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The man ticked his head back and forth against his shoulders, crinkling his eyes with disbelief. “You could be right, and you could be wrong. There's two sides to every story, and they never match up. But the one thing we both know. . .” Taking in a slow breath, Georgio's mouth curved into a condescending grin. “You don't have a daughter.”

“We're not here to discuss my family, Georgio.”

I could hear Nick's teeth as they ground down with each word. He wasn't as calm as he normally was. I wasn't sure if Georgio and his sons could pick up on his subtle cues, but to me, he was practically screaming in the man's face.

“Originally no, that's not what this meeting was for. But it is now.” His smirk spread high up on his face, eyes shining under a shadow of death. “I thought we could toss some numbers around, see if we could come to an agreement. I know how much you love numbers, Nick, and I'm willing to spend.”

What the fuck is this guy doing?

Is he trying to buy me?

Sucking in a huge gulp of air, my lips parted, ready to scream at the guy to go fuck himself. But Birch grabbed my wrist and stopped me, shaking his head no.

Staring into his eyes, I pleaded with him to stop this whole thing, to make that man eat his own tongue and get me the hell out of there.

Softening his gaze, he spoke to me with just his eyes. He was telling me to relax, that his father would never sell me to some sick fuck. He didn't want me to worry, and no one was going to touch me.

I could see what he was thinking, I could feel what he was saying in his touch and the look on the face. I wasn't going anywhere.

Swallowing hard, I jerked my head back to the men, pure hate filling my muscles and turning them into trembling sinew ready to strike. My finger fluttered over the trigger, eager and willing to put a bullet in all of their heads if anyone even tried to come and take me away.

“Georgio, our deal is done. If your son wants a piece of ass to have his way with, he can't buy it here. She's not for sale, I don't sell family. And even if I did, I wouldn't sell her to the likes of you.”

Antoine jumped up to his father's side, his fists balled by his hips. “I want her! I deserve to have her for what she did to me! How dare you—”

Slicing a hand through the air, Nick stepped up, chest to chest with Antoine. “How dare I?” Baring his teeth, his words came out sharp. “You come into my home and insult us the way you did and she shrinks your dick for being an asshole, so you think you can buy her from me?”

“That's not what happened! You screwed with me, you teased me with that bitch and I want what I deserve for it.”

“Georgio, you better get control of him or he won't be standing on two legs.”

Placing a hand over Antoine's chest, Georgio guided him back. “I was under a different impression, Nicholi, of what happened.” Veering his stare at his son, he snarled. “He painted a very different picture. I was under the assumption she had a number, obviously you need more convincing.” Stuffing his hand into his pocket, Georgio pulled out a thick white envelope and held it out. “Your money is here, and I've included an extra forty grand for her.”

Snatching the money, Nick opened the envelope and began to thumb through the bills. My heart began to sink as I watched him. It looked like he was actually debating if that was enough to buy me.

“What?! No! Fuck you! I'm not going anywhere with you!” Taking a step forward, Nick held up his hand and shot me a look.

Stopping, my jaw hung open, unable to comprehend what the hell was happening.Is he selling me? Is he really fucking do this?

“So you mean to tell me that the only reason you're here is to buy my daughter? That's what you came for?”

Georgio smiled, nodding in agreement. “I came because my son said you had something that we could use. And I think he's right, she'd look gorgeous with the others.”

Flashing confused eyes at Birch, I could see his lip twitch and the muscles in his arms tense up. He was staring straight ahead, not even registering the panic on my face.

“What don't you understand when I say I don't sell family?” Nick angled his head, a curious expression sitting on his face.

“She's not family, Nicholi, she never was. We both know things would be easier for you if someone took her off your hands. You won't miss her, we'd get so much more from having her than you ever will.” Drawing a wrinkled thumb over his bottom lip, Georgio looked up at Nick with devious eyes. “Let me put it to you this way; we do this here and now, or maybe you'll be getting a call tomorrow from someone I think you'd rather not have sniffing around your shit.”

What the hell does that mean? Who the fuck is this guy?

Sucking in a hard breath, Nick exhaled as he tisked the man. “You should have answered differently, this was a mistake, Georgio. And Mistakes need to be fixed.”

A small smile teased my lips as I watched Nick deny the men their play toy. I had questioned who this family was and what kind of people they were. I had doubts about my place here and if I could truly be one of them.

But in that moment I knew. . . This was where I belonged.

I was as much a part of them as they were a part of me.