Claimed by Shadows (The Shadowmen #2)

Chapter 37

IRIS

I count down the days as each week passes, marking them in a journal that Hunt got me after I fell in love with it online. Julia said that writing down my thoughts may help going forward, so I use it for that, and my countdown.

One morning, as we’re sitting down to breakfast, Hunt’s phone starts buzzing, and I squeal when I see Roman’s name flashing on the screen. Not even giving Hunter a chance, I grab his phone off the counter and answer the call, putting him on speaker.

“Roman!” I all but shriek, and his deep chuckle flows over me, soothing me and calming my soul.

“Hey, Princess. I love that you’re so excited to speak to me, even though we only talked yesterday,” he replies, and Hunt’s warmth at my back is quickly followed by his arms around me.

“Do I need to be offended that you’re so excited to hear from him? Am I that boring?” he whispers in my ear, but loud enough for Roman to hear.

“Aww, don’t be salty, Daddy, just because I’m her favourite,” Roman teases, and Hunt growls, which does unspeakable things to my knickers.

“No one needs to be offended and no one is my favourite,” I tell them and frown as I look at the clock. “Why are you calling so early? It must be what, like, four AM there? Is everything okay?”

Roman sighs. “Lilly had her baby early, and then Loki got himself shot, so we’re just about to drive to the hospital because she’s stubborn as fuck and won’t rest even though Mae told her travelling such a long distance hours after giving birth isn’t the best idea,” Roman says, and my mouth opens with the influx of information. Shit. That is a lot to have happened in a short space of time.

“Okay, fuck. Do you know if Loki is okay?” Hunt asks, his arms tightening around me. I lean into his grip, taking comfort from it. The lives we lead, the shit that we have going on, it could easily be one of my guys with a bullet in them, or worse.

“We don’t know yet, but I’ve got Ash on speed dial and will be calling him regularly to get updates for Lilly.” The sounds of a car door or boot slamming in the background has me swallowing. “Silver lining is the Knights have dealt with their shit, so we should be home hopefully within the next couple of days.”

“That’s great,” I say, but the enthusiasm that I felt at first hearing his voice is missing. I just can’t get the worry out of my head that we are all living on the edge.

“We’ll be okay, Princess. We’re all okay,” Roman says, and tears prick my eyes at the thought that even so far away, he knows why I wasn’t as happy by the news as I should be.

“We haven’t heard from Nik in a while,” I murmur, and Hunt stiffens behind me.

“He’s a big boy, Peaches. He can take care of himself,” he assures me, curling his body over mine and pressing a kiss to the top of my head.

I sigh. “I know. I just want you all here and for this all to be over. Can’t we just live our lives without having to worry about someone dying or getting hurt or kidnapped for one damn minute?!” I’m almost shouting by the end, tears tracking a burning path down my cheeks as my chest heaves.

I’m just so fucking tired of all this bullshit and the constant worry. Of not knowing if Nik or the twins are safe.

Hunt spins my stool around, cupping my wet cheeks in his palms and forcing my gaze up to his. “Peaches, we will live that life, I fucking swear it to you, okay?”

A shuddering breath falls from my lips as more tears escape my eyes.

“But what life will our baby be born into?” My eyes plead with his, begging him to tell me that this will all be sorted by the time this little bundle comes along, but we both know that is highly unlikely given that Sergi needs to be dead and I’m already close to six months pregnant. Four months is not long enough to eradicate him from this earth.

“We’ll be home soon, Princess, and I swear to you that our baby will not be in danger,” Roman says over the speaker, and I twist to look at the phone, Hunt’s hands still on my cheeks, rubbing the tears away as fast as they fall. “I have to go. Rowan sends his love and I’ll call as soon as we’re at the hospital and know more. I love you. Both of you.”

The call ends before I can say it back, and that just makes me cry harder, Hunt wrapping his arms around me and pulling me into his chest, his rosemary and mint scent washing over me but unable to stop the flow of despair that has me in its grip.

I so desperately want to believe in the promise that Hunter made and the vow Roman gave, but something inside me refuses to settle, to believe that Sergi will leave us alone. That we will win.

The sound of the door crashing open wakes both Hunt and I with a start, my heart pounding as Rowan’s panicked voice shouts into the darkness. Hunt lowers the gun in his grip just as our bedroom door is thrown open, bouncing off the wall. Rowan is there, his eyes wild in the low light of the room, his chest heaving.

“Is he here? Is Roman here?” He gasps, looking around the room, and a pit opens in my stomach. They were coming home today, but Rowan is the first we’ve seen.

Before either Hunt or myself can answer, his phone buzzes on the nightstand with an incoming FaceTime call. I don’t recognise the number, but ice slithers down my spin.

