King of the Underworld by RJ Kane

“Adrik

She’d reached the point now that she could do very light sparring with him, which made her happy. Her upper body was still weaker than normal and with her ribs still causing her pain, they concentrated on her legs. She was more powerful there anyway. As the rest of us were finishing up, she and Andrei were off to the side practicing drills. Since she had to go slow, he was working on her form and making it perfect.

My father and Aleksei walked into the gym, noticing Sephie and Andrei immediately. They nodded to us, but were watching her. Andrei gave her a break while they discussed something and he adjusted her form slightly. When she tried again, we could see the lightbulb moment she had. She practiced a few more times, then they had another sheat discussion. I could tell she was trying to talk him into letting her go faster. He would roll his eyes at her, disagreeing with whatever she was saying, but she kept at it until he finally relented. We all saw him tell her sternly, “one time.” He held up one finger to make sure she understood. She grinned, clapping her hands. He gave her instructions, she nodded her head, then he gave her the okay to begin.

After the ball, when she’d injured her hip, she lost some strength in her legs. It took her a while, but she gained it all back. This time, she lost strength in her upper body, but her legs were as strong as ever. Having to slow down and only being able to work on details was actually making her stronger and faster. Andrei was expecting each kick she delivered, but he still had to work to stay ahead of her to keep her from kicking him and not the pads.

My father had walked over to me while he watched her. “That’s how she trains when she’s hurt?” he asked.

I laughed, nodding my head. “We had her fight one of Armando’s security guys who had a problem with her having any kind of authority over him. We just wanted to knock him down a few pegs. She ki lled him,” I said, glancing at him. His eyes went wide. “Turns out he was working for Salvadori’s son, too. He was a plant. She knows things before anyone else most of the time.” I was curious to see how my father would react to hearing me say that out loud. After talking to Sephie about him the night before, I was feeling less nervous around him.

Ivan had walked closer, hearing our conversation. “When they tried to kidnap her the first time, she killed more guys than the rest of us did. She saved my life that day,” Ivan said. “It’s one of the reasons Salvadori ha tes her so much. She has a tendency to ki ll his guys. Frequently.” He laughed at the thought of Sal being pi ssed.

I watched as Vitaliy casually put his hand on Ivan’s shoulder as he responded. I could see the brief look of surprise when he touched him. I knew what he was doing. I think Ivan did too, as he saw it as well. “They all are. We just don’t know how Viktor and Stephen are yet. You don’t need to check,” 1 said, laughing at Vitaliy’s surprise that I had caught on to what he was doing. Sephie and Andrei had finished and were walking back toward us. She walked right to me, tucking herself into my side, smiling warmly at Vitaliy. She immediately caught on that something had just happened. She looked at me, searching my eyes. She laughed, looking at Vitaliy.

“You thought I was lying, didn’t you?” she asked, clearly amused at his guilty expression. He cursed under his breath. “We have much to discuss later, old man,” she said, pulling me toward the door. We heard the guys’ laughter as they followed us out of the gym.

A few hours later, Sephie, Vitaliy, and I went for a walk. She managed to talk everyone else into not following us this time, although it was more difficult than she thought it would be. She ended up having to compromise, promising that we would stay within sight. It made me smile to see how protective they were of her in new situations. Aleksei noticed too, asking me quietly, “are they always this protective of your girlfriends?”

this way, either. Not after the first day. They worry about her almost as

moment. “I used to worry about your mother much the same way. That speaks to Sephie’s

wrapped around her finger too,” I said. Sephie was done with her negotiations and on her way to me. Aleksei smiled at her, telling her Vitaliy would be out in a

don’t think she needs that much time,” he said before turning

after, his hardened expression softening when he saw Sephie. I’d seen my father’s rough features soften very few times in my life, but it was obvious when he looked at

asked of him.

like to walk with an old man, if you’re

he asked, offering her his arm. She slid her arm

arms right now,” she said, grinning up at

ribs lightly. “I can’t believe you thought I was lying to you about the guys being like me and Adrik. Rude,” she said, trying not to laugh. Even though she had her contacts in, I

so long that I have convinced myself it was all a fairy tale. I haven’t found anyone like Adrik until you. And I’ve known Ivan for years. He wasn’t like you when I knew him before. He’s

was different?”

to explain it. “It’s like a judgment system, if you will.

or bad, you mean?” she

tell the difference. Salvadori, for example, is ruled completely by evil. With you and Adrik, and now Ivan, it’s completely different. There’s an electricity there, almost. It feels like I can

Andrei later. You’ll feel it with both of them, too. Viktor and Stephen also have something, we just don’t know what it is yet. They’re both timid about realizing it,” I

all like you, then?” he

a little. We all complement each other though,” I said.