ROMAN
There was no way I could go back to sleep once Nik told me that Iris was on her way. On the one hand, I want to throttle the bloody woman. To travel all the way to Russia—and Dima confirmed she only had Bubby with her and not Hunt or my brother—is fucking madness. She’s six months pregnant, for fuck’s sake. Never mind, Sergi doesn’t seem like the type to give up, especially given the fact he ordered his son to shoot me.
Yes, I’m fucking livid with her, but I also just want to wrap my arms around her and hold her close until the end of our days. Fuck. Nik may have told me that the world would be a dark place without me—I’m still processing that and what it means—but without Iris, I know my world is shades of grey. Dull. Lifeless.
She is my sun, the star that I orbit around, and I need her like I need the air to breathe.
So, here I am, the sun breaking over the horizon as I watch the road through the forest that leads to this cabin.
“You really should be resting, Lev.” Nik sighs from his position on the large sofa next to me. For a safe house, it’s still pretty luxurious.
It’s a wooden house, but unlike any I’ve ever seen. The detailing is stunning, with fancy wood painted blue and carved details in bright orange. It’s spacious inside, open-plan downstairs, with a beautifully carved staircase which I believe leads to several bedrooms. I refused to go up to one, deciding to wait on the sofa that is in front of a bank of windows. Watching. Waiting.
“Would you be able to rest? Knowing that she’s so close?” I ask, not taking my eyes off the road as the sky lightens. He sighs once more.
“No.” The cushions shift next to me, and I swallow, because the heat from his body is just a breath away from mine. It’s a bit distracting, truth be told. “I bet you’ll listen to her when she gets here.”
I huff a laugh at the grumble in his tone, but also at the fact that I know he’s right. I will let Iris boss me around as much as she likes, so long as she joins me and I can feel her pressed against me.
I sit up at the sound of a car, headlights shining down the long driveway. My heart thrashes inside my chest, all other thoughts forgotten as it makes its way towards us. It’s the car we took here, so I know Dima is driving it and Iris is in there. Bubby too. I’ll need to have words with him about this, though I know how bloody stubborn our woman can be, so it’s no surprise the teenager folded so easily and decided Hunter’s wrath was better than Iris’s.
It feels like an age but also mere seconds before the car pulls up in front of the house, the back door swinging open before it’s even fully stopped.
“For fuck’s sake! She’s going to hurt herself,” I hear Nik hiss, but I’m already up and out of my seat, the pain in my shoulder forgotten as I rush to the door and wrench it open.
All the breath leaves my lungs at the sight of her, wide hazel eyes and cheeks flushed, staring at me as if I’m a dream.
“Ro!” The words leave her in a cry, and I’m down the few steps and gathering her in my uninjured arm before her knees buckle from underneath her. She clings to me, sobs making her entire frame shake as I hold her against me, breathing in her scent and proving to myself this is no dream.
“Fuck, you’re a sight for sore eyes, Princess,” I rasp, my throat thick and tears dripping down my cheeks.
“I–I never t–thought I’d see you a–again,” she stutters, pulling her face away from my chest to look into my eyes. Her eyes are red, her cheeks wet, but she’s never looked more beautiful.
“Come on, you know I could never leave you. My heart wouldn’t allow it. My soul will always fight to get back to you,” I tell her, lowering my face so my lips hover over hers. “I love you, Iris.”
“I love you, Roman,” she whispers back, our lips meeting in a kiss that speaks of the wonder of finding something you thought had been lost forever. Her lips tremble against mine, her fingers gripping my hoodie as if she’s worried I will disappear if she lets go.
“I’m not going anywhere, baby,” I murmur against her lips, diving back in and stroking the seam with my tongue. She opens for me, like a flower opening for the sun, and I waste no time in pillaging her mouth.
Shit, it’s like the kiss ignites my entire body because everything fades away. The pain of my healing bullet wound. The chill of the predawn air. The forest that surrounds us and all the sounds of it. Nik, Dima, and Bubby. The only thing that exists is Iris. My beautiful, wonderful soulmate. The way her lips feel under mine, her tongue and the warmth of her mouth, is like coming home after the world’s worst journey.
