3 Chapter 2.

January 14th, 2016.

James Baddo's POV

My Diana is dead and I still think its a dream.

Nursing a glass of whiskey in my hand, I wait for my men to return with the bastard who killed my daughter.

Vincent, my underboss, walked into my office. I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I didn't hear him knock.

"Antonio's men just dropped off your daughter's killer."

"He did what?!" I turned around to face him.

"Antonio's men dropped him at the door a bloody mess." He repeated. "It seems they already had a little fun with him."

This was unbelievable, Antonio would never lay a finger on one of his boys, much less drop them off at the doorstep of his enemy.

"Bring him in and take him to the basement, I want to finish the bastard with my own hands." I squeezed my glass, I would wring his neck.

"That won't be necessary, boss." Vincent said.

"Excuse me?" I glared at him.

No one hesitated to obey me.

Realizing his mistake, he raised his hands and stepped back.

"No, boss, I mean we could use this situation to our advantage."

"Use what?!" I shouted and threw my glass of whiskey at him. It missed his head narrowly and smashed to pieces when it hits the wall. Maybe I missed because I was intoxicated.

"Use a murderer?! The man who killed my daughter!" I closed the distance between us and grabbed his collar, hitting him repeatedly on the wall. Maybe I would wring his own neck instead of the bastard's.

"Boss..." he heaved, trying to catch his breath. "...let me explain, please."

I released my hold on him slightly. One wrong word, and that would be his end. He was a scrawny little man and I could break him if I wanted to.

"I'm listening." I spoke through clenched teeth.

"Yes, we agree that the man killed your daughter but you fail to see that he is a member of the Empire Cartel, Antonio's man. It is possible that Antonio designed this to hurt you and give you the man as a sacrificial lamb."

My hold loosened totally, I put my hands in my pockets and watched my underboss place a hand on his throat as he tried to regulate his breathing.

"What are you trying to say?" I asked, trying to make sense of his words.

"I'm saying that you hurt him in return." He finally looked at me.

"How?"

"Antonio has a daughter.." he said. "...his only daughter. Take her away from him and you destroy his life."

At that moment, it seemed like the darkness around me had lifted and I could finally see the light. Of course I would take his daughter away, the way he took mine.

"Get ready..." I smiled, "...I want to end her life with my own hands."

"Forgive me boss but you do not seem to understand me." Vincent looked at me, worry lines on his forehead.

"Then what do you mean!" I reached for him again. "What the hell do you mean?!"

He scurried away from me in fear.

"You're always looking for a way to take over the Empire..." his voice was shaky "...take away his heir, you take away the Empire, if you kill her, his underboss succeeds him but if you make her yours, control her, manipulate her, you control the Empire cartel.

"Very good Vincent, I suppose Antonio will just give me his daughter if I ask nicely." I laughed, sarcastically.

He swallowed. He knew he was walking on thin ice.

"Well?" I asked, waiting for his response.

"Take her hand in marriage, take her as compensation for your dead daughter and you will have the Empire delivered to you on a platter of gold."

Yes, I liked where this was going. I would hang Antonio by his own rope, I would propose an offer he would not be able to refuse, the hand of his daughter or the lives of his men and I knew very well what he would choose. After all he was technically responsible for the death of my daughter.

"Vincent?" I turned my back to him and looked out the office window of my casino.

"Yes, boss?" His voice was still shaky, unsure of what my next action would be.

"You are a genius, very well said. You deserve a reward. Keep this up and maybe, you'll reserve your position as my underboss."

I smiled as I watched people going into the casino from the street.

Revenge would be mine. Watch out Antonio, everything you own would soon be mine.