Chapter 342


    Chapter Three Hundred Forty-Two


    Adrik


    I pulled my phone out of my pocket. I still had my arms around Sephie, with my chin resting on her


    shoulder while I texted him, instead of calling. She craned her neck to look at me, questioning why I


    didn’t call him. “He needs to be alone, where no one can overhear him. He’ll call me from a burner


    phone. He knows what to do when I text him that,” I said. She reached up, cing her palm against my


    cheek, her other arm on top of mine.


    Ever since she’d told me that she was terrified of being apart from me, we’d somehow gotten even


    closer. I’d been addicted to her for months now, but it was to a new level now. And I could tell that she


    couldn’t get enough of me now, too. When she said that she tended to get seriously injured when she


    was apart from me, it hit me like a ton of bricks, She waspletely right. Both times, at the ball and


    when she was taken, I had sent her away in an effort to keep her safe. Both times ended horribly for


    her and almost cost her life. I was trying to keep her safe, thinking she would be safe when she was


    away from me. I felt like I had brought danger into her life and wanted to protect her from it. But it was


    clear to me now that I was the only thing that could protect her. She would continue to get hurt if I kept


    sending her away, regardless of my intention. She belonged at my side. No


    matter what.


    I had to admit that I felt better about keeping her with me now that I knew she loved my demon as


    much as she did me. Part of the reason I sent her away both times was out of worry that she’d see that


    side of me and not be able to handle it. She inevitably saw it both times, just not for the reason I


    expected. Her love for me never wavered. Even from the beginning when I basically kidnapped her to


    try and keep her safe from Anthony. I wanted her close to me even then and I barely knew her. The


    stronger my love for her grew, the more worried I became that I would do something to cause her to


    leave. It was my fear of losing her that caused me to almost lose her. Twice. It was painfully obvious to


    me now that I always needed her by my side. She made it clear every single day that she was perfect


    for that spot.


    It only took Trino a few minutes before he called me back. I put it on speaker, as the guys moved closer


    so they could hear easier. I still had my arms around Sephie as I answered his call. “Trino, you’re not


    going to like this.”


    He sighed heavily. “Just once, Jefe. Just once I want you to make me call you like this and you give me


    good news. Then my life will beplete. What do you have for me? How bad is it?”


    “It’s worse than we thought, Trino,” I said.


    “Trino, can you get out of Colombia on your own? Or do we need toe get you? You can’t trust


    anyone. That’s how bad it is,” Sephie said.


    “Miha, are you serious?”


    “It’s bad, Trino. Martin is actively plotting against you with Sal. We don’t know the exact details of his


    n with Sal, yet. He’s also made a move against me up here, as he has guys operating in the city


    without my permission. We do know they’re not your guys, so that’s your one constion. He’s been


    promised Giana as payment for helping Sal overthrow you. Then there’s the matter of your security


    guys. I wouldn’t trust any of them if I were you. I don’t know if you have other guards you can trust, but I


    think it’s best if you leave immediately until we can get security figured out for you. Is there somewhere


    safe you can get to until we can get to you? Can you get out of Colombia on your own?” I asked.


    We had to wait on Trino to stop cursing before he could respond. He started to speak, then ended up


    cursing again. He finally regainedposure and said tensely, “I have a ce in the country, close to


    Panama. No one knows about it, so they won’t know how to find me there.”


    “You’re sure no one knows about it?” I asked.


    “I bought it for my parents. Everyone thinks they’re dead, but they’ve been quietly living out their days


    up there. No one knows about it. You’re the first person I’ve told. I’ll send you the information. I can get


    there and I’ll be safe. I can make it to Panama, but any farther will be difficult without them finding me,”


    Trino said. I could hear the worry in his voice as the gravity of the situation settled in.


    “I have old friends in Panama. Get to your parents’ ce and they’lle for you. You’ll be safe with


    them. You have my word, Trino.”


    He was silent for a moment, like he didn’t know what to say. “You’re sure about this, Jefe?” he asked.


    He was having trouble believing that everyone had turned against him as well.


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    “I’m sure about this. We have messages between Giana and Martin. He’s nning on getting her away


    from the building so he can grab her. He’s already had his guys take everything from Armando’s house.


