Claimed by Shadows (The Shadowmen #2)

Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

“DANGEROUS GAME” BY CLERGY, BEGINNERS

IRIS

T he next week passes much quicker than the weeks before, all thanks to Nik. We spend at least a little time each day together, walking in the woodlands, having picnics, and I can almost forget that I’m held captive here.

I’m reminded each night when Sergi makes his visits though. He’s even more vicious and cruel than usual, trying to draw sounds from me like he knows Nik can hear him and wants to prove some sort of point. I’m left bruised and hurting, but each night, Nik comes in and kisses all my hurts better, giving me the pleasure his father denies and replacing Sergi’s hated touch with his own. He never takes anything for himself, just holds me until I fall asleep in his arms, the sheets clean as he changes them while I shower.

Sergi doesn’t mention Anushka again, and when I asked Nik, he had no idea who she was either. From what Sergi said, she was someone important to him, someone who got away and who he’s been searching for for years. She’s also clearly someone who I remind Sergi of, and when I mentioned this to Nik, he said that would explain Sergi’s obsession with me. Nik said he’d do some digging, try to find out who she is so we can see if it can be used against Sergi in any way.

Late one afternoon, I’m sitting in my usual place on the window seat, gazing out at the sun making its way across the sky when my door opens. Sergi strides in, one of the maids trailing behind him with a garment bag slung over her arm.

“I have some very important guests arriving in a few hours, and you will be there to greet them,” he tells me, his gaze slithering over me and leaving bile burning the back of my throat.

My brows furrow. “You want me to meet them?” I ask, my breath stilling as he comes to stand before me, looming over me like a demon ready to steal my soul.

“ Kukolka ,” he purrs, and I swallow hard as his hand reaches out, his fingers trailing along my neck, and I know he’s tracing the fingerprint bruises he left last night. “Of course I want you there. It’ll be a good reminder to your father’s associates of what happens if they can’t pay their debts.”

I clamp my lips between my teeth, willing the tremble to go away. Another way he’s planning on humiliating me, by showing all my father’s old friends just how far I’ve fallen.

“So beautiful,” he murmurs while leaning down, and my entire body freezes, my heart pounding as his lips press a gentle kiss to my cheek. Then I release a ragged exhale when he straightens. “Anya will help you to get ready. Come downstairs for seven sharp, don’t be late.”

With one final caress to my cheek, he spins on his polished heel and leaves the room.

“Come along, Miss,” Anya says, laying the garment bag on my bed and sweeping her arm towards the bathroom. “How about a shower first, and then I can do your hair and make-up?”

A couple of hours later, I’m staring at my reflection in the full-length mirror and wondering who the woman is staring back at me. She’s wearing a beautiful floor-length, figure-hugging, black sequin dress, a thigh-high slit exposing the creamy expanse of my thigh, and a tasteful amount of cleavage drawing the eye to her breasts. Her hair is in tumbling blonde waves that frame her perfectly made up face and the bruises that decorate her neck like a necklace. Anya was instructed not to hide any of the marks Sergi has left on my body, another way to show his power I suppose.

“You look beautiful, Miss,” Anya whispers, and I turn to face her just as the door opens once more.

My breath catches when chocolate-brown eyes lock onto mine, and unlike when his father is staring at me, my body fills with heat when Nik’s gaze travels over me. His stare halts on my neck, his jaw flexing ever so slightly before his gaze returns to mine.

“Time to go,” he says, his voice slightly deeper than usual, and he holds his bent arm up, a clear indication for me to take it.

Taking a deep inhale, I stride towards him, my Louboutin heels sinking into the carpet. I drink him in as I take the few steps to be at his side. He looks fucking devastating in his black tux, his black shirt and bow tie only highlighting his ink that peeks at his collar and cuffs. I slide my hand through his arm and his muscles flex, sending heat running through me, remembering how he held my thighs open last night as he feasted on me once again.

“You are breathtaking, Moy Solntse ,” he whispers against my ear as we turn to make our way downstairs.

“You scrub up pretty well yourself, Nik,” I answer, my lips tipping up into a smile at his chuff of laughter.

He leads me to the stairs, and as we get closer, I hear the noise of people chatting.

“There are some very important people here tonight, Dorogaia ,” he murmurs as we walk. “People who my father has under control in one way or another. Politicians, business leaders, even the Police Commissioner.” I shiver at his words, at the impossible power that Sergi seems to have. How are we ever going to take him down with those kinds of people in his pocket? “Be on your guard. These are not good men.”

Before I can ask what he means, we’re at the top of the stairs, and I look down to see every eye in the room looking up at us. My heart thuds painfully inside my chest, like a bird trapped and flinging itself against a window in a desperate bid to fly free.

“Ah, Nikolai, there you are,” Sergi crows as we make our way down the stairs. “And you’ve bought my pretty houseguest, Iris Montgomery.”

I feel more than hear the murmurs, knowing from what Sergi said earlier that many of my father’s business associates and friends are here tonight. I glance around as we descend, seeing several familiar faces, my pulse racing each time I recognise someone. My brows dip when I see many of them with barely dressed women draped over them, many of whom look to be incredibly young and not quite with it. Nausea swirls in my stomach when I remember Nik telling me about his father’s flesh trade business, about the women forced to be part of it. Seeing these men, some who I’ve known since I was a child, with girls who are barely legal, has heat flashing throughout my body, my teeth grinding.

“Breathe, Solnishko ,” Nik mutters, and I inhale his comforting scent, letting it ground me.

We reach the bottom of the stairs, Sergi’s hand landing on my lower back and burning like acid. Nik releases my arm but stays by my side as Sergi turns to a man facing away from us with salt-and-pepper hair, a girl who looks to be no more than sixteen hanging off his arm.

