Chapter 244


    Two Hundred Forty-Four


    Adrik


    I couldn’t keep my eyes off Sephie even on the elevator down to my office. This is going to be the


    longest meeting ever.


    “Am I expected to remember everyone’s names? Because that’s not a thing I do,” she asked, chewing


    on her lip.


    Iughed. “No, love. You have me. That’s a thing I do. You don’t need to.”


    She cut her eyes up at me, a mischievous look in her eye. “I knew I kept you around for a reason,” she


    said as the doors opened. She walked off the elevator like she owned the ce. I’ve never been more


    turned on in my life.


    Armando was already in my office when we walked in. He had a habit of being extra early torge


    meetings to make surest- minute details were taken care of. I appreciated it about him, as it meant


    fewer details for me to have to worry about. He looked up from the papers in his hand as Sephie


    walked in. “Sephie, my dear. You look beautiful as always, cara mia,” he said, opening his arms for her.


    She walked to him. “Mando. It’s so good to see you,” she said as she hugged him.


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    “It’s been too long. I’ve missed you, but I’m very happy you decided toe today,” he said, kissing


    both her cheeks. Sephie right. Giana had kept herself away from us so far. Armando had taken her to


    his house over the weekend again, so it had been a few days since I’d seen him, even. Things seemed


    calm, for the moment, so I wasn’tining.


    She stepped back, looking between both Armando and me. “What are the specifics of this meeting


    again?” she asked. She already knew the answer to that question. She was giving Armando a reason


    to talk to her. I turned so he couldn’t see me and winked at her as Armando began filling in details


    about the meeting.


    Armando was still talking 20 minutester when Viktor stuck his head in the office. “Everyone is in the


    conference room,” he said. He gave Sephie a high-five as she walked by. “You look like you’re about to


    run this meeting, sestrichka,” he said in Russian as we walked to the conference room.


    “I am the go ddamn princess,” she said, her gorgeous smile across her face as she walked into the


    conference room. I saw her hesitate once she nced around the room. She turned to me, saying in


    Russian, “second man from the end on the other side of the table owns the restaurant I used to work


    at,” she said. I could feel she was still calm. I think it surprised her to see him here more than anything.


    I still stopped her before we walked any further. “Is that a problem? I can get rid of him if it is,” I said.


    She smiled shyly at me. “He’s fine. He’s a nice guy. I just didn’t expect him to be here,” she said. “But


    thank you for always being willing to destroy anything that might be a threat to me.”


    I kissed her temple as we continued to the table. “Always, my love.” I kept my eye on the man she had


    pointed out. He was clearly surprised to see Sephie walk into the meeting. Even more surprised that


    she sat down next to me. I pulled her chair next to mine, stretching my arm across herp. I nodded to


    Armando, who started the meeting.


    We were pitching the idea of the building to several restaurant owners, hoping they would sign a


    contract signifying they would lease space once the building was finished. There was space for at least


    five restaurants, with the potential for splitting the space up into smaller restaurants il necessary. The


    location was in a great part of town, so it should’ve been an easy sell. A few of the restaurant owners


    were hesitant, however. The owner of the restaurant where Sephle used to work was one that was


    hesitant.


    “What kind of guarantees do you have that the building will be full? And what kind of taxes are we


    going to be hit with if we


    lease space in this building?” he asked. The tax question was more about which boss that part of the


    city belonged to. The building was in Armando’s ared of the city, thankfully, so we didn’t need to go into


    details about how that wouldn’t matter very soon. Two of the other restaurant owners nodded in


    agreement to his question. I wasn’t sure what areas of the city they were from, but I imagined they


    were being charged extra taxes right now.


    “We already have 30% of the office space leased, as well as 50% of the apartments sold or leased. We


    haven’t even broke ground on the project yet. The building will be full by the time it’s finished. As for


    taxes, I don’t charge unfair taxes in my area of the city,” Armando said.


