Iosif -To load

by Dahlen, K. J.

  “What’s with him beating on you?” Yuri asked. “My security men have found eleven hospital visits where you claimed someone mugged you. Was that Billy Jo?”

  Jaden dipped her head and nodded. “Yeah, he found me at least eleven different times over the last few years and every time he found me he’d hit me. Calling me nasty names and such. I left Baton Rouge and came here, thinking I was safe by leaving town, but he managed to follow me. I think the first time he found me he was surprised but then he made it his mission in life to find me when I’d run away. He’d find me again and again and each time he quote, unquote, taught me a lesson. It got to be a game to him. A game that ended up with me in the hospital seeking medical care.” Tears ran down her face.

  Isoif looked pained and took her hand.

  “I just want to end this nightmare. I don’t know why he keeps coming after me or why he hates me so much. Yes, I embarrassed him in high school but that was years ago.”

  “Someone close to the Cuban cartel here in town claims one reason he hates you might be he blames you for telling the cartel where he lives. They were looking for him due to a problem with one of his pickups being several thousand dollars short.”

  Jaden paled and shook his head. “I have never done anything like that. I mean why would I? I want nothing to do with the man and sticking my nose in his business wouldn’t be something I would do. Besides, I have no idea how to contact the Cuban cartel and I certainly never wanted to know where Billy Jo lived.”

  “Then why would he think you did it?” Roman wanted to know.

  “With that man, there’s always someone else to blame. He can do no wrong if you know what I mean.” Jaden sighed.

  Yuri glanced over to Roman. They had both run into people like Billy Jo Walker and it never went well. “Did you ever know anything about your father?” Yuri asked.

  “No, I never even knew his name. And my mom died before I could ask about him.”

  Yuri nodded. “Would you mind if we did a little digging into your background? I have a feeling Billy Jo’s interest goes a little deeper than just being rejected.”

  Jaden shrugged. “I’m not sure I want to know why he’s stalking me. I mean if you find a reason maybe he’ll quit but I don’t see that happening. Somehow, I don’t think he’s going to stop until he ends up killing me. And there isn’t that much to find in my background. It’s a little hard to have a paper trail when you don’t have a paper trail to begin with. The only papers I have are the ones Social services generated when they took me in. I’m not sure what Mrs. Bradley will tell you but you can always ask.”

  “Billy Jo will never get close to you again,” Iosif vowed. “I know we just met and you may not understand what I’m about to say but you belong to me now and he’ll never hurt you again.”

  Jaden shook her head. “But you can’t just claim a person you just met. That doesn’t make any sense. You don’t even know me and I don’t know you.”

  Iosif smiled. “I know enough. I know that I will and can protect you from this bastard. I know this will be the very last time he lays his hands on you.”

  Jaden stared at him for a long moment then smiled. Her whole face lit up and she whispered, “I believe you. I don’t know why but I believe you.”

  Iosif leaned his head forward and their foreheads touched. “Then know something else. I have claimed you in front of my brothers. That means if something happens to me, they will protect you as well.”

  Jaden stared into his eyes for a moment then looked around the room. Every man there nodded at her and for the first time in forever she felt safe. She wasn’t sure why but she did. “Ok. I believe you. It’s amazing but I do.”

  “Good.” Yuri nodded. “We’ll leave you for now, but we’ll be back when we find more information.” He smiled.

  Jaden sucked in a breath this man was kind of scary but when he smiled, his whole demeanor changed.

  Yuri went on, “It was very nice to meet you. Trust us. We’ll see you safe and you won’t have to worry about Billy Jo Walker again. We’ll find the little worm and stomp his ass into the ground.”

  “Do you know the three men that were with him when you were attacked?” Roman wanted to know.

  Jade nodded. “Yeah, they’ve been with him a long time. Jason Greer, Larry Iverson and Jack Stone.”

  “Thank you,” Yuri stated. “You are completely safe here. My men are watching over you.”

