1 Prologue

CATALINA ROSSI

I have wanted to do this for months.

Most people want to inherit their fathers' empires, but not me. The only thing I want from the Romano empire is to destroy it. I exist because of the Romano empire, but it is also the bane of my existence. The place that destroyed me. The place that tore my family apart, and worst of all, cost the life of one of the most important people to me.

And so I do what I've always wanted to do. I rig it with bombs.

Standing at the window of my suite, I look out at the strip club just waiting to explode.

'Haven', reads the neon sign. To everyone who frequents it, it is indeed a haven. A paradise of overpriced drinks, blasting music, and stripers whose performance almost justifies the several thousand-dollar price tags on the drinks.

To me, it's an insult. So I tap the red circle on my phone screen.

I see the explosion a fraction of a second before I hear it. A burst of flames and smoke immediately rises toward the sky, bringing down one of the most frequented night clubs in the city. I don't hear the commotion that follows but I see it.

As I watch it all go down, I don't feel any of the things I thought I would. There is no relief, no excitement, and no guilt.

Instead, I feel…nothing.

But one thing is certain. It is not over. Justice is not complete. I want more.

She deserves much more.