King of the Underworld by RJ Kane

Chapter Two

Sephie

There is a steady stream of food to the back room throughout the night and the alcohol flows freely. I’ve gotten four smacks to my a*s in the first hour. All the boss’s eldest sons are there. Lucky me.

Around 9:30, two new bodyguards, who are quite possibly the biggest men I’ve ever seen, walk into the restaurant as I’m waiting for Max to fill my latest alcohol order. Walking in right behind them, I see a man I don’t recognize, but can’t see clearly as the lights are dim in the restaurant. He steps fully inside the door, and I can clearly see his face. He’s tall, surprisingly young for a Lord King Boss, dark hair, two-day old stubble that I find myself wondering what would feel like against my neck, and he turns to look my direction with the most piercing blue eyes I think I’ve ever seen. He catches me staring at him and a sly smirk comes across his face. Just then, Max steps up behind me and gently pushes my shoulder.

“Hey, you should go escort him to the back room. He might not know where to go. I’ll have your drinks ready when you get back.”

I take a sharp breath in, broken out of my daze, and practically stumble toward the men at the front door.

“Uh…hi, I’m guessing you’re here for the meeting?”

His intense gaze leaves my face to scan down my body briefly and discreetly, as he reaches down to adjust the cuffs of his shirt. He looks up again and nods once.

Okay, man of many words. This, I can handle.

“Please, follow me.”

He nods once more, and all five men follow me to the back. There were two more bodyguards behind him that I couldn’t see until the first two units stepped further into the restaurant.

Before I open the door to the back room, I turn around to face them, asking “may I take your drink orders, gentlemen?”

One of the first bodyguards says, “yes, water for all of us, please.” His very thick, very Russian accent is very apparent.

I was surprised by his answer, so I cocked my head to the side, letting a “different” slip out before I realized I had said anything. My cheeks immediately flushed as I realized I had said the quiet part out loud.

mean no disrespect,” I said as I stared at the floor and stepped to the

up closer to me while his bodyguards were scanning, that sly smirk on his face once again, and leaned in close enough

whispered, his Russian accent detectable as he stepped in front of his bodyguards to the welcoming greetings of

to myself as I rushed back to the bar to get those drinks and

was very tense and very serious. What had happened while I was getting those drinks? I did a quick head count as

of bourbon in front of one of the boss’s sons. Anthony, I think his name was. This was Anthony’s eleventh bourbon of the evening. Max knew better than to water down these drinks, so Anthony was getting the good stuff, at full strength. In layman’s terms, Anthony was

such force that I was thrown forward onto the table, giving the men across from Anthony a full view down my shirt. I caught myself on the table and pushed myself back upright, only to meet those steel blue eyes once again. Only this time he wasn’t smirking. Instead, his jaw was

soon as the door closed, I rushed through the kitchen and out the back door. Ugh, I hated the last Thursday of

dumpster and back a couple of times when I heard the kitchen door opening. One of the giant bodyguards came out first, quickly followed by the new guy. I stopped my pacing, not knowing how I was going to

a cigarette and a lighter. Lazily putting the cigarette between his lips, he tilted his head down slightly as he cupped his hands around his face to light it. When the flame ignited, his face was illuminated, revealing that his

sake, just do it. After all,

the two men, but quickly glanced up and gave them the best smile I could muster, before reaching for the door. Just as my hand was about to make contact with the door, he reached out and gently grabbed

my eyes because he immediately

some questions,” he said. His blue eyes, now darker, were so intense

I help you with? Did you want to order some food? Can I get you more than

small chuckle, as did his bodyguard. What was

don’t allow my

what kind

do you know those

them when they have their meetings. I know the older men by name, as they’re here every time. The younger men I have a harder time remembering because they aren’t always here. The sons aren’t always here either…thankfully” I whispered, once again realizing too late that I had said it out loud instead of in my head. “I know them more by their drink and