Chapter 324


    Chapter Three Hundred Twenty-Four


    Sephle


    Adrik, Ivan, Viktor, and Stephen paid another visit to Armando that evening. I’d needed a short nap


    after the morning’s festivities, but I was managing to stay awake for much longer. And my appetite was


    coming back slowly. I could snack periodically throughout the day without too much trouble, which was


    giving me more energy finally.


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    Misha and Andrei were both happy to stay with me in the penthouse while the others went downstairs


    to torture Armando.


    “How do I get more details, spider monkey?” Andrei ‘asked while they were heating up yet more broth


    for me.


    I thought for a minute. “I’m honestly not sure how to answer that, Bubba. I haven’t always had all the


    details I get nowe so easily. The more I practice, the more details I get. I think time is the answer.


    The more you use it, the clearer everything will be. Same as Misha. The more he uses his gift, the


    clearer it gets. I think there wille a time when he won’t need anyone else as a battery, too. I think


    he’ll be able to do it on his own just as well as he can with us,” I said.


    “Really? You think so?” Misha asked. He was clearly surprised at the thought of not needing anyone to


    see his visions.


    “I do. It doesn’t make sense that you would always need me or Andrei to make it work. You didn’t need


    me in the beginning. I just made it different. Once you master it, you should be able to do it on your


    own. Which I think you’re getting closer to, if you could tell the difference between me and Bubba this


    morning.” I said.


    “Yeah, that reminds me, how did you know the difference?” Andrei asked. “And how did you know I was


    holding back? I didn’t even know I was holding back.”


    “With Sephie, it feels like she’s showing me how to do it, even though she has no idea how it works.


    There’s still this calm direction from her when she helps me, but I can tell that she’s jumped in with both


    feet. With you, Andrei, you really have no idea what’s going on still, you’re just along for the ride. But


    you’re hoping you don’t d ie in the process,” Misha said,ughing.


    “That sounds urate,” Andrei said. He wasughing as well, not really knowing what else to say.


    “This is all a little weird, if we’re being honest. It’s a lot to take in,” I said.


    “Was it hard for you, spider monkey? You didn’t have anybody when you discovered you could do this,


    did you?” Andrei asked.


    “It wasn’t hard. I did think there was something wrong with me, not gonna lie. But I’ve shown it more to


    you guys than I ever did to anyone else. Even my m om. Little bits here and there with her before she


    died, but I mostly kept to myself. It was only just starting when she was still alive. It’s gotten much


    stronger as I get older. Then I met you guys and I feel like I skipped ahead like ten levels. I’ve been


    more open with it this year than I ever have before. You can ask Adrik, too, I was petrified he would


    think I was crazy at first,” I said.


    Mishaughed. “We saw it. When you would tell him things about the bosses, you were timid about it.


    But you were always right.”


    “Apparently, it was all meant to happen the way it did. You guys seeing it in me helped you see it in


    yourselves. There’s something special about Viktor and Stephen too, but they’re still scared by it,” I


    said.


    “Should we make bets on what it is with those two?” Andrei asked.


    “Um, yeah. Of course we should,” I said,ughing.


    “Before Andrei found out he was like you, I would’ve said Stephen’s superpower was his sense of


    humor that nobody knew existed until you came along, gazelle,” Misha said.


    “Right? How funny is that dude? And how the he ll does he keep a straight face literally every single


    time?” I asked. “And Viktor is still the father figure of the group. He just goes about his day silently


    making sure we’re all taken care of and have everything we need. He’s kind of the best, really.”


    We were being si lly in the kitchen while I had yet another snack when Adrik and the rest of the guys


    got back from downstairs. Adrik immediately


    walked to me, leaning down to kiss me. “I’m happy you’re still awake, solnishko,” he said, his


    handsome smile stretching across his face.


    “How was Armando? Have you offered to let him jump off the roof again? Is he ready to take you up on


    the offer this time?” I asked. I grabbed Adrik’s hand with my one free hand, inspecting his knuckles. He


    laughed softly and kissed my temple. “I’m so relieved you’re finally feeling better,” he said.