  Jaden nodded slightly. “Thank you.” She watched as the other three men left the room. Turning to Ioisf she had to ask, “Who were those men? Better yet who are you?”

  Iosif shrugged. “I don’t want to scare you but we are Bratva. I belong to the Bratva in Kazakhstan but these men have come here from Russia. Roman is my real brother but Yuri and the others are his brothers as well. Maybe not by blood but they have formed a bond as close as blood.”

  Jaden’s eyes widened. She had heard of the Bratva or Russian mob but she never thought she’d ever meet one of them. From the gossip she’d heard the Bratva was tough and ruthless. People knew better than to screw them over and if you did you didn’t live long. She didn’t quite know what she was going to do now.

  Looking into Iosif’s eyes she knew what she wanted to do. She wanted to stay and see where this was going. But that would mean taking a chance on the rest of her life. Could she do that?

  Looking into his eyes she saw something familiar. It was the longing mirrored in her own eyes. She leaned forward and brushed her lips on his. Iosif hissed then crushed his lips on hers.

  The sparks flared between them and all they were doing was kissing. After a long drugging kiss, they broke apart. Each was gasping for breath and after a moment, she peeked at him. “Am I really safe here? I mean Billy Jo won’t find us will he?”

  “This is my brother’s safe house and Yuri’s men are watching it. Billy Jo will not find us and even if he does he’ll never get in. You need to heal quickly because I don’t know how long I can wait for you.” He grinned wickedly.

  Jaden blushed. “I can’t wait either.” Then she glanced at him and said, “You will be my first. I hope that’s ok?”

  Iosif gasped and forget to exhale for a moment. “You’re first?”

  Jaden nodded.

  “You’re a virgin?” he whispered.

  Jaden’s eyes fell a bit. “Yes, I am a virgin.”

  “Why?” he asked while looking stunned. “Are the men in this country so blind they didn’t see your real beauty?”

  Jaden’s eyes snapped up to see his. “What?”

  “How can the men here not see what a beautiful woman you are and snap you up already?”

  Jaden shrugged. “I guess I never wanted anyone the way I want you. I’ve never been tempted before but with you, I am. Does that make any sense?”

  Iosif smiled gently. “That makes all the sense in the world to me little one. You saved yourself for me and I’m honored.”

  Jaden’s smile softened. “I guess maybe I did at that.”

  Iosif groaned as he got to his feet. Leaning over her, he kissed her hard again. “Get some rest and heal quickly. I can’t wait to look at you, I can’t wait to be inside you, to taste your cream and watch you explode while I’m fucking you. I want it all.”

  Her eyes rounded at his bold statement. “So do I,” she admitted shyly.

  Iosif groaned at the promise in her voice. “I’d better go before I lose my will to let you heal and take you anyway.” He straightened up and turning, he walked to the door of the bedroom and disappeared.

  Jaden smiled and nestled down again to rest. But even as she closed her eyes she knew she wouldn’t sleep. She had too much to think about now. Wow. How could everything change in a day? She may have even found a man she could be with. Safe? She didn’t know what that was like. She hoped they were right.

  Iosif walked out into the living room and found Yuri, Kosta and Roman waiting for him. When he joined then Yuri told him, “We did some digging into your lady and s
he’s right, there isn’t much information out there about her. And what we did find out isn’t good.”

  Iosif closed his eyes for a moment then asked, “What exactly did you find? What about her mother? Can you trace her back?”

  Kosta shrugged. “We can try but what will that tell us?”

  “Maybe it will tell us who she really is,” Iosif informed them. “There was a reason her mother was murdered and it’s time for that reason to be known, don’t you think?”

  “Da.” Yuri nodded. “I see where you are going with this. We find out about the mother, we find out about her child.”

  “We may find out who her father is too,” Iosif added. “She’s says she’s never met him and I want to know why. Why he left her out in the cold after her mother was killed and why she never knew even his name.”

  Yuri looked over at him. “What if you do find him and find out he’s been married the whole time? What if he never acknowledged her because he couldn’t? What then?”

