by K. J. Dahlen
Bella looked confused for a moment then asked, “Watch over me? Why would you need to watch over me?” She stared at him for a moment then realized what was going through his head. Her eyes widened as she reared back and stared at him with horror in her eyes.
She reached out and slapped his face. “You lousy bastard! You think I’m using my daughter to set you up, don’t you?”
Nikoli grabbed her hand and glared right back at her. “I don’t know you well enough to think anything else, now do I? I know what you felt like when I made love to you ten years ago but that was ten years ago. I haven’t seen or heard from you since that night. You come here uninvited and tell me news I never expected to hear. Then you tell me a man I haven’t seen in thirty years has the daughter I didn’t know existed until now. A man I haven’t seen in that long, a man I know who was willing to kill another man and not let it bother him.” He shrugged and moved away. “I don’t even know your full name, do I?”
Bella paled as she remembered what had happened ten years ago. She had been watching Nikoli for a while before that night. She remembered well the butterflies she got in her stomach every time she saw him. He was so much in control and she loved the fact that he always seem to know just what he wanted and wasn’t afraid to take it.
She used to dream of his touch, his hands caressing her, his lips touching her skin. He was very much in her mind back then. As he was now. She very much enjoyed the night they shared and she’d been more than thrilled when he walked over to her with his vodka in him hands. He barley said hello before he grabbed her hand and brought her up here. He’d locked the door and put his drink on the table before he stripped her of her clothing, leading her to his bedroom while he did so.
He hadn’t said a word to her and she had been stunned by his actions. The only thing he did ask was if she wanted to be where she was. For some reason it seemed important to him. That she wanted to be with him.
Bella never regretted what happened that night. How could she? She’d been half in love with him anyway. That night had forever been burned into her brain as a fantasy. She got the man of her dreams and he got her body. He had taken her all night long. They must have made love four or five times that night.
Things were so right at the time that Bella felt very happy until just before daylight when Nikoli woke her and offered to take her home. She got dressed and walked toward the door and that was when reality finally hit her. He’d placed an obscene amount of cash in her hand and opened the door for her to leave.
She remembered staring down at the money in her hand feeling like a fool. Her dream instantly turned into a nightmare and she couldn’t believe it. But looking into his eyes she could see it was the truth. All he wanted that night was a warm, willing body and she had provided that.
She took a step toward the door, first one then another and another. She let the cash trickle through her fingers as her heart was breaking and when the elevator opened to swallow her whole— her humiliation was complete. The look on his face when she turned around was stone cold.
That had been the last time she’d seen him. The last time she allowed herself to think about him. Until six weeks later when she woke up feeling nauseous. For seven days she’d ignored it, for another four months she denied it was true. She was already showing when she finally went to the doctor. She’d only gone because her boss thought something was wrong and she was sick or something. But by then, Bella had known what was wrong. She’d felt the baby moving inside her. She also knew she wouldn’t share this miracle with him.
She wanted her child. She loved her child and she knew Nikoli might not. She knew the rumors about him. She hadn’t cared before because she never thought she’d ever meet the man, but when she found out about the baby, she cared then. He might take her child by force or by tryuing to pay her off. Bella knew even then that she would never give Malina up for anything in the world. But Nikoli was Bratva…Russian mob and he would give her no choice.
She found another job and changed her name just in case he ever found her. Then when Malina was born, she kept her out of the limelight, leading a safe life. Until now, they had both been safe, Until now…
“My name is Isabella Redding now,” she told him as she got up and walked over to the windows. “I’m 32 years old and I work with children at St. Augustine School. I love working with children and I teach English,”
“Why did you come up here with me that night?”
Bella thought about it before she turned to him and smiled gently. “Why? Because I was young and foolish and believed in falling in love back then. Like I said I had been watching you, you were and still are so handsome, so commanding and still a bastard as well. But that night you wanted me.” She shrugged. “I was out celebrating my birthday with a girlfriend that night. She found someone to spend the night with and I was just about to leave when you walked up and took my hand. You know what happened next.”
She turned her back on him again.
Nikoli let out a sigh. “Why didn’t you tell me about the baby you were carrying?”
She shrugged. “I didn’t think you wanted to know. I’m sure women have claimed you fathered their babies over the years and you would have turned your back on me as you did them.” She turned her head to look at him. “Besides, Malina was mine. She was my reminder of a night I didn’t want to forget. I loved her enough for both of us.”
“Did you ever tell her about me?” Nikoli asked quietly.
Bella nodded. “I did but I also told her you died before she was born. I told her made up stories because I didn’t want to her look for you. I know you have a dangerous life and I didn’t want to her get caught up in the violence that comes with your world. But I never realized it would come for her.”
“Did you tell her my name?”
Bella’s shoulders grew taut but she answered his question, “No I never told her your name.”
Silence surrounded them both as neither one said another word
Finally, Nikoli walked over to the bar and poured himself another drink. Glancing at the clock on the wall above the bar he said, “Come I’ll show you to the guest room. You should try and get some rest.”