    Literally everything. He’s promised Giana that he’ll take her somewhere in South America to keep her


    safe. We thought he was just pu ssy whipped at first, but then we found out he’s talking to Sal and that


    Giana is payment for his help in moving against you. We still don’t know the ns of Sal and Ricardo,


    but they clearly involve you as well. Given that the Mexicans have already made


    one attempt on your life, I think you’re safer out of Colombia. We can get you a security team that will


    remain loyal to you no matter what. They might have to learn Spanish, but that can be arranged.” I


    paused, inhaling deeply. “Trino, you’re the only one that’s remained loyal to me through all of this. I


    know that’s why they’re moving against you now and I apologize for that, but I promise I will end this


    and make everything right once again.”


    “Jefe, no apologies needed. You’re apparently the only one that’s remained loyal to me, so it turns out


    we’re in the same boat,” he said. We heard him cursing again, like he was losing control of his temper


    as he thought about the ramifications of everything I’d just told him.


    “Trino, I know you know, but I need to say this again. You cannot trust anyone you have around you


    right now. Martin is gleefully betraying you for some crazy a ss pus sy and your guys are looking for an


    excuse to turn against you. I know you’re pi ssed right now and I’m pi ssed for you, but I need you to


    control your temper long enough that you get to safety. Once you hang up with us, I need you to get in


    the nearest vehicle and get the f**k out of there. Not a word to anybody. Understand?” Sephje said. Her


    tone was halfway between threatening and pleading. We heard him exhale once more, but he was still


    silent. “Trino, I’ll kick your motherf**king a ss from here to next week if you don’t do what I just said,”


    Sephie said. This time, her tone was dripping with anger. I tensed, instinctively. We all knew that tone,


    Trino did too, apparently. He chuckled. “Okay, okay, Miha. I promise. Dios mio, I don’t think I’ve met


    anyone that has a bigger temper than I do.”


    “You’re go ddamn right. Now stop wasting f**king time,” she said, still angry.


    Trino cursed in Spanish, but agreed with her. He ended the call and promptly sent the location of his


    parents’ ce. I told him to let me know when he made it there or if he got into trouble on the way.


    I looked to Misha. “Is he going to make it out in time?” Sephie walked to Misha, grabbing his hand as


    Misha searched for Trino. Andrei walked to Sephie’s side, taking her other hand in his. We saw Misha’s


    eyes go wide, which meant he was watching Trino. He squeezed Sephie’s hand. They watched for a


    few moments, then the movie ended and they were back to the present moment.


    “And?” Ivan asked, anxiously.


    “Unless he changes his mind at thest minute, he’s going to make it out,” Sephie said, wiping her


    eyes. Even Andrei and Misha looked troubled with what they’d just seen.


    “He’s going to make it just in time to say goodbye to his mother,” Andrei said, having to turn away from


    us to get a handle on his own emotions.


    “Apparently, she’s been si ck and she wouldn’t let his father contact Trino because she didn’t want to


    worry him. She took a turn this morning. His father thought she would pull through like she’d done


    before, but she’s not going to make it. Trino will get there in time to spend thest couple of hours with


    her,” Misha said as tears fell down his face.


    “Everything happens for a reason,” Sephie said quietly, still wiping tears from her cheeks. We all stood


    in shocked silence for a few minutes.


    “What do we do with Giana?” Viktor asked. “Do we know when she’s going to fake an illness? What do


    I tell my guys to do? Leave her here or take her to the hospital?”


    Surprisingly, it was Andrei that answered. “I think I can find out if she knows she’s being used if I talk to


    her. If she’s aware she’s being passed around by Sal and she’s willingly going along with the n,


    that’s one thing. But if she thinks that Martin is saving her when he’s really iming his prize, that’s an


    entirely different situation. It doesn’t make sense that she would throw herself at him when we were on


    the ind. Either she knew he was the next target or she was hoping he could save her and she didn’t


    have a better option.”


    Sephie studied him for a moment. “You want to try talking to her by yourself, Bubba? You’re sure about


    that?” she asked.