by KJ Dahlen
Ethel looked up at him and whispered, “I hear things, you know. I don’t put much stock in rumors but it is possible there is a bit of truth in them.”
Timor frowned as he looked down into her frightened eyes. “What kind of rumors do you hear about Anton that have you so worried?”
“I’ve heard he’s so evil, he can become two people at the same time. People whispered all the time and you never know what you can believe but more than one person has said that. They are afraid of him because they think his evil is growing. That it’s dividing into more than one person. They are afraid it will multiply and become a black hole that leads straight to the depths of hell.”
Timor could see the fear in her eyes growing as she told him the rumors about Anton. He could see that she really believed what was being rumored. It was a scary story spread to do just that scare people. He was but a man, an evil one but he wasn’t immortal nor was he supernatural. But he picked up on something else she was saying but didn’t realize. “Do you know where this black hole is supposed to be at?” he asked her.
Ethel stepped away from him and began wringing her hands. “Daisy and Edward tell me not to listen to the rumors that they are just silly and they’re not true, but too many people have gone into that part of the swamp to never come out again. It started out as a small spot seven years ago but now, the evil of that place is spreading. The area is getting bigger and people are becoming afraid. No one goes there anymore. Even the water is putrid there.”
Chapter Seven
Iosif had come back in and stood just inside the back door to listen to her story. He had been living here long enough to hear the story as well. He didn’t make any connection to Anton though. But he wouldn’t have, he supposed. New Orleans was further away from the Lake than Metairie was. He dismissed it because there were always rumors about large bodies of water as well. Maritime disasters and just plain superstitions. He figured that people believed what they wanted to believe, whether it was true or based in folklore. Some Louisiana people still believed in voodoo.
“You’ll be safe child,” Timor assured her. “My men won’t let anything happen to you or the others.”
A couple of hours later the men returned with nothing. Ethel had worked hard in the kitchen and prepared them a meal.
As everyone sat there eating, Timor had been pacing the front porch. Finally, Yuri and Isoif joined him.
Yuri asked, “What the hell has you so nervous?”
“Something Ethel said earlier,” Timor told him.
“And just what did Ethel say earlier?”
“She said something about Anton’s evil morphing him into two separate people.”
Yuri snorted. “You don’t actually believe that shit do you?”
Timor glared at the other man. “Of course not. One man cannot suddenly become two people no matter what, but it got me to thinking about something. Something I’d forgotten about many years ago, back in Russia.”
“And what would that be?” Sazon asked as he stepped out of the house and joined them. Barshan and Roman were right behind him.
Isoif simply watched the dark night as he listened.
“Anton was still a young man thirty years ago when he killed a member of the High Council, Sergi’s uncle. I believe he was only about twenty or so at the time. I remember sitting in the gallery at his trial watching his face and wondering how could such a young man be so bad? It was uncanny. Many things were brought up during that trial, this young man’s entire past was put on display. His own father was sitting there but he had a certain look in his eyes that day.”
“What sort of look?” Roman asked.
“It was a look of acceptance almost. Almost as if he knew the evil in his son was there and there was nothing he could have done to stop what he had done. The old man met my eyes just once during the entire trial and in that moment I saw deep regret for just a fraction of a minute then his eyes went completely blank. But during that entire time, he did something that didn’t stand out at the time but I might be worth looking into now.”
“What did he do?” Yuri wanted to know.
“With these two fingers...” Timor held up his index finger and his middle finger. “He tapped his leg with these two fingers for most of the trial. When Anton was sentenced to hang for what he’d done, the old man just got up from his chair and walked away. He wouldn’t even look at his son. But I did. I watched Anton’s face when they sentenced him to hang. His eyes looked empty... there was no emotion in them at all. The one thing I didn’t see was any sign of fear.”
“What do you think it meant?” Yuri demanded.
“I’m remembering another set of rumors back then. It was rumored that Anton’s father got mixed up with a witch. They said it was an unholy union and Anton was born from that union. He was almost fourteen before anyone even knew he existed. The people in town were afraid of him for a reason. Even at such a young age, he was bad. One day, he wouldn’t do anything bad then the next day it was as if a switch flipped and he was an entirely different person.”
Barshan snorted. “You’re buying this story of hers about him morphing into a separate person bullshit?”
Timor shook his head. “Not at all.”
“Then what are you saying?” Isoif asked as he spoke up for the first time.
“What if there were two separate people to begin with?” Timor asked softly.
“What the hell?” Roman and Yuri both swore simultaneously.
“Are you talking about twins?” Isoif asked incredibly.
Timor nodded. “No one around the area knew much about the old man, Ramous. His family kept very close to their home. The whole family lived in a valley at the base of a mountain. They hardly ever came to town, as they were mostly self sufficient. Most of the people around our area didn’t know that much about the Azarov’ family. Rumors ran wild and what people didn’t know, they made up. They were a wild bunch of people and they didn’t care what was said about them. They also knew how to keep their own secrets. What if Anton did have a twin? One that looked just like him? People might just see him morphing into two different people when it has been two people all along.”
