King of the Underworld by RJ Kane

440

Adrik

“Why?” I asked Sephie, completely captivated by her out of control hair that was everywhere all at once,

“When Misha said we unlocked a new life goal for him and both Andrei and Stephen agreed, they strengthened the

connection. They’ll eventually be like us. They’ll be able to walk between Heaven and Hell,” she said.

7

I inhaled. “Viktor wants no part of that,” I said.

She nodded her head, saying, “our demons still freak him the f uck out.” She grimmed at me, as she got up,

straddling me. “Are you ready for this next part, because it might actually be my favorite,” she said, giggling.

I sat up a little more, my hands running over her thighs. “I can’t wait,” I said,niling at her amusement.

“The irritation we all feel around Viktor now isn’t us. It’s our demons. They’re hurt because they feel like he rejected

them when he asked for his demon to be taken away,” she said. “I can’t help it. I might love my demon a little more

for that. Poor thing. That’s a hard pill to swallow.”

I had to admit to feeling a pang of sympathy for my demon as well. “He asked or his to be taken away? How does

that work?” I asked.

“I assume Kostya did it, but I didn’t think to ask for specifics. I had too many her questions for him,” she said, as she

placed her hands on my chest. She looked down at her ring, which she never took off. I might’ve loved that about

her. She looked back up at me, saying, “both my dad and Kostya have said this ring has more significance than I

realize and I can’t figure out what they mean by that.”

“Did they say anything else about it? Or just that it’s significant?”

“My dad said it was significant. Kostya said I didn’t understand yet, but that

and the guys would always be with me and would always protect me

as he was looking at it. I asked him if he could tell me and he said no, but he said I would connect the dots.”

I laughed. “He meant that literally, solnishko. Connect the five rubies.”

She looked at her ring, trying to still figure out what I meant. She looked at me, still completely confused. I took her

hand and drew the outline of a pentagram on the back of her hand. “Five points equal a pentagram, solnishk It’s an

ancient symbol of protection. That’s why the big diamond is square. It was the only way to arrange the rubies so

they would form the pertagram the way I wanted it. I wanted one ruby to always be on top of the others. For Ivan.

The big diamond is both of us, because you are my heart. The rubies are always protecting you,” I said, as I pointed

it out on her ring. When I looked at her, her mouth was open in shock.

“You…how…” She closed her mouth, trying to formulate a complete thought ried not to, but I laughed at her. She

was so adorable when she was confused. By the looks of her, she should’ve felt like she was all over the place, but

all I felt from her was her warmth. Her eyes were the deepest depth of the ocean blue as well.

I smiled at her. “Ivan gave me the color scheme. I sketched out a few options. One day during a meeting, I found

myself doodling with the sketch of this design and happened on the pentagram. Like many symbols, it’s been

thought of as good and bad, but that’s kind of perfect. We’re both, too. I didn’t expect that you would never take it

off, but it makes me happy that you always have it on. It’s one more small way I can feel like you’re protected.”

“I can’t believe you put this much thought into it,” she said. She had tears falling down her cheeks, but her eyes

were still blue. I looked at her, confused at the tears. “Nobody has ever put this much thought into something for

me before,” she said. She wrapped her arms around my neck, holding onto me for dear life and pushing all her

warmth to me. I held her just as tightly. I would never want to let her go.

We were all in the gym that morning. Vitaliy and all of his men were there as well. He was still trying to find a

replacement for the two guys he hated. It was proving more difficult than he would’ve liked. I think it made him

hate Dose guys a little more with each passing day

Sephie had talked Andrei into letting her train harder now that her lung was better. She’d been slowly increasing the

intensity. She was probably back to 90% now, which I was sure was 100% more than Vitaliy’s little flowers.

1/3

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The seemingly endless monks of diete, andurve training had made her technique next to pedieet, but it had made

her as much mringer. She stil as fast as the normally was, but nobody for outside our group would’w knows that..

Two minutes in and I saw hat grit at her. He had underestimated her when they first started. She was going him

more of a run for his money than he thought she would. He was actually having to work a little. I felt my heart wall

watching her hold her own with him

was so adept at anticipating your ned move that the managed to land a few kicks on fram. If he could feel pain, he

might teen some mom Because she knew that he wouldn’t feel it, she didn’t hold back one bit. I was bery happy to

see it.

Vitally walked up beside me. “I said it before, but that wonta was made for you. She is perfect

y possible way,” he said, completely ave studi

“I think that at least 100 times each day,” I said, not taking my eyes off ban and Sephie.

“She’s back to normal now?” be sled

isn’t everything she’s got. She’s maybe 905% now.”

Vitally cursed quietly. “Does she want a job? Can I hire her?” he asked, a mischievous grin sliding across his face.

I laughert. “No chance, old man.”

Sephie was starting to reach the end of her endurance. Her face was red and her breathing was heavy. I could feel

her getting tired. This was the she’d done in months. She still looked strong. It was her cardio that couldn’t keep up.

Her lung was going to remain the weak link for a little longer

han saw it too. He ended the match by surprising her. He rushed her and the her over his shoulder. “No fair!” she

yelled, smacking his back.

He laughed, setting her down. “You’re breathing heavier than I’d like, princess. That’s enough for today,” he said. I

expected her to argue with him, but she just grinned at him and threw her arms around his neck. He caught my

eye. “She’s happy she made me sweet he told me. I just laughed.

They climbed out of the ring while Misha and Ilya climbed in. I raised my eyebrow watching those two cũn surprise.

She glanced at Vitally, saying, “you should watch this one, too. Misha is almost as fast as han”

“You’re planning something, aren’t you?” I asked her as I watched Misha and liga’s match start.

“Yep.”

the ring together. Sephie saw my

“Are you gonna tel

“Nope,” she said. I could hear her laughing, but she looked like the was watching Misha and Ilya. I laughed quietly,

moving her in front of me, pulling

her back against