Page 20 of Claimed By Shadows

Despite the fact that my Shadows stay in my bed, my nights are full of nightmares, my body waiting for the nightly assault it had to undergo for weeks at Sergi’s hands. It’s like it doesn’t get the memo that we’re safe. I become so jumpy that I know the guys tiptoe around me, scared to make any sudden noises or move for fear of my trauma rearing its ugly head and turning me into a gibbering wreck, which has happened several times.

My skin is raw with the amount of times I’ve washed, yet I still feel dirty almost as soon as I’ve stepped from beneath the shower spray. I’ve made myself bleed more than once from scrubbing it so hard, and I broke down when Hunter took away my loofah.How am I meant to get clean without it?

I know it’s not normal, the need to clean myself so often and so viciously. The anxiety I feel on a daily basis, the nightmares and lethargy. I see the way the guys look at me, worry furrowing their brows, their touches hesitant because no one knows what will trigger one of the many panic attacks I’ve had since returning.

One night, we’re sitting in the living room, Rowan’s phone in my hands as the TV plays some show quietly in the background. I’ve been researching recently, having come to the conclusion that I can’t live like this. I won’t let Sergi steal my life away, and that means I need help. Outside help.

I’ve found a place out in the countryside, a beautiful facility that looks perfect, but I’m not sure how to broach the subject with the guys. How can I tell them that I need to go away to heal? That I need to be away from them when they’ve only just got me back?

The sound of Hunt’s phone vibrating next to me makes me jump out of my skin, my heart pounding in my ears as he pulls it from his pocket and up to his ear.

“Kai? What’s up?” Hunt’s deep voice goes some way to settle my nerves, but then he’s sitting up, cursing, and my chest tightens. “Shit, yeah we can look into it for you. Send over the details.” He runs his fingers through his hair, cursing again.

“What’s wrong? Who’s Kai?” I ask, a sinking feeling in my gut telling me this is serious.

“Kai Matthews,” Hunt replies, looking over at Roman and then Rowan, who are sitting across from us on the L-shaped sofa. “Lilly’s been taken and they think her uncle has her in Wiltshire. She’s pregnant too.”

“Fuck,” Roman hisses as my stomach swoops. I hate that there’s a small amount of relief mixed in with the horror, a part of me glad it’s nothing to do with Sergi. Hunter’s phone vibrates again with an incoming message and he glances down, his brows etched.

“The location of his estate,” he tells us. “They’ve asked if we can take a look, maybe try and get in somehow to see if she’s there.” His gaze flits to me and his jaw works. “I can send some of the guys to?—”

“No.” My voice is firm and louder than it’s been in the past couple of weeks. “You need to go. I won’t let Lilly suffer a moment longer if we can help.” A lump forms in my throat at the thought of what she might be going through, what might be happening to her. I may not know her, but she’s Willow’s bestie, and I can’t stand the idea of another woman being at the mercy of a man who has stolen her, just like Sergi did to me. I sit up straighter, grasping Hunter’s arm, which is warm and flexes under my touch. “Please, Hunt. It has to be you, you’re the best.”

He swallows, his gaze boring into mine. “I won’t leave you alone.”

“Rowan can stay,” I quickly state, my free hand clutching the phone as a plan forms in my mind and a sense of calm fills my body. For the first time since that awful night when Sergi took me from my Shadows, I feel in control. “Can’t you, Roo?”

“Sure,” he answers, and his eyes narrow slightly, making my pulse race. He’s suspicious, so I’ll have to tread carefully. “I’ll stay with Lamb and you two check it out, see what you can find.”

“Fine,” Hunt relents before turning back to me. “But you stay in the flat, okay? And we will be back tomorrow night.”

“Okay, Hunt.” My chest twinges at the lie I just told. If my plan works and I can convince Rowan to take me, I’ll be heading to Serene Haven first thing in the morning.

CHAPTER TWELVE

“THIS WOMEN’S WORK” BY KATE BUSH

IRIS

As soon as the others leave, Rowan comes over and sits next to me.

“Show me.” The two words are said as a demand, but a gentle one, and my heart races as I hand over his phone. His brows furrow as he looks at the screen, his eyes racing from side to side as he reads about Serene Haven. Then his throat bobs before he looks up at me, his amber eyes swirling with emotion. “Hunt’s not going to like it, you being so far away and unprotected.”

“I need this, Roo,” I tell him, taking in an inhale and watching his own chest rise and fall.

“I know, Lamb.” He places the phone down on the coffee table in front of us, running his fingers through his long blond hair. I love it when he leaves it down, and my fingers itch to follow his, to feel the soft, silky strands between them. “Fuck, he’s going to kill me, you know that right?”

“So you’ll do it? You’ll take me?” I ask, my breath bottling up in my chest as I wait for his answer.

The angles of his face soften, his fingers reaching out and brushing my cheek. “Lamb, I would do anything for you. I’d do everything for you, including facing Hunter’s wrath. If this is what you need, if being away from here and someplace you can heal, then that’s what we’ll do. Hunt will come around.”

“Thank you, Roo,” I whisper, my voice thick with the lump in my throat, and my fingers reach out to tangle with his, giving them a squeeze.

“No need to thank me, Lamb,” he tells me, setting down his phone and reaching for the laptop he was on before Hunt’s phone call from Kai. “You best go pack while I hack into their systems and check out their security.”

“Rowan!” I admonish, though I can’t deny that his words also give me the warm and fuzzies.

“No arguments, Lamb. We need to make sure Sergi can’t pull any shit, and it’s the only way I’ll convince Hunt. That and I’m sure he’ll want to place some guys on security detail.” At my raised brows he huffs a laugh. “Don’t worry, we’ll make a large donation to keep them sweet.”

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