Yuri listened to his story, opening his mind to the possibility it could actually be true. Was Anton truly one of a pair? He needed answers before Sergi and members of the High Council arrived. He grabbed his phone and called his IT people. Relaying the new information he had, he demanded they check into Anton’s background.
Then he gave Trudy a call and relayed the situation to her as well. If his own men couldn’t find what he needed there was hope that maybe she would find it. He had come to rely on Pappy’s hell Fire Rider MC group when he needed to. They fought terrorists and their network spanned the nation.
He looked over at the others and suggested, “Maybe we should gather everyone together and go back to New Orleans. We can’t keep them all safe here. Anton got entirely too close today.”
Timor shook his head. “They would never go with you. This is their home. This is Daisy’s home and I already she would never leave it with a threat against it.”
“You’re right about that Mr. Bratva Man,” a female voice called out from behind them.
Everyone turned and saw Daisy standing there with a blanket around her shoulders.
“The rest of them can leave but I won’t. Generations of Ashburns have lived and died on these lands and I won’t let some bastard make me run away from my heritage.”
Timor walked over to her and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her toward the safety of his arms. He didn’t like the fact that she had to lean against him to be able to stand but he knew he couldn’t change what had to be and she felt she had to be here. All he could do was support her.
Daisy looked over at the lineup of men opposite her. “I think you all could be right about there being two of them though.” Shrugging, she admitted, “We’ve all heard the rumors Ethel was talking about. Only the foolish tend to believe them but with ever
y rumor, there seems to be a gain of truth in them. Anton is rumored to be in more than one place at the same time. I heard one time he was reportedly seen in Baton Rouge and Grand Isle at the same time.” She paused then nodded. “Maybe there really is two of them. Good lord, I hate to think of that. One is bad enough, two might just be unholy.”
“I think it’s time you went back inside,” Timor suggested as he bent down and swung Daisy into his arms.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” She protested as he began walking to the door.
“I’m taking care of my woman, now hush.” Timor told her as he carried her back into the kitchen.
“I think I need to call Sergi and bring up the possibility.” Yuri shook his head as he watched Timor act so far out of character, he had trouble focusing for a moment. “If I can catch him before they leave, he may be able to find out something back home.” He broke away from the group to make his call.
Daisy sat at the kitchen table eating some soup Ethel had made earlier that day. It smelled so good but with everything going on Daisy wasn’t really hungry.
Timor sat beside her and was talking about the situation they found themselves in.
Yuri had called more of his men to come out to the property for the night, as no one would leave the farm. He had also increased security around their own families. Roman and Iosif were also staying at the farm overnight, even though Timor had urged them to go back to their own families for the night. Both men wouldn’t leave Timor. They vowed to have his back.
They had kept the dogs just in case Anton came back during the darkness of the night. When the sun finally went down the people in the house thought they had everything covered.
However, tension was growing as the shadows grew longer.
Timor watched as the stress of the day was taking its toll on Daisy. Finally, he’d had enough. He swung her into his arms and carried her down the hall then went into his bedroom. He laid her carefully on his bed and toed off his boots. Then he pulled her under the covers with him and he cradled her in front of him.
“What the hell are you doing?” she grumbled.
“You need some sleep, crazy woman.” He growled in her ear. “I’m making sure you’re safe. Whether you believe me or not, you belong to me now and I take care of my own.”
She turned her head and stared at him for a long moment. “You actually believe that don’t you?” she finally whispered.
“I most certainly do woman,” Timor admitted. “Do you how many women I’ve said that to in my life?” He paused when he saw a quick flash of pain in her eyes. It was there and gone before he really saw it but the fact she felt it, bothered him greatly. “I’ve known a lot of women in my life. I’m not going to lie to you. They’ve only wanted me for one reason, even the boy’s mother only wanted one thing from me. My title and my money. I knew that and they knew I knew it. They didn’t try to hide their interest and neither did I. They never loved the man I was. They couldn’t love the man I was back then. They only wanted what I could provide for them, so I’ve never said those words to anyone but you. Only you and I don’t say them lightly. I’m not an easy man to live with and I know this. I’ve only ever pleased myself. That makes me a selfish sonofabitch. But with you, I feel very different. I have from the moment I saw you standing there with a gun in your arms. You literally held me hostage and the moment I looked into your eyes I fell in love for the first and only time in my life.”
Daisy stared at his face and sighed. “You felt it too?”
Timor nodded. “I did.”
“Last night was a dream come true for me. Maybe I shouldn’t admit this but last night you showed me a tiny piece of heaven. I thought I was too old to ever feel that way but I did,” she admitted. “Maybe we’re both a pair of old fools or maybe we’re both just too damn old for this feeling but I almost wish we’d met thirty years ago.”
