IRIS
Nine days pass in tension-filled bliss. Rowan and Nikolai explained what they’d found at Sergi’s medical facility, my stomach twisting with each horrifying revelation, and although it was risky, plus really fucking dangerous, I’m glad they blew it up. I’m not sure I’d be able to sleep knowing that place existed out there, just waiting for me.
We expected some kind of backlash from Sergi, but we’ve heard nothing. Only that he’s back at the Petrov estate. It seems fitting that we will confront him at the place that features in my nightmares. That his ending will be there, the home where he causes so much pain, not just to me, but to Nik for his whole life.
It’ll be dangerous and so much could go wrong because we’ll be on his turf. It’s like a fortress, and the guys have spent most of the past week and a half discussing options for how we actually get in. Nik thinks at least half of Sergi’s men are now on his side and can help. Hunt isn’t sure we can really trust anyone outside of our circle, but what choice do we have? We will bring in the Shadows too. We need every man and woman who can help take down the monster that is Sergi Petrov.
“Wake up, birthday girl.” Hunt’s deep voice filters into my sleepy haze, and I blink my eyes open to find him leaning over me. He smiles widely, placing a kiss on my forehead. “Happy birthday, wife.”
I smile as I stretch and yawn, noticing that the bed is empty, which wasn’t the case when I went to sleep. “Where are the others?”
He gets a mischievous glint in his eyes, which are just visible through the daylight that streams in through the crack in the curtains. “You’ll have to come and see.”
I narrow my eyes playfully at him, and he just laughs, helping me out of bed because this baby is taking up all the bloody room and I feel very whale-like right now.
He waits while I go to the toilet, obviously not letting me shut the door because it’s Daddy Hunt after all. After I finish and wash up, he takes my hand in his warm one and leads me out of our room.
My mouth drops open when I enter our main living space, which is full of rainbow decorations and even a balloon arch. The rest of the guys stand there, all in silly party hats along with Andrei, Dima, and Bubby.
“Happy birthday!” they all yell, Roman blowing one of those paper things that makes the noise of a dying duck. Fuck if I can remember what they’re called. He bounces towards me, pulling me into his arms and smacking a kiss to my lips. “There are presents!”
He’s so excited, like some kind of puppy, that a laugh peals out of me.
“Let her eat first, Baby Boy,” Hunt chides, and Ro blushes, placing another kiss on my lips before he leads me to our large wooden dining table.
I gasp when I see the enormous pile of presents sitting at one end, all wrapped in rainbow paper and huge ribbons. My favourite breakfast of pancakes, bacon, scrambled eggs, and maple syrup is set at this end, enough for all of us plus jugs of juice, and a coffee and teapot.
“Happy birthday, Lamb,” Rowan says, taking me from his brother to wrap me in a tight hug. I inhale his scent, letting the lavender, bergamot, and patchouli engulf me in a comforting cloud.
“Thank you, all of you,” I say, my voice a little choked. I used to love my birthdays, mostly because I was completely spoiled by my father. I always felt so treasured, so loved on my birthday, even if it was the day before Christmas. I guess I didn’t think this year would be anything like that, even if they did say before we’d celebrate. We just have so much else going on, but once again, these guys, my guys, have surprised me and proved me wrong.
“S dnem rozhdeniya, Moye Solntse,” Nik whispers in my ear from behind me, and Roo lets me go so I can turn and step into Nik’s arms. “I’m so grateful I get to spend it with you finally.”
I smile, snuggling into his neck and pulling him as close as my stomach will allow. “I’m so glad you do too, Nik.”
When Nik releases me, Hunt makes me sit down, and we all eat together, Andrei, Dima, and Bubby joining us and wishing me a happy birthday too.
“Now can she open presents?” Ro whines once I declare I can’t fit another bite inside my very full stomach. I can’t suppress my giggle. He’s like a child, so excited even though all the presents are for me.