Bella turned and walked behind him down the hall and when he opened the door, she slid past him quietly. She tried hard not to touch him and when she was inside the room, she turned without looking at him and shut the door in his face.
Nikoli stared at the wood of the closed door for a long moment before he turned and went to the room next door.
Chapter Four
Danton looked over at the small girl handcuffed to the bed. He was laying on the second twin bed in the room. The room remained covered in shadows, as it was pitch black outside. This was the second night he had her and he became more convinced than ever she was his enemy’s daughter. He had to smile at her defiance. She was more her father’s daughter then she knew. Then even Nikoli knew. Then he snorted. If her father only knew about her. But by now, he might know about her. Her mother would have gone to him by this time. He’d given her three days and her time was running out.
Danton leaned back with his back against the wall and stared at the restless little girl. Reaching for the pack of cigarettes beside him on the cheap nightstand, he lit one up and continued staring at her. She had fallen asleep only a little while ago. Tonight, she had been too exhausted not to sleep. Last night she’d done nothing more than watch him.
Something about her had caught his eye when he saw her on that playground. He wasn’t sure what it was but he had to stop and watch her for a moment. He’d seen her out of the corner of his eye and he’d been stopped by the way she moved. It reminded him of his own childhood and someone he thought of as another brother. He remembered shaking his head and thinking he had to be mistaken until she turned around and he saw her face. He stopped and caught his breath when he saw her. It was her silver-blue colored eyes— eyes he knew very well indeed. Memories he thought he’d thought long forgotten flooded back
into his mind. Now all he wanted was revenge. Revenge against the one man who stood between him and what his goal had been back then.
He wanted an in with the Bratva. And he’d thought he was set. All he had to do was kill a man and lie to get in, then the world would have been his oyster. He could do what he wanted and still be protected. Then it all went away thanks to fucking Nikoli.
Days later, he’d formed his plan and found the man he was all set to kill and lie his way into the Bratva with. He didn’t know it then but the man he chose was Sergi’s only son. In a way, Nikoli had saved his life but he hadn’t seen it that way. All Danton could see was the fact his friend had betrayed him.
Danton barely made it out of Russia after being defeated in the fight against both Misha and Nikoli. With no money and everyone looking for him, he’d lied and cheated his way across Europe and then across the sea to America. He had arrived here broke, starving and fifthly. He survived by eating other people’s trash and scrambling for living until he could find his own way. He’d literally lived in filth and did unimaginable things to get by but he finally got the connections he needed to start making good money. His cuts healed but left scars that had never healed. Scars he wore on his body and scars of betrayal he had inside his own head and heart. Between then and now, he had grown to hate the man who sent him running for his life. Glancing over at the girl, he gave her a slight smile that seemed to scare her to death. If only she knew, what he had in mind for her. Yea, she should be very afraid of him.
The day he’d seen her on the playground he’d followed her home. When he saw her and her mother together, he knew the girl was Nikoli’s. When he realized this, all it did was make Danton want to smile. It had been easy to find her. Too easy, he thought for a moment until he realized Nikoli might not know about the girl. The overly arrogant man he knew would never allow his daughter to be raised in anything but in an environment he controlled. The mother even looked like Nikoli’s type if he remembered correctly. He always did like his women just this side of blonde and slutty.
He knew the mother was worried about her kid and he knew she would do exactly as he demanded. She would even agree to face Nikoli’s wrath if it meant getting her daughter back. Danton had made it perfectly clear what he planned to do to the girl if she didn’t.
His true test would be at noon the day after tomorrow. Even if Nikoli showed up, he knew he’d never give the girl back. But he wanted the other man to know his own blood would be sold as a sex slave, even if only for a small amount of time. He already knew she’d bring in a good price. He already had a buyer in mind. He did have friends in very low places. He might have to run again and start over but that wouldn’t be the first time he’d done that. The girl would bring him startup money. Money, he could live on while he waited to be forgotten again. Money he could use until he could get to his new life without being found.
He already had his to go bag packed. He had a network and safe houses set up from New York to California. His crew would be left behind but that wouldn’t be his fault. He would walk away from them without worry. The only member of his crew he even trusted even a little bit was Ramon. Ramon, he trusted like a brother, some but not a whole lot. Danton trusted no one all the way, he’d been betrayed too often for that. Even his own blood brothers had betrayed him. Ramon would watch his back as long as he was paid. No one but him knew where his safe houses were. He knew if Nikoli got his hands on his crew, they wouldn’t live long but he wasn’t worried about that. He could always get another crew. They were a dime a dozen. Well, they cost more than a dime, but Danton didn’t care about any of them. New men could replace the old when he started up again.
He got up and went over to the window. Gaining out, he saw the poor neighborhood this house was in. Even the shadows couldn’t hide what he knew lurked out there. Streets littered with garbage and poor people just trying to earn a living by panhandling or by whatever means they could. This wasn’t his home but a safe house he’d used from time to time. Low rent and dingy but no one looking would find him in an area like this. Looking over his shoulder, he sneered at the girl. She had cried all day yesterday and no one had come around to check on her, they had their own problems to worry about.
