Chapter 55


    Chapter Fifty-Four


    Sephie


    We walked back to the front of the apartment to find Adrik listening to Mr. Turner tell stories from his


    time at the hotel. Adrik probably knew most of the people Mr. Turner was talking about. I walked to


    Adrik. He opened his arm for me as I walked up. I stepped next to him, wrapping my arm around his


    waist as we stood listening to Mr. Turner’s story.


    After he finished, Mr. Turner looked at me, smiling. “Miss Sephie, I don’t think you’ll be needing my


    services any longer.”


    Iughed, forgetting that I used to ask Mr. Turner to find me the perfect man while he was at work.


    Adrik looked between me and Mr. Turner, a confused look on his face. “I used to ask Mr. Turner to


    please find me the perfect man while he was at work.”


    Adrik’s face softened, as he kissed my forehead. “Turns out I found him while I was at work,” I said,


    hugging him a little tighter. He looked at me, slightly surprised, but quickly masked it.


    We spent more time talking to both Ms. Jackson and Mr. Turner. It was starting to gette, for them, so


    we took our leave and went back upstairs. In the elevator, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He took it


    out, looking at it.


    “The guys are ordering Chinese. Sound good?”


    “Yes please!”


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    He responded to the text, putting his phone back in his pocket. He looked at me, like he was thinking


    about something. Finally, he said, “the perfect man? Really?” Then he added, “I’m far from perfect,


    solnishko. I don’t want to disappoint you, but I’ve not been a good man for most of my life.” He looked


    down at the floor.


    “You’re perfect for me, Adrik. You’re good to me. You’re good to the people that matter to me. I know


    who you are. I knew when you walked into the restaurant that night, but when I look at you, I see the


    good in you.” He looked at me, pulling me to him. “You say I’ve brought light into your life, and maybe


    that’s true, I don’t know. But you’ve made me less afraid of the dark and what’s found there.”


    His lips crashed into mine. He reached over and stopped the elevator, pulling me tightly against him.


    His kiss was unrelenting, like he was desperate for me. Just when I thought I was going to pass out


    fromck of oxygen, he stopped with his lips still close to mine, his breathing heavy. His eyes were


    closed, like he was trying to gain control of himself. I ced my hands on either side of his face, kissing


    him gently once more.


    Without a word, he reached over and started the elevator again. He pulled me back to him, his thumbs


    tracing circles on my back as he held me close. I rested my head against his chest. We rode the rest of


    the way to his penthouse in silence, him holding me close.


    The next day went by fast, as I had more to do during the day to keep myself busy. I spent time with


    Ms. Jackson, along with Andrei, much to her amusement. I also got to spend time with Adrik in the


    middle of the day when he had a break in his schedule. I could get used to this kind of day.


    When he was done for the day, he asked “would you like to go see your friend Max tonight? Is he


    working? We can go


    to the restaurant.”


    “Really? You would go there with me?”


    “Of course. You haven’t seen him in a week. You should go to see him.”


    “Oh, thank you! He’s going to be so surprised!” I said, hugging his neck.


    We walked into the restaurant, with Viktor and Andrei in front, Adrik and I in the middle, and Ivan,


    Misha, and Stephen bringing up the rear. Max looked up from the bar when Viktor and Andrei stepped


    inside the door, vaguely recognizing them, but not seeing me behind them yet. When Adrik and I


    stepped forward, Max saw me and literally jumped over the bar to run to me.


    Out of habit, all five bodyguards stepped closer, essentially boxing us in, using their bodies as shields. I


    laughed and tapped Viktor on the shoulder. “It’s Max. He won’t hurt me.”


    “Sorry, sestrichka. Habit,” he said, stepping aside.


    I stretched up and kissed his cheek. “No need to be sorry. Thank you for being so da mn good at your


    job,” said as I stepped around him to get to Max. He hugged me tight, eximing, “I missed you SO


    much!”


    Once he released me, Adrik caught my arm, whispering in my ear. “We’ll be right over here. Go, catch


    up.” They all turned to sit at a table close to the door, where they could clearly see the bar and the front


    door.


    I walked with Max back to the bar, so he could get back to work. I got plenty of looks from his fan club


    as we came back. They had all witnessed Max jumping over the bar to get to me. He pulled me behind


    the bar, so he could talk to me as he kept working.


    “Where have you been, gingersnap?”


    “Um, somewhere safe. I’m not far from here now, though, so we can hang out again.”


    He turned his back to the customers at the bar, so they wouldn’t hear him. “Are you okay? Like for real?


    They didn’t kidnap you or anything?”


    Iughed. “I mean, it depends on your definition of kidnap, I guess. I’m fine, Maximus. More than fine.


    I’m great.”


    He looked at me, skeptically at first, but he could see the happiness on my face, so he rxed. “Okay,


    well give me the safe word at any point if you need to.”


    “Max, I don’t think I’ll be saying ‘Saskatchewan’ anytime soon.”


    “You just said it! You’re in trouble, I knew it!!”


    Iughed, pushing him away from me. As he went back to making drinks, I stepped beside him, leaning


    into his shoulder. “I missed you, Max.”


    “It’s because of my face, isn’t it?” He mmed an ice cube into a ss. “Da mmit, these devastatingly


    good looks are a


    curse!”