Chapter 315


    Chapter Three Hundred Fifteen


    Sephe


    I did manage to make it through the entire meeting with Henry, even though itsted well past two


    hours. However, it did mean that I slept for a full 24 hours after it was over. I was only awake long


    enough to take my antibiotic and then I’d pass out once more.


    Because of my brilliant idea during the meeting with Henry, the guys were now working around the


    clock to find information linking the current mayer to any of the other bosses or Ricardo, Ivan was going


    through the information given to us from the journalist again to see if he could find any connection


    between Ricardo and the mavo


    Henry had agreed to give us a little time to see what we could find before taking the information to the


    mayor. He was considering a run for mayor; it depended on the information we could find. Henry was a


    mostly good person, but his title took priority over almost everything else. While it’s a valid argument


    that he could do more as policemissioner than he would be able to as a regr citizen, he was still


    willing to sit on information that would put away a very evil person just to ensure he kept his position for


    four more years. At some point, remaining in the grey area wille back to haunt you. We, however,


    knew that even if he sat on the information we provided, Ricardo would still get everything he deserved.


    Just not pu blicly.


    The guys really did work out a shift schedule for babysitting me while I slept off having to be awake for


    more than 20 minutes. They tried to leave me alone, but I started mumbling and shaking after a few


    minutes, so that option was out the window.


    “It wasn’t so bad, spider monkey. It was nice to have a guaranteed nap every few hours,” Andrei said


    after I finally woke up and they were filling me in on everything I’d missed.


    “How did Stephen’s undead body temperature not wake me up?” I asked,pletely surprised.


    It almost did the first time. I used an electric nket the second time. It fooled you,” he said, grinning at


    me.


    “This is the kind of important knowledge that one collects from centuries on this,” I said.


    “You at least look slightly better, princess,” Ivan said.


    “I do feel better. I think the antibiotic is working. I don’t feel like death. I still can’t breathe as well as I’d


    like to, but it’s not as bad either,” I said.


    “What about your appetite


    Misha asked..


    I thought for a minute. I didn’t ha te the idea of food, but it wasn’t exciting either. “Still undecided, but I


    don’t ha te the idea anymore.”


    “Baby steps,” Misha said, grinning at me.


    “Your ribs and shoulder aren’t as painful, at least. We moved you several times and you never woke


    up,” Viktor said. “That’s progress.”


    “You did?”


    Adrik smiled at “I moved you to the bed at night, then back out here during the day. We had to move


    you slightly each time the guys would switch. You slept through it all.”


    “Did you give me any superprofen when you gave me the antibiotic?”


    They all shook their heads no. “We never actually thought about that,” Viktor said.


    Iughed. “I’m notining. I’m just surprised I didn’t feel that. Apparently, I was dead to the world.”


    Misha walked over to me, with another carton of yogurt. “It’s not time yet for your antibiotic, but you


    haven’t eaten anything in almost two days. You need to eat something, gazelle. Whether you want to or


    not.”


    “You’re not the boss of me,” i said as I took the spoon from him and took a bite, trying not tough.


    “What did you guys find on the mayor while I


    was out?”


    ivan sighed. “We’ve found a few connections to some of Ricardo’s business associates, but nothing


    that tie them directly. We also can’t find anything from any of the other bosses yet.”


    “Let’s ask the journalist,” I said, in between bites, still under the very watchful eye of Misha. I couldn’t


    tell if he was watching me to make sure I ate or watching to see when I’d give him the rest.


    We recruited Chen once more to have a conversation with the journalist. This time about the mayor


    and whether he knew anything about any ties to Ricardo or any of the other bosses. Chen was


    noticeably more rxed this time when I called to ask him if he would be willing to meet with the


    journalist.


    “Yeah, I’ll totally do that. It might be concerning how much I enjoyed lying to that dude’s face,” he said,


    laughing.


    “We just unlocked a new life goal for you, didn’t we?” I asked, trying to hold in myughter so it


    wouldn’t make me cough.


    We set up a meeting at the same café for the following afternoon. Adrik was once again concerned it


    would be too much for me. “I only just got you back from thest meeting. Now you’re going to sleep for


    an entire day again,” he said that night when we were alone. I felt his mood shift when he said it. He


    was legitimately sad at the thought of me sleeping for an entire day again if I went to the meeting.


    “I can feel your sadness,” I said, almost surprised by it.


    “I’ve missed you,” he said, without hesitation. I hadn’t thought about how difficult this had been on him.


    Not only was he still working through me and Ivan being taken, but he also had to deal with me not


    being able to do much on my own sinceing home and having the extra worry of trying to take care


    of me when he knew exactly how much pain I was in all the time.