Turning back to study the streets again, he growled under his breath. He was sick to death of living like this. He should be living in a nice house with a nice yard and maybe a pool. Have a nice car, maybe even three by now. One of those nice cars should be a red 1967 Mustang. That had been his dream until the night Nikoli had betrayed him.
For all intents and purposes, he had nothing. He’d built a small enterprise but he could never attain the wealth that should have been his. Whatever money he did get was out the door faster than it came in sometimes. He had dealers to pay, his crew to pay and two houses to pay for. If not for the lessons, his mother tried to teach him as a child this was all he would ever have, but some of those lessons took. She always told him to pay himself first, before anything else he had to pay, take ten percent and put it away for a rainy day. He’d done that and over the years that ten percent had added up. He could afford more than what he had but he wisely never touched his savings. He couldn’t afford to let the world know he was a man of means. Not in his line of business or dealing with the lowly cut throats he’s dealt with all of his time here in America.
Danton laughed to himself. The American Dream! Drugs, human smuggling, stolen cars and guns. The American Thug Dream, maybe
Danton looked around the house. He had a feeling someone had been coming in here and stealing from him. More thugs and thieves. He sniffed. He was tired of these vermin being in his life. But he needed them if he were to get ahead. He didn’t know who it was but he intended to find out, then he would beat the everlovin’ shit out of him. He needed an example set.
He wasn’t worried about being sold out. He knew he hadn’t portrayed at all that he was big enough for anyone to come after him. At least no one until now. No one knew his real wealth and no one ever would. Danton wondered if he should just kill the girl and leave for now. Then after a time, he could return and take out Nikoli at a later date. Now that he knew where to find Nikoli, his death could wait, maybe.
No one here even knew Danton’s real name. He snorted lightly. Here he was Danny Valentine and he had learned to hate that name. Here in the bowels of the biggest city in America, no one even cared about the name you were born with. But Danton did. He might not have mattered anywhere else but he always dreamed of being somebody. He knew he would join the Bratva and be somebody big within the organization.
The problem had been that back then, he just couldn’t wait, he couldn’t put in the time he needed to, in order to rise within the brotherhood on his own merit. His own ambition got him fired up to do the wrong thing, to trust the wrong person and that person betrayed him when he needed to back him up.
But hell that had been thirty years ago now. And just look at him, he was still living like a rat on a sinking ship, while all this time Nikoli was living like a god dammed king. Living the life, he should have been living. Danton had his own spies in the Bratva brotherhood and every so often, they would report Nikoli’s successes back to him.
Now through the window, he spotted Ramon standing not too far from the only working streetlight on the block, staring back at the house.
Ramon slowly approached the house and knocked on the door.
Danton opened it and stared at his man. “What?”
Ramon’s eyes flickered all over the apartment finally landing on the little girl sleeping on the messy bed. “Just came to warn you man, there are people moving in the neighborhood. Lots of people. People that don’t really belong here if you know what I mean, bro.”
Danton frowned, quickly glancing over his shoulder at the girl. Looking back to Ramon he asked, “Oh yeah, what kind of people?”
Ramon didn’t say the words, instead he tapped Danton’s arm. Danton looked down at the place Ramon had tapped. He wore a tattoo right there.
It was the star of Russia. The tat had been his one concession when he first arrived in this country. He thought it would be enough to deter the bums and hobos he’d read about. If they thought he was Russian, they wouldn’t bother him so much.
Now Danton sneered at the thought. “So Nikoli couldn’t face me on his own huh? He had to call in the boys to find little ole me? That fucking coward!”
Ramon shook his head. “I don’t think you understand man. Since late afternoon, they’ve been hunting you down. In just a few hours, they have raided every establishment you have a part in and systematically ripped it apart. They made it very fucking clear man that to do business with you would be their own deaths. They even took on a few of the people you do business with. They took down the Mendosa brothers in their own place of business. They left a blood bath. But it left the message they wanted. You are becoming a person non gratis around this town.”
“Damn, how did they find me so fast?” Danton growled. “That stupid little bitch!” He turned noticed the girl was awake now and he advanced on her. “Your mother just fucked you over little girl.” He leaned in close to the girl’s face. “I guess she doesn’t love you after all. She knows I’ll kill you if I can’t kill your daddy.”
Malina shivered and her unique silvery eyes looked haunted as she stared back at the man who threatened her whole world. “I don’t have a daddy mister. I told you that already.”
Danton reached out and grabbed her face. The brute force of his fingers squeezing her cheeks made Malina scream in pain. He sneered at her. “Everyone has a daddy little girl, you might not like him or even know him but everyone has a daddy. Your daddy betrayed me a lifetime ago in another country. He cheated me out of my rightful place and now I will kill you for what he did to me. He might now know of you but he will never get to meet you in person.”
Ramon leaned against the door frame and suggested, “Maybe you want to keep the little chica alive for now.”
