King of the Underworld by RJ Kane

Adrik

When we walked back to the house, the guys were all outside where they could see us, along with Trino and Aleksei. A couple of my father’s other security guys were there as well. My guys were visibly relieved when Sephie came back. Ivan looked at her, likely wanting to know what had made her anger show up earlier. He raised an eyebrow at her, silently asking what had happened. She walked to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. “Have I mentioned lately how adorable you are when you get all twitchy when you’re worried about me, Squish?” she said, kissing his cheek.

Aleksei laughed. “Squish?” He looked at Ivan. “You let her call you that?”

She looked at Ivan, stepping back slightly, worried that she’d made a mistake. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders tighter, keeping her there. “She’s the go ddamn princess. She can call me whatever she likes,” he said.

Sephie laughed, saying, “Ivan has had more nicknames than the rest of them, I think. Squish is just my favorite. Would you prefer I only called him Vanya? Is that it? You’re jealous because no one ever gave you a more creative nickname than Alyosha?”

Aleksei’s checks blushed. “My mother called me Alyosha.”

“It’s very Russian and it’s very traditional. I would expect nothing less. 1, however, am not so traditional and prefer the fun side of life, so I’m going to keep calling him Squish if you don’t mind. And even if you do, f**k off,” she said, smiling at him.

In 30 years, I’ve never heard my father laugh as loudly as he did when he heard Sephie put Aleksei in his place. Everyone was laughing, even Aleksei. Russian men, particularly older Russian men tended to be hardened and didn’t waste time on being overly polite. They understood frankness. They respected it. Much like with Ivan in her apartment kitchen, we all witnessed her earn Aleksei’s respect.

“Come, we will talk business while Alyosha licks his wounds,” Vitaliy said as he walked to the couches and tables on the patio outside the house. Ivan kept Sephie back for just a minute, having a quiet conversation with her. He still looked concerned, but whatever she said to him made him smile. She was still smiling when she turned to join me on the couch near my father. She happily climbed in my lap to free up more space on the couches for someone else. Ivan took advantage and sat next to us.

I glanced at him, making sure he was good from earlier. He leaned over saying, “checking on her contacts. I don’t know a few of these guys. We’re all still a little jumpy from Trino’s guys.”

I nodded once. “Good call,” I said as she looked back at both of us. “Adorable. And twitchy,” she said.

“I know Sal and Lorenzo orchestrated this coup attempt, but we didn’t get around to where they are now. And what of the other bosses? I know Armando is being held, but what of everyone else?” Vitaliy asked.

“Trino took care of Sal’s son, Anthony, as well as Lorenzo and Massimo,” I said.

“Vitally, I don’t know if you know about Trino’s flair for the dramatic, but it’s f**king impressive,” Sephie said..

father

at Vitaliy and said, “I like the theater.

to Sephie for clarification. “He lit Massimo on fire and threw him off a cliff. Then he chopped off Anthony and Lorenzo’s heads

almost in admiration.

in South America. That’s

now?” Vitaliy asked.

on his doorstep. He

watching him,” Trino

think Ricardo has been

Luca?” Vitaliy asked.

know him?” I asked.

over for bith. They were in business together regularly. He pitched me a couple of ideas, but I never was interested. I never liked him, although he was never in the illegal side of things,” he

even. Very different story from the one he’s been giving everyone else. Ricardo and Giovanni are related, but distantly. He’s the connection between Armando and Giovanni. He likely

you banished Lorenzo to Sicily, he set up extensive networks throughout

controlling Armando if he’s not part of that side of the

just haven’t found it yet or there’s another reason. Armando said he’s basically obsessed with Boss. Ricardo has been trying to beat him in business for years, but has never been able to. Boss always has a bigger project going than Ricardo and is always more successful,” Ivan

I turned the business over to you

trade when you were still running things?” Sephie

he was, I didn’t know about it. That’s abhorrent. I wouldn’t

what caused me to find Sephie. I went to their meeting

at the meeting?” Vitaliy asked.

it got a little derailed,” Sephie said. She looked at Vitaliy, almost like she was going to be in trouble. She said, “see, I have this problem with my mo uth. I can’t not be a di ck sometimes. It tends

wasn’t just about Anthony. The other bosses had raised taxes so they were all in for it. Anthony was supposed to

to you?” Vitaliy asked,