“Fine.” Hunt manages to just get the words out as Ro leaps to his feet and grabs one of the smaller boxes, rushing over and presenting it to me.
“Open mine first,” he urges, and I laugh, his excitement infectious.
I indulge him, taking the gift and carefully opening it so as not to destroy the beautiful paper. I can’t suppress the grin when I see Ro practically hopping from foot to foot in anticipation. My grin grows when I finally set the paper aside to find a Kindle box inside.
Opening that, I see a beautiful pink cover with a tarot card print of The Lovers on the front. My mouth drops open when I open it to find what must be hundreds of books already on the device.
“I searched all the dark romance why choose books and got them for you, as you clearly like more than one love interest,” he says, a shit-eating grin tugging his lips upwards. “There’s a genre called Omegaverse, where they’re kinda like shifters with alphas and heightened senses but no actual shifting. It’s wild, but apparently it’s super hot right now.” I pause at a book titled Havoc Killed Her Alpha by an author called Marie Mackay. “Yeah, I got you all her books. They look kinda brutal. The guys are arseholes, but then I figured you liked arseholes too.”
I look up at him, lost for words. “Ro, this is…thank you.”
I pull him down to me, because getting up takes about five fucking minutes, and kiss him silly, telling him with my lips that his thoughtful gift means the world to me. I’ve missed reading so much, and this way, it’s easy for me to read whenever I like, which I think I’ll be doing a lot of once the little one arrives and I’m feeding him at all hours.
We part, panting, and heat fills my cheeks when I remember that it’s not just us here.
“Cringe,” Bubby states from his seat, and it dispels any embarrassment, especially when Hunt smacks him upside the back of his head, but Bubby just laughs. He’s like the little brother I never had but kind of always wanted.
Nik brings a large box over to me next, kneeling in front of me and presenting it to me. My heart flutters as I open it, the brand name Kneed glinting gold on the teal box. My gaze darts to his, my pulse racing.
He smiles at me, and I look back down, opening the lid. “Oh, Nik.” My voice is thick as I look at the beautiful handbag, the same leather one as the one I wore that day all those months ago when I arrived home to find my life irrevocably changed.
“I figured I owed you a new one,” he breathes out, and I look up with tears in my eyes. “After your other one was ruined.”
I place the box on the table and pull Nik against me, tears falling down my cheeks. “I don’t regret it, any of it,” I tell him, his arms wrapping around me and holding me close. “Because if none of it happened, then I might not be here now, and that would be worse than any of the shit I’ve been through.”
“You’re too good for us, Solnishko,” he rasps, his own voice thick with emotion. “I will never forgive myself for what he’s taken from you.”
I’m shaking my head as I pull back so I can see his eyes. They’re tortured, the skin around them tight as his jaw works. Taking his hand in mine, I place it over my rounded stomach, our son kicking Nik’s hand as if to remind him of all that we’ve gained. “But look what he gave us. You and him. There’s nothing to forgive, my love.”
Roman hugs Nik’s head to his stomach. “We’d be lost without you, Love. So for that, and our son, I can thank your cunt of a sperm donor.”
A tear makes its way down Nik’s cheek, and I reach over to wipe it away, cupping his cheek in my hand.
“I love you, Nikolai Petrov.”
“Ya tebia Lyublu, Iris Anderson,” he replies, placing a kiss on my palm before he gets up. Ro wraps his arms around him and hugs him tight.
“Happy birthday, Lamb,” Rowan says as Nik makes room for him, presenting me with a slim box.
Quirking my brow at him, I undo the rainbow wrapping to find a beautiful wooden box underneath. I open the gold metal closure, and what I find has my lips parting. Inside, nestled against navy blue velvet, are two objects.
One is a stunning flick knife, like the one I see him use, but this one has a rainbow metal effect on the handle, the name ‘Lamb’ etched into it in stunning cursive. Around the knife is a necklace, which is a delicate gold chain with a red jewel hanging from it.
“I had them take my blood and make it into the jewel,” he tells me as the light glints from it. “I want you to never take it off, so I’m always with you.”