“No, you don’t. I know I don’t wish that. Thirty years ago, I was an arrogant bastard raised by an arrogant bastard that wouldn’t have recognize the type of woman you are today. I would have used you and threw you aside, never knowing what I had. No...” Timor shook his head. “Fate had something else in mind for us. We were always meant to meet at just this point in our lives. We are exactly what you see. I’ve lived a full life, faced a good many obstacles in my way, raised one of my sons, found a son I didn’t know was even mine. I’ll have to tell you that story one day. I made a name for myself in an organization that I believe in and now I’m looking for something I never had before. A good woman and a quiet life. I found that here, with you and this farm. I can see myself living here, loving you for the rest of my days. What I can’t see is me living anywhere but here. With you. And I sure as hell, can’t see me living without you.”
“I don’t have much to offer a man like you.” She stared at him. “The farm is paid for but I live a simple life. I grow what I need for food but I don’t have much money in the bank. You might grow bored here.”
He smiled and drew her closer. “Never and I’m not here for your money, I have more than enough of my own. All I need is you, woman. Anything else is just material possessions. I’ve had plenty of those all my life and they never filled the hole in my chest where my heart was supposed to be. But you do.” He leaned over her and pressed a kiss on her temple. “Sleep now. Allow me to watch over you, so you can heal. I won’t let anything happen to you or your family. You need rest to recover quickly. I can’t wait to get back inside you and I need you well enough to take me.”
Daisy raised her brows. “Wow and I thought I was forward and bold.” She smiled a bit.
Timor chuckled. “You are something else Daisy Ashburn.”
“I don’t know about that, but I never thought I’d be with a man like you.”
“Oh?” He raised a brow at this. “And what kind is that?”
She actually blushed at this. “So freaking hot and sexy. Damn...”
He grinned. “Well, thanks, Miss Deyzi.” He tapped her nose sweetly. “Now go to sleep and get healed.”
Daisy tilted her head at him. “That you just said. Is that my name in Russian?”
He nodded. “Yes, it is Deyzi. It is spelled D.E.Y.Z.I. or something close in Russian.”
“Odd, it sounds different than in English.” She sighed tiredly then closed her eyes slowly. “Ok, nite- nite...”
“Noch’- noch,” Timor replied as he watched over her while she relaxed enough to fall asleep. He stared at her face as if to memorize it. “I will keep you and yours safe, my love,” he whispered. “I will die to protect you and kill to keep you safe.” He didn’t realize how much he could feel for another person. To care about their life, their dreams and all that came with that. It felt so freeing to think of someone else like this and not just think of himself. He felt like a new man.
Da, those spots are changing.
Chapter Eight
When Timor awoke, it was to a face he thought had been in his life forever. It seemed that way. It felt so natural to be looking at this woman when he awoke to a new day.
They lay face to face, as Daisy smiled at him. She raised her fingers and traced his lips.
“Dobroye utro Lyubov’ moya,” Timor whispered as he stroked her cheek.
Her big cornflower blue eyes stared back at him. “What does that mean?”
He chuckled. “Good morning, my love.”
“Oh,” she whispered. “How can you say love so soon?”
He smoothed her long hair with his hand. “I’m of an age where I just know this.” He winked at her. “It is not rocket science. It is how I feel.” He leaned in to kiss her lips.
She moaned and kissed him back.
Pulling away, he stared at her. “How are you feeling?”
She stared back at him. “It hurts still but I’ve had worse.”
Timor raised his brows. “How is it that you have had worse than a gunshot wound?”
She laughed. “I’ve broken some bones, cut myself on
a tractor blade once. Broke my ribs when I got bucked from a horse that had been spooked by a snake. I have been a busy woman here on this land.”
He couldn’t get enough of her face, her voice. “I can see that now. How is it that you aren’t married?”
She batted her eyes. “I’m too ornery?”
He laughed. “No, with your beauty and wit, I cannot believe that you are alone.”
“There just wasn’t a man... who was man enough I suppose?”
He laughed at this. “Well, I am. I may be too much a man even for you.”
“Yes, I see that may be true. What with you bossing me around and such.”
He batted his eyes at her now. “When did I do such a thing?”
She laughed. “Since the day I met you.”
“Nyet, nyet,” he denied this. “I have tried hard to not be so...harsh.”
She stilled for a moment while still studying his face. “You really believe that?”
“Da, I do. I am trying to turn over another leaf.”
“What for?” She looked very curious now. “You are an older man...who is too sexy for your own good, by the way.” She gave him a blue eyed wink as she caressed his chest. “But why change so late in life?”
“It is a long story, but you met my two sons.”
Nodding, she looked even more confused. “And so?”
“So I, how you say, blew it with them both about six months ago. I almost lost my chance to be in their lives at all.”
Her eyes widened. “How did that happen?”
“Being too bossy as you have just said and wanting to have my own way. Dismissing what they wanted altogether.”
She studied his face “Oh, I can see how neither of them would have taken that shit very well.”
He smiled. “They didn’t as you say, take that shit. They sent me home.”