Prologue

Jin

To be a smart man in business, you should always test whatever you're selling to make sure the quality is good. I'm not a stupid man though. I don't taste my product until someone else under my command does first. Every smart medieval king in the Renaissance had a taste tester to make sure his food was never poisoned. If his servant didn't drop dead, then he could fill his stomach with all the riches. I'm going to make sure I'll never go hungry, that my plate will overflow, and I'll throw the scraps to those beneath me.

Take that lowlife piece of shit, Cruz, for instance. I let him into my circle, gave him a little power, and he's eating right out of the palm of my hand. He came onto my turf, the city that's always been mine, just for a whore. He's at my disposal though. I set him up on my yacht, let him lay his head down on expensive feather pillows at night, but he doesn't know that the yacht he's using is the same one I use to ship out my girls across the ocean. He's nothing special. Thousands of girls trafficked slept on the same yacht he does, not knowing they would wake up in another country sold to another man. Cruz is just another pawn for me to control then destroy when I feel the time is right. So yes, I'll let him stay on my multimillion-dollar yacht, have the best bedding and service at his waiting hand and feet, because he's going to get to torture that whore who's taking over my son's life. When the time is right, I'll wipe it all away and have it cleaned for the next person on my chessboard.

"Sir." A throat clears at my open door, interrupting as I watch one of the new girls deeply inhale the line of pure white powder through her nose on the surface of my desk.

I draw my gaze away, groping her naked breast as she sways on her haunches near my feet as the drug takes effect. It works fast once it hits the bloodstream, leaving euphoria and bliss in its wake.

"Come," I command one of my triads in as he stands in the doorway, unsure since I don't always take business inside my house, but my fucking warehouse burned down and I'm not at the downtown China office today. His duty usually is to follow my daughter around discreetly, so there can only be one reason why he's here: "What has she done now?"

I watch him tug at his necktie, gulping loudly as he bows and steps into my office. In the last few days, I've been getting this reaction from all of my triads. Everyone is walking on eggshells around me since Dom's gang ruined my auction and burned my business to the ground. My fist slams down on the surface of my desk, making the girl at my feet yelp as she falls down on her naked ass. Every time I clear my head, thinking of anything else, the reminder that someone dared to embarrass me comes back swiftly, like a tsunami. Anger and destruction pulse through my veins, making my head pound with the need for vengeance. I still can't wrap my head around how Dom and his fucking gang knew where and when my auction was taking place. Someone talked, and I will find out who; it's only a matter of time.

"She, uh, well... sir." I raise an eyebrow at his lack of words, wondering if I should just dispose of him since he's wasting my time.

"What!" I bark out, my patience going out the window the moment he stepped through my door.

"Nicola was seen walking into the residence of Dom. We didn't know at first it was his until he stepped outside with..." His face pales, and a bead of sweat rolls down his temple as he gets nervous the longer I glare at him to continue. "Nicholas and his friends were seen leaving the premises with that girl."

I don't move a muscle. My body strains to pick up my cell phone and have my son come to my house so I can slowly choke the life out of him. He's dead to me. I no longer have a son, and he'll regret the day he betrayed me, his own flesh and blood.

"Gather the men and continue to follow him. Bring me my daughter."

He bows and quickly turns on his heels to leave the room. The moment the door is shut, I sweep my hand over my desk, sending everything to the floor with a crash. My breathing is labored as I collapse back into my chair.

I no longer have a son or daughter. Nicholas is about to learn that no one, not even my own blood, can go behind my back. When he sees what I'll do to Nicola, he will wish I put a bullet through his head instead of making him watch as my men torture his sister before someone buys her.

My triad will destroy them all.