Chapter 9


    Chapter Nine


    Adrik


    I sat at my desk, staring at my phone screen like a lovesick teenager. I wanted to go to her. I wanted to


    hold her, make her feel safe, protect her from everything that might cause her anything but happiness.


    Not being able to find Anthony was making me crazy. I had spies everywhere throughout the city and


    no one had seen him. Or worse, they weren’t talking. That meant Anthony had paid them off somehow.


    My spies were incredibly loyal to me. They all knew the consequences of betraying my trust. How could


    Anthony convince them to betray me?


    Inhaling deeply, I stood up. I can’t sit at my desk any longer. I looked at the clock. It wasn’tte yet. I


    could stop by the pharmacy for some arnica and take it to her apartment. Ivan had an update for me


    anyway. I would sleep better knowing she had something to help soothe her bruises when she woke.


    Better yet, I would sleep better knowing Ivan had found something that would lead us to Anthony.


    Most of the other bosses in the city were Italians. We were the only Russians, so we could get away


    with speaking Russian in front of the others without fear of them understanding us, but when it came to


    electronicmunication, we never discussed business. Conversations could be recorded and


    tranted. It was better to speak in person on


    sensitive matters.


    I decided to go to Ivan for an update. At least, that’s what I told myself. I felt s*lly wanting to go check


    on a girl I had only just met. There was something about her that I couldn’t shake. I’d barely spoken to


    her, but she was beginning to consume my thoughts in a way that no other woman ever had. She was


    so full of life, so vibrant. Like she could make the flowers bloom just by walking through a meadow.


    I thought back to the night before, in the kitchen, with her sitting on the table. The lights were bright


    enough that I finally saw her eyes clearly. I had never seen someone with unique eyes like hers. She


    had rings of different colors, each distinct and clearly visible. Her eyes were three different colors – a


    ring of brown, a ring of green, and a ring of


    blue. It took every ounce of self-control I had to not get lost in those eyesst night. She captivated me.


    I needed


    more.


    I walked out of the office and motioned for my bodyguard to follow me. “Come, Stephen. We’re going


    on a trip.”


    “Yes, sir.”


    We pulled into the small parking lot of her apartment building after a quick stop at the pharmacy.


    Is this really where she lives? I could give her so much better.


    I shook my head, silently scolding myself for getting so caught up in a woman so quickly. I had a


    reputation for being ruthless, when necessary, not emotional. I noticed the curtains of the first-floor


    apartment part just enough that someone could peek through them as I got out of the SUV. That would


    be Ms. Jackson, I thought to myself, I politely waved to her. I couldn’t quite see her face, but I saw a


    wrinkled hand wave shyly back and the curtains closed.


    I had already had Andrei talk to her and exin enough of the situation that she wouldn’t call the


    police. Most residents of this city knew that my people walked among them but couldn’t pick us out of a


    lineout. Many were loyal to my organization, as I made sure to fund the localmunity as much as


    possible. My associates the other bosses – had be greedy in some parts of the city and had


    instead decided to keep that money to themselves. I had a


    –


    feeling it was the greedy little sons, but I still needed proof. The opinion of my organization was


    changing in the city and I didn’t like it. I had always worked diligently to make sure the people of the city


    were happy with my dealings. It’s much easier to run a criminal organization when the people of the city


    loved you than if they hated you. I liked the easy way of doing business. Have the people love you and


    be respectful with the cops. You can do whatever you please. It had worked for 10 years, but now the


    other bosses, who were much older than me, were getting older and wanting to hand over their areas


    of the city to their sons.


    Anthony was already on my sh*t list, but afterst night, I decided to make an example out of him. He


    had been trying to usurp power, albeit quietly, for at least a year now. I let it go on too long, honestly.


    He was smart about it, though. Little bits here and there that went unnoticed until it was a muchrger


    problem. I also heard rumors that he was. dealing in human trafficking and that was unforgiveable as


    far as I was concerned. He needed to be put in his ce. His father, Salvadori, had served me well, as


    well as my father before me, but Anthony was out of control.