“Roger, I believe you know Iris?” Sergi says, not even attempting to hide his glee as Roger turns to face us, his eyes widening when he catches my gaze. It takes everything I have to remain upright, his presence like a gut punch. Roger was almost like an uncle to me, my father’s partner, and spent many hours at our house, bringing his wife and daughter, Susan, for Sunday lunch more times than I can count.

“I–Iris, good to see you again,” he stammers out, his cheeks flushing and a sheet of sweat breaking out across his forehead. His eyes dart to the girl at his side and then back to me, and I almost curl my lip at him, but Nik presses against my side, bringing me out of that foolishness.

“Roger, how’s Susan doing?” I ask, drawing on every fucking etiquette lesson I had at Windym’s and plastering a fake smile on my face.

“G–good, she’s engaged now, wedding set for Christmas,” he answers, a bead of sweat dripping down the side of his face.

“Please pass on my congratulations,” I reply, my cheeks aching with the smile that is stretching my lips. “And Angie? Is she doing well?”

He flinches at the mention of his wife, and Sergi’s fingers dig in painfully at my lower back.

“She’s well, thank you,” he says in a measured tone, then something evil flashes in his eyes. “I hear your father is enjoying Bali.”

I can’t breathe, the sounds of the room muffled as his words hit me like someone just ripped my heart out. I thought I’d gotten over the betrayal, that my father’s actions no longer hurt me, but clearly they do, and it’s going to take a while to get over the hurt of his abandonment.

Fingers stroke mine, and the brief touch is enough to bring me back to the present, to the man who I considered almost an uncle, who’s now looking at me like I’m less than nothing.

“Enjoy the party, Roger,” I tell him, my voice robotic and unlike any I’ve ever used before, but I need to switch myself off to protect myself, to put this new wound with all their others in the back of my mind. To be dealt with at a future point.

“Yes, enjoy the party, Roger,” Sergi agrees, using his hand on my back to guide me to another man, who he introduces as the current Police Commissioner.

“Pleased to make your acquaintance,” I say as he takes my hand and places a kiss on my knuckles. His moustache tickles and he leaves a damp spot on my skin that I want to wipe away, but he won’t let go.

“Is this one available?” he asks, his shit-brown eyes trailing over me like a slug, leaving a gross feeling across my skin.

“Afraid not, Bob.” Sergi chuckles, his hand wrapping around my waist and tugging me close to his side, forcing Bob to let go of my hand. My skin crawls with being so close to Sergi, and I swallow hard to try and stop the way my body wants to cringe away, even though right now it’s a case of better the devil you know.

Again, fingers brush mine, and I glance to the side to find Nik standing as close as he has all night, acting like a bodyguard but not so obvious as to make Sergi suspicious.

“Shame, but I suppose there are lots to choose from. You do throw the best parties in London, Petrov,” Bob replies, taking a glass of whiskey that a server brings him. “We do need to talk a little business, I’m afraid.”

Sergi smiles, giving my waist a squeeze before releasing me. “Of course, shall we head to my office? Nik, stay by her side.”

Sergi strides off, Bob—the Police fucking Commissioner—walking at his side.

“Let’s get you something to eat, Solnishko ,” Nik utters, his hand at the base of my spine, giving me a light caress over the spot that Sergi no doubt bruised earlier.

He leads me through the party, nodding and greeting various men as we pass, then takes me to a table laden with food that I’d missed, waving away the staff that offers to fill our plates. Taking a plate, he places a sample from most of the dishes until the plate is full, and with his hand on my lower back, leads me to one of the small tables in an alcove away from the main throng.

“Thank you,” I whisper as he sits me down, sliding in next to me so he’s blocking me in, Dima and Andrei, who I’d not noticed until now, taking up stations on either side of the alcove. A server comes over with a glass of amber liquid for him and a tall glass of water for me, setting them on the marble tabletop before leaving.

“Eat,” he orders, and my lips twitch at the note of command in his tone.

“Yes, Sir,” I reply, watching as his nostrils flare.

He doesn’t take his eyes off me as I reach for some kind of small pastry, watching as I bite into it, the tart flavour of feta cheese and herbs washing over my tongue. My cheeks heat at the hunger in his eyes as I lick the crumbs off my lips, a pleasurable shiver racing across my skin. I may not be ready to have sex with Nik, or anyone, but that doesn’t mean that my body and mind don’t crave his worshipping touch.

We sit there for what feels like a long time, the party growing more raucous around us. I swear I can hear people fucking, and I saw who I’m pretty sure was an MP forcing his dick down a girl’s throat earlier when I looked up from my meal. It was enough to sour my appetite, making the food I’d already eaten swirl in my stomach.

Nik was right, it feels like anyone important in the world is here and that terrifies me. Although, many men came over to talk to Nik, and I watched as he charmed them, convincing them that he is someone of note. I mean, he is the heir to this corrupt empire, but it was more than that. I saw more than one man look at him with respect, shake his hand, and arrange future meetings. Many of those who visited our alcove didn’t appear to be taking part in the debauchery that surrounds us, and it makes me wonder how many are on Nik’s side? How many of these men would be happy with Nik taking over, might help him to eradicate Sergi?

Before I can ask him, Sergi is at our table, looking down at me with lust shining in his eyes.

“Time for bed, Kukolka ,” he states, holding out his hand, and Nik stands, helping me to my feet even as his nostrils flare, the tightness around his eyes telling me he hates this as much as I do.

“I’ll see you later, Dorogaia ,” he whispers as I pass by him, his fingers brushing mine, the only comfort he can give me.

“Nikolai, make sure the guests are well cared for,” Sergi orders, and Nik nods as his father leads me away, towards the room where my worst nightmares live.