    “He’s definitely regretting not listening to you, Seph. I think he’s cried himself to sleep more often than


    nottely,” Stephen said. While his expression didn’t give away much, there was a definite air of


    satisfaction present.


    “Why do I feel like you’re the reason for his tears?” I asked Stephen.


    He cleared his throat. “I do the reading, Seph. Not the other way around,” he said, trying to look at me


    sternly. I couldn’t help butugh at him.


    “You’re just worried I’m going to learn your secret for your in sane mastery of your facial expressions,” I


    said. His smile stretched across his face. “It’s one of my best tricks,” he said, grinning at me. “I could


    not agree more,” I said.


    “Did you learn anything useful or did you just take your frustrations out on him tonight?” Misha asked.


    “He confirmed the link between Ricardo and the Mexicans. He also said it was Lorenzo’s idea to go to


    them,” Viktor sald.


    “He was nning on using them instead of any of the bosses’ men. He knew there would be mass


    casualties so he was going to sacrifice the Mexicans first. He promised to help them overthrow Trino,


    but even Armando doubted that would’ve actually happened. Lorenzo knew there likely wouldn’t have


    been enough of them left,” Adrik said.


    “Not surprising. However, it means the Mexicans are not going to stoping for Trino until Sal and


    Ricardo are stopped and maybe not even then. We might not be able to wait on Henry to figure his life


    the f**k out,” I said, finishing up mytest snack. When I looked up, they were all looking at me,


    completely amused. “What?” I asked.


    “Extra spicy Sephie might be my favorite version,” Misha said,ughing.


    It took four more days before Trino got any more information about Martin. He finally called Adrik in the


    afternoon, once he’d heard the fate of Martin. Misha, Andrei, and I all felt fairly certain that he would


    make it out, but we also never checked on him again. We were all relieved to hear for sure that he’d


    made it out and was safely back in Colombia.


    Trino stopped by the building that evening. Gus, Oscar, and one of his normal security guys were with


    him, but the rest of his men chose to stay in the lobby. “Was that your choice or theirs?” Ivan asked


    when Trino walked into the office, mostly unapanied.


    “It was definitely theirs,” Oscar said, trying not tough. “They’re some of the baddest motherf**kers in


    Colombia, but they’re scared of a girl.”


    “For good reason,” Trino’s security guy said quietly. It was the first time I’d ever heard him speak.


    “And yet, here you are,” I said. My tone wasn’t threatening. Yet. But I was serious enough that he got


    tense when I addressed him. “Did the rest of them put you up toing up here or are you just so


    curious that you can’t help yourself?” He looked at me, somewhat surprised. He wasn’t sure what to


    say. Trino stayed quiet as well. “I saved the life of your boss’s right-hand man. I’ve saved your life


    before as well, you just don’t know it. A little gratitude would serve you well if you’d like to keep the


    baddest motherf**ker title,” I said, walking to the couch to sit beside Andrei. He held his


    tosit arm out, helping me sit, then wrapped it around my shoulders so I could curl up next to him.


    He leaned down and said, “extra spicy Sephie is my favorite version too.”


    Gus looked at Trino, then looked at me. “I see now why he likes you so much,” he said.


    Adrik cleared his throat, clearly done with where the conversation was headed. “Where is Martin now?”


    he asked.


    “He’s back in Colombia, under heavily armed guards, just in case. He said he almost didn’t make it out.


    Instead of just leaving like I told him to, he tried to have a conversation with them. They caught on that


    he knew something was off and tried to keep him from leaving. He barely managed to get out, but he’s


    safe now.” Trino looked at me, a look of sincerity on his face. “Miha, he would’ve been killed if not for


    you. I suspected he would go to Mexico, but I never actually thought he was du mb enough to do it. I


    thought he was smarter than that. You saved his life.”


    “It was a group effort,” I said, catching Misha’s eye. I felt Andrei squeeze my shoulders a little tighter.


    “I’d happily do it again. Just keep your weak a ss


    security guys that clearly can’t handle the fact that I’m different away from me.


    Mishanughed, asking in Russian, “can extra spicy gazelle stay forever? She’s definitely my favorite.”