Vladimirs Vindication Chapter One

VLADIMIR"S VINDICATION: CHAPTER ONE

After checking into my hotel room, I still have time before my death. Taking out my phone, I call my second-in-command, Dominic, who is with my father, Maxim Zoloth. Maxim is a mid-level member of the Bratva. His territory covers the southern region of the United States. He isn't content with his lot, so he's taking steps to increase his power. One of those steps involves shipping several unique automobiles from the US to Russia as a gift to the Bratva Kingmaker, Alexandr Stepanov.

"Any changes?" I ask Dom.

"No. He's onboard the Russian Rule and we're still set to sail in two hours. He's checked the cargo and seems satisfied with the accommodations," Dom replies. "Everything ready on your end?"

"Yeah, Dixie should be here soon to kill me," I reply.

"You sure you can trust this guy? He could kill you for real instead of just setting up a fake assassination."

"He's in love with my mother, and my brother, Hex, trusts him completely," I reply. "Not saying this couldn't be a setup, but I don't think it is. Hex and his club have had other opportunities to kill me. Neither Hex nor Dixie would risk Delphine's wrath by killing her long-lost son. I'll be fine. Stop fretting." I chuckle at Dom's disgruntled grumble. "The team's meeting with Hex and the other Demon Dawgs about now, then they'll meet me at the yacht. Our guest is already on board and resting."

"This is a good plan," Dominic says. "If you can pull it off."

"Thanks," I say wryly. "Call me if anything changes on your end. I'll call when I'm on my way to the yacht."

Ending the call, I move toward the window and stare into the French Quarter. This is the section of New Orleans where my mother, Delphine, plied her trade as a fortune teller. Seeing as she has a genuine gift of sight, she could have fame and fortune, but she uses her gift to help others to make the right choices for them. I've met a few of her customers and every one of them sings her praises. Having finally met her after almost two decades apart, I can see how she enthralled them. Finally, getting to know my mother, has me despising my father more than I did before. He stole me away from the hospital while my twin brother and mother were still under care. The predetermined knock on the door has me shaking the past off my shoulders and facing the future.

"Let's get everything set up," Dixie says, putting the duffel bag he's carrying on the bed. "You know how to get out of here?"

I relate the path through the back door of the hotel. Once Dixie ‘kills' me, I'll need to remain invisible, not only to protect Dixie from repercussions, but because I need the anonymity of death to achieve my plans. Dixie methodically prepares my make-up and sets the stage for my death. After he takes the photo that will provide the proof of my murder, I get cleaned up and change into casual clothes. A pair of jeans, tennis shoes, and a hoodie replace my $4,000 suit and $8,000 loafers. I shave my beard off and mess up my hair before putting on a baseball cap. None of my acquaintances would give me a second look. The disguise is simple, but I only need to keep from being recognized until after I board my yacht. Once I reach Russia, I'll no longer need the anonymity.

I exit the bathroom to find Dixie has cleaned up the room. He shows me the image of my dead body. "Shit, that's an image I never want to see again," I say before handing him back his phone. He'll send the image to Sigil, the organization that orchestrates a lucrative assassination-for-hire business out of Ireland. Dixie, my mother's lover and brother's closest friend, is one of their top assassins. Dixie had one of his MC brothers add the embedded code to the image so they can trace who Sigil sends it to confirm the kill with the client.

As we head to the door, Dixie's phone buzzes. I can see Hex on the display as Dixie accepts the call. I pause at the door because Hex and the rest of the Demon Dawgs were supposed to be infiltrating a building containing several women. Worried that something went wrong, I reach for my phone to call the men I leant to Hex. However, before I can place the call, my phone buzzes with an incoming call. I hear Dixie update Hex, but seeing Dominic's name on the screen raises my concern. He wouldn't be calling me unless something changed on his end.

At first I think he's butt-dialed me, but then I can hear Delphine's voice coming over the line. I glance at Dixie but say nothing. I don't want anyone else on the other end of the line hearing our voices through Dom's phone and blow his cover. However, the sound of a gunshot has me biting my tongue to keep from shouting. "Need an update." Dom's voice comes over the line, and I know he's waiting for my orders.

"Do what you can to get them off the ship. We're on our way," I tell him before ending the call and turning to Dixie. "I have a guy on the inside who is close to Maxim. He confirmed Maxim has the women. We need to get over there and get them off that ship before it sails."

"You're taking a risk," he reminds me. "If someone sees you…"

"No one will see me who shouldn't," I say. "Besides, this may work out better than my original plan."

We rush out of the hotel and I jump into my car. Dixie follows on his motorcycle. As I lead the way to the pier, I call the head of my extraction team.

"Max. Change of plans. Grab our guest and get to the Russian Rule," I instruct him before ending the call and focusing on the road. Too many minutes later, we're pulling up near the ship. I slide out of the car just as Dixie catches up to me.

"Should we wait for the others?" Dixie asks, but before I can respond, we hear and then see four Harleys arrive along with three SUVs.

"What's the plan?" Dixie asks.

"I'll go on board and get the women," I answer. "If he sees anyone else, he may kill them and the women before we can rescue them."

"Aren't you supposed to be dead?" Hex asks. "Why did Dixie go through with faking your murder if you're just going to expose the lie a few minutes later? I thought you needed to drop out of sight?"

Before I can respond, one of Hex's men points toward the ship. Turning, I see Dom, along with five women. While Hex and his men take care of the women, we argue about who's going to eliminate Maxim. "I'll do it," I say. Killing Maxim has been on my to do list ever since I realized he was using me to torture my mother.

"I can't believe I have to keep reminding you, but you're supposed to be dead," Hex says. "If the person who hired the hit discovers you're still alive, they'll contact Sigil. If Sigil finds out Dixie lied, you'll put him in danger."

"I'll need to tell them eventually, but I'd rather do it in person. But if they discover I faked your death, they won't wait for an explanation," Dixie says.

"Maxim ordered the hit," Delphine says. We all turn to look at her. She nods quickly. "He admitted it to me. Showed me the image of you lying dead on the floor. Even though I knew it was fake, it was hard to see. He knew you helped us escape before and considers you a traitor."

"Good. I'll take care of Maxim so he can't contact Sigil. I'll remain on the ship and out-of-sight so no one will discover I'm still alive. Will you have enough time to straighten things out with Sigil before we dock in Russia?"

"Yeah, I should have enough time," Dixie says.

"Go get our guest," I instruct Max.

While I wait for my men to help him onboard, I say my goodbyes to Delphine and my new family. Promising them, I'll soon be back in the States and will be in touch soon.

"Where's Maxim?" I ask Dominic as we board the ship.

"He and the others are searching the cargo hold. He thinks that's where Cleo and Olivia are hiding. Delphine and your sisters were in the cabin next to his.

"Take me to Delphine's cabin. I'll wait for him there."

Dom opens the cabin door and I step inside. The room is luxurious, as I'd expect in a guest suite on a Golubrev ship. I step over to the sideboard and pour myself a glass of whiskey, then wait. I hear my father's angry voice minutes before he enters the next door cabin. After waiting for another minute, I place the glass down and enter the hall. Pulling out my gun, I open the door and shoot my father's guards before turning the gun on him.