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I leaned down, kissing her quickly. “Good. Now, will you make me a promise?”
“Depends on the promise?” she asked, curious.
“Promise me you’ll talk to me. Or Ivan, if you’re worried that I’m too busy. We will always be able to handle it, but you have to start being selfish more and taking care of you before you take care of everyone else.”
Her smile faded slightly, but her eyes were still happy. “That’s why you pulled me out of the office so quickly last night. Because I went to try and make Misha feel better.”
I nodded. “We all heard the despair in your voice when you were sleeping, then I finally got you awake and within one minute you were trying to make him feel better. Not that I mind you making them feel better. It’s not that. But you need the same, Sephie. I need you.”
“I still didn’t know I was talking in my sleep last night, but I promise I will talk to you and Ivan more about what I’m dealing with.” She looked at me sincerely. I squinted my eyes at her, not believing her fully yet. She smiled as she raised her pinky for me to grab. I couldn’t help but grin at her as I grabbed her pinky, knowing she was serious. She leaned up and kissed my gently. “Does Ivan know what you just volunteered him for?” She had a mischievous grin on her face.
“I can’t imagine he’ll mind. He loves you, Sephie. Almost as much as I do,” I said, smiling at her. “Besides, it’s his job to protect you. In all the realms. And in all lifetimes.”
I felt my heart threaten to stop as her gorgeous smile crept across her face. She giggled and wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me down to her. “I love you, Adrik. More and more each day,” she said as she pressed her lips to mine.
Chapter Seventy-Six
Sephie
Adrik stepped out of the bedroom while I finished getting dressed to make a few phone calls. He was trying to get Dr. Williams to come to his office, so Ivan and I wouldn’t have to go back to the hospital. We wanted to make sure that the hospitals could be prepared if we weren’t able to stop Sal from switching the supply. We were trying to put in place as many fail safes as we could to make sure his plan didn’t work like he wanted it to.
When I walked out of the bedroom, Ivan was in the penthouse. He and Adrik were having what looked like a serious conversation, although I couldn’t hear what was being said until I got closer. They both looked at me as I walked down the hallway. Ivan smiled at me, opening both of his arms to me. I walked quickly to him. “Super Squish, I didn’t know how much I really missed your regular hugs. No more one-armed hugs,” I said as I wrapped my arms around his waist. He held me tightly, kissing the top of my head.
“You only have yourself to blame for that one. I kept telling you I could’ve given you a normal hug that whole time, but you wouldn’t let me. So, really, it’s entirely your fault.” I heard Adrik laugh behind us.
I poked him in the ribs as I laughed too. “Where’s everyone else?” I asked.
Adrik said, “I wanted a few minutes with Ivan. I told him about our conversation last night, solnishko. I also told him about your pinky swear this morning.” He looked at me seriously, but I could see the concern on his face. “I’m serious about this, Sephie. I want to make sure you’re always okay. Selfishly, I need you at your best. I need your light to always be this bright. I need to make sure you’re always good. So, we’re holding you to your pinky swear.” Ivan’s giant arm slid across my shoulders. He gave me a stern look, in the way that only he could. I couldn’t help but laugh at him. We’d come a long way from me being convinced he wanted to murder me in my sleep.
I looked at both Ivan and Adrik. They were both so concerned about me that I couldn’t help but feel loved by them both. It was still a new feeling for me. I remembered feeling loved when my mom was alive, for sure, but when I went to live with my uncle, it went to the other extreme. There was no love in that house. It was so dark in that house that it made me question whether love really did exist. Then I met Adrik and the guys. They’ve shown me that it does exist, that there is light in the darkness, all while telling me I’ve been doing the same for them. I knew both of these men would do everything in their power to make sure I was always protected, always safe, and always loved.
“I pinky swear to both of you that I will come to you more. And I love you both. That is all.” I said, smiling sweetly at them. Ivan kissed the top of my head, squeezing my shoulders once more, before pushing me gently toward Adrik. He opened his arms for me, a small smile on his face.
“You do look better, solnishko. I can see when things get too heavy for you. You’re obviously lighter this morning,” he said as he wrapped his arms around me.
“I can see it too, princess. It’s obvious when you’re trying to hold things in too long. At least to us,” Ivan said.
“You can both tell me when I zone out then. Because I didn’t know I was doing that. I really didn’t know I needed to talk about anything until we started talking about it last night. I’m very accustomed to holding everything in and not telling anyone anything. So, please feel free to tell me when you notice these things,” I said.
“Deal,” they both said.
“I know you’re used to taking care of everyone else, princess. Like you were made for that role, honestly. Just let us do the same for you. Because apparently, we were made for that role,” Ivan said, winking at me. I felt Adrik pull me closer.
“Super Squish, you’re really getting good at these mic drop moments where I can’t think of any sort of comeback, either serious or snarky. I’ve got nothing here,” I said, grinning at him.
We heard the door to the penthouse open as the other four guys came into the penthouse. They looked slightly wary, like they weren’t sure what they would be walking into. I could see their faces immediately relax when they saw me smiling at Ivan.
“I’m sorry for putting you all through that last night. I didn’t mean for any of you to have to hear that,” I said.
“Don’t apologize, spider monkey. We just don’t know how to help. It’s frustrating,” Andrei said.
“Aww, Bubba. Don’t get frustrated.” I walked to him as he opened his arms for me. “You guys just have to keep loving me the way you always do. That’s a bigger help than you could ever imagine.” I hugged him tightly, resting my head on his chest. His giant arms held me just as tightly as he rested his chin on the top of my head.
“We’re always here for you, gazelle,” Misha said.
“We plan on keeping you around for a very long time, Seph. Life is really boring without you,” Stephen said, grinning at me. It made me so happy to see him start to really come out of his shell. I couldn’t help but laugh, but I didn’t want to let go of Andrei just yet. I think he figured out what I was doing because I felt him squeeze me just a little tighter as I was laughing.
Andrei sighed, then I felt his arms relax around me. He leaned down, whispering so only I could hear, “I needed that, spider monkey. You’re my favorite.” He kissed my cheek, his handsome smile stretching across his face.