We pull apart only when my lungs demand air, and my chest heaves as I stare into her stunning eyes.
“We should head inside.” Nik’s voice comes from behind me and I blink, the sounds and world around us filtering back in.
Iris’s delicate nostrils flare, and with a banshee shriek, she tears away from me, the sound so loud the birds startle from the trees. I twist just in time to see her slap Nik across the face so hard his head twists to the side; the sound echoing in the clearing. My mouth gapes as, in the next moment, she throws herself at him, grasps his still stunned face in her small hands, and crashes her lips against his.
“I will never understand women,” Bubby says next to me, and I twist to face him, a wide smile on my lips. “Also, Jesus fuck, Roman.”
He bursts into tears, and it’s as easy as breathing to take the kid in my good arm and hold him to me. I’ve never seen such emotion from him, even when he’d been starving because his deadbeat dad drank all their benefits away.
“It’s okay, Bubby. I’m here now,” I soothe, holding his shaking body, tears stinging my eyes again as I embrace him. Bubby has always been like a little brother to me, and I’m just so fucking grateful I’m not dead. I’ll be a fucking wreck when I see my twin and Hunt, as I’m sure they will be, so I pull Bubby closer, taking comfort in the simple human contact.
Andrei comes out of the house just as Iris and Nik take a moment to breathe, looking more refreshed than the rest of us.
“I’ll drive back to the airport to collect the rest of the Shadows,” he states, walking down the steps and taking the keys off Dima. He presses a quick kiss on the giant’s lips, earning a smile from the scary Russian that I’ve not seen unless it’s directed at Andrei. “Dima, you need sleep. Roman, try not to fuck up your wound too much.”
Bubby steps out of my embrace, wiping his eyes and looking at Andrei as I raise a brow at the medic. Andrei stops.
“Hunt and Rowan are coming?” I ask, glancing at Iris who is nestled against Nik’s side, his cheek red even as he stares down at her like she hung the moon. Yeah, I’d let her slap me too and still thank her for loving me.
“Hunt’s pissed,” Iris says, cringing slightly, though she’s not scared. If anything, her eyes shine with what looks like excitement. Yeah, Hunt’s punishments aren’t all bad. “But he messaged to say they were on their way.”
My chest twinges, my stomach fluttering as I think about seeing the other part of my soul and my twin so soon. Of course they would follow her, we all would, and it’ll be good to be in the same place again so we can regroup and plan our next steps.
“I’ll bring them here, but in the meantime, remember you’re still healing, so try not to do anything too strenuous.” Andrei gives me a knowing look, and a pleasurable shiver runs over me that has nothing to do with the chill in the air.
“Yes, Doc,” I tease, and he just shakes his head before turning to Bubby.
“I’m Andrei, pleased to meet you, Bubby,” he states, holding his hand out to the younger man. Bubby takes it, shaking it and looking all kinds of awkward, which makes me snort at him. He gives me death eyes, which only makes me grin wider.
Andrei shakes his head, says something in Russian, and then stalks to the car, getting in and driving off.
“Let’s head inside,” Nik suggests, Dima waiting for us all to walk up the steps before he follows. Nik turns to him once we’re inside. “You need to get some sleep, Dima. I can manage for a few hours.”
“I wouldn’t mind catching a few,” Bubby says, his jaw cracking as he yawns.
“Come. I’ll show you to your room,” Dima replies, nodding towards the stairs and turning to head up them.
“Bub?” I say as Bubby goes to follow, and he pauses, looking back at me. “Thanks for taking care of her.”
His lips tilt upwards and he glances at Iris. “Of course, bro. She’s family.” With that, he turns and walks up the stairs, carrying a duffle bag that he must’ve had on him but I just didn’t notice.
My eyelids flutter as a yawn threatens to overtake me.
