. I’m holding him to it.” She paused, then added, “someone should probably warn that poor man. He’s going to be so busy…”
We were outside, with Sephie’s head in my lap, her eyes closed enjoying my fingers running through her curls. I couldn’t quite tell if she was asleep or still awake but it didn’t really matter. I would stay like that for as long as she would let me. Armando came up and sat in one of the chairs opposite the couch we were on. He looked troubled. I looked at him, expectantly, waiting for him to speak.
“This project still troubles me. It’s such a large undertaking that I don’t want to fund it entirely myself. I need more
investors.”
Without opening her eyes, Sephie said, “why don’t you crowdsource it? Let the people invest. It’s for their benefit, right? Let them have a piece of it, as well. With a large chunk of the city’s population behind the project, the politicians won’t be able to not approve it.”
I looked to Armando, a smirk on my face. Sephie never ceased to amaze me with her ideas. Armando thought for a moment, then exclaimed, “Sephie, you’re a genius! This could actually work! Even better than my original plan. It will give the people even more chances to increase their own wealth, which will inevitably benefit the city too. This could put this city on the worldwide map!” he said, clapping his hands together.
Her eyes still closed, she smiled sweetly, still enjoying my fingers in her hair. Armando quickly stood, taking his phone from his pocket to make a few calls. As he walked away, I leaned down and asked quietly, “so how many sandwiches a day are you thinking you’ll need?”
She giggled and opened her eyes to look at me. I would never stop wanting to see her smile or the way her eyes shined brighter as she laughed.
Armando returned after a few moments, with news from his assistant. “Boss, we have news on the lawyer. My people have been able to uncover some information that they think we’ll be interested in. Since it’s already getting late, I told them to go home tonight and that we would be at the office first thing in the morning to hear the details.”
I felt Sephie tense. She opened her eyes. “Where’s Misha?” She didn’t look alarmed, per se, but she wasn’t relaxed
anymore.
“What’s wrong, solnishko?”
“Something about the office. I don’t know what. Where’s Misha? I want to see if he notices it too.”
I called for Misha, explaining Armando’s plan to him. I didn’t say anything about Sephie’s reaction and she was quiet as well. Misha stood for a moment, contemplating, then all at once, his eyes got wide. “Um, Boss, I don’t think that’s a good plan. Something about the office.”
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