King of the Underworld by RJ Kane

Chapter Two Hundred Twenty-One

Misha

“Can we take the long route today?” I asked Sephie as we were stretching for our run the following

morning.

She looked at me, a serious look on her face. “Misha, is something wrong? You’re volunteering to

torture yourself now? Is there something I need to know?”

I chuckled, then shrugged my shoulders. “It’s been a while since we’ve been able to go for a run. I

didn’t realize how much I’ve grown to enjoy it.”

She slid her arm around my waist. I was so much taller than she was that her head fit right in my

armpit. I would usually try to get her to sniff my armpit whenever I could to annoy her, but this time |

surprised her by wrapping my arms around her and picking her up. It always made her laugh and I

really needed to hear her laugh right now,

When I set her down, she was still laughing. “We can go for as long of a run as you like, my adorable

Russian guardian. But we should maybe tell someone that you’re going to need two lunches instead of

one.”

“Maybe three,” I said, contemplating how far it was around the entire lake.

We didn’t usually talk when we ran until the end when we were walking back to the house to catch our

breath. It was actually one of the things I liked about running with Sephie. By myself, I would always

listen to music because I didn’t like the quiet. But with her, it was completely different. We were quiet,

but it wasn’t the same quiet. It wasn’t a lonely quiet. I found myself thinking through lots of things when

I would run with her where I couldn’t when I ran by myself. It didn’t make sense, really, but I felt like she

was a calming force anytime she was around.

I managed to keep up with her the entire time, which was a huge confidence boost for me. I had

struggled to make it the entire way the last time we took the long route, but this time felt easier. Maybe

it was because I was missing it more.

As we neared our stopping point for the walk back to the house, Sephie looked at me, grinning. Her

smile was infectious.

“Misha, I’m so happy that you suggested we come to the house. And I’m even happier you wanted to

take the long route this morning. I didn’t realize how much I needed this,” she said as she turned

toward me with her arms open for a hug. Seeing the smile on her face made me so happy. I bent down

and picked her up into a bear hug, making her laugh again.

“It makes me happy to see you happy, gazelle. This week has been rough for you. I’m really glad I

could give you at least a little bright spot,” I said, spinning her around. I loved hearing her laugh.

As I set her down, she said, “it’s been a rough week for everyone, not just me. I clearly saw the pain on

your face after I fell asleep in the office and started talking in my sleep. Misha, I never meant to put that

on you, or any of the other guys.” Her smile faded and she looked at me seriously as we walked back

to the house.

I was trying to find the right words to say to her, I knew she didn’t like to open up. I understood. Her

story was not a happy one. “Sephie…” I started to speak, but she cut her eyes over to me.

“Uh oh, it’s serious. You used my name Instead of culling me gazelle,” she said smiling.

I cleared my throat, looking at her as seriously as I could manage, which arguably wasn’t that serious,

“Sephie,” I said, trying not to smile. I put my hand on her shoulder to stop her. I wanted to get this out

before we got back to the house. I wanted to capitalize on my alone time with her. She looked at me,

surprised, but she stopped and turned to face me. I continued, “Sephie, I look up to you. Maybe more

than I’ve ever looked up to anyone in my life. You might be younger than me, but you’re leaps

you keep us all laughing, you catch on to things so quickly, and you bring the brightest light into my life.

Now that I know what you’ve been through and that you’re still, well, you? It makes me want to work

harder to be worthy of your friendship. To be even half the person you are. I look at you and Boss and

I’ve never seen anything like what you two have, but I know I want my owry version of it. You do so

much for all of us. I just want to be able to give back and be able to be the same for you that you

are for me”

I could see the tears welling up in her eyes as I talked. I felt my own tears threatening to fall, but I

needed to say this. I needed her to know how much she meant to not just me, but to all of us.

Guaranteed, every single one of the guys had thought about having this conversation with her, if they

hadn’t had it already. Now that I’d started to tell her what I’d been thinking about, I wasn’t sure I could

stop it. “It’s hard for us to hear about what happened to you in your past, not because we can’t handle

it, per se. Although I must admit that I’ve wondered if I could’ve survived everything you have and still

been able to see the humor in the world. I can’t imagine what it was like to go through everything

you’ve been through, but it hurts knowing you had to endure it. Simply because you mean so much to

me, to all of us, and we want nothing but the best for you, always. Hearing that you’ve had to go

through what you have is frustrating, like Andrei said, but only because we know there’s nothing we

can do to take that pain away from you. What I can do, however, is always be here when you need

someone to talk to. Or not talk to. Or to take the long route with. Whatever you need, Sephie.

Whenever you need it. I’ll be here. So will the other guys. I love you and want to always see you happy,

if only because of the joy you bring to my life when you are happy. I know the other guys feel the same

way, if they haven’t already told you,”