    I tried to clear my thoughts as I climbed the steps to her apartment behind Stephen. Two sharp knocks


    on the door and we were greeted with Ivan’s substantial frame. My men were well trained, but most of


    all, they were physically intimidating. Each of them was 6’3-6’5 and well over 250 lbs of solid muscle.


    They had trained with some of the most elite forces in the world. My life was in their hands every single


    day and I trusted thempletely. I still didn’t quite understand why I didn’t hesitate to assign them to


    Persephone, but I wasn’t going to change my mind. I wanted her protected. I needed her protected.


    We stood in her kitchen, discussing thetest update on Anthony. They’d heard two tips on his possible


    whereabouts, but both ended up being dead ends. It felt like we were being fed misinformation on


    purpose. I didn’t like it. Ivan had just finished giving me the information and we all heard a scream from


    her bedroom. I looked at Ivan and we all jumped into action.


    Ivan and Stephen covered the outside of the apartment while Misha and I ran to her room. I didn’t think


    she had outside ess from her bedroom, but I wouldn’t put it past Anthony to order a roof breach.


    Misha drew his gun, one hand on the doorknob. He briefly looked back at me, as I nodded my head.


    Misha burst through the door and immediately checked the window, bathroom, and any possible way


    someone could’ve gotten in.


    I ran to her side. It felt like I couldn’t get there fast enough. I just wanted her in my arms, to know she


    was okay. I had never felt this way about a woman before and I didn’t understand why I felt this way


    about her, but I wasn’t going to fight it at this moment. I just wanted her to be okay. I wrapped my arms


    around her as I sat on the bed beside her. It looked like she had just woken from a nightmare.


    “Shhhh…you were having a nightmare. You’re safe. I won’t let anything happen to you ever again,” IN?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    said, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her to me.


    “Adrik?”


    “Yes, solnishko. You’re okay. You had a nightmare, but it wasn’t real. You’re okay now.”


    Her body was shaking slightly. I noticed she did thatst night too. When I sat her on the table in the


    kitchen, after that piece of sh*t dared toy his hands on her, she started shaking uncontrobly. It


    wasn’t to the same level now, but she was definitely shaking. I felt a tightness in my chest that I was not


    ustomed to. I wanted to make it stop. She was sobbing softly into my chest now. God help me, I


    loved having her so close to me, even if she was upset.


    “Let it out. You’ve had a big couple of days, but you’re okay now. I promise,” I said. I ran my hand


    slowly up and down her back, trying to calm her raw nerves from the nightmare. “Do you want to tell me


    about it?”


    Chapter Nine


    She took a breath and leaned back away from me. I instantly regretted asking her the question as it put


    distance between us. She wiped tears from her face, but kept her eyes closed like she was fighting


    back more tears. I reached up and wiped a few stray tears from under her eyes. She finally opened her


    eyes. I felt like I was drowning in her beautiful


    and I didn’t care. The dim light of her bedroom made her teary eyes sparkle, each color catching the


    light in its own way, making the three colors appear to dance in her eyes. My heart skipped a beat. I


    reached up and brushed her curls back from her face. “You’re even beautiful when you cry.”


    eyes,


    She blushed and looked down at her hands. No! I needed her to look at me again. I gently raised her


    chin up, seeking her mesmerizing gaze once again and said, “Don’t hide your beautiful eyes from me,


    solnishko. I could stare into your unique eyes all day and all night and never get tired of the view.”


    She struggled to ept my words. I noticed her shyness before at any mention of her beauty. She


    would usually change the subject quickly or use her quick wit to make light of the situation. Viktor and


    Andrei were smitten with her because of her sense of humor. They thought of her like a little sister


    already. I knew they would die trying to protect


    her, if needed.


    “Wait, how did you get here?”


    Subject change, as expected. I smiled at her. She was something worth protecting.