  “At least she’ll know,” Iosif stated. “All her life she’s never known who she really is I want to be able to give her that much anyway.”

  “Did you mean what you told her?” Roman asked. “Are you claiming her?”

  Iosif stared at his brother for a moment then he said, “Yes, I’m claiming her. Father is just going to have to adjust to that fact that I may not be coming home. She belongs to me now. ”

  Yuri snorted and glared at the other man. “Timor doesn’t just deal with anything. He rants and raves and throws a fit until he gets his own way. Nikoli and Sergi won’t like the fit he’s going to throw over this.”

  Iosif glared back. “Well I found her and I’m not letting her go. Not now. Father is just going to have to live with it. He’s a stubborn man but so am I. Would you leave your woman behind? Would any of you?”

  Roman ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. “Timor is more like a bull than just stubborn. You are his heir apparent and I doubt he’ll take this well.”

  Iosif shook his head. “But I’m not his heir, you should be. You are his eldest son.”

  Roman scoffed. “You know he talks about me and the boys coming to visit him.”

  Yuri snapped his head around to glare at Roman. “You and the boys?”

  “Da, me and the boys. He wants us to visit the land we should have been born in. He wants my sons to know their history.”

  “Are you going?” Yuri asked.

  Roman shook his head. “Not on your life. You see he forgot an essential part of my life. He didn’t add Stevie and Benny in his plans and I’ll be damned if I’m going anywhere without them.” He turned to Iosif. “I get where you’re coming from brother. IF you feel a part of what I feel for my Stevie, for this woman Jaden then you need to be with her. But before that can happen we must solve her mystery.”

  “Then let’s get digging,” Yuri stated. Turning to Kosta he issued his orders, “You dig as deep as you can into her background, her mother’s background, find some answers. Something we can use to help her. Then dig into Billy Jo’s background. I want to know what that little piss ant is up to and why.”

  Kosta nodded and grabbing his phone he began texting his IT team to begin the searches.

  Roman glanced at Yuri. “You have men watching my family?”

  Yuri nodded. “Oh course. I also have orders from Stevie to bring you home soon. I’ll have a suite all set up at the hotel for them to go to later today.” He looked at Iosif and Roman. “You all can come and still be safe there. Not even Billy Jo would be foolish enough to bring his band of thugs there. That would be sure suicide.”

  Iosif swallowed hard. Roman should be at his own home with his family. But he also felt better having him close while he recovered. He nodded. “Maybe that would be best.” Looking over at Roman he said, “At least you would be there for your family and Jaden and I would be safe as well.”

  Roman tipped his head to one side and stared at his brother. “Is that what you want to do?” he asked quietly.

  “Da.” Iosif shrugged. “Your family needs you close, but so do I. I need to be there for Jaden and if that fits our needs then let’s do this. This way, we will be close when the information comes in as well.”

  Roman finally nodded at Yuri. “Bring my family to the hotel and we’ll join you there.”

  “I’ll need to inform Nikoli about this situation as well. He may need Sergi’s help in controlling Timor.” Yuri exhaled deeply. He barked a laugh. “I do not envy him that task.”

  “As soon as we know anything, I’ll give Father a call and explain things to him.” Iosif shrugged.

  “I suggest before you tell your father anything, you get that woman tied up and tied to you. Timor isn’t beyond dismissing her as nonessential even with your ring on her finger,” Roman reminded his brother.

  Yuri turned to Kosta. “Find those men that were with Billy Jo yesterday and bring them to the gym. We can question them there.”

  “With pleasure boss.” Kosta cracked his knuckles and grinned.

  Billy Jo Walker walked into the strip club and searched the place with an interested eye. It was too early for the club to be open yet but there were people working to clean up from the night before.

  He noticed a huge man standing at a hallway leading to the back.

  The man was watching him closely. As Billy Jo walked toward him the man glared at him.

  “I need to see Mr. Franks,” Billy Jo announced with impunity.

