by K. J. Dahlen
Bella nodded. “I’ll just leave if I can’t handle it, ok?”
They walked out to the living room together and she could see more men were there than before.
Nikoli turned to a small group of men. “Bella this is Sergi, Misha and Kosta. Kirill you know from last night. Felix is with Sergi and he is Kirill and Kosta’s brother.”
“Are you this child’s mother?” Sergi asked of her.
Bella nodded.
“I understand you never told Nikoli of his daughter’s existence, why was that?” Sergi raised a brow at her.
Bella shrugged. “I didn’t think he would be interested. We only had one night together and things were a little strained when I left the next morning.”
“Whether one night or one hundred night, most men want to know if a child is involved.” Misha growled.
Bella raised her head. “I don’t know who you are but obviously Nikoli respects you or you otherwise you wouldn’t be here. You do not know what the circumstances were back then. I had every reason to belive that Nikoli cared nothing for me or having a family with me. Talk to him as to why I never told him, please. Malina is my child. I understand you have a personal reason for being here.” She turned to look at Misha. “You know what this man is like and why he sent me to get Nikoli to the café. I know exactly what I am risking. My daughter means the world to me and I have to hang on to the hope that she is still alive.” She looked over at Nikoli. “I knew who he was when I met him, everyone in New York knows who and what he is. I didn’t sleep with him with the idea of getting pregnant. I spent the night with him because I wanted him. Just him, not his title or position. You don’t need to know the details but I will tell you this, when I found out I was carrying his child, I thought about telling him, then I changed my mind. I never tried to hide her but I just didn’t bring her to his attention either. I know women who get pregnant on purpose but that wasn’t what I did. I made a decision back then and I would do it all again.”
Then men all stared at her as they listened.
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I made another decision a few hours ago. Malina may be dead already I just don’t know, but I do know I just couldn’t send Nikoli to be killed. Once upon a time, he meant something to me even if he didn’t return those feelings. But all of that is frankly… not your business. Finding this crazy man is.” She peeked over at Nikoli. “I do hope you finally get the chance to meet her though.” Tears again filled her eyes. “She’s an amazing kid. I think I know where she gets her stubborn streak along with her fearlessness.” Then she turned away and wrapped her arms around her stomach while looking like she might throw up. “Oh dear lord, I hope she’s still alive.” Fresh tears fell down her cheeks.
Nikoli wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him. “My men will find her. I promise you.”
Bella looked up at him, raising her hand to cover his mouth and whispered. “I’d rather have the truth even if it hurts. I’d rather know the truth.”
“I will always tell you the truth,” he vowed.
“If you are demanding the truth, then you better start telling it.” Sergi growled as he produced a file with her name on it.
Chapter Six
Bella closed her eyes as Nikoli let her go to reach for the file.
Bella didn’t say anything, instead she allowed him to read what Sergi had found out about her. She walked over to the windows and stared out at the streets. She flinched when she heard Nikoli swear but she still didn’t try to explain.
He grabbed her shoulders and swung her around to face him. Grasping her chin, he raised her head so she would see the rage in his eyes. “You speak of me telling you the truth, but you’ve lied to me from day one, haven’t you?” He growled. “Your name isn’t Isabella Redding, is it? You don’t teach children either. Care to guess what that file told me?”
Bella pulled her chin out of his grasp. She looked him in the eyes and said, “It probably told you I’m the illegitimate child of Geno Marchanti, the leader of the Italian mob. That you my real name is Isabella Marchanti.” She took a step away from him. “What it doesn’t tell you is that my father used and abused my mother. He kept her all doped up and finally when she couldn’t take his abuse any more he gave her an overdose to get rid of her. He didn’t even give her a proper burial, instead he dumped her body in the river. He dumped her and promptly forgot she ever existed. I called him a murderer and he beat the hell out of me for even daring to question his actions. Then he started in on me. He thought he would use me to make an alliance with another gang of monsters. I was fourteen when he sold me to the Ukraine mob. You see, I embarrassed him and this was his way of punishing me for my insolence. When I found out I was to be sold, I ran away from my father and all his goons. I left Chicago and came here. It took me a long time to get here but I did. I found a job, finished school and went on to become a teacher. I changed my name but never legally. I couldn’t trust that he wouldn’t find out somehow and drag me back to Chicago. When I left, I heard the Ukraine’s almost went to war because my father didn’t keep his word.”
Nikoli still looked angry but the rage left his eyes as she took a deep shuddering breath.
“I stayed out of the spotlight here because I didn’t want anyone to notice me and get in touch with Chicago. The man my father sold me to was even here a time or two. I hated that I had to hide who and what I was but I didn’t want to die like my mother had, broken and alone. I tried to show my daughter the something I never had. The love of a mother. At least Malina had one parent who truly loved her.”
Nikoli looked troubled but he didn’t say a word.