“I think we all could do with some sleep, don’t you?” Nik asks, and I look over at him and Iris to see that she’s definitely flagging, leaning into him as his lids droop. He holds a bag that looks like the one she arrived at the estate with all those months ago.
“Do you have a bed that will fit all of us?” she asks in a sleepy voice, rubbing her eyes with her fists.
“The master is big enough, as long as we’re careful with Roman’s arm,” Nik replies, and what looks like longing makes his dark eyes shine as he stares at me. I swallow hard, my body flooding with warmth despite my fatigue.
“Then lock up, Nik. You’re coming with us and we will all sleep together until the others get here,” she states, stepping away from him and coming up to me. Her hand reaches out, tracing my face, wonder in her eyes. “I knew you weren’t dead. My heart wouldn’t accept it, and they told me I was being wishful, but I knew.”
Nik locks the front door before setting an alarm system, all while Iris and I just stare at each other. I will never again take for granted being able to look upon her beautiful face, hold her in my arms, and kiss her plush lips. Each moment will be a blessing, something that I may never have experienced again if Nik hadn’t saved me.
Nik comes to stand next to us and Iris and I look up at him. His lips part as his eyes soften, almost glossing over.
“You are both so beautiful,” he whispers, one hand coming up to cup Iris’s cheek. She nuzzles into his touch, and my chest swells as I feel fingers on my skin. His palm is warm as he cradles my face, and my eyelids flutter at the touch. He chuckles. “I can see I’ll have my hands full with you two. For now, sleep and then we can see about…other things.”
My eyes snap open at his words, my breath quickening at the implication. Fuck. To have Nik and Iris together, our bodies wrapped around each other…that really would be too close to a dream.
“Rest first, Lev,” he says firmly, and my cheeks flush at his commanding tone.
“That’s his no-nonsense tone,” Iris whispers, mischief in her eyes as she glances up under her lashes at me. I rasp a laugh.
“Guess we best do what he says,” I reply, watching as Nik’s nostrils flare at our teasing and talking about him as if he weren’t here.
“Yes, you best do,” he chides, moving his hands away to slide his arm underneath my good one. I don’t realise how much my body was aching, pleading for rest until he takes some of my weight.
“I should have slapped you harder,” Iris grumbles as Nik helps me to the stairs. “Not sure I’ll ever forgive you for shooting him.”
I catch the flare of pain in Nik’s eyes, the guilt that makes his shoulders draw up.
“I forgave him already,” I state, and he stops, his eyes wide as he looks at me.
“You did?” he asks, his voice just louder than a whisper, as if he can’t believe that I would.
“I do,” I confirm, staring into his dark eyes. “You saved my life, Nik. Brought me back to her, to Hunt, and my brother. To you.”
His breath stutters out of him, his eyes glistening as he swallows. I hate that he fights the emotion which so clearly wants to break free. That he feels like he can’t show it, can’t let himself experience it. Sergi has a fuck ton to answer for.
“Then I suppose I’ll forgive you too,” Iris tells him softly, climbing up on the step next to him and pressing her lips to his cheek. “After all, I love you, Nikolai Petrov.”
His entire body shudders, even as his jaw clenches. “I told you to wait to say those words, Moye Solntse.”
“And life is too short to wait, my love,” she whispers against his skin, her eyes on me, the pain making them shine. Then she presses a quick kiss on his lips before sauntering up the steps, her leggings-clad arse swaying in the most delicious way. She looks back at us. “Which one is ours?”
“The one at the end of the hall, Malyshka,” Nik replies, slightly dazed. You and me both, dude. He shakes his head as she continues up. “Let’s get you to bed.”
“Only because you ask so nicely, sir,” I sass, and his steps falter as he curses in Russian. My lips tug up into a smirk.
“You both will be the death of me,” he mutters under his breath as we make our way up the stairs after Iris.
“I have to disagree with you there, sir,” I reply as we reach the top. We pause, which allows me to take an inhale and also look into his deep brown eyes. “We will be the life of you, Nikolai Petrov.”
