Page 67 of Owned By Shadows

“I have my sources,” I say, not elaborating further.

Nik’s phone chimes, and he freezes, all of us stopping just as we reach the doors that lead back outside.

“What the fuck has happened now?” Bubby exclaims, his tone exasperated, but I don’t miss the thread of worry lacing through it.

Nik glances around, tilting his head so we all follow himself outside and down a path that is quiet and secluded. My heart pounds inside my chest as I wonder what new fuckery we need to deal with.

“Alexei thinks his father may have discovered our plan. He’s acting suspicious,” Nik tells us in a hushed tone, and I swallow hard. Fuck. “We may need a new strategy, possibly even bring the whole thing forward.”

Double fuck.

“Shit. We can’t catch a fucking break,” Bubby snarls, and Dima places a large hand on the kid’s shoulder.

“No plan survives contact with the enemy,mal’chik,” he says gently, squeezing his hand, and some of the tension drains from Bubby.

“Let’s head to the house where we can discuss our next steps,” Nik proposes, scrubbing a hand over his face. “We’ll update Hunt and Iris when we see them later.”

A breath leaves my chest on a frustrated sigh. Bubby isn’t wrong. It feels like it’s one hit after another, like there are spinning plates that keep crashing down around us no matter how hard we try to juggle them.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

“LOOK AFTER YOU” BY ARON WRIGHT

IRIS

We’ve spent two weeks at this new island, though I’ve not really been able to enjoy it as Dr Shelia thought it best if I stay in the luxury facility, getting as much rest as possible as they continue to monitor my symptoms. I’m not on bed rest exactly. I may move around, although to be honest, the fatigue that clouds my waking moments makes me grateful for the respite.

We had to compromise with me staying here alone. The guys wouldn’t hear of it. So Shelia agreed that only two of them can be with me and stay overnight at once. I’ve even been given a bigger bed so that we can sleep together, not in the fun, sexy kind of way because they are all refusing to give me dick at the moment. They got scared when Dr Shelia told them how high my blood pressure was when we arrived, so I now have blue ovaries, which is making me cranky as fuck.

All has been quiet on the Sergi front, although Nik told me of Alexei’s message about his father, and they’ve been back andforth devising a new plan. I think we won’t be waiting the few weeks until New Year’s Eve to enact it, but nothing is set in stone yet.

I’ve lost track of the days somewhat, but I’m pretty sure we’re heading into December, which is wild considering it’s still so warm and I’m not used to warm winters.

After going to bed with Hunt on one side and Roman on the other, I wake up with a gasp, pain flashing across my stomach, which feels really tight. My heart races, the two bodies on either side of me shifting.

“Peaches?” Hunt questions sleepily just as another pain races through my abdomen and I cry out. “Fuck! What’s wrong, baby?”

Tears fill my eyes, my breathing short as Hunt sits up, Roman doing the same on my other side.

“Talk to us, Princess,” Roman pleads, his hand brushing hair off my face as I lie there, my hands over my stomach.

“I— I don’t know. I— It feels like I’m going into labour,” I confess, watching as his eyes widen, Hunt slipping out of bed and pressing the emergency call button.

“The doctor is on her way, baby,” Hunt assures me, coming back and placing a trembling hand over mind. “They’ll help. Just breathe for me, darling.”

I take a shuddering inhale just as the door opens and several people rush inside.

“What’s wrong, Iris?” Dr Shelia asks, Hunt stepping up by my head so she can come up beside me.

“I— I think I’m having contractions,” I say in a whisper, a lump in my throat forming at the words. It’s too soon. I’m only thirty-four weeks pregnant, so my baby isn’t fully developed yet.

“Okay, let’s take a look, but try not to panic. They could be Braxton Hicks—false contractions—which are really common in the later stages of pregnancy.”

“The others are on their way, Princess,” Roman tells me, and my chest loosens a little at hearing that.

I grit my teeth as another contraction type of pain hits. Fuck. If labour is anything like this, I’m not sure I can do it.

“Yes, you can, baby,” Hunt states, and I peel open my eyes, not even aware I’d closed them or spoken aloud. “You will give birth because you were made for it and you’re the strongest person I know.”

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