King of the Underworld by RJ Kane

Chapter One Hundred Eighty-Nine

Adrik

We continued to talk with Andy, but it was starting to get late. Armando wanted to leave to go check on Giana, who had been alone most of the day, as she still felt intimidated by being in the same room with so many men. We set Andy up in a spare apartment, close to Armando’s guys. Viktor gave strict orders to all the security that Andy was not to leave the building unless he was with one of us, under any circumstances. They had orders to sh oot him if he tried.

I was somewhat relieved for it to be just us once again, so we could relax somewhat. Sephie got up from between Ivan and Misha, declaring, “I need a change of scenery. Everyone come upstairs. We’re ordering food.” She had a grin on her face. I think she enjoyed giving us orders once in a while.

Stephen pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Chinese or Thai?”

We all looked at each other, then looked at Stephen as we all said “Thai” at once.

“Done and done,” he said as he walked out of the room to make the order.

Once upstairs, we continued the conversation about what to do. “I’m going to call Trino in the morning, but I want to keep Armando in the dark for now. I don’t think Trino knows Anthony has been talking to the Mexicans. They have a very strained relationship, at best. I don’t like dealing with them at all. This could start a war between the Colombians and the Mexicans if we’re not careful,” I said.

“I think Trine is on your side completely. I think Armando is too, but I don’t trust Mike at the moment, until we figure out what his issue is,” Sephie said. She thought for a moment. “What does asking nicely entail, exactly?”

Andrei chuckled. “We need more details about the building, so we know where to place the charges. And if we can gain access

inside or if we have to do it from the outside.”

“What’s the difference?” she asked.

“Inside is a cleaner demolition. Outside makes a bigger boom, basically,” Andrei said.

“Bubba, I had no idea you enjoyed blowing things up this much,” she said, grinning at him.

“Who do you think blew the ho le in the wall of the Syrian prison to ask nicely if Viktor could come out and play?” he said, laughing.

“I did not bet on you, I’ll be honest. You don’t strike me as that turbulent,” she said.

But I

alert!” she said, laughing, causing everyone to join her in yet more laughter.

Right on time.

need to make it go boom?” she asked, clearly curious about this

the place surrounded and watched constantly. If It’s at the docks, that could work to our advantage or disadvantage, depending on the exact location.

the water, that could work

“Andy said the area was mostly abandoned. What if we make it not abandoned, so there’s a reason for people

nodding in agreement. “That could work. We’d need a lot of people to make it

Viktor said.

money they would help. There’s a hierarchy of dealers, apparently, too. Like, I don’t even think the bosses know all the dealers in the city. The

It was a good one. Set up a fake warehouse for a few weeks to give people a reason to be there while they

one they’re using, it would give us a reason for electricians and the like to be

for sure. He’s the most laid-back dude I’ve ever met, so for him to be angry about something means he feels very strongly about it. He was not happy

and see what we can come up with,”

at the screen, then put it back. “Food’s here. I’ll be right back,” he said,

hear your insight into the

happy that those two seemed to be getting as close as she was with the other four guys. It took me a while to warm up to Stephen as well, but he was an integral part of the team at this

were all eating, Stephen enlightened us with his insight on Mike. “I

just shooting the sh it. I asked a lot of questions, curious about where they all came from. Keith used to work with Mike, you know.” He looked

interviewing them that they

was the town they grew up in, too. Mike climbed the ranks quickly after joining the force. He was a very big fish in a very small pond, basically.” He paused to take a bite of

that.”

what made him leave that small town?” Sephle

could make it without someone above him dying. He got tired of waiting. He’s big on titles. He likes authority, Keith said. My best guess, and you might tell me I’m completely wrong, Seph, but I think he almost feels threatened by you. He operates by the rules of the animal kingdom, if you will. He sees all of us and we’re clearly a formidable opponent, so he respects that automatically. But then he sees Seph and at least in his

But I mean, it’s by choice. We all want to be near her. But for someone like Mike, who isn’t necessarily smart enough to see past the black and wh ite of big male equals strength, small woman equals weak rules, it’s likely disturbing.” We all chuckled when he called us puppies. Guilty. But I didn’t see any of us changing

the man ever been laid?”

that question. That’s not really information I was interested in.” Stephen looked at all of us, somewhat