Page 98 of Owned By Shadows

“Sure,” I state, Nik giving a nod as Alexei forces Sergi to the desk. “Hop on, Sergi baby. Face up.” He swears at me in Russian, so I give Dima a nod, and with a rare grin, he and Alexei force Sergi onto his back, pinning him down by his arms. “Just relax and lie back. Take a load off.”

I giggle, bouncing from foot to foot as a lightness fills my chest. Pocketing my favourite knife, I wrap both my hands around the hilt of the bayonet, a smile which I know is serene on my face as I bring it up and over my head. Sergi babbles in Russian, but I’m on another plane of existence as I bring the knife down, impaling his shoulder to the desk to hold him in place.

He howls, but Dima and Alexei hold him still as I move to the other side, and with another bayonet—because one is never enough, trust me—I repeat the move so he’s secured. He’s wailing now, and the sound is a concerto, heightened by the noises of battle that now rage outside the door.

“Nicely done. People always underestimate bayonets,” Alexei states, his eyes shining as he lets go of Sergi’s arm and admires my handiwork.

“They really do. They’re such a versatile weapon,” I agree, smiling widely. I turn to Nik, his face locked on his father’s. His features are blank, unreadable, but his eyes burn as he stares at his tormentor. “He’s all yours, Niky boy. Just leave him alive enough so I can get my gift for Lamb.”

He gives a sharp nod, his eyes still locked on the man who abused him for years and raped our soulmate for weeks. A wicked grin splits his lips as he stalks closer, withdrawing a large hunting knife.

Looks like Niky boy has finally let his beast free too. What fun!

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

“CARRY YOU” BY RUELLE

IRIS

“Oh, fuck,” I hiss as another wave of pain flows across my stomach, tightening my abdominal muscles.

“That’s it, Iris, breathe through it. Just like all the others,” Andrei encourages, timing my contractions and trying to distract me from the fight that is happening just outside the doors of the security centre we’re currently hiding in.

Hunter and Roman are out there, having pushed the guards back enough for Bubby to shut and lock the door. At their fucking request, I might add. I got no say in the matter, just a glare from Daddy over his shoulder as he fought off two guards.

Andrei made the point that they needed to concentrate, and so did I, as this baby seems to be making up for lost time and coming sooner than any of us expected.

“Jesus,” I pant after the pain subsides, slumping down in the chair for a minute to take a break. Andrei has me walking the small space, Bubby monitoring things via the security cameras.

I glance up at the screen showing the office where Nik and Roo were facing off against Sergi moments before. That all changed when Alexei snuck into the room, and now Sergi seems to be impaled on his desk with knives in his shoulders, his shirt torn off. Nik is carving something into his chest. It looks like Russian words, and Sergi is thrashing around as Rowan stands to one side, arms folded and smiling like a loon. Crazy fucker.

“Oh god,” I moan, rocking as another pain zaps over me, stronger than the last one. “They’re getting worse.”

“That’s good, Iris. Shows your son is on his way,” Andrei assures me, rubbing my back as I breathe through the pain, which is a lot fucking easier said than done.

The agony lasts longer than last time too, and tears fill my eyes once it’s over. I just want my guys here, and I want to be somewhere they can make sure my son is okay, because Andrei doesn’t have any monitors with him, so we only have his basic kit.

“I’m scared,” I whisper, sweat dotting my brows as I get up with Andrei’s help, needing to move. “I’m scared that something will happen and we won’t be able to do anything.”

Andrei’s eyes look pained, the skin of his face tight, but he gives me a reassuring smile, his arm around my waist as we walk back and forth again.

“I know it’s scary, Iris, but we will get through this, and your son is strong.”

The sounds from outside get louder, like more people are there, and I look at Andrei with wide eyes. Bubby gets up from his seat, rushing over to the door, which has a safety glass window.

“Shit! There are more guards.” My heart thrashes inside my chest. “But it looks like there are other guys fighting from the other end.”

“Alexei,” I murmur, remembering hearing his words before I took my comms out because it was distracting and made the pain worse. “He said his men were clearing the mansion.”

Lightning flashes across my abdomen and I scream. This pain is terrible, much stronger than the ones before, and it’s all I can do to breathe as Andrei coaches me through it.

“You’re doing so well, Peaches.” Hunt’s voice filters in through the pain, and I glance up, teary-eyed, to find him next to me, covered in blood, but he’s here. “So is Roman, and we’re staying.” I must have said that last bit out loud, but honestly, my knees almost buckle as relief fills me with a wash of lightness.

I stutter a pain-filled sob as two sets of hands rub my back in soothing, firm circles.

“It hurts,” I whimper, the sharp pain ebbing, only to build again. I reach out, Hunt’s hand finding mine, and I squeeze as I scream again, the pain overwhelming.

“That’s it, baby, breathe for us,” Roman’s voice encourages from my other side, and I feel someone kneel in front of me.

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