“Yes, pack light. We will only be gone long enough for me to get things together.”
“A sit down and all that?”
“How do you know what that is?”
I narrowed my eyes. “Seriously? I grew up eavesdropping.”
He threw his head back with heavy laughter causing a smile to cross my lips. “Yeah, that’s my girl. How many times have you done that to me?”
I crossed my arms over my chest pinning a smirk to my face. “Not often,” I blinked.
A smile rested on his lips. “I’m not even mad that you’re lying.”
“Of course, you’re not, you love me.” The lightened mood had helped the nausea in the pit of my stomach but it still lingered.
“Yeah, I do.” He pulled me into his embrace. “I won’t let anything happen, baby. I’ll protect you from Satan if that’s what I have to do, and in this case, there isn’t much of a difference.”
“Is he that bad?”
“Baby… there isn’t any worse. He makes me look like a priest and that’s sayin’ something.”
“I’m gonna get ready. I’m not feeling very well.” Once Jax had admitted what we were up against and all of the other things in between I became heated with fear and nausea.
“Take Alessandra with you.”
I had stepped away but turned back to him when he spoke and nodded.
He followed me through the door requesting that the other men come back into the room so they could continue their meeting.
“Tony!” I said nodding once I’d had his attention. “Emily— have you spoken with her? I want her protected.”
“Bella, I don’t think that’s Jax’s concern right now.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I yelled causing everyone to turn. I gave an apologetic smile and quickly returned my attention back to Tony. “It’s my concern, and if you love her it’s yours, too.” He made some strange noise with his mouth and rolled his eyes. “Don’t make me kick your ass. Make it happen—” I said pointedly, “—and if you think my husband will have a problem with it, then tell him to come speak to me, because she is the only real thing in my life right now. You got me?” I quickly walked away feeling my emotions get the better of me. It was extremely difficult finding out that my entire life was a lie and now we had to run. I needed to punch something and had I not chosen to walk away it would’ve been Tony I punched.
“Isabella,” Alessandra called my name.
I nodded to the stairs seeing she was a wreck herself. She was a strong woman, but this was all too much. Jax didn’t bring his work home with him ever with the exception of the guards. “Come on.” I wrapped my arm around hers.
“What’s going on?”
“You don’t know?”
She nodded. “No, I only know we are leaving.”
“Yes, we are. Are you all packed and ready to go?”
“Oh yes, I’ve been a nervous wreck, and you know I can’t sit still.”
My lips rose into a smile. “That I do know.” We climbed the stairs and entered my room. “Okay, I’m gonna take a quick shower.”
“I’ll pack a few things for you. With this ruckus I want to make sure you are safe.”
I turned to her. “Alessandra, I thought you didn’t know what was going on?”
“Oh dear, I’m not completely in the dark, but I couldn’t say that with all of those men down there. I know how to get information.” She winked as she stepped into the closet.
“I knew you were sneaky,” I laughed.
“Oh, dear, you have no idea how sneaky I’ve learned to be over the years,” she muttered from inside the closet.
“And that’s why I love you,” I whispered before closing the bathroom door.
Fifteen minutes later I was out of the shower and wrapped into a towel. My hair was drenched against my back before wrapping a towel around my head as I watched Alessandra fold clothing into a suitcase.
“Are you packing for Jax as well?” I asked.
“Oh yes. You can also buy what you both need when we get wherever it is we’re going.”
“Are we meeting Jax’s family?”
She stepped closer resting her hand on my arm. “No, dear, they will stay in a separate safe house.”
I raised my brows with question. “Why?”
“Only those in immediate danger will be relocated to the same place, my love. Now hurry, we must go.” She waved me to get ready.
Only those in immediate in danger?
We were in danger because of me. I was the cause of this. What if I contacted this man and told him I wouldn’t leave my husband? What if I demanded that he leave my family alone? Maybe I could reason with him, make him understand where my loyalties lay.
“Oh, Bella, I’ve seen that look before. Are you feeling well?”
