by KJ Dahlen
SHADOWS OF THE PAST
Nikoli Prequel
Also by Kj Dahlen
Bratva Blood Brothers
Yuri
Mikial
Barshan
Sazon
Roman
Brothers United
losif
Kosta
Nikoli
Nicky
Sergi
Misha
Timor
Bratva Enforcers-Nomads
Viktor
Ivan
Adrik
Andrey
Devil's Advocates MC
Jackal
Beast
Devils Trifecta MC
Gage
Joker
Sledge
Hell's Bloodhounds MC
Barron
Hell's Fire Riders MC
Pappy's Shadow
Betrayed
Trigger The Storm
Birth Of Hells Fire Rider
Lost Sons MC
Creed's Return
Jack
Tate
Harry
Payback
Ghoster
Princes Of Hell MC
Talon
Rogue
Falcon
Rivers Foundation
Cade
San Francisco Steel
Slammer
Shotgun
Grinder
Mammoth
Booker
Spider
Satan's Spawn MC
Spawn & Spitfire
Revenge and Retribution
Babies & Bastards
Savaged Souls MC
Boone
Sin's Bastards MC
Silk & Bones
Karma's Bite
No Regrets
Hell's Fury
Lies & Liars
Stone Cold
Sin's Bastards Next Generation
Raine
Chance
Gambler
Bowie
Judge
Byron
Hound
Dante
Wiley
Calderone
Vengeance Is Mine
Bane
WarLords MC
Truman
King
Jack- WarLords
Whiskey Bend MC Series
Lucifer's Woman
Demon's Stand
At All Costs
Out Of The Shadows
Jinx
Shadow
Standalone
Hell's Fire MC Series Set
Satan's Spawn & Sin's Bastards Collection
A Life For Luke
Chasing Eve
Saving Sebastian
Shadows Of The Past
Never Forget Me
The Cartouche
A Wrath Is Born
The New Brotherhood
Slade
Zipper
Carson
Table of Contents
Title Page
Also By Kj Dahlen
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR
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Chapter One
Nikoli poured himself a healthy amount of vodka into a glass of ice and walked over to the window overlooking the city below. Lights twinkled from houses and offices near his own as they blurred from a distance and the sounds of traffic went unheard as he watched red tail lights disappear from sight, going on and off in every direction.
New York City was a town that never slept. It was always constantly moving as the inhabitants went about their daily or nightly business. He’d watched over the city now for twenty-three years. Nikoli frowned as he thought back. ‘Had it really been twenty-three years since that first flight from Moscow?’
His mind slipped back in time and he watched as the six of them boarded the plane that would bring them here. All six were young and virile men, himself, Yuri, Barshan, Sazon, Roman and Mikial. In fact, he and Yuri were only a year apart in age. Yuri had been twenty-four and Nikoli had been twenty-five.
Sergi had given them permission to make their fortunes here in America and that’s what they had all done. All of them had done extremely well for themselves. He was here in New York and the others were in New Orleans. They were their homeland’s representatives in all matters Bratva.
The people here respected them as such. New York was a hotbed of organized crime syndicates, you had the Russians, such as Nikoli, The Ukraines, the Italians, the Chinese, the Japanese, ect. He snorted as he thought about it.
New York could claim two UN’s one public and one not so public, but there all the same and each one fighting for its own place in the hierarchy of the city and the world.
Nikoli swirled the drink in his hand and took a healthy swallow. He’d thought he was ready to be on his own back then. He chuckled remembering his first few months here. He had thought Moscow was hard enough to live in, but he had no idea New York would chew him up and spit his remains out on the streets.
Alone, he never would have made it, but he had the others, and he had his good friend Kosta. Kosta had watched his back while he got his feet firmly planted. Kosta and his brother Kirill. Kirill was still part of his staff and that man would have a home with Nikoli for the rest of his life. They had another brother Felix but he had stayed behind as a small piece of Sergi’s staff.
Nikoli didn’t know if he could live without Kirill around. All three Gennadi brothers were loyal to their jobs and Bratva bosses. Kosta had gone willingly with Yuri and the others. He took his job as security very personal. Nikoli never doubted that for a moment. Which was why he insisted on both men coming over with him.
When he heard a chime behind him he turned to watch the camera as a woman walked down the hall toward his door. Nikoli frowned as a memory came to mind. He knew her but couldn’t place her name.
When she paused outside his door, Nikoli walked over and opened it at her faint knock.
She gasped and took a step back.
Nikoli stared at her for a moment then asked, “Can I help you?”
The woman wet her lips with the tip of her tongue and looked at him nervously, “I hope so, Nikoli, I really hope so.” Her words were soft spoken and had a nervous ring to them.
