Owned by Shadows: Chapter 8

HUNTER

I grip the sides of my phone so tightly I’m surprised the screen doesn’t crack, and my jaw aches where I’m clenching it as I storm towards the flat, the door bouncing on its hinges as I practically kick it open.

“She’s not here.” Rowan’s voice comes from the darkness, his silhouette like some kind of dark fucking demon in the middle of our living space.

“Fucking irresponsible woman!” I roar, losing the battle with my anger and throwing my phone across the room. It shatters, the tinkling not helping my rage, especially as now I have to get a new bloody phone.

“Feel better?” Rowan’s sardonic tone has me growling at him, stalking towards him, my fists clenched at my sides.

“She’s gone to fucking Russia with a fucking teenager!” I shout as I approach him. He doesn’t even flinch, and that pisses me off more. “So no, Rowan, I don’t feel fucking better.”

I’m in his face, snarling, a breath away from punching him just because I need to hit something. I feel like I need to claw my skin off, like I’m seconds away from exploding, and I know it’s not just rage. I’m fucking furious at her for not waiting for us and talking this harebrained plan out, but more than that, I’m terrified something will happen to her and I won’t be there to protect her, just like I wasn’t for Roman.

All of the rage suddenly drains from me, my body sagging and my eyes filling as despair rushes over me like a wave, dragging me under and stealing my breath.

“How can I keep any of you safe if you keep leaving?” The words are a broken whisper, and they fucking hurt like shards of glass as they leave my throat.

Strong arms wrap around me, the arms of a man who is my brother in all but blood, though fuck knows we’ve shed enough of that between us.

“We will find them, Hunt,” Rowan’s harsh voice rasps in my ear as he holds me, his heart thundering as much as mine is. “We will bring them home.”

I know that he’s not just talking about Iris and Bubby.

“You think Roman is alive?” I murmur, hope flaring like a lit match inside my chest. This time, I can’t blow it out, like those fucking birthday cake candles that just keep relighting. I always hated those when the guys did them for me.

“I think Iris believes he is, so strongly that not only is she willing to walk into danger, but to face our wrath to find out if she’s right, and I trust her,” he replies, giving me a squeeze before letting me go. I wipe my eyes, my fingers coming away damp with tears I didn’t realise I’d shed. There are no lights on in here, but the moon shines on his face, his features stark and hard. Determined. “So we follow her wherever she goes. Keep her safe and find out if my brother is alive.”

The match inside me flares brighter, and some of the weight that has been dragging me down ever since that terrible night lifts.

“Wherever she goes,” I repeat, taking a deep inhale and staring into his dark eyes.

He gives me a smile, something that I’ve not seen in weeks, and I feel my lips twitching in response.

“I call dibs on shooting that Russian bastard if we find him. Even if my brother is alive,” Rowan states, and my chest twinges.

If Roman is alive, if Nikolai sent those co-ordinates, it means he once again protected us, even if he had to hurt Roman to save him. My breath shortens at the thought that maybe, just maybe, Nik is still on our side. That Roman isn’t dead, and somehow Nik is still orchestrating things to keep him safe. To keep us all safe.

“Just don’t kill him,” I say, the idea making my stomach churn. “We need the full story before we make any rash decisions.”

“Fine, but I’m going to maim him a little. No one shoots my brother, even if it’s to save him, and goes unpunished.”

“Oh, he won’t go unpunished,” I tell him darkly, moving away and towards our bedroom to pack a bag and grab our passports from the safe.

“Yeah, but he might enjoy your brand of punishment,” Rowan grumbles, following behind me, and a smile pulls my lips upwards.

I hope you’re ready, Sweetheart. I promised you no one hurts what is mine and gets away with it.

IRIS

Butterflies flutter inside my stomach as we land, my hand in Bubby’s tight grip. Turns out he really doesn’t enjoy flying.

“Thank fuck,” he breathes out, still keeping my hand in his as the seat belt sign turns off and people start moving around. “I think I like keeping my feet on the ground.”

I huff a laugh before squeezing his hand, then let go and stand up, easing my back out. It wasn’t a long flight, only three and a half hours, but being six months pregnant and sitting down for that length of time has left me all kinds of crooked.

“I’ll grab the bags,” Bubby says, standing and reaching into the overhead storage before I can even attempt it.

We’re in business class. They were the only seats left, and to be honest, the guys can afford it. I smile when I think back to Hunter, discovering my first spending spree on the joint account. He claimed he was mad, but I know he enjoys providing for me and didn’t really mind. He won’t mind this either, at least, I hope he won’t.

