Chapter 459


    458


    Adrik


    Before we could make it across the ballroom to talk to the mayor, I was stopped at least twenty limes


    by different people wanting to speak to me. I could feel Sephie’s delight at me having to be polite and


    courteous to that marry people. They were all people I’d either helped out or done some kind of


    business with. Most of the time, when anyone would approach me in public, it was to thank me for


    something I’d done for them. Tonight was no


    different.


    Surprisingly, Vinny and Anna were among those who stopped us on our way to the mayor.


    “Vinny!” Sephie said when she saw him. She couldn’t hide her excitement to see him. Or his wife. She


    loved both of them. “I was not expecting you two to be here, but I’m so d you are.”


    “Since the hospital has taken such good care of my father, we try to give back whenever possible,”


    Vinny said. “Now that I’m opening a second restaurant, thanks to you sir, we can increase that.”


    I smiled at Vinny. He really was a very good man. “That’s what it’s all about, Vinny. When business


    owners thrive, themunity thrives.”


    “We can’t thank you enough for the second location, sir,” Anna said. “It really has been a dream of ours


    for several years now. You’ve brought that to life.”


    “Just be d that we’re not living in that building. Your profits would be cut considerably by me having


    a sandwich for breakfast, lunch, and dinner,” Sephie said, patting her partially exposed stomach.


    Vinny raised his eyebrow looking at her skeptically, “you could use more sandwiches if you ask me,


    be.” Just to be a brat, she pushed her stomach out like she had a belly, telling Vinny that’s what she


    looked like after eating one of his sandwiches. It made me happy to see her finally rxing while we


    were here. It helped the rest of us rx as well. The guys stayed close, giving us enough room to talk


    to people, but not enough that Sephie couldn’t easily see every single one of them.


    Before we could even finish our conversation with Vinny and Anna, someone else had approached me


    wanting a moment to talk. I was beginning to feel like Vitaliy when he first came back to the city.


    Everyone wanted to talk to me. This is why I don’te to these functions.


    We’d made it halfway to the mayor, but no further as it seemed like every single person at the function


    wanted to speak to me.


    “Boss, it appears that the mayor is also trying to make it to you, but he’s having the same issue. People


    are stopping him to talk to him before he can make it over,” Ivan said quietly.


    “Let hime to you. I don’t know why, but that needs to happen.” Sephie told both me and Ivan.


    “That should be easy. I can’t even finish one conversation before the next person is already waiting. I’m


    going to be here all night,” I said, somewhat frustrated.


    I felt Sephie push her warmth to me; she cut Ivan off from the conversation before saying, “but you look


    so smashingly handsome doing it. I wouldn’t mind watching that for a little longer.”


    I was in the middle of a conversation with someone who was thanking me for helping their family in


    their time of need. I nced over at Sephie, who was standing a step away from me. Her eyes were


    normal, because of her contacts, but her dress matched her eyes when they changed to blue almost


    perfectly, giving her the appearance of radiating love for me.


    “You’re not allowed to wear a dress in any color other than that one ever again,”I told her as I continued


    with my conversation. I could hear herughing in my head as she smiled and pretended to be


    interested in the conversation along with me. She took the step closer to me that meant I could slide


    my arm around her waist, holding her close to my side while we talked to a seemingly endless stream


    of people.


    I caught sight of Battista during one of my many conversations. He approached Ivan, saying something


    quietly to him. Ivan responded, then Battista walked toward Vitaliy. My father’s men were spread out


    more throughout the ballroom than my guys. I’d exined the situation to Vitaliy while we were waiting


    for Sephie toe upstairs from getting help getting ready. He knew how nervous we all were to be


    here tonight, so his guys were basically running backup for us so my guys could concentrate on Sephie


    and only Sephie.


    1/2


    458 Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    “Your mother warned me that this was going to be difficult for all of you, but she didn’t go into details,”


    he’d told me as we discussed it. “Whatever you need from us to make sure dkaya isfortable this


    time will happen That was the end of the discussion as far as Vitally was concerned. It made me happy


    that he was so willing to protect her, just like the rest of us.


    “Boss, Battista figured out what’s happening with you trying to get to the mayor. He’s going to bring him


    over shortly, but he did say he and Vitally were betting on who was going to make the most progress


    between now and then. Apparently it’s somewhat of a race that they’re watching from the sidelines,”


    Ivan told me.


    “Slowest race ever,” Sephie responded. She was still tucked into my side, happy to stay close to me.


    She would catch one of the guy’s eyes and make funny face now and then. She had conversations with


    all of them, probably trying to make themugh as they remained close by. I felt her getting antsy next


    to me at one point and turned to look at her. “I have to pee. I drink water when I’m nervous and I was


    nervous all afternoon,” she told me. She had a guilty look on her face like she’d definitely done


    something wrong that I couldn’t resist. Iughed, leaning down to kiss her quickly.


    “Ivan, she needs an escort to the bathroom. Take Andrel too,” I told him. I looked at her, smiling up at


    me, “try to behave yourself this time.”


    She slid her arm through Ivan’s, ncing back at me as they walked away. “Never!” she said as she


    turned away from me.


    She stopped to briefly talk to Battista and Vitaliy before they continued on to the restroom. I counted


    down the seconds in my head before she returned, I tried to appear like I was listening to the person


    standing in front of me, but I kept ncing in the direction they’d just walked, waiting for


    them to return.


    When I saw her again, my breath caught. She had no idea how beautiful she was. Every head turned


    to watch her as she walked past, Ivan and Andrei were trying to keep her distracted as they walked


    back to me, to help keep her from worrying over everyone watching her. She wasughing with them


    as they walked, her arm through Ivan’s again. She looked absolutely gorgeous as she walked across


    the ballroom and every single person there noticed, except one. Sephie still had no clue how


    mesmerizing she was. I loved that about her.


    Her smile widened as she made it back to me. She reached up and kissed Ivan’s cheek, thanking him


    and Andrei for the escort, then stepped back to me. I couldn’t help myself, I put my hand on her cheek,


    gently pulling her to me and kissed her. Passionately. In front of everyone. I didn’t care. In fact, I


    might’ve liked it. I’d just seen the looks on every single man’s face in this ce, as well as the women.


    I’d never been more proud that she was


    mine.


    “I wasn’t even gone that long. I beat my previous record, evert. But you clearly missed me,” she said as


    I finally got myself under control. She was smiling at me, though. I could feel her warmth, as well. I


    knew her eyes were matching her dress.


    “I clearly love you,” I told her as I greeted the next person who wanted to speak to me.


    King of the Underworld