King of the Underworld by RJ Kane

Chapter Four

Sephie

When I walked back into the meeting room, it was completely empty. Everyone had vanished. I can’t say I was disappointed by this development. I busied myself with gathering up the empty glasses and the few plates I hadn’t managed to clear already to take them to the kitchen. I hear Max whistling as he’s walking down the hallway toward the back room.

“Hey, why did everyone leave in such a hurry?” he asked as he walked in and started to help me clear the tables.

“No idea,” I said. I kept my gaze down, as I was once again on the verge of tears, trying desperately to keep them in so I wouldn’t cry in front of Max. I hated crying in front of people.

“That was weird. I saw two of those giant bodyguards that came in last take a very drunk guy out front and beat the living sh it out of him, then walk back inside like nothing happened.”

I dropped the glass in my hand and looked at Max, wide-eyed.

“They did what??”

“Yeah, it was comical. And somewhat sad. But mostly comical. I think it was one of the guys you said was always an as*shole to you, so I may or may not have cheered as the bodyguards came back in the restaurant.”

“Max, you have to be careful. You know who these people are.”

“I know, I know, but I was cheering for the Karma that guy was clearly receiving. Hey, wait a minute – what the he ll happened to your arms?? And your neck??”

“This was the reason for the Karma.”

“Holy sh it, Sephie! Are you okay? What happened? Why didn’t you come get me?”

but he took it to a new level tonight. I might’ve provoked him slightly and made things worse, so he

Don’t you do that. Don’t you take any of the blame on yourself. That guy is a di ck and he had every b*ow to the face he got tonight coming for putting his

you’re right. I just want to close up so I can

don’t you just go?

yourself, Max. You might be a big, strong guy,

stubborn you’d argue with

“True story.”

as he grabbed the last glass off the table and headed to the

lunch shift. We’d both been working at the restaurant for a few years now, so we had a routine down and worked together seamlessly. It always took us less time than everyone

I stood and waited while he locked the back door, then we walked to our cars together. I was so busy looking at the still cloudy sky that I hadn’t noticed the black SUV parked

his phone. Probably texting whatever girl he was planning on hooking up with that night. He walked a few steps ahead of me, then noticed I was no longer beside

looked at my face and then spun around to see the SUV parked between our cars. “Ohhhhh sh it,” he said as he took a couple of steps back toward me. Without looking, he pushed me directly behind him as he

couldn’t see over Max’s shoulder and I was

trying to be brave for me, but I could also feel how every muscle in his back was tense and rock

a deep and very calm voice said, his Russian accent evident. I recognized that voice. I peeked around Max’s shoulder and sure enough, Mr.

okay, Max. He helped when…you know, Karma. It was his

I’m not gonna di e tonight,” he

reached up and kissed his

I

car and Adrik, who was watching me