“Oh, umm, yes, I just need to get dressed.” I slipped into the closet and closed the door.
What if I did get his information and contacted him? If he was my father like he’d said maybe he would understand that I couldn’t leave my husband.
I searched through the color-coordinated closet wondering what one wore when they ran from the Russian Mob. Deciding on a light pink Jersey dress, I quickly slipped inside of it and slipped my feet into a comfortable pair of sandals.
“I’m gonna do something with my hair then I’ll be set,” I said snapping my watch onto my wrist as I walked through the closet door.
“Okay, I’ve packed the important things in here, next I’ll pack the toiletries,” she said, talking more to herself than to me.
While she was busy digging through the bathroom for supplies I snuck out of the room carrying my laptop and phone.
Dominic had, since replaced the man that had guarded the bedroom door earlier. I didn’t want to ask what Jax had done to that man.
“Hey,” he said as I walked across the hall. “What are you doing?”
“I just need a moment, alone.” I shook my head playing my actual intentions off with a warm smile.
“Okay.” He nodded not seeing past the lie.
I closed the door and locked it. I pulled my laptop out onto the bed and logged on waiting for the Wi-Fi. Once it was on I typed in the name that I’d seen on the letter. Quickly, images of an older man popped on the screen with the subtitle naming him as the Russian Devil, Mob Boss, Wealthiest man in Russia, most powerful man in Europe. The titles were a bit unnerving, as Jax had already admitted this man was scary even to him.
I clicked on the image of him getting into a black car. He didn’t look at the camera. With the next image it showed him looking into the camera and it was undeniable what I saw looking back at me. His eyes were the very mirror image of my own.
I leaned back reaching for my cheek in shock. I was his spitting image looking exactly like him. How did this happen and why? Was I taken from him when I was an infant? Was I given away to the highest bidder? Why did my father tell Jax I’d been given to him by the Russian president? There were simply too many questions floating around my thoughts. I just didn’t know what to do or to think.
I stood from the bed twirling my wet hair around my fingers as I wondered what he was really like. After all, Jax was named a monster. My father had been called a monster, but to me they weren’t like that at all. So, maybe he wouldn’t be either, maybe he would be kind. Or maybe he wouldn’t be. But there was no way in hell I’d let people in my family die because of me. I wouldn’t have any of that. If he didn’t see things my way— if he didn’t see that I loved my husband, and I fully intended to stay at his side then— I sighed into my thought. —Then I’d do what needed done, to protect my family. I didn’t know this man, I had no idea he existed until an hour ago. How could he possibly expect me to just leave the only family I’d known? Surely he’d be reasonable to the idea that I couldn’t leave my husband.
I sat on the bed continuing to scroll the pages looking for any contact information, but of course, there wasn’t anything. I nervously looked at the door know
ing they would be looking for me any moment. In a hurry, I searched his name again only this time through a database that offered phone numbers for nine dollars. I hesitated entering my credit card for fear Jax would see it, but I shrugged off the thought knowing it was likely he wouldn’t see for a day or so and by then maybe I would’ve fixed all of this and things would be set straight.
After typing his name into the computer an address of his last known residence in Russia as well as a phone number popped up into a box. I couldn’t imagine it was that easy to retrieve this man’s information. For an additional thirty dollars it said I could also get his criminal history and credit information. How could it be this easy to locate a crime boss?
Glancing at the door one more time I swiped my phone and dialed the number that stared at me from the computer screen. My heart raced. I knew I shouldn’t have done this without letting Jax know, but he wouldn’t have agreed. I knew it was what had to be done. I couldn’t let anyone die because of me. I wouldn’t be able to go on living with myself if anyone died from something that I could’ve prevented.
So, I continued to dial the number and waited as the phone began to ring.
Jax
I sat listening to all the ways we could get rid of Ivan Mikhailov. But we knew, in the end, it wasn’t possible. I knew it and they knew it. It was just a matter of time before he found her, and I knew that as well.
“Family first,” I heard someone say.
“She is my family, she was also Anthony’s daughter.”
