Page 39 of Kissed By Shadows

“Fucking hell, you look like shit,” Andrei states, striding in, Dima following behind him. Blinking, I look up at them, unable to make my stiff limbs move even an inch. Tutting, Andrei crouches down in front of me, scanning me before blowing out a breath. “This will probably hurt like a bitch.”

Getting to his feet, he gives Dima a nod, and then Dima bends down at my side, grabbing my arm and placing it over his thick neck. A groan slips free as he jostles my broken ribs, and he pauses, allowing me a moment to breathe through the pain, all of us aware that one of my father’s men is waiting outside and will report any weakness back.

“Ready?” he asks, his voice barely a whisper, and gritting my teeth together hard enough to crack them, I give the barest of nods. Then he slides his own arm around my back to haul me to my unsteady feet.

The world dips and tilts, and it’s lucky I haven’t eaten or drunk anything since they left me down here because I’d be vomiting all over the floor and our feet if I had. Again, he gives me a minute to just fucking breathe, Andrei coming in front of me and blocking any view of my struggles.

My chest swells with the knowledge that, unlike when I was a child, I’m not alone anymore. I have loyal men, friends, who will help me through this and the trials to come.

“Let’s get out of here,” I hiss, my voice croaking with disuse and pain.

Lightning shoots up my side as we move, and I’m barely able to place one foot in front of the other, but we make our way out of the dark, dank room and into the hallway. As I suspected, oneof my father’s men, Ivan, is waiting, the scorn clear on his face as he curls his lip at me. He used to hit me the hardest when I was a child, the sick satisfaction of hurting someone weaker than him clear by the gleam in his eyes. He’ll be the first to die alongside the man he serves, and I’ll make sure it’s not a quick death.

Ignoring the sneers of other men who work for my father as we pass them, we make our way down the corridor and up the basement stairs. I’m sweating, dipping in and out of consciousness when we reach the top, and we have to pause in order for me to catch my breath.

We don’t stop for long though, not wanting them to see me any weaker than they already do, and before long, we continue the agonising journey to my wing, every step stealing my breath until I’m barely panting.

As soon as we step through the doors to my suite, I sag, almost taking Dima down with me.

“Get him on the bed!” Andrei hisses, and Dima sweeps me in his massive arms, a cry of agony falling from my lips as he jostles all my injuries. “I’ve got some morphine right here, Nikolai.”

A prick in my arm is followed by a slow numbing of my aches as Dima gently sets me down on the bed. I’m naked and filthy, although luckily I got one of the cells with a toilet, so at least I’m not covered in my own excrement.

I sink back into the sheets, knowing Andrei will see to my injuries. It’s what he’s done for me even before he qualified as a doctor, and he’s methodical and gentle as he assesses me, cleaning up my various cuts and scrapes before stitching me up where necessary.

My eyelids drift shut, the painkillers working to rest and relax me enough, my body finally giving in to the sleep that I denied for the past few days.

“We’ve got you, Nikolai. Sleep now, brother.” Dima’s deep voice washes over me, giving me the final permission I needed to embrace the darkness.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

“FEEL AGAIN” BY KINA FEAT. AU/RA

IRIS

Despite my teasing, some urgent and unavoidable Shadow’s business takes Hunter and the twins away for the next couple of days, so we don’t get to try out the new toys after all. I’m far from alone though, Dayton keeping me company both days and nights and at least two other gang members outside the front door at all times.

I’m actually grateful that the guys are gone because it gives me the chance to just breathe and take stock. It’s been a crazy few days, and the space provides a much-needed downtime where I can think about everything that’s happened.

Plus the opportunity to work on my various knitting projects, which I completed by the time they come strolling back into the flat, bringing in the freezing winter air and looking all kinds of delicious.

“Princess!” Roman practically yells in excitement, rushing over to me and picking me up in his strong arms. “Fuck, I missed you.”

My legs wrap around his hips instinctively, my arms around his neck as he pulls me close, and then his lips crash down on mine in a bruising kiss that steals my very breath from my lungs. I don’t even think about it, just kiss him back, inhaling his sunshine, my entire body sinking into him.

Warmth at my back has a gasp leaving my lips, and then my face is being turned from Roman’s, a growl sounding in his chest as Rowan claims my lips. Roman refuses to let me go as his twin dominates the kiss, his lips cold and yet burning as he kisses me like I’m the last breath of air he’s going to get.

A part of me knows that this is crazy, that it’s probably some kind of messed-up Stockholm Syndrome and that I shouldn’t be letting them kiss me like this, never mind hold me like this after less than a week.

But my heart doesn’t give a shit about any of that, and neither does Evangeline, who’s one step away from using Roman’s washboard abs as some kind of grinder.

“Missed you too, Little Lamb,” Rowan whispers against my lips, and I blink my eyes open to find him studying me in that way he does, drinking every reaction of mine in.

“Any trouble?” Hunter asks as he strides into the room, his question for Dayton, who’s standing in front of the sofa where he was seated, helping me to wind some yarn into a ball before I got up to get a drink just as the guys arrived back.

“All quiet, boss,” Dayton replies, his face adorably serious. “I stayed overnight like you ordered, and there’s been no attempt at getting her, not even someone trying to get on the estate.”

“Good job, Bubby,” Hunter says, slapping him on the back in an older brother kind of way. “Take a day or two off.”

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