Nikoli’s eyes widened and he stepped back as he whispered her name, “Bella? Is that you?”
She smiled and nodded. “Hello again, Nikoli. It’s been a while hasn’t it?”
He stared at the woman in front of him. He’d met her ten years ago. They were together only one night but it had been an unforgettable night. “Ten years I believe.” He stepped back and motioned for her to come inside his home.
Bella glanced around nervously as she walked inside the penthouse. Going toward the window she too, looked over the city. “Wow, this is a spectacular view isn’t it?”
Nikoli rolled his eyes. “I doubt very much you came to find me for a chance to view the city form my windows.” He poured himself another drink and fixed one for Bella as well.
Walking over to her, he handed the glass of vodka neat to her. She t
ook it but didn’t raise the glass to her mouth. Nikoli noted that she has was trembling a bit. Was she that afraid of him?
He guided her to a sofa nearby and let her sit down. He sat down on the chair off to one side and waited for her to speak her business. When she didn’t he had to ask, “What brings you here to me tonight Bella?”
“I had to come,” she whispered. “I didn’t want to.”
“Why?” he asked. “Was I so bad?”
She snapped her eyes to him. “Oh, god no, Nikoli. You were the best thing that has happened to me. But you did tell me we would only have that one night together.”
Nikoli nodded then smiled faintly. “I was such an ass back then wasn’t I?”
Bella shook her head. “No you were strong and tender with me.” Cocking her head to one side she added, “I think you were hurting over something you wouldn’t share with anyone.” Then she paused and looked him over carefully. “But whatever it was is not there now. You seem calmer now. The pain surrounding you back then is gone now, I think.”
Nikoli took a drink of his vodka. The ice clinked in the glass. “You always saw more than the next person didn’t you?”
Bella shrugged. Looking away from him she sipped her drink.
“But that doesn’t explain why you’re here now does it?” Nikoli spoke softly.
She swallowed hard and her fingers trembled almost spilling her drink. She hastily put the drink down on the coffee table. She didn’t say a word but she began wringing her hands together.
Nikoli grew alarmed. “What’s going on Bella?” He barked out.
Bella jumped and then shook her head. “I can’t do this,” she whispered wiping her tears away. “I just can’t do this.” She got up and backed away from him then turned heading for the door.
Nikoli got up and rushed after her. Grabbing her by the upper arms he held her back and growled in her ear, “Can’t do what? What can’t you do Bella?”
Bella collapsed against him.
Nikoli grabbed her more firmly and hauled her back to the sofa setting her down on the cushions. Standing over her he glared. “Answer me woman. What can’t you do? Who sent you here?”
Bella’s tears fell freely now, sitting up on the couch she grabbed her purse and would have opened it except Nikoli took it away from her. He opened it and searched for weapons, then pulled out a package of tissues and handed them to her.
Bella opened the package and wiped her eyes. Mascara smudged the clean tissue as she wiped her face. She sat there looking miserable, looking anywhere but at the man standing over her. Finally, she took a deep breath and peered up at him. “I was sent here to get you to a certain place at a certain time, so someone could assassinate you,” she told him softly.
Nikoli frowned and sat down next to her. “Why?” he asked calmly with no emotion in his voice.
“Because that someone really hates you.” She sniffled through her tears.
“Who is it? And why did he send you?” Nikoli questioned.
Bella shook her head. “He found out my secret and is using it to hurt you,” she finally admitted.
Nikoli frowned. “What secret and why would that hurt me?”
Bella hung her head and didn’t speak for a moment.
Nikoli reached out and cupping her chin he brought her face to his. “What secret and why would it hurt me?” he repeated his earlier question.
“Ten years ago we were both very different people,” she began. “You were strong and very much in charge of where you were going and you knew what you wanted. Do you remember the night we met?”
Nikoli thought back ten years. He’d been a bastard to her and to everyone in his life back then. He was looking for his son and not finding him was beginning to get on his nerves. He’d met her on what would have been Nicky’s tenth birthday and the tenth anniversary of his wife’s murder. He’d been in a dark mood that night.
At thirty-seven he was a man who wasn’t afraid to use the power he’d earned to get his own way. That night he felt the rage inside him getting out of control. He needed release, he needed a woman. He found her at his club. He was barely polite in picking her up but she had come with him willingly.
For the next few hours, he lost himself in her arms. They had fucked all night long and when the day broke the next morning, he had kicked her to the street. Before he ushered her to the door of the hotel room he thrust a large stack of bills in her hand. He remembered her look of complete shock as she stared at the money in her hand.
