King of the Underworld by RJ Kane

Chapter Two Hundred Seventy

Adrik

I had Sephie call Chen before we moved down to my office for my schedule to begin that day. We had also decided last night that we were going to move quickly on shutting down the brawn operations, as well as grabbing Dr. Moretti. Those two things needed to happen at once. After that, I was going to move against the bosses that were in the city before they had a chance to realize what had happened.

I’d been quiet up to this point on purpose. It made me look weak and unsure of making a move against the other bosses. I was trying to lull them into a false sense of security. It was exactly the opposite of what my father would have done. My father was brutal in his rule. He made rash decisions and unleashed chaos quickly. He was effective only because he’s a smart man, but he was more like a tyrant than a king.

I took a different approach. I gave my opponents time and enough rope to hang themselves usually. I wanted to know their plans. All of their plans, because when I ended them, I didn’t want to have to deal with tying up any loose ends. I had ended complete family lines before. When I made a move, it was utterly devastating. But it was focused devastation. With my father, there was always plenty of collateral damage. I always tried to keep that to a minimum. Innocent people didn’t need to get hurt in the process.

It was time to unleash my own brand of chaos on the other bosses. We’d decided days ago on how to hit the three brawn operations in the city. We needed the help of the dealers, though. It was a large enough operation that we couldn’t do it ourselves. Not if we wanted it to happen simultaneously, anyway. We decided it was best to recruit the dealers to help us, especially with the two smaller warehouses that were producing brawn. Now, we needed to fill them in on the plan.

“Sephie, you’re calling early, my girl. Should I be happy you’re thinking of me so early or worried you’re delivering bad news?” Chen asked when he answered the phone.

Sephie laughed. “I guess it depends on your definition of bad news, Chen.”

“What’s up, my girl?” he asked as he was laughing at her response.

“We need to set up another meeting with Gus and DJ. We’re going to need help taking out the warehouses,” she said. “We also need to move quickly. Do you think you can get them to the same place tonight? Sorry for the late notice, but things are escalating.”

“Oh, we heard about the attempt on Trino. Gus called him for something else and found out about it last night. I’ve been expecting you to call, actually. I can get them both there tonight. In the absence of Smith and Chucky, there’s been a new guy that’s stepped up to help. He’s one of Trino’s dealers. Do you want him too or just Gus and DJ?”

It’s likely okay if he belongs

be alright with him. He’s like Gus’s number 2 guy, but I’ll make sure he’s there too. See you and your gigantic security force tonight,

the call. She looked slightly apprehensive as she gave Viktor his phone back. “I’m nervous about new people now,”

one of the highest success rates I’ve ever seen when it comes to figuring people out. Armando is a special case. Don’t dwell on that one,” Andrei said as he stretched his massive arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder. She sighed, looking up at him. She was upset with herself for being wrong about Armando. She looked tiny standing next to Andrei. “Thanks, Bubba. It wasn’t just Armando, though. Andy, too. I was wrong on two of the most important players in this,” she

coffee, was finally starting to act like a human again. He looked at her, almost like he was angry with her. “Now is not the time to start doubting yourself, gazelle. You’ve been right more times than you’ve been wrong. And, technically, you weren’t completely wrong on Andy. You never gave him the okay all the way. There’s a reason those two were in your blind spot. We just have to figure out what your blind spot is so we

him. However, I knew she needed to hear what he said. Andrei, always the protective older brother, pulled her closer to him, but he agreed with Misha. “He’s right, Sephie. You can’t start doubting yourself now. We need you.”

two are no longer allowed to hang out with Ivan. I like to be able to argue with you and it irritates me when I can’t,” she said,

cover all entrance and exit points. While I knew she didn’t pick

less nervous this time. “He’s only checked outside a couple times since we got in position. Last time,

He didn’t know what he was signing up for,”

took Ivan and Misha and picked Chen up on her way upstairs. He was much more relaxed this time. We could hear him joking and laughing with her on their way up to her old apartment.

I extended my hand to him. He grasped it firmly, giving

me about this new

just came up here a few months ago. Gus trusts him and he says that

He gets along with Oscar

dude has never met a stranger in his life. It’s no

tongue at her, which caused her to look at him. He gave her a stern look. He had his hands on his hips and was tapping his pinky against his hip. It

moved to the door. Ivan and I stood in front of Sephie. As we were waiting on D] to make it upstairs, Stephen announced the arrival of