King of the Underworld by RJ Kane

Chapter Two Hundred Forty

Sephie

Just as his late meeting walked into the office, he looked at Andrei and Misha and said, in Russian, “take her upstairs. Stay with her. I’ll be up after this meeting is over. Get Ivan on your way up.” He pulled me to him for a quick kiss. “I love you, solnishko. I’ll be up as fast as I can,” he said, nodding to Andrei, who was standing behind me now. I felt Andrei put his hand on my back, guiding me toward the door. Once we were outside his office and out of sight of the meeting, Andrei stopped me. He stepped in front of me and turned away from me. He squatted down, opening his arms for me to jump on his back. I giggled, hopping on

his back.

“You’re my favorite, Bubba,” I said. I hugged his neck tightly as we walked to the elevator. When the doors opened, Ivan was in the elevator. Misha had texted him from the office.

“You guys want to tell me what happened? I’m guessing something happened if you’re back this early from Ms. Jackson’s apartment,” Ivan said.

I sighed, trying to make sure I didn’t get angry again. I didn’t want to interrupt Adrik’s meeting and have him rush up to the penthouse because he was worried about me. Thankfully, Misha answered for me. “Giana was waiting for her when she got to Ms. Jackson’s apartment.”

I could see Ivan’s anger rise as he cursed in Russian. “Does she not know she’s an adult now?”

“Clearly she does not,” Andrei said. I could still hear the edge to his voice. I hugged his neck a little tighter. He squeezed my legs in response.

“We do have to be careful with how much we talk about this or Adrik is going to come rushing upstairs because he knows I’m mad,” I said, trying to keep my smile under control. Ivan’s mo uth fell open, which caused Andrei and Misha to laugh.

“He came to Ms. Jackson’s apartment. He knew she was angry from his office. I’m honestly proud of him for not breaking the door down, but he walked in, basically grabbed Sephie and walked out. You should’ve seen the look on Giana’s face when he showed up,” Misha said, now completely amused by the situation.

As we walked into the penthouse, Ivan asked, “so he can now feel when you’re angry even when you’re not in the same room just like you can feel he’s angry?”

“Yeah. And what’s weird this time is that I didn’t know I was that angry when I was talking to Giana. I mean, I certainly wasn’t happy with her, but he said my eyes went dark, which they only do when I’m like nuclear level angry. Except I didn’t feel like I was that angry.” I looked sideways at Andrei as he placed me on the kitchen counter. “That’s also why he told you to close your eyes in the elevator. That makes it go away for both of us. I’m really sorry for that, by the way. Nobody wants to watch us make

out.”

day you two can’t keep your hands off each other. I’m not standing in

Ivan

thought it was the lighting in Ms. Jackson’s apartment,”

One.”

Ivan

golden brown that’s there all the time. Like really dark brown,” Misha sald.

Adrik said he noticed it that day with Mike. He’s seen it a couple times since then. That night in his office when Andy told us Mike was working for Anthony. It happened a few times that night, actually. He tells me to blink and I can usually make it go away.” I looked at Ivan, not able to hide my smile. “Maybe my demons are

noticed it when you’ve sparred with her?”

I haven’t noticed them. But I

changing when we’ve been training either,” Misha

can make me angry, but it’s still you and I know it’s still you. We train, yes, but I don’t really want to hurt either one of you. Like, you guys pick at surface level stuff to get me angry. When I’ve gotten so angry that my eyes changed, it’s much deeper wounds those people are poking at, I said, looking at the floor. I could feel

said as he moved next to

pain. Ivan didn’t say anything further, but he hopped onto the counter next to me. I felt his substantial arm slide gently around my shoulders and pull me toward him. I leaned my head on his shoulder. I took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. “Like, it’s not just me, right? I’m not being unreasonable here? Please tell me if I

you said to her, spider monkey. I’m

diculously cute you were when you threatened her life though? Because that’s a thing.”

from getting upset when Adrik, Viktor, and Stephen walked in. Adrik still had a worried look on his face, but relaxed slightly when

my eyes for a minute, then clicked his

I said, smiling

was looking

us when we got to Ms. Jackson’s apartment. I don’t know how much Ms. Jackson knows about what happened, but Giana definitely put her up to calling us down there. I told Sephie we didn’t have to stay, but I got reprimanded