*Sephie*
The next few days were mostly a blur. I was asleep more than I was awake, and I could still barely eat. By the third day, I finally woke up with an appetite. It was the middle of the afternoon when I woke up that day. Adrik was at the kitchen counter, working. He had brought his work upstairs so he could be there if I needed anything. I walked into the kitchen, without having to squint. I was also steadier on my feet. I walked to him, draping my body over his back, hugging his neck.
“Good afternoon, solnishko. How are you feeling?”
“Better now,” I said, kissing his cheek. “I think I can eat now. I’m finally hungry.”
“That’s a good sign. Come, sit. I can make you something.” He pulled up a chair next to his for me to sit.
“You know how to cook?” I was legitimately surprised.
He looked at me with his sexy smirk. “I am capable. Mostly. It won’t be as good as Tori’s or yours, but it’s edible.”
He opened the refrigerator. “What would you like? We have some eggs and bacon.” My stomach growled loud enough that he heard it. “Eggs and bacon it is,” he said setting both items down on the counter.
“I feel like my stomach is also in a relationship with you. She needs to be validated from time to time.” I laughed.
He cut his eyes at me, smiling. I sat and watched him make me breakfast in the middle of the afternoon. I couldn’t think of a sexier sight. He set the plate down in front of me, handing me a fork. Just as I went to take the fork, he pulled it back, looking me in the eyes. “Slowly. Okay? You haven’t eaten for a few days. You don’t want to make yourself sick. Eat this and if you keep it down, I’ll make you more in a bit.”
I took the fork, nodding in agreement. I was starving at this point though, so eating slow was going to be hard. But if he was going to stand there and watch me the whole time, I would have to pace myself.
“Have you gotten any information from the guys that attacked us yet?” I asked, trying to deliberately chew as slowly as I could to keep from inhaling the food like I wanted to.
He nodded. He was leaning against the counter, with his arms crossed across his chest. Dammit, he was handsome. I had to look down and cross my legs because my body was suddenly hungry for more than bacon and eggs.
“We found out where they got the drugs from, but they’re still not talking as to who put them up to coming after you and Misha. We’re close though. One of them is cracking faster than the other, on account of his entire face being broken. By a girl, no less.” He looked at me proudly.
I looked down at my food, slightly embarrassed. He chuckled. “Don’t be embarrassed, solnishko. You did good. They weren’t expecting you to fight back. We threatened to send you in the room with him. That’s what got him to start talking.” He rubbed his facial hair, laughing. “I never thought my girlfriend would be the threat to make someone crack under interrogation.”
“My street cred just went through the roof,” I said smiling at him, taking another bite of bacon.
After I was finished eating, I wanted a shower. I hadn’t showered since I came home from the hospital, and I felt stinky. Adrik offered to help me. After watching him cook for me, I wasn’t going to say no.
In the shower, I leaned back against him as he washed my hair for me. He was extra gentle and took his time massaging my scalp. My headache was gone, but my head was still tender where I had hit the sidewalk. His hands massaged my shoulders as I rested my head against his shoulder. His hands continued to roam farther down to my breasts. I could feel him grow hard. I leaned against him more, giving him more access to my breasts. I felt his lips on my neck, gently kissing, then biting the way he knew would drive me crazy. My breath caught and I moaned softly. I had missed his touch the last few days.
I turned to face him, my hands roaming over his chest. He pulled me closer, his lips finding mine. He kissed me passionately, but I could feel him holding back, like he was scared he was going to break me.
He broke the kiss and pulled me to his chest. “You’re supposed to be resting. The doctor said no excessive stimuli for two weeks. I think sex is included in that list. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Why does that doctor hate me?” I rested my head against his chest, still happy that I had his arms around me, at least.
He kissed the top of my head. “Two weeks is a long time,” he said, sighing.
I managed to stay awake after the shower and I kept my food down. It was a big day for me. Adrik cooked me a few more eggs after a short time. His phone buzzed on the counter as he was cooking. I grabbed it and looked at the caller ID.
“It’s Ivan. Can I answer it?” I asked.
“Of course, love.”
“Hello, you’ve reached the phone of the man who shall remain nameless. He can’t come to the phone right now. May I give him a message?”
Ivan chuckled. “Princess. It’s so good to hear your voice.”
“Aw, Ivan. I always knew you were squishy inside that tough exterior. You missed me. Don’t lie.”
“Da. Very much. Tell Boss that we have new information we need to discuss.”
Adrik motioned for them to come up. “Well, Ivan the Squishy, why don’t you come up and tell him?”
“Be right there,” he said, ending the call.
In what seemed like two minutes, all five guys were walking in the door. One by one, they all came and hugged me, telling me they had missed me.
“How are you feeling, gazelle?” Misha asked.
“Better. I ate earlier and managed to keep it down. I even took a shower. It’s been a big day for me,” I grinned at him.
“Now that you can eat, you’ll feel better much faster,” Stephen said.
Ivan came over and inspected the stitches above my eye. “Bruise looks better. Cut still looks ugly.”
“Ugh, don’t remind me. I’m probably gonna have yet another scar to add to my extensive collection.”
Ivan surprised me by wrapping his arm around my shoulders. “Be proud of your scars. They’re a visual representation of how fucking strong you are.” He leaned down and kissed the top of my head as Adrik set my next plate of food in front of me. He winked at me, as I was shocked at Ivan’s response.
Adrik looked at Ivan, “so, what news?”
“We showed the guy that attacked Misha what the guy that attacked Sephie looked like and then threatened to send her in with him. He sang like a fucking canary,” Viktor said, trying to keep a straight face.
They all had to stifle their laughs, as I looked at them wide-eyed. “You guys aren’t serious. Like you’re just messing with me, right?”
Misha leaned on the counter, looking me in the eye. “He was terrified, gazelle.”
“Shut up.”
“Terrified,” Andrei said. “Almost pissed himself terrified.”
I felt my cheeks flush. Adrik, who was clearly enjoying this, asked, “what did you find out? Who put him up to it?”
Viktor sighed. “It was a bit of a test run. They’ve been quietly testing a new formulation of brawn around the city, seeing if they can amp up the violence. They feel like they got the right combination and gave it to these two morons with Misha and Sephie as the target to see how it would go. I’m sure they were being watched.”
“Who put them up to it?” Adrik asked, his jaw clenching. He crossed his arms across his chest. I could see his anger coming to the surface.
“Salvadori,” Ivan said. “We don’t know his exact plan but given that half the bosses are with you and half are with him, I’d say he’s trying to tip the scales in his favor. I think he’s planning on giving it to his soldiers. He wants a war in the city.”
I dropped my fork and they all looked at me. “Why would he want a war in the city? The people of the city love Adrik. They won’t stand for Salvadori trying to take over. Even if he beat you guys, which he won’t, the people won’t let him take over.”
Andrei sighed. “He’s probably not thinking about that. He just wants power and doesn’t care how he gets it. He’ll try to scare the city into bending to his will after he defeats us.”
“Innocent people are going to get hurt if he tries to start a war,” I said, finishing the last bite of eggs.
“We won’t let that happen,” Ivan said.