Chapter 146


    Chapter One Hundred Forty-Six


    Adrik


    We stayed in the extra room for a few hours. While she was mostly better, I knew she was still


    overwhelmed with everything she’s had to deal with. To be honest, I was enjoying the extra time with


    her all to myself. I loved that the guys loved her and she loved them. I loved that I didn’t have to worry


    as much when I was away from her because I knew they would protect her. But I also loved these


    moments when it was just the two of us together.


    We hadid down on the bed, with her across my chest in her favorite spot. As we were talking, my


    stomach interrupted the conversation, growling loudly. Sheughed. “At least it wasn’t mine for once.”


    She sat up, pulling me up with her. “We should get you some food.” She paused for a moment. “Do you


    think the guys are all in their rooms now?”


    “Probably. Why?” I asked.


    “Not in the most social mood,” she said dismissively.


    As we got to the bottom of the stairs, I stopped her. “Wait here. I’ll see who’s around,” I said, kissing her


    cheek. I went to the kitchen, checking to see if they were still there or if they had all gone elsewhere for


    the evening. Ivan was in the kitchen, but he was alone. He looked at me, somewhat nervously, since I


    was alone.


    “It’s okay now. She just doesn’t want to talk to everybody right now. She’s waiting on the stairs for me


    to check to see who’s around.”


    He chuckled. “I can give you guys privacy. I just wanted to make sure all was good.”


    “No, stay. I think she’ll want to see you,” I said, walking back to the stairs to get her. I grabbed her


    hand. “Ivan is the only one in the kitchen.”


    She sighed, relieved. “He’s the only one I wanted to see right now.”


    I chuckled. “I literally just said that to him.”


    He stood up as we walked into the kitchen. He looked almost worried. She walked to him, wrapping her


    arms around him. He was clearly relieved. “Thank you,” she said to him. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    “You’re not mad I told him?” he asked. That’s why he was worried.


    She shook her head no. “I don’t think I could’ve told him. I’m d you did it for me.” She pulled him


    closer, resting her head on. his chest. She always looked so tiny next to him, but even more so when


    she was upset. It made her look fragile, even though I wasn’t sure fragile was in her vocabry. Ivan


    kissed the top of her head, a small smile on his face.


    “I was right, wasn’t 17” he asked her, not letting her go.


    She groaned quietly. “Yes, Ivan. You were right.” She poked him in the ribs, making himugh.


    She walked back to me, tucking herself into my side as I held her close to me. Ivan went to the


    refrigerator and pulled out two tes of food. “I had to fight them for these, but I saved you some


    dinner. This is all that’s left. Viktor’s backup meal was not needed. Sephie looked surprised that they


    had eaten everything else.


    Seriously? I made enough for like 10 people. That’s impressive.”


    We bothughed at her. “I don’t know why this is surprising for you. You know how we like to eat,” I


    said. I grabbed both tes


    to warm them.


    She shook her head, chuckling to herself. “You’re right. I should’ve known. Maybe I’m more surprised


    that they liked it enough


    to eat all of it.”


    “We all agreed that it was better than anything Tori ever made,” Ivan said.


    “Shu t up.”


    “It’s true. Viktor said he’s going to drag his feet on finding a new chef just so you’ll cook more.”


    I walked back to her, waiting on the food to warm up still. “I don’t know if that’s fair. Sephie can cook


    when she wants to. Not because she has to.” I kissed her temple, pulling her close to me again.


    She shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t mind. I like to cook.”


    “We like when you cook,” Ivan said, smiling at her.


    We talked a little more as she and I ate. The guys were right. It was definitely better than anything Tori


    had ever made us. Maybe I was okay with Viktor dragging his feet a little bit….


    Sephie looked at Ivan, a serious look on her face. “You haven’t slept yet, have you?”


    He looked down, but shook his head no. She clicked her tongue, walking to him. She slid her arm


    across his shoulders, resting her chin on his good shoulder. He was so tall that she barely needed to


    bend over, even when he was sitting at the counter. “Your body needs rest, Squishy. You’re still trying


    to catch up from losing so much blood and you’re just going to make it harder on yourself if you don’t


    sleep. Your body can’t do both at the same time. It can’t recover and try to keep you going for days on


    end. You’re going to crash.”


    He sighed. She was right, but I could clearly see the worry on his face when he thought about sleep.


    She leaned over and whispered something in his ear that I couldn’t hear. He smiled, but once again


    shook his head no. She thought for a moment, her chin still resting on his shoulder. She stood up


    suddenly. “I have an idea. Be right back.” She walked toward the guys” rooms. We heard her knock on


    a door, but couldn’t tell whose door she knocked on. We could hear hushed voices, but that was, it.


    She returned with a phone in her hand. She grabbed Ivan’s good arm and pulled him toward his room.


    I shook my head, as I cleaned up the rest of the kitchen while I waited for her to return. While she was


    gone, I looked through the cabs, hoping to find the same kind of tea she had made herself at the


    penthouse. I didn’t think triple strength was necessary this time, but I figured it might help. As luck


    would have it, I found a box of the very same tea.


    I had just put the tea bag in the hot water when she returned to the kitchen, without Ivan. I looked at


    her, my eyebrow raised, hoping she would let me in on her n. As she got to me, I handed her the


    tea. “Drink this.”


    She took it from me, but stopped to Inspect it first. “It’s not triple strength, is it?”


    Iughed. “Single strength only. But I think you could use a little extra help tonight.” She sipped It,


    smiling at me over the mug. Are you going to tell me what you just did to Ivan?”


    “Ivan got stuck in his darkness much the same way 1 did on the ne, I think. Anytime I was quiet for


    too long, he would start fighting again. I remembered that Misha had recorded me ying at the no


    gallery, so I asked if I could borrow his phone so Ivan could listert to that while he slept. That way he’d


    know that I was always there. I turned it on and stayed with him for a few minutes. He’s so exhausted


    that he was asleep in like two minutes.


    I walked to her, brushing a curl from her face. “That’s a brilliant n, solnishko. I was beginning to


    worry I would have to spend another night away from you, just so Ivan could sleep.”


    She cut her eyes at me as she took another sip of tea. “I’m hoping this will satisfy all parties involved.