The initial he carved into my skin pulses, reminding me he’s always with me, even now. My lips part, but honestly, I’m not sure what to say. It’s so fucking romantic I can hardly breathe.
“It’s beautiful,” I finally manage to croak out. “Will you put it on me now, Roo?”
“Of course, Lamb,” he replies, taking the necklace out of its velvet box and coming up behind me.
I hold my breath as I lift my hair out of the way so he can fasten the clasp, and it’s a comforting weight as it settles against my collarbone.
“That’s some next-level shit,” Bubby states, and we all chuckle, because well, he’s not wrong. It’s a gift only Rowan would give, his own blood made into something so stunning and just for me.
“It looks beautiful on you, Lamb,” Rowan says as he comes to stand in front of me, a possessive gleam in his eyes, making the amber shine like liquid gold.
He steps to the side and Hunter is there, a small, square velvet box in his hand. My heart pitter-patters inside my chest as he gets to one knee, opening the box to reveal two rings. One gold with a black diamond in it, the other a plain gold band.
“I never did give you a ring, wife,” he says, taking the rings from the box and my left hand in his. I frown as I take in my swollen fingers, tears making my eyes sting as I realise the rings won’t fit and I can’t wear them because my hands may swell more before I get birth.
He places a kiss on my finger and then drops the rings, which dangle midair on a gold chain. “Until you can wear them on your finger, my love.”
A tear traces a hot path down my cheek as he leans in, undoing the clasp of the chain and putting it around my neck. After he’s fastened it, he leans back, admiring the rings, which are nestled next to my blood jewel.
“Thank you, Daddy,” I rasp, taking both the rings in my fingers and admiring them.
“You’re most welcome, baby,” he replies, leaning in once again and placing his lips against mine. The kiss is surprisingly sweet for Hunt, though still full of his special brand of dominance.
He pulls away, and I feel so warm and fuzzy it’s like I’m glowing.
“I’m afraid I need to be the boring one and check your vitals, make sure all is okay, then you can go back to opening more presents and relaxing for the day, okay?” Andrei states, and although I roll my eyes, I find that today I don’t mind.
The others clear the breakfast things away, and once Andrei declares that all is fine for now and I take my morning medication, I open the rest of the presents, feeling absolutely spoilt rotten by the time there is a pile of rainbow paper on the floor next to me.
“Are you up for leaving the house, baby?” Hunt asks, and I look up at him, a small smile on my lips. I like all these surprises.
“I think so. Why?”
“Well, now that you’ve been given the all-clear by Andrei, we can go on the spa day we booked for you,” he tells me, and I feel my face light up.
“I would fucking love that!” I say, pushing up out of my chair. He quickly reaches out and helps me up, because let’s be honest, sometimes it feels like I need a small crane to lift me out of my seat. “What do I need to bring?”
“It’s all packed, Princess,” Roman says, indicating the gym bag at his feet. “You just need to maybe put some more clothes on. Much as I love you wearing as little as possible, it’s cold as fuck outside.”
I laugh, filled with so much joy I think I might burst.
Hunt escorts me to our room, because again, it’s Daddy Hunt, and I quickly throw on some clean underwear and leggings, thick socks, and a fluffy jumper over my tank top.
“Ready!” I declare as we enter the main living space again. Rowan, Roman, and Nik are by the door while Andrei, Dima, and Bubby are sitting at the dining table and Roo’s desk. “Are you guys not coming?”
I’m so used to having them around that I’m surprised they aren’t joining us.
“Nah,” Bubby says, not looking away from the screens as he rapidly types on the keyboard. “We’ve got shit to do here.”
I’ve given up telling him off for swearing because it’s a hopeless cause.
“Have a good time, Zaya,” Dima says and gives me a small smile that he doesn’t bestow on just anyone, or so Nik tells me.
“Thank you, you too,” I reply, Hunt taking my hand before we follow the others out into the cold December day.
