“I saw it when she stood up to get the f**k out of my chair,” I said. They all laughed at my irritation.
“What did you say to Battista, gazelle?” Misha asked.
I giggled. “I asked him if he always surrounded himself with such ill-mannered women or if he brought her special for us. Then I said if he did, I needed to thank him because it’s been a really long time since I made another woman cry.”
They all laughed. Ivan slid his arm around my shoulders, hugging me to his side. “What about when she turned to leave? You said something else to her that nobody else caught,” Ivan said. I cut my eyes to him, unable to hide my smile. “I told her if she tries to touch Adrik again that she will no longer hase functioning hands.”
They all erupted in even louder laughter than the first time.
“What did Battista say to you before we left?” Adrik asked.
“That’s where it gets even more interesting. He told me I did him a huge favor and that he’s in my debt now,” I said.
“His attitude toward that woman changed after you put her in her place,” Stephen said. “I don’t know what they were saying, but he was very dismissive of her after it happened when he wasn’t before.”
“I noticed that too,” I said.
“She was worse than Giana about staring, though.” Misha said.
Andrei snapped his fingers and pointed to Misha. “Same.”
Adrik scoffed. “I don’t even know how you knew she tried to touch me because it happened while you were gone, but it made me si ck.”
I hopped off the counter and walked to Adrik, clearly feeling his disgust. I couldn’t help but love him a little more for it. I wrapped my arms around his waist. “I f**king love you,” I said as I rested my head against his shoulder.
“I think there’s more to that woman being there today than we know about, especially considering what Battista said to Sephie before we left,” Viktor said.
“We definitely need to have this conversation with Vitaliy when he gets back. I know he knows something about her that he couldn’t say in front of everyone.” Adrik said.
“I just want to point out how convenient it is that you’re so good at reading my mind now. I didn’t have to tell you Ivan was unnerved. I was planning on letting you figure out why he was unnerved when we got back, but that heifer put a hold on those plans.”
Adrik pulled me closer. “You’re adorable when you get all bitchy,” he said, kissing my temple.
The guys took advantage of Adrik’s mostly free afternoon while we waited on Vitaliy to make it back to the penthouse. They all took care of little things they’d been putting off because of more important tasks. Adrik had some work in his office to get done, so I went with him so the guys could! come and go as needed.
I stretched out on the couch, suddenly exhausted from everything the past few days. I tried to stay awake, but inevitably fell asleep. Since Ivan and 1 were taken, I hadn’t fallen asleep once without someone next to me. I wasn’t even sure it was possible anymore.
It was possible. It happened.
I wasn’t sure how long I’d been asleep when I felt Adrik’s warm hands on me, gently shaking me awake. “Solnishko, you were having a bad dream. I need you to wake up.”
I was somewhat startled awake and immediately worried I’d been talking in my sleep. “Shi t. Was I talking?”
He smiled sweetly at me, his warm hand resting against my cheek. “You were mumbling, but I could see the shaking from across the office. Andrei is on his way back so you can go back to sleep on him. You are overdue for sleeping in. It took you two seconds to fall asleep when you laid down.”
“At least I wasn’t yelling this time,” I said, sitting up.
Andrei walked in, looking somewhat concerned, but he relaxed when he saw me awake and talking to Adrik. “Spider monkey. I’m surprised you even fell asleep without anyone next to you. I didn’t think that was a thing you could do anymore.”
“I didn’t either, Bubba. You were right, apparently. I am overdue for sleeping in. I’m really tired,” I said.
“Being bitchy always makes you tired,” Adrik said, grinning at me. He stood up, leaning down to kiss my forehead. “Go back to sleep, love. Andrei can keep you warm. I just have a few more things to finish up and we can go back upstairs.”
Andrei sat down at the end of the couch, stretching one leg out along the back of the couch, opening his arms for me. I curled up in his arms, resting my head on his almost warm enough chest and was asleep again in a matter of minutes.
Author’s Note: Thank you all for sticking with this story for this long. I love reading all the comments and watching the story unfold through different eyes. I try to respond to all the comments, but please know that I read them all, even if I don’t respond. Thank you so much for loving my characters as much as I do!
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.