“Apparently she wasn’t.” Tito eyed me cautiously.
I folded my hands together watching him, ready to wrap them around his neck. But he had a point, and I knew that, too. I stood to pour another glass of brandy but it was empty. “Get this filled,” I hollered at Wyatt.
“He’s gonna kill everyone! This goes beyond territory and you know it, Jax.”
I did know it. I shook my head. “She. Is. My. Mother fucking. Wife. And if I have to remind anyone else of that, I’ll put a fucking bullet in your skull.”
“Hey, hey, we get it. She’s family—” Renaldo, my concigliere, stood holding his hands out, tryin’ to bring peace to a shitty situation. “Let’s not go there, Tito, this is family regardless. Bella has always been apart of this family, and now she’s married to the boss; let’s all show some respect.”
Wyatt entered the room with the brandy in his hands. He quickly began pouring me a drink and then filled everyone else’s glasses as well.
I took a long drink relishing in the burn as it slid down my throat. The brandy had been the only thing keeping me from setting a bomb off somewhere. I was beyond stressed at that moment.
I snapped my attention to my watch seeing it was almost time to leave. “Wyatt, tell Tony to get Bella and Alessandra.”
“Yes, boss.” He quickly left the room returning a moment later.
I took in a deep breath, nervous as fuck that we weren’t going to make it. If she were my daughter, I’d go to Hell and back to find her so I knew he’d do the same. But if he found her he’d keep her from me, and that wasn’t acceptable. There wouldn’t be an understanding made of something like that. How she got to Anthony was an even bigger conundrum. Anthony believed what he’d been told. I saw it in his eyes, I knew what he’d confessed to me had been the truth, but how? How the hell did all of this begin? I’d love nothing better than to speak with Ivan and come to a settlement that would meet both of our needs, but there would be only one coming out of that alive, and I feared it wouldn’t be me. No matter how vicious I was, no matter how many men I’d killed or had killed, I was no match for him. He was the devil, and I would never agree to Bella having contact with him. I’d keep her and our baby safe with me, if even I died in the end.
I declared the meeting over and approached the door to my office. I turned around for one last look. “I’ll be in touch soon.”
All the men nodded and said their goodbyes as I stepped into the hall. “Wyatt?” I turned seeing him directly behind me.
“Yes, boss?”
Get the men ready. I don’t want anyone alone. Have a spotter on the roof and in the garage. One spotter, one shooter, no one alone.” I reiterated. “I also want guards to surround Bella as we enter the garage.”
“There’s also multiple vehicles, all alike waiting to follow and split.”
I nodded. “Good, I want to be on the plane and in the air before they figure it out.” I’d pulled all the troops in for this one. We had a hundred men in the building and nearby. My men waited on roofs, in cars, on the street, here in the penthouse, and throughout the building. They were everywhere waiting for us to get Bella far away.
My brothers were also here playin’ some stupid fuckin’ card game as I approached them in the living room. They quickly stood to their feet as I smacked their cards away. “You bored? You not aware of what the fuck is goin’ on out there?” I asked pointedly.
“Sorry, damn!” Adam disrespected me in front of my men and that couldn’t go unresolved, not with everyone watching. I needed to make an example of him and there was nothing more that I wanted to do than to beat the shit out of someone. I drew back landing a punch to his jaw causing him to fall on his ass.
“Pick yourself up and don’t speak to me like that again or your mother is gonna be visiting your grave, you got me?”
He nodded. “Yeah, yeah, I got you.” Blood oozed from his mouth as he spoke.
I dismissed him and passed the men in my home that stood offering their respect as I walked through to the stairs not seeing Bella. I took two at a time needing to hold her in my arms. Dominic stood in the hallway talking to Tony when I approached.
“Where is Bella?”
Dominic pointed to the guestroom. “There.”
I wrinkled my brows and reached for the door, but the handle was locked. “Locked?”
“She said she’d be out in a minute.”
“What the fuck is she doing?”
“I don’t know, boss. She took her laptop into the guest room saying she needed some time to herself.” Dominic shrugged.
