King of the Underworld by RJ Kane

Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Seven
Sephic
We spent the morning at the house, like usual. When it was time for Adrik to leave for work, we all left. All of them had been practically giddy all morning long, like they had a secret that I wasn’t in on. I was hoping by their smiles that whatever it was, it was going to be good.
On the elevator up, I finally asked, “are you guys going to let me in on the secret you’re all clearly very happy about?”
Adrik kissed my temple. He looked at his watch, then back to me. “In approximately 15 minutes, you’ll know everything.”
Instead of going to the penthouse, we went to his office first. Except Ivan. Ivan stayed on the elevator, waving bye to me as I looked at him, confused, while the doors closed.
“Where’s he going?” I asked. Now I was getting even more curious, They all looked at me, devious grins on their faces, but no one answered my question. 1 felt myself starting to get slightly nervous about what they were planning.
It didn’t seem like we were in the office for more than 5 minutes and Viktor’s phone rang. He answered it, listened, then hung up. He looked to Adrik, “ready, Boss.” Viktor looked to me, his broad smile stretching across his face.
Adrik grabbed my hand, leading me back to the elevator. Everyone followed us. No one said a word. They just had their shi t- eating grins on their faces. Once in the elevator again, Adrik pulled me to him. I tucked myself into his side, looking at him, silently questioning what was going on. He just pushed the curts hick from my face. “You’ll see,” he said, that smile still on his
face.
Once we arrived at the top floor, I saw Ivan as the doors opened. He was grinning like a mo ron just like the rest of them.

“Okay, you guys are starting to creep me out. For real,” I said, starting to get frustrated they wouldn’t say anything. They all
laughed.
Adrik pulled me with him, toward the door to the penthouse. He opened the door, motioning for me to go first. “There’s someone who has something for you,” he said.
I looked at him, still not sure what exactly they were planning. I walked through the door, half expecting them all to wait outside, but they all silently followed me in the penthouse.
“Craig? What are you doing here?” I asked, as I walked inside.
He walked to me, hugging me. “Sephie. I’ve been waiting for this moment for almost ten years.” He had tears in his eyes as he stepped back from me. I looked at him, still puzzled. He grabbed my hand and led me further into the penthouse. All the guys
followed.
On the other side of the couches, I saw it. A piano. No. No, it can’t be. I stopped, looking at Craig In complete disbelief.
He smiled at me, knowing I knew exactly who’s piano that was. “It really is, Sephie. I’ve been saving It, hoping this day would come.” I couldn’t speak, I just looked at him, completely shocked. He continued, “Sephie, your mother came to me years before her accident and asked me to promise her that I would find a way to keep that piano with you in the event that anything ever happened to her. I knew you didn’t have room for it in your apartment, so I’ve been keeping it.” He looked around the penthouse, Taughing quietly. “You definitely have room now.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. I didn’t have words. 1 hugged him tightly, not even caring about the tears I knew were streaming
down my face. He whispered, “go. It’s missed you as much as you’ve missed it.” He gently pushed me toward the piano as he walked toward the guys.
I went to the piano, still not believing this was real. It was like seeing an old friend again. All the dings that I put into it when I was a careless child running around the house. I ran my hand over the music rack. I glanced back at the guys. They were still standing, watching me. Still smiling, but actively wiping their eyes.
I sat down on the bench. When my fingers touched the keys, it felt like home. Most pianists will tell you that each piano has its own feel. The keys respond differently, they feel differently. You can adjust your playing to each piano, usually easily, but each pianist has that one piano that will always be their favorite. This piano was that for me. I’d played plenty of others, but this piano was always my favorite. Once I was older, my mother managed to buy a new piano. It was larger than this one, which she loved, but I did not, I hated it. It was all wrong. This one was perfect for me. Once she got the second piano, I always told her this one was mine. It crushed me to have to sell it.
I thought I would never see it again.
I took a deep breath and started to play, Craig had taken care of it all these years and it had been tuned since they moved it. It sounded perfect. It felt perfect. It was perfect. As I played, I was lost in thought. I knew Adrik had put this together. Clearly Ivan had a hand in it as well. I’m sure they all knew about it. That’s why they’ve been grinning like idi ots all day long.
I couldn’t help but think about how they were all so different from the people I’d had in my life until I met them. Since losing my m om, I’d never really had anyone that I was that close to. Ms. Jackson was great. I loved her, but she didn’t know everything about me. She kept an eye on me, she helped me, but I also kept my distance from her on many things. She didn’t know i played. Max was the same way. He kept an eye on me, but he would ditch me more often than not. I’d had other friends, but they never lasted lung. I’d only dated once or twice before I met Adrik. Everyone in my life up until I met Adrik know as little about me as possible. I felt safer that way.
But then, these six men had come into my life and shown me not only what love was, but also what loyalty was, I knew that even if something were to happen In Adrik, the rest of them would make sure that I was never alone and was always looked after:
My mind went back to the day we went to the house after returning from Italy, when we were avoiding the house because of Tori. Misha had told me that I was so much like them it was scary, but I think I can now say the same thing about them. They were looking for ways to make me smile, to make me happy. Their future girlfriends better thank me.