Page 67 of Be My Vengeance

“Oleg was one of my closest friends, and I don’t have many of them. I let the Smirnov brothers go. Part of me thought it was a retaliation. I could understand. I disrespected your boss in his territory. I even let go the fact that Gideon had the FBI poking into my businesses after Benito’s disappearance.” He stopped walking and looked at me. “I’m guessing he’s not really missing.”

I didn’t answer him. I simply stood there freezing my ass off because the house only had some space heaters, and none were near me.

“I see.” He shifted and glared. “I’ve let enough go. Your boss is messing with my business and killing Oleg was the last straw, as you Americans say.”

I didn’t know how Gideon had made sure word had gotten out to Vladimir about Oleg, but he’d obviously wanted the pakhan to know it was him.

He motioned to the men in the room. “In my family, we have a tradition. When someone is honorable, we do not kill them outright.”

“How generous of you,” I mumbled.

“It is.” He sneered. “I do not do what your boss does and gut people and toss them out in the open.”

I snorted. “No, you just shoot up weddings where there are children and leave devastation in your wake!”

He smirked. “Ah, yes. The Mila Popov, Alexander Walker wedding.”

I clamped my mouth shut. I’d already said enough.

“It never had to come to that.” He shrugged as if it were a miniscule thing. “Back to my tradition. A man who is respected like I imagine your boss respects you deserves a chance to survive. Now, you’re horribly outnumbered, and your chances are slim, but you have still earned it.”

I surveyed the room. The men weren’t small, and I was sure they had some sort of training when it came to fighting. I wasn’t a slouch, but Vladimir was right. I was outnumbered.

“Afterward, I will deliver you to Mr. Hendrix, in whatever state you’re in.”

“You’re saying that if I win, I can leave?”

He nodded curtly. “Yes, that is the tradition.”

I was sure he was confident I couldn’t win, and that was why he was allowing this to take place.

“Do I get any weapons?”

He held up his hands. “These are all any of you have, and your feet.”

This was some MMA bullshit. Fucking hell, this was a mess. I couldn’t die, though. It would be the end for Alex; he couldn’t lose any more people in his life.

Just then, Vladimir pulled out his phone and answered in Russian. I didn’t understand the language even a little bit, but there was one word I heard that I did. “Maksim.”

Every so often as he spoke, Vladimir would look at me. I couldn’t read his expression but Maksim had to be working some angle so that he could figure out where I was being held. Which meant Gideon officially knew not only that I was taken but by whom.

The conversation only lasted a few minutes, but I used that time to stretch and try and warm up my muscles. I’d need a miracle to win, but I’d give it everything I had.

Vladimir ended the call and slid his phone into his pocket. “Word of your disappearance is making its way through the streets already.”

“What can I say? I’m a popular guy.” I smiled.

He continued speaking as if he didn’t hear me. “My youngest son is here in your country. He’s a huge disappointment and a disgrace to our family, but he is good with numbers and talking with people. Someone apparently informed him that you were taken.”

“And he believes it was you.”

“Mmm, he suspects. That’s why he was calling.”

I wanted to ask if he’d told him, but that would for sure give something away, so I opted for silence.

“Interesting thing.” He moved closer to me. “Oleg was supposed to meet with my son, but Maksim said he never showed up.”

“Um, okay?”