“You fucking idiot!”
“Bella, open the fucking door, now!” I banged on the door nearly taking it off its hinges, but she didn’t respond. Again, I pushed and slammed my knuckles on the wood. “Do you have a key?”
“Yeah.” Dominic wrestled with his key ring locating it as I waited not so patiently. “Here!” He stuck it into the door.
“Bella?” I said as the door swung open.
“Jax?” She emerged from the bathroom. “What’s the problem?”
“What are you doing?”
Se raised a brow at the crowed that stood watching at the door and then whispered. “Using the bathroom. What’s wrong?”
“You had the door locked and I—”
“And you what? I needed a few minutes alone. This is all too much, you know?”
I waved everyone out of the entry of the room and took her into my arms. “Baby, I’m sorry. I just didn’t want you doing anything stupid.”
“Like what?” The warmth of her breath was much needed as she rested her head against my chest.
“I don’t know,” I kissed the top of her head needing to feel her body one time before we left— before we were ripped apart from each other.
I walked us into the bathroom and closed the door behind us. “Baby, I need to feel you.”
Her eyes lifted to mine. “Okay.” Her cheeks reddened. “I want you to feel me, here.” She lifted her dress slowly and rubbed along her pussy. “I want you to fuck me here like this.” She bent over the sink with her dressed raised above her plump and juicy ass.
“You want me to fuck you like this?” I approached wrapping one hand around her throat and with the other I slid her hair from her silky neck as I ran my tongue over her flesh.
“Yes.” She breathed.
“Yes what?” I pressed my finger into her pulsing flesh.
“Yes, I want you to fuck me.”
My dick ached with the anticipation of sinking inside of her pussy. She closed her eyes as I watched in the mirror. “Open them, watch me take you. Watch as I control your body, and as I control your orgasm.”
Her eyes opened doing as I’d asked. She rubbed herself against me, teasing me, begging me for it as a moan slipped from her lips. “Fuck me hard, Jax. Make me scream. Make me scream so loud everyone hears what you do to me.” I could hear the sadness in her voice. “I want you to tell me where I belong and who I belong to.” Her voice cracked, making me want to fuckin’ kill someone.
Losing control, I unbuckled my pants feeling my dick as it slipped out and smacked my stomach. “I’m gonna make you feel good, baby.” My hands rubbed along her hips pressing my fingers into her flesh.
“I want you to mark me with your touch, Jax. I want to look at my skin and see your touch there.”
I pressed my fingers harder into her flesh hearing her breathing harden and a moan slip from her mouth. I lifted her dress further, watching as I squeezed and smacked her flesh.
“Leave marks,” she begged. “I need to feel you everywhere.” She moaned again begging me to hurt her.
I traced my hand along her back ripping her dress over her head seeing her in nothing but a bra, and it had my dick solid. The tan bra held her plump and juicy breasts for me as I watched her in the mirror.
She pressed her ass into my cock. “Fuck me, hurt me.” She pulled her breasts out from the bra one by one.
I smoothed my hands across her hardened nipples as she writhed into my touch, eventually finding the front of her underwear and dipping my fingers inside. Her pussy was so hot as it hid inside of the silk panties. I spread her lips apart feeling her clit throb against my touch and swept my finger though her folds feeling her soaked for me.
I looked into the mirror seeing her saddened yet eager eyes knowing she needed me inside of her as much as I needed to fill her. She needed to know I’d never abandon her and she belonged to me and I belonged to her. “Bella.” I lifted her to my chest pushing her down onto my cock, forcing myself into her without warning. She cried out from the sudden intrusion inside of her pussy. I held onto her, pushing her down rapidly, moaning into her neck as I felt my orgasm come too quickly. I fought it, slamming her on to me over and over, wanting her to scream and feel as though I’d rip her body apart. I wanted to leave my mark on her, claim her like I’d never claimed her before. I wanted everyone to know I owned her, I’d keep her, and I’d kill for her.
Bella (A Sagatori family saga-A Mafia Romance Book 6) Page 6