She looked over at Sergi and the rest of the men standing there, then turned back to Nikoli. “I knew who and what you were the moment I met you. I’ve seen your kind of men before. I tried to stay away I really did but I couldn’t. You intrigued me like no other man ever has. I risked my life to come here night after night to hopefully catch a glimpse of you. The night we had was so wonderful then you crushed my heart the next morning. I had to stay away, from you and this life. I’ve had good reason to.” She turned away and stared out the windows again. “I know my father is still looking for me. I know the man who bought me is still looking for me too. Every once in a while. My supposed dad posts a notice in the paper for me to contact him. Like I would!” She huffed.” Selling your own daughter? He is a mobster, he feels nothing.” She turned to gaze at the men in the room. “For all I know, you all are the same. I hope not but mobs tend to think money and power first.” She shrugged. “I think if I called him he’d come here and beat me to death. That’s my father. He lost a lot when he didn’t deliver me to the Ukraines.”
No one said a word as they digested what she’d just told them. Though the older man, Sergi and Nikoli looked angry at her accusations probably.
Finally, Sergi asked, “Which Ukraine bought you from your father?”
“His name was Ivan Korchagin. I believe he’s known as Ivan the Butcher.”
Sergi looked around the room as his eyes narrowed. He knew the man in question by reputation and knew that he had earned his street name. “Why would your father sell you to Ivan?”
Bella snorted. “Because he never wanted me or my mother. I was an accident he never forgave my mother for. In fact, she was one of those women who got pregnant on purpose to trap my father. Only he wouldn’t marry her. I told you he used and abused her, he also got her hooked on drugs, hoping she would overdose on her own so he could get rid of both of us. He never forgave me because I wasn’t a boy, he needed and heir and in his world, girls just weren’t as good as boys. He took a wife when I was ten and she gave him a son.”
“How did she treat you?” Misha asked.
“Like I was scum on the bottom of her shoes. She used to have me beaten every other day for no reason. He never stopped her and my mom didn’t seem to care she as was too far gone most days to even know what day of the week it was.”
“Ho
w did you find out your father sold you to Ivan?” Kirill asked.
“My stepmother took a lot of satisfaction in telling me about the deal my father made. She told me Ivan liked to break in young girls. But then she said not to worry, he never had them very long. Three days at most. She laughed and told me he was a brutal man and would show me a thing or two before he killed me. He was barley younger than my father for crying out loud.” She shuddered in horror. “I can only imagine what he had in mind but I no longer had a reason to stay there.”
“How the hell did a fourteen-year-old come half way across the country all alone?” Kosta demanded. “I also think your stepmother lied to you about Ivan. He isn’t a pedophile. If he was, not even the Ukraines would keep him on.”
Bella shrugged. “Does it matter? They are all the same.”
Looking troubled, Nikoli stared hard at her.
She knew she was probably insulting the lot of them, but they had dug into her past and she told them the truth.
A knock sounded on Nikoli’s door and Sergi answered it. When he closed the door, he was looking at the report in his hand. He looked up from the report. “They found him. His man Ramon went to where he was staying and saw Danton with the girl. Danton then moved to another safe house and is hold up there. Our men said the girl was alive and well but Danton was getting nervous.”
Nikoli shook his head. “No he’s not nervous he’s building up to when he can face me. The night we clashed over Misha he told me if he ever saw me again he would kill me and enjoy himself immensely.”
“How do you think he’ll come after you?” Misha asked.
Nikoli shrugged. “He’s good with a gun, he used to like hunting as a kid. But he loved using his skills with a knife.”
Misha nodded. “I remember. But I also remember you beat him that night.”
“That was a long time ago my friend,” Nikoli admitted. “I carried my own scars away from that night.”
“But you saved my life when you didn’t even know my name,” Misha reminded him.
“Your name didn’t matter to me, not then.” Nikoli shrugged. “What Danton was going to do wasn’t right. It would have been murder and I couldn’t let him do it.” He turned to Sergi. “Did the report say where Danton was staying? And do we have men watching the place?”
“Da we do.” Sergi admitted. “They know enough not to go in unless they see something they don’t like. They will keep your daughter safe despite Danton holding her hostage.”
Bella turned to stare at the older man. “Is she okay? Has he hurt her at all?”
Sergi shook his head. “My men said she was scared but fine.” He looked over at Nikoli. “Rumor on the street is he’s in talks with a broker for selling her.”
Bella gasped and swayed on her feet.
Nikoli turned and grabbed her, steadying her. He looked back at Sergi and asked, “To whom?’
“To the same man who paid for her mother.”
“Oh, my God!” Bella exclaimed. “I’ll kill that bastard before he gets his hands on my baby.”
Nikoli turned his head to look at her. “You might have to stand in line sweetheart.”
Sergi shook his head. “We don’t know that he’s made the deal yet. So unless we want to start a war of our own, we have to wait to take a stand.”
He handed the report to Nikoli and when he read it, he looked at Sergi who silently nodded. The second part of the report said they talked to Danton’s man Ramon and made a deal with him.
Sergi went on, “But I have to agree with Kosta. The Bratva may be many and do many things that are on the shady side of legal but we do not hurt children. Or women.”
“What is he willing to do?” Nikoli asked.
