Page 15 of Kissed By Shadows

Sighing, I realise it’s a nonissue. I would have protected her either way. Partly because of what she did for Willow and partly because there’s something so pure and wholesome about Iris Montgomery that should be treasured and protected at all costs. She has a brightness that should never be dimmed, a light that shouldn’t be snuffed out.

So we will protect her and keep her safe, whatever it takes.

“CONTAMINATED” BY BANKS

IRIS

Roman opens the door to one of the flats before flicking the light switch on, and my mouth drops open as my eyes adjust to thelow lighting. It’s fucking huge, and I turn my head to try and make sense of the space.

“We knocked through the four flats on this floor to create one big living space,” Roman tells me, laughing when he looks back to see my face. “Welcome to our home, Princess.”

“It’s lovely,” I whisper, truly meaning the words. It’s not got the traditional details that my home has, having been built far more recently, but it’s light and airy with a beautiful blue Persian rug covering light wood flooring in the centre of the large living room. The strange shape adds a quirkiness that I love, and the furniture looks comfy and well used, worn in a way that makes it feel like home.

“Glad you like it, Little Lamb,” Rowan drawls from behind me, his hand taking mine and tugging me further in, causing a pleasurable shiver to run through me. There’s a darkness about Rowan, like a mist of danger that has my body telling me there's a predator here that we should avoid. Yet for some reason, it also draws me closer, like a moth to a flame, and I find my fingers curling around his, holding his hand as if we’re sweethearts.

Roman doesn’t let go of my other hand, and I’m not hating being in the middle of these two, warmth suffusing my body at the twin manwich I seem to be in the middle of.

Down, Evangeline!

“Let’s give her the grand tour,” Roman suggests while sweeping his arm out. “This is the main living room. There’s also an office space, a home cinema, and a games room.” I can see the openings to those three rooms from here. “We also knocked through to make a large kitchen, Hunter loves to cook,” he continues as he pulls me towards a doorway, and I peer through to see a massive kitchen with all gleaming honey-coloured wood. There’s an island with four high chairs, plus a large oak dining table at one end, next to a window that looks out over the city.

“Bedrooms next,” Rowan whispers temptingly in my ear, and I can’t stop the shiver that cascades over my skin at the dirty promise in his words. They lead me through the lounge to a short hallway, pushing a door open to reveal a room painted a dark grey, black sheets covering an enormous four-poster bed. “This is my room.”

I take in the walls, pausing when my eyes catch on an entire wall covered in what looks like whips and paddles, and the dark chest of drawers beneath them. Heat fills my body as I trace over the leather, wondering what it would feel like to have those caressing my skin.

“One day I’ll show you,” Rowan purrs in my ear, and I swallow hard, my throat dry.

Did I speak the words aloud? Or could he just see my curiosity in my face? My mind rushes back to the knife he held against my throat earlier, the feel of the steel making me explode. Does he have more of those in here? And how else would he use them? And more to the point, why am I excited rather than scared at the idea of him using them on me?

“Let’s move on, she needs rest, brother,” Roman chides, breaking into my lust-filled thoughts and tugging me back out of the room and back down the hall. We go through another doorway before he pushes open a door to reveal a room painted a deep forest green with shades of green covering the same style four-poster bed as Rowan had. “This is me. Each bedroom has an en suite bathroom, and there’s a general bathroom too.”

“This room feels so calm,” I muse, and he flashes me a boyish grin that has my insides quivering.

“You’re welcome anytime, Princess,” he tells me, giving my hand a squeeze and then pulling me out of the room. Rowan is still holding my other hand tightly, and I really am enjoying the simple comfort it brings. They lead me through the living space, into another that looks more like an office with three desks.“That’s Hunter’s.” Roman points to a hallway off this room but we keep moving past. Guess I won’t be sneaking a peek at how the great Hunter Anderson likes to sleep. My mouth tingles at the taste of him that still lingers there, a taste that I wouldn’t mind experiencing again. Bastard.

We walk through the office space, entering another living room with a huge screen and a massive sectional facing it.

“The cinema,” Roman states. “What’s your favourite film?”

I pause, both of them stopping with me. “Memoirs of a Geisha.”

“Not seen that one,” he muses. “Let’s watch it next time.” I smile at him, appreciating the gesture to try and make me feel like I’m at home, or at least more comfortable. He steps closer, his eyes trained on my lips. “Absolutely stunning.” The fingers of his free hand come up, tracing my lips and leaving my nerves on fire.

“You’re getting distracted, brother,” Rowan teases from behind me, but his body suddenly presses against my back and I’m once again between the Kent twins. Heat fills my limbs, my heartbeat loud in my ears as their warmth somehow penetrates my clothes and heats my skin. Goddammit. I was not built for this kind of temptation.

“Can you blame me?” Roman asks, his eyes never leaving my lips as he rubs his thumb back and forth over it. My breath stutters out of me as Rowan wraps his arm and mine around me, using it to pull me away from his brother. Roman snarls, breaking the spell he wove over me, and I blink rapidly.

“You heard Hunt, she needs rest,” Rowan chastises, though there’s a slight edge to it, like he’s having to remind himself as much as he is his twin. A flush creeps up Roman’s neck, staining his cheeks an adorable red.

“Sorry, Princess. He’s right, I was being a dick,” he apologises, taking my hand and placing a kiss on the back of it.

“You don’t need to apologise, you’ve done nothing wrong,” I assure him, my voice breathier than I’d like. There’s also a part of me that is a little disappointed that he didn’t do anything that required an apology.

“Oh, trust me, Little Lamb, he was thinking about it.” Rowan chuckles, uncurling his arm from around me but keeping hold of my hand. “We both were.”

Suddenly, a yawn cracks my jaw almost in half, and both guys still.

“Oh, baby, let’s get you to bed,” Roman says gently, using his grip once more to lead me down yet another hallway and then pushes through a door. He hits the light switch, but instead of a full overhead light, various lamps dotted around the room come on, giving a soft glow that is soothing.

---