Hunt’s hand is steady as he answers it, but bile hits the back of my throat at the face on the split screen. One side is dark, the other has Sergi, smirking like he’s just won the races.

“I believe you’ve lost something,” he says, an evil grin on his face and his accent causing a sour taste in my mouth, chills making my entire body tremble as Rowan comes to stand next to Hunt, and I scoot closer.

The black side of the screen lightens to show Roman tied to a chair, beaten and bloody, and my heart stutters inside my chest, my breathing halting altogether.

“No…” I whisper, my fingers going numb as I reach for the phone. My hand shakes, bile filling my throat at the injuries that cover Roman’s almost naked body. Hunt lets me take the device, and I hold it so we can all see the scene before us.

“If you touch another fucking hair on my brother’s head I will decimate you!” Rowan screams, and I flinch at the roar, at the terror that underlies his words.

Manic laughter is the only response as a figure steps into view of the side of the screen that Roman is in. They must be in two different places, Sergi and Roman, so we may have a chance. A pained moan leaves me though when chocolate eyes lock with mine over the screen, blank and devoid of all emotion.

“Nik?” I whisper, my voice thick as I blink, trying to make sense of what I’m seeing, because surely Nik can’t be the one holding Roman, having hurt him? I flinch when Nik’s hand darts out and lands a sharp slap across Roman’s cheek to wake him up. Vicious growls sound from Hunt and Rowan, but I can’t take my eyes off the place where Nik just struck Roman. This must be some kind of nightmare, and I beg every god under the sun to wake the fuck up.

“Iris…” Roman croaks, his eyes blinking and unfocused but zeroing on mine. He blinks once more, then glances at Nik, his eyes widening and looking back at the camera.

“I’m here, Ro. We’re all here.” My voice cracks and tears drip down my face, his image wavering as I realise this is no dream.

“Hey, don’t cry, my love. It’ll be okay.” His words only make the tears flow faster, even when strong arms wrap round me and pull me into a tight embrace. I’m shaking, my heart pounding too fast and my stomach turning as I try to work out how we can win this round. Nik is on our side, he must have some kind of plan to save Roman.

“What do you want, Sergi?” Hunter bites out behind me, his arms trembling with fury as he pulls me close. I can feel his heart beating furiously against my back, and I know that there’s panic mixed in with his anger too. This is his worst nightmare come true.

Another laugh sounds, and it’s the sound of death wrapping his hand round your heart and squeezing.

“It’s too late for that, boy ,” Sergi sneers, and my gaze flits to his for a moment. There is nothing forgiving in his eyes, just cold evil that delights in others’ misery.

Movement in the other half of the phone has my eyes snapping back to Nik and Roman just as Nik lifts something black and presses the muzzle against Roman’s head.

“No!” I shout, my heart beating so fast I’m afraid it’ll burst from my chest. “Please, Nik. Don’t hurt him. Please.”

Sergi’s cruel laugh slithers up my skin, but I refuse to look away from Roman, something inside me telling me if I do, I lose him for sure. “My son takes his orders from me, not a whore like you.” Hunt and Rowan snarl, but I flit my gaze back to Sergi, throwing everything I have into my final plea.

“Sergi, please, take me instead. I’ll come back. I’ll do anything, please.” My hand lands on my rounded stomach, but I can’t bring myself to use my unborn child as a bargaining chip. He’ll discover my condition soon enough if he takes me up on my offer.

The arms around me tighten.

“No, you won’t,” Roman hisses, his body vibrating with fury and probably pain given the extent of his beating. “Don’t you bend to this piece of shit, Iris. I told you, if it means keeping you safe, I’ll fucking meet my maker with a smile on my face.”

Tears flow down my cheeks faster, and I blink them away, desperately trying to see all of him. Dreading that this is the last time. That he’ll never hold me again. Never tease me or make love to me. Never get to meet our child. I can hardly breathe with the lump that is in my throat.

“Alas, it’s too late for that too, Kukolka ,” Sergi tells me on a sigh, like I’m a wayward child that needs to be taught a lesson. He nods and Nik clicks the safety off, my body jumping in Hunter’s arms, the phone jerking. My gaze fixes on Roman, and I watch as his shoulders slump, a long exhale leaving his bruised and swollen lips.

“Please?” I ask, willing to do anything to stop this from happening but unable to tear my gaze away from one of the men I love, who is part of my soul and fundamental to my being. “Please don’t do this.”

“I love you, Iris,” Roman tells me softly, looking into my eyes, his own full of his devotion to me. Then they briefly flick to Hunt behind me, and a hint of sadness enters his gaze. “And you, Daddy.”

Before I can say the words back, before Hunt can answer, a loud bang sounds over the speakers and my whole world shatters.

To be continued…