“Ramon is unwilling to use a child. Actually, he wants nothing to do with this at all. He was a gun runner and even deals in chop shops but not kids,” Sergi explained. “He told my men when they questioned him that he thought Danton was about ready to move on and that knowing him he was leaving his crew high and dry. Danton has made enough enemies in this town who would take out his entire crew to get to him. Roman thinks Danton will skip out in the middle of the night. He said he knows for a fact that Danton has another house in California”
“And what did Ramon want in exchange for telling us this information?” Felix asked.
“His life and that of his crew,” Sergi replied. “He wanted to take over Danton’s crew. He told us that Danton was a bastard to work for and the crew was going to walk out on him anyway. He wanted permission to stay here and take over when Danton was gone.”
“And what did you tell him?” Nikoli wanted to know.
“I told him that would depend on what happens day after tomorrow.” Sergi stared at Nikoli. “If they don’t stand in our way or come to Danton’s aid, we could talk about it.” He shrugged. “If they tried to stop us, we will drop them where they stand and the streets will run red with their blood.”
Bella gasped but otherwise, she didn’t make a sound. These men talked about murder like it was nothing. They were harsh men in a violent world like it was second nature to them. Same as her father really, in that sense.
Nikoli turned and saw the look in her eyes. He took a deep breath and sighed. “Where were you supposed to get me to go?”
“The café on Tremaine street,” she whispered. Then her eyes widened as she realized something now. “He wanted us to sit in the back sitting area. He wasn’t only going to kill you but me as well. He was going to murder both of us and sell Malina to boot, wasn’t he?”
“And leave his crew to our wrath.” Sergi growled. “Knowing we would have tortured them all to find out where the bastard went with Nikoli’s daughter.”
Bella swayed and stumbled against Nikoli. He wrapped her in his arms and led her over to the sofa and set her down. When he sat down beside her she grabbed his arm and pleaded with him, “Are you sure his men saw her with him? That she was still alive and ok?” Her fingers tightened on his arm. “She’s still here in the city?”
Sergi walked over and knelt beside her. “Da little one, she is still here. Of that, my men were very clear. She appeared frightened but physically okay.”
Bella closed her eyes in relief. “Thank you, Jesus.”
Nikoli looked over the top of her head and stared at Sergi for a moment. “Make the deal with this Ramon.”
Sergi nodded then looked at Bella. “We will watch over the child and if my men think anything will harm her, they will storm the place and take her back.”
Bella shook her head. “Oh, please don’t do that. He told me that if anything happens to him, he will cut her heart throat before the first man reaches him. He said knowing the Russians, he wouldn’t have much time, but she would still be dead before they got to him.”
She heard several growls behind her but she never bothered to look at the men standing there. Instead, she was looking at Sergi with her heart in her eyes. He at least had given her a small amount of comfort by telling her Malina was safe and alive for the moment. She knew her daughter would be protected from now on. No matter what happened next or maybe what didn’t happen between her and Nikoli, he would always care about his daughter. She could finally see that now.
Bella laid back on the sofa and closed her eyes. Something nudged at her in the back of her brain, something she had to remember. But the worry of Malina and Nikoli blocked it out for the moment. She felt so tired and overwrought that she couldn’t think straight.
Maybe once Malina was back with them again, she would think of what it was, but for now a wave of fatigue hit her and Bella couldn’t fight it anymore.
Chapter Seven
Nikoli turned to observe her and found her asleep. He stared at her for a few moments and shook his head.
Sergi stood and cleared the way. “I think she’s asleep.” He chuckled. He seemed to have forgiven her false identity for the time being.
Nikoli nodded. “She’s had three days already to think about this shit. I’ve
had only a day. I can about imagine she’s gotten no sleep in those three days. I’ve only been up a day and a half.”
Sergi slapped his hand down on Nikoli’s shoulder. “Then you both need some rest. We’ll move this to my room. Get a few hours’ sleep and we can catch you up on what we’ve discovered when you wake up again.”
Nikoli got to his feet and gathered her up in his arms. Carrying her down the hall, he disappeared into his bedroom. Kicking the door shut with his foot, he walked over to his bed. Moving the covers aside, he placed her in the bed and gently began stripping her clothes from her body. He knew she would be more comfortable with them and he wanted her to sleep. He chose to not look at all that creamy skin and the beauty he remembered.
Stripping off his own clothes, he crawled into bed behind her and pulled her into his arms. Before he closed his own eyes, he felt whole for a moment. It felt truly odd too. He’d long ago forgotten of this feeling. From before he lost his Bethany. For a brief moment, he felt home again.
~* * * *~
Nikoli woke up a few hours later. The sun was long gone and the shadows in the room told him it was night time outside. Looking down at the blonde head laying on his shoulder he had a smile on his face, that was until he remembered the situation they were facing.
The smile slid from his lips and his thoughts turned to the dark side. Laying his cheek on the top of her head, he remembered back to a time when he and Danton were children.
Nikoli had just lost his mother and it was the day they were burying her. His father was a complete bastard that day, so cold and uncaring. But his behavior was no surprise to Nikoli. All his young life his father never cared about him. He could barely care about the woman he called his wife. There were times when he was growing up when his father would disappear for days and then he was home again, his mother’s heart would break a little more. Nikoli could see it in her eyes. He never knew why but he was learning to hate the man he called his father.