  “The club isn’t open yet and Mr. Franks won’t see you without an appointment. He didn’t mention anyone coming in this morning, so you don’t have an appointment. Get lost.” The man growled.

  “Oh, I think he’ll see me. I have information he’ll want to hear.” Billy Jo sneered.

  “I said get lost.” The other curled his fingers into fists and acted like he’d use them if he had to.

  “Tell Mr. Franks that this has to do with an old friend of his, Jazzy.” Billy Jo narrowed his gaz. “I’m sure he’ll see me.”

  The man spoke into a mic on his sleeve and another man joined them. This man was bigger than the first and when the first man left to walk down the hall, the second man stood in his place.

  Ten minutes later the first man returned and nodded at Billy Jo. As they walked down the hall the man told him, “He said he’d give you two minutes and you’d better not be wasting him time.”

  Billy Jo curled his lip but didn’t say a word as they got to the double doors at the end of the hall.

  The doors opened and he was ushered into a very nice office. Wall to wall bookcases lined two walls and in the center was a large dark oak desk. Windows lit up the entire room with sunlight and the man sitting behind the desk glared at Billy Jo with contempt in his eyes. “What the hell do you want?’ he barked.

  Billy Jo searched Walter Franks for any sign he could find that would tell him if Franks was indeed Jaden’s father. After a moment or so he found what he was looking for. His eyes, Jaden has his eyes. Although Walter’s eyes were cold and hard Jaden had the color and shape of her father’s eyes.

  The rumors he’d heard all those years ago were true. Jaden was Walter Franks’ illegitimate daughter. He wondered how much he could get from the old man to keep his secret? Billy Jo felt a tingle growing in his belly. This could be exactly what he’d been after all this time. Respect. “I have information to give you, for a price,” Billy jo finally stated his business.

  The man standing inside the door met his boss’s eyes and understood Franks’ slight shake of his head. He remained alert but didn’t interfere.

  “What type of information do you have about a woman who died eighteen years ago?” Franks asked him. “And what makes you think I’d be interested in buying it?”

  Billy Jo went over to the chair on the other side of the massive desk and sat down without being asked.

  Franks raised an eyebrow at the younger man’s impunity but didn’t say anything, yet.

  Billy Jo smiled.
“Yes I know about Ms. Gibbons death and normally it would remain where it belongs, in the past but you see Ms. Gibbons had a secret I’m not sure she told you about.”

  “Why would I care what secrets Ms. Gibbons had?” Walter Franks sneered.

  “Oh, I think you’ll want to know this secret.” Billy Jo nodded. “It has to do with a baby girl she gave birth too, your baby girl.”

  Walter sat up, leaned over his desk and glared at the other man. “That’s a fucking lie.” He stared daggers at Billy Jo.

  Billy Jo smiled. “Actually it isn’t.”

  “What the everlovin fuck are you talking about?” Walter demanded.

  Billy Jo took a moment to study the other man again. He took note of his face and hair and even his hands. From where he sat he could see the one mark he shared with Jaden. The birthmark on her wrist. When he first met her in school he had been working behind the scenes to know who the men with the real power in the city were.

  Even back then, he had a notion of moving here and becoming a man of power himself. He knew the city of New Orleans had certain ranks and factions already set up but Billy Jo wanted some of that power for himself.

  The Cubans had only been the beginning for him. A tie to the empire of Walter Franks, well that was definitely worth exploring. He leaned back in his chair and smiled at Walter. “I actually met the girl in high school of all places. Only she didn’t live here, she lived in Baton Rouge. Her name is Jaden and she’s about twenty two years old by now.”

  Walter leaned back in his chair and shook his head. “This is nothing more than a bunch of lies. If Jazzy had had a baby she would have told me.”

  Billy Jo reached into his pocket and as he did, he felt a gun at the back of his head. “I’m only reaching for my phone.”

  “Reach very slowly then and if you bring out any item but a phone it will be the last thing you do,” the man warned in a low voice.

  Billy Jo grabbed his phone and pulled it out slowly.