King of the Underworld by RJ Kane

Chapter Seventy-Four

Adrik

We fu cked up. I fu cked up. She almost died because of me. The guy that grabbed Sephie was

supposed to get her to the back and tell her it was all fake, but she was fighting so hard that he didn’t

have a chance. Nobody expected her to jump from the vehicle and almost k ill herself. Now her

headache was back and she was in pain, but I couldn’t do anything. She wouldn’t let anyone touch her.

I can’t say I blame her for being angry with us. I was furious with myself. I almost told her the plan

before I went on stage. I tried to warn her, but it didn’t work. The part of the plan that involved her didn’t

work. In fact, it failed miserably. Now she clearly needed help, but no one could get close enough to her

to help her.

I’m sure her concussion is back, only worse this time. It took her so long to recognize me. I’m worried

she’s really damaged her brain this time. Ivan pressed on her acupuncture points while she was out,

but I don’t know how effective it was. She was talking while she was out. She was back in the

basement with her uncle. We all heard the whole thing. She was fighting that memory. She was fighting

the thought pattern that he’d beat into her.

I was terrified I was going to lose her. She’s angrier than any of us had ever seen her. She’s furious

with the guys, but when she looks at me, all I see is the pain I caused her. And what’s worse, I have no

idea how to make that pain go

away.

We were still an hour out from Switzerland. We would land in Switzerland, transfer to a helicopter over

the Alps to just inside Italy. We were extremely limited on where we could land in Italy without it being

known we were there, but Armando had family with a ranch on the border of Switzerland where we

could land a helicopter without being seen. From there, we would drive south to Naples. Sicily was a

short boat ride from Naples. Armando’s family controlled Naples, so we could move about in that city

freely.

The plan was to find Anthony and Lorenzo in Sicily and take them both out as cleanly and quickly as

possible. Without those two to back him, we doubted Salvadori would continue with his plan in the

states to start a war. But he would be dealt with in much the same manner if he did decide to go

through with it.

At this point, they were all under the impression that I was dead and that they had successfully

kidnapped Sephie. Armando’s men were to stage an “escape” in two days, to make it seem like she got

away from them. They would spend time and manpower looking for her while we executed Anthony

and Lorenzo.

Now I was more worried about Sephie than I was about Anthony and Lorenzo. I wanted to punch

something I was so frustrated with how things turned out. It broke me to see her hurting, knowing I

couldn’t do anything to help her. She just sat quietly in the corner, not looking at anyone. Not saying

anything. She cries now and then, rocks back and forth. I can see her shaking from across the plane.

I’m dying to go to her. To hold her.

It always seemed to calm down the shaking when I would touch her. I want nothing more than to be

able to go to her now, but she won’t let anyone near her. Andrei, who is usually one of her favorites,

tried and the glare she gave him was enough to stop him in his tracks.

We would be landing soon. We had packed clothes for her and wanted her to be able to change before

we started the next leg of our journey. We all consulted with each other, trying to decide who should

take her clothes to her. We decided that she was less mad at Misha, so he got volunteered. I’ve never

seen that kid so scared in his life.

He walked slowly to her, talking to her so she wouldn’t be surprised. She had her head down again. We

could all hear

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her quietly crying, as she hugged her knees to her chest, rocking back and forth.

“Gazelle. Sephie. We brought you some clothes to change into. We should also get you cleaned up.

Your road rash needs attention. Adrik can help you. We don’t want anything to get infected. Please,

Sephie. We want to help.”

She looked up at him. Her face was red, her eyes puffy from the constant crying. She reached for the

clothes without a

word.

“You can change in the back. There’s a door that closes so you have privacy. I can get you the first aid

kit too.”

She nodded her head but put her head back down. She laid the clothes beside her on the seat. Misha

came back with the first aid kit for her. She reached for it too, without saying a word. She barely looked

at him.

But at least she didn’t punch him. I guess that counts for progress.

The look on Misha’s face as he went to sit back down was one of utter despair. He looked like he was

barely able to keep it together. We were all barely keeping it together right now.

She quietly got up and went to the back, shutting the door behind her. We could hear her sniffle now

and then. It sounded like she had opened the first aid kit. Then we heard her cursing. She was putting

antiseptic on her wounds. By

herself. Because of me.

I leaned forward, putting my head in my hands. Tears fell from my eyes. I felt so helpless. We should’ve

told her the plan. I wish I would’ve told her. She could’ve handled it.

Fu ck! Why didn’t I tell her before I went on stage?

ed for Misha. He I wanted to punch something. I heard her curse louder and cry out. She was quiet and

then she walked back to the door. “I need help,” was all she said. He walked in, closing the door behind

him. I tried not to be jealous. I tried to be grateful that she was at least letting one of us help her, but

this was killing me.

I heard Misha quietly say, “that one’s deep, Sephie. That doesn’t look good.” Then silence. Then, “it’s

okay. It’s okay. We’ll get it fixed. We’ll get it bandaged right now and we’ll get it looked at once we land.

It’ll be okay. Please don’t

cry.”

He came out from the back a few moments later. The look on his face worse than before if that was

even possible. He quietly said to me, “she’s got a wound almost down to the bone on her hip. I packed

it as best as I could, but it should definitely be looked at by someone other than me. Soon.”

As soon as we landed, I would call ahead to Armando’s family and ask them to have a doctor waiting

for us when we got there. The flight from Switzerland to his family’s ranch was a short one.

I heard the door open and she walked out in fresh clothes. She was visibly limping now. Her adrenaline

rushes were beginning to wear off. I’m sure she was in excruciating pain right now. She walked back to

her seat in the back, not looking at anyone. She tried to pull her knees to her chest again but flinched in

pain. Definitely in excruciating pain.

Goddammit.