THE BILLIONAIRE'S BARGAIN

CHAPTER 21

NEW YORK CITY

Vinnie's phone buzzed, shrill in the silence of his secret lair. He answered, his voice firm. “What is it?”, his man's panicked words sent a chill down his spine.

“Boss, we've been hit. The lab's been raided”.

Vinnie's grip on the phone tightened. “What about Dan?” he asked, his mind racing with worst-casw scenarios. His man's hesitant response only added to his growing unease.

“I…..I don't know, boss. I haven't seen him”. Vinnie's gut twisiwith a sense of foreboding. He ended the call, his mind racing with thoughts of his business, his men and most especially Dan. Dan was not just his hand man, also like his son a man of unwavering loyalty, the kind of friend who would take a bullet without question. Dan was picked up Vinnie on the streets and was trained by him to become a thug. As he grew older he began stealing for Vinnie, it became a normal thing as he grew more heartless. In his 30 he was then introduced into Vinnie's main dealings which was drugs. Not only did he sale the drugs for him, but he became addicted to it.

The drive to the Lab felt like eternity but arriving at the Lab, his heart sanked as he took in the scene. His equipment lay shattered, chemicals spilled everywhere, some of his men were shot and stabbed without mercy. The remaining stood, shell-shocked, amidst the chaos.

“Where's Dan?” Vinnie demanded, his voice low and deadly. Hisen exchange nervous glances before leading him to a covered body. Vinnie's heat sank as he lifted the cloth, revealing Dan's lifeless form. His head had been severed, his body left intact. Vinnie's vision bluned with rage. He felt like he had been punched in the gut, his breath knocked out of him. He stumbled backward, his eyes fixed on Dan's body. He couldn't believe it. Dan, his son, right hand man, was gone.

As he struggled to come to terms with the reality of the situation, Vinnie's anger boiled over. He roared with the reality of the situation, Vinnie's anger boiled over. He roared with rage, demeaning to know who was responsible for the attack. His men hesitated before answering, their voices barely above a whisper.

“It was Margaret's men, boss. They ambushed us”. Vinnie's anger turned to fury. He dropped to his knees besides Dan's body, his had on his chest. “I swear on your body, Dan, I'll get revenge. I'll make that wretched woman pay for this”. He pauses, his eyes still fixed on Dan's lifeless form “I'll make sure that your death is not in vain”.

The memory of his brothers death, also at Margaret's had, he had been preparing a long time ago and began seeking revenge and now with Dan's murder, his desire for vengeance had become an all-comsuming fire.

“The police are coming”, one of the men alerted. Vinnie stood, his eyes blazing without fear.

“Burn the laboratory down, leave no evidence for the police. The remaining men, come with me”, he ordered.

The laboratory was set ablaze leaving no evidence behind. Vinnie and his men escaped through another route, leaving the police hanging with confusion.

*******

“ We did it, boss. Your competitors lab was raided and we took out his right-hand man”, said one of her men, a blurry figure with a scan above his left eyebrow who had entered the dark room with a smirk on his face.

“Good”, responded Margaret, her voice so little.

The man's grin widens. “You're going to be one of the top dogs in the city now”.

Margaret's expression didn't change, but a spark of excitement ignited within her. She had worked had as promised to her father to get here, and it was finally paying off.

The man's voice brought him back to reality.

“And I gotta say, boss, it was sweet to see Dan's head rolling on the floor. Just like they did to our boss”.

Margaret eyes flickered, a hint of annoyance crossing her face. She didn't like her men to get to cocky, too confident. It made them sloppy, and sloppy was something she couldn't afford.

Before she could respond, another man entered the room, a look of concern etched on his face.

“Boss, we have a problem”.

Margaret's gaze shifted to the new arrival. “What is it?”

The man began explaining,

“The people we just raided, they're not just any ordinary players. They've been in the business for a long time, and they're not going to take this lying down”.

Margaret's expression turns cold,

“And?”

The man took a deep breath before continuing.

“The leader's name is Vinny, and….and he has a personal vendetta against us especially you”.

Margaret's eyes snaps to attention, her mind racing.

“What do you mean?”

The man's voice become firm “Vinnie's brother was killed by your men years ago. He's been seeking revenge since then. The incident at your house, I bet he's the one behind this. All this was just to alert you of a war to come? Margaret's face went pale, she had never intended for things to escalate to this level. She had thought she was just taking out the competition, but now… it seemed she had awakened a sleeping grant.

The man's voice brought her back from her thoughts.

“So, boss, how do you plan to deal with this? because our men can't just sacrifice our life for a course we didn't choose to pursue. This one is on you boss”.

Margaret's eyes locked onto the man, her expression cold, calculating.

“On me you say! It is man like you that didn't use their brains just like how you aren't using your brains now. I'll deal with it”. She said, her voice dripping with venom.

“I'll show Vinnie what it means to cross me. No one can lay a hand on me or my family except for me”.