    I thought for a moment as he helped me undress so I could put his shirt on for the night. “What if we


    sent Keith and Chris instead? I was only needed for the Italian possibility, but he knows Chen doesn’t


    speak Italian, so it won’t be an issue this time. Viktor and Ivan can feed him all the information about


    the mayor to tell the journalist.”


    Adrik stood in front of me, his s*xy smirk on his face as he buttoned up his shirt. “You’re not going to


    argue about going?” he asked as he leaned down to press his lips gently to mine.


    “I mean, I can if you want me to. But I know how difficult this has all been for you. There’s a very good


    possibility that going along would make me sleep for another day, or longer. Doesn’t seem worth it,


    really,” I said, pulling his arm around my waist with my one functioning arm. “And to be honest, I’m very


    tired of doing nothing but sleeping.”


    “We’ll ask Misha what he thinks about it tomorrow,” he said as he gently pushed me back toward the


    bed.


    “I think you should ask Andrei, too,” I said as he helped me into bed. He raised his eyebrow at me,


    wanting more of an exnation. “It was Andrei that stopped Max from dying. Misha wasn’t kidding


    when he said he never would’ve thought to look for Tori or Max if Andrei hadn’t brought it up. I wouldn’t


    have either. I hadn’t thought about Max in weeks.” I paused to take a few breaths, as talking too much


    was causing me to cough moretely. “The acupuncturist told me he was like me, too. I want to see


    what he can do.”


    “Andrei’s like you? How? Like his observation skills?”


    “Those are the beginning. She said he’ll soon figure out that he knows things before they happen. Like


    my ability to pret Trino’s methods for revenge. Andrei should be able to do that too. Or something


    simr.”


    “He has been much more observanttely. He’s been right every single time, too.”


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    “I told him that. He’s still insecure about it. He doesn’t trust himselfpletely yet,” I said. I was lying


    on my good side, like normal, with Adrik behind me, his arms around me as tightly as possible. It took


    exactly two more minutes and I was sound asleep again.


    “Is Andrei getting breakfast this morning?” Adrik asked as we walked into the kitchen the next morning.


    Ivan nodded his head, as he pulled me to him to hug me good morning.


    “Good morning, princess,” he said, kissing the top of my head.


    “Squish,” I said, hiding my face in his chest. “Why do I not want to wake up when all I’ve done is sleep


    for thest week?”


    Hisughter made his chest vibrate, which made my nose itch. “You need it, princess. You’ve had a lot


    to deal withtely. It also doesn’t help that you won’t eat very much. Your body is tired from trying to


    heal and you won’t give it any fuel,” he said, his giant arms holding me gently.


    “But food makes me nauseous, I want to eat. Believe me, I do. But every time I do I feel like I’m going


    to pu ke afterward. Sometimes the nausea happens when I think about eating.” I said. “It’s not fair.”


    Andrei walked back in with breakfast. “What’s not fair?” he asked.


    “That I can’t eat right now because it all makes me nauseous,” I said, grumpily,


    “What about drinking? Does that make you nauseous?” Andrei asked.


    “Not that I’ve noticed.”


    Andrei looked to Viktor. “We should stop and get her bone broth while we’re out today. Or we can make


    her some. My grandmother used to make it. She showed me how. It’ll be easy for her to drink, but it


    should help theck of food for thest week or so and might kickstart her appetite again.”


    Adrik caught my eye, a small smile on his face. “Andrei, what are your thoughts about Sephie and I


    staying here today? I’m worried it will be too much for her if she goes and she’ll end up sleeping for an


    entire day again.”


    “You should ask Misha that question,” Andrei said.


    “But I’m asking you,” Adrik said, somewhat firmly so Andrei would know not to brush him off a second


    time. I was watching Andrei, but I caught Misha’s eye. He knew what we were up to, giving me a quick


    wink. Andrei was almost flustered at trying to figure out how to answer the question.


    “Don’t overthink it, Andrei, or you’re going to get in your own way. What does your gut tell you?” Misha


    said. I walked quietly over to Andrei and grabbed his hand. It worked for Misha, maybe it will work for


    Bubba.


    He took a deep breath when I grabbed his hand and thought for a minute. He looked at Adrik and said,


    “she should stay here. Her lung is slowly getting better, but she still feels like total shi t, despite what


    she’s telling us.”


    Adrik raised his eyebrow, looking straight at me. His wide smile slowly crept across his face as he knew


    I was likely regretting telling him to ask Andrei’s thoughts on whether I should go or stay. I wasn’t


    expecting Andrei topletely out me like that. I justughed. There wasn’t much else I could do. He


    was right. Everyone knew he was right.


    Adrik walked to me, pulling me gently to him. He was still trying not tough, but he was clearly


    amused at what had just happened. “Looks like you’re staying here with me, solnishko,” he said, as he


    kissed my temple. “Maybe more often than you’d like.” He finallyughed as I poked him in his


    ribs.