    Sephie stood up, going to a map showing the location of the building. “Gentlemen, I don’t know the


    location of all of your restaurants, but I do know where yours is, Kevin. You’ve got at least 15 other


    restaurants within a 5-block radius of your restaurant. Those are just the ones I could remember off the


    top of my head. I’m guessing it’s a simr situation for the rest of you, give or take.” She pointed to the


    map. “This building will be here.” She ran her finger over an entire block of buildings on the map.


    “These buildings? Apartments. There’s one bodega, but no restaurants.” She moved to the next block.


    “These buildings? Office space. Two more bodegas and one coffee shop. No restaurants.” She


    continued for three more blocks around the location of the new building. “So that makes 5 restaurants


    total in this 5-block radius, not counting the restaurant space this building will provide. I’m not the best


    at numbers, but even I know those are pretty fu cking good odds. You’d be id iots not to jump at this


    chance, but by all means, keep hesitating if you ha te making an easy profit.”


    I heard Viktor clear his throat at the door. I knew he was trying not tough. I had casually rested my


    chin in my hand to hide my smile when she got up because I knew whatever she was about to do was


    going to be great. I nced at everyone’s faces as she walked back to sit down. My business


    associates were all trying not tough as well. The restaurant owners who were on board originally


    were also trying not tough. The ones who were hesitant all had the look of being fo olish across their


    faces. Armando caught Sephie’s eye as she sat down, winking at her.


    The meeting continued. All restaurant owners were on board by the end of the meeting, all signing


    contracts to lease space in the building once the building was finished. As the meeting concluded and


    everything was being finalized with thewyers in attendance, several of my business associates,


    including Neal, came up to me and Sephie. “Can she pleasee to every meeting?” Neal asked,


    finally able tough. The others agreed with him, making her blush. They keptughing amongst


    themselves as they talked with each other and the restaurant owners. The owner of the restaurant she


    used to work at, Kevin, walked up to her as well.


    “Sephie, it’s good to see you again,” he said, extending his hand to her.


    “Hi Kevin. How are things at the restaurant?” she asked. I knew she was likely curious about Max.


    “They’re good. We had a rough patch after you left, but we’re recovering now. Staffing issues,” he said,


    dismissively.


    “Chef issues, you mean?” she asked.


    Heughed. “Of course you’d know. Yes, chef issues. It’s been taken care of now and business is


    picking back up. Numbers at the bar are almost back to normal now,” he said.


    “Good. That makes me happy to hear. I hope no one died while you resolved the chef issues,” she


    said.


    “Oh, you know know. It was very dicey, not gonna lie,” he said, chuckling. “I’m d to see you doing so


    well, Sephie. I was very sorry to see you leave the restaurant, but clearly you were meant for bigger


    and better things. Mostly convincing stubborn restaurant owners to take advantage of great offers in


    front of them.”


    “Oh that? That’s just a normal Monday, Kevin,” she said sarcastically. One of thewyers interrupted


    their conversation, pulling Kevin back for more signatures and paperwork, leaving Sephie and I alone.


    I stepped closer to her. “I’m d you decided toe, my love.”


    “You’re just saying that because you can’t stop looking at my as s in this skirt,” she said as she turned


    away from me. “Seriously. Look at it. It looks amazing.” she said. I stepped closer to her, my lips close


    to her ear. “Careful, love. I’m not above bending your over the desk in my office before everyone has a


    chance to leave.” I heard her breath hitch. “Shi t. That backfired.” She turned to face me, her eyes


    showing a mix of lust and worry. “You’re so much better at this than I am,” she said. She nced


    around the room, then quickly pressed her lips to mine.


    Iughed quietly, brushing my cheek against her neck. I knew that feeling my facial hair on her neck


    turned her on, but this. time I felt her response. I groaned under my breath, causing her to look at me,


    somewhat surprised. She searched my eyes for a just a moment, then let out a small gasp. “You felt


    that too?” I nodded. “We are in so much trouble,” she said, giggling.