My phone dings as we make our way off the aircraft, and I notice the sim I bought before we left has kicked in. I also have a message waiting for me. One that has those damn butterflies rioting.

My throat tightens. He’s mad like I knew he would be, but he’s coming, so is Rowan by the sounds of it, and he still loves me, which is all that matters.

Bubby’s phone dings as we walk through the airport to customs. I glance over as he cringes.

“Everything okay?” I ask, and he rubs the back of his neck with his hand.

“Yeah, just Hunt threatening my balls and a slow, painful death if anything happens to you,” he answers, and I shake my head, scoffing.

“He wouldn’t hurt you, Bubby,” I tell him, joining the back of the queue to go through security.

“He wouldn’t have to,” Bubby says from beside me, and I look over at him. His face is set in determined lines, his eyes deadly serious. “I won’t let anything happen to you, Iris. I’ll protect you and your baby with my life.”

“Oh, Bubby,” I whisper, throwing my arms around him and hugging him close. He takes a moment, then the arm not holding our bags wraps around me, pulling me in tight. “You shouldn’t have to protect me. I should protect you. You’re only a kid.”

He stiffens, pulling back, but his hand takes mine. “I can protect you. I may be young, but I know how to fight, how to shoot.”

My brows furrow as a lump forms in my throat. He shouldn’t have to know all those things. He should be worried about girls, gaming, and the latest TikTok dance.

“How about we protect each other? Keep each other safe?” I look up at him—yep, he’s taller than me and he’s only fifteen.

His smile breaks out, like the sun bursting from the clouds. “Deal.”

It doesn’t take too long to get through security, and as we have no bags to claim, we head straight to the exit. There are a few people waiting for their friends and family to arrive, but one face stops me in my tracks, Bubby nearly colliding with me.

There’s a scar that runs down the left side of his face, his dark blue eyes locked on mine.

“Who’s that?” Bubby asks, inching in front of me and pulling me behind him. I place a hand on his arm, reassuring him it’s okay.

“That’s Dima, one of Nik’s men,” I say in a soft voice, leading Bubby towards the huge Russian man. “Which means that Nik is here.”

My heart beats like a war drum inside my chest, because even though I was almost a hundred percent certain that it was Nik who messaged me, there was always the chance it wasn’t. Seeing Dima confirms my hope though. He wouldn’t be here if Nik wasn’t.

“Hello, zaya,” he rumbles in that crazy deep voice of his. “Nik said you’d be arriving this morning.”

It’s still dark outside. It’s the early hours of the morning, around two, I think.

Something eases further inside my chest, his words confirming Nik is here.

“How is he?” I blurt out, forgetting all manners, because if Nik is here, surely Roman is too.

Dima glances around us before bending down so he’s closer to me. Bubby stiffens next to me, but he doesn’t stop Dima.

“He’s recovering. Still sore, but Andrei is a great healer and he’ll be okay.”

I take a gasping inhale, tears filling my eyes as I look at this gentle giant with gratitude.

“Thank you,” I breathe out, the tears falling down my cheeks.

“Of course, zaya. Now, I shall take you to them. It’s a long drive, so best use the bathroom now if you need it.” He looks pointedly at my very pregnant stomach, and a watery laugh escapes me.

“Good point,” I reply, turning to look for the restrooms. I go to head to them, but my hand pulls me back, still clasped in Bubby’s.

“I’ll come with you,” he states, his eyes hard as he looks around us, landing on Dima. There’s a wariness from Bubby, like he doesn’t quite trust Nik’s man.

“You can’t come in the ladies with me, Bubby,” I state, rolling my eyes. I tug his hand, which gets him moving, Dima following us.

“No one will stop us,” Dima replies, and I stop, my eyes wide as I look at them.

“Us? As in, both of you are coming in with me?”

“Nik would chop my balls off and make me eat them if anything happened to you, zaya,” Dima replies, his voice matter-of-fact.

“Hunt would do the same to me,” Bubby adds, and I let go of his hand to throw mine up in the air.

“You’re all bloody cavemen, the lot of you!” I huff, but don’t stop them as they follow me into the ladies’ restroom, waiting right outside the bloody toilet door as I do my business.

I can’t be too mad though. Nothing can touch the happiness that has taken over my entire being.

Roman is alive, and in a few brief hours, I will see him again.