He watched as she turned and on her way out the door, she opened her hand allowing the money to drift to the floor. Then she slowly made her way to the elevator. When he heard the ping sound she stepped inside never once looking back at him.
He felt like an absolute asshole when the elevator door closed. Her tears tore at his senses and the look on her face tore a huge chuck of his heart out. He picked up the money she’d dropped and closed the door softly. She didn’t know it but he still had that money. It was in an envelope in his safe. In the ten years since he’d last seen her, he could never mange to overlook what he’d done that morning.
“Yes, I do remember that night. But that was a long time ago, wasn’t it?”
Bella nodded. “A lifetime ago.” Taking a deep breath, she went on, “You broke something inside me that morning. Foolishly, I thought that night meant something to you. It sure meant something to me. I thought I found my Mr. Right.” Shaking her head, she looked away. “Instead, I found someone I didn’t know existed.”
Nikoli got to his feet and moved over to the window. Staring out, he didn’t notice the traffic or the people he’d watched earlier. He didn’t see anything as he was so caught up in his past. “So why did you come here tonight? To remind me what an ass I was?”
“No I didn’t come here for that. I came here to try to convince you to go somewhere, so he could kill you. But I find I can’t do that.” She sobbed. “No matter what you’ve done in the past, I can’t let him kill you. Not even for her.” She bent her head and sobbed in her hands.
Nikoli turned and observed her. He didn’t know what the hell she was talking about but there was something she wasn’t telling him. He went back to the couch and sat down next to her. Taking her hands away from her face he demanded, “Her? Who is she? Why did this bastard think I would care about someone else’s life?”
Bella stared at him and shook her head. “She’s an innocent. You never knew about her because I knew you wouldn’t care if she lived or died. He found out about her and is using her against you. He’s forcing me to do this and I had to try even if I couldn’t do it. He’s going to kill her now.”
“Who?” he demanded. “Who is she and why should I give a damn about her?” He growled.
“Her name is Malina and she’s your daughter,” Bella dropped her bomb.
Nikoli froze, his eyes widened and his fingers tightened around her wrists. When she cried out in pain, he threw her hands away from him. Getting up, Nikoli began to pace back and forth in front of her. After a few minutes, he turned his glare at her, “Tell me that again. Who is she and why did whoever this man is think I would care about her?”
Bella shivered at the pitch of voice he was using. She read the demand in his voice and knew she was going to pay for her mistake ten years ago. “Her name is Malina. She’s your daughter and she’s nine years old.”
Nikoli wanted to strike this woman in front of him. He wanted her to fear him, fear what he would do to her but he didn’t. Instead, he walked over to his bar and picked up the phone that would connect him to his security force. Then he stayed away from her. There would be questions to ask and answer but until he felt his rage lessen...he knew he couldn’t be within striking distance. He fought himself. This all could be a ruse yet. He would wait it out to get at the truth.
A few minutes later, he heard a knock on his door then he went over to it and opened it.
Kirill was there with two more of his security team. All three men entered
the apartment and then came to stand in front of Bella.
Bella just sat there waiting.
Nikoli sat down next to her and began by asking, “Who is this man who wants me dead?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know his name.”
“How the fuck do you not know his name woman?” Nikoli bellowed.
She turned her head toward him. “He didn’t exactly take the time to introduce himself. All he said was for me to take a good look at the man who was going to kill you. He told me to tell you that all our deeds come around to bite us in the ass at some point in our life and he said to tell you that you should have killed him that day. Then he took my baby girl and left.” Her hands went to pull her at her hair. “I have to hear her screams over and over in my head, every time I close my eyes I can hear her calling out to me.”
“What’s going on here boss?’ Kirill asked.
Nikoli waited and glared at Bella for a moment then turned to his security team. “It seems this woman has held a secret from me for ten years. According to her, I have a daughter out there somewhere and someone is forcing her to get me to a place where he can take me out.”
Nikoli felt so many emotions. Ones, he knew he couldn’t handle all at once. Having a daughter and never knowing it? Someone using a woman he’d known years ago to kill him? But, he needed to focus on the problem. The main issue was him being a target for this unknown enemy. He had many, he’d known this already. You do not head part of the Bratva and only have the best of friends. It was a cutthroat world and they would cut yours the first chance they got.
Kirill growled at Nikoli’s statement. Swinging his eyes to Bella, he noted her tears and her trembling hands.
“What did this man look like?” Nikoli finally asked.
Bella shrugged. “I don’t really remember.”
“Think Bella,” Nikoli ordered.
“Why would I want to think about him?” she screamed. “He took Malina and I know I’m never going to get her back! She was my reason for living. She was my hope for the future and now she’s gone.”