Page 217 of Tangled up in You

"Tiffany," he said, his voice steady, "your father was convinced he could outsmart me. He thought he could pocket significant money and walk away, thinking I wouldn't do anything. But he was dead wrong."

My heart raced as I listened, picturing my father's slick smile and the misplaced confidence he wore like armor. Lorenzo continued, his tone darkening. "When Nico confronted him, it wasn't just a scuffle. It was brutal—a stark reminder that the mob demands respect. Betrayal is met with harsh punishment."

I took a deep breath, aware of his words. I faced reality, my father's choices, and my place in this chaotic world. Lorenzo's gaze bore into me, making me grasp just how severe the consequences could be. "You need to understand, Tiffany. Your father's hubris led him down this path, and now he'll reap what he has sown."

I sat frozen, my mind racing as Lorenzo's words pierced my thoughts.

"Tiffany," he began, his voice steady but heavy with something like pity. Your father—he's decided that will change everything for you."

A knot twisted in my stomach as I braced for what was coming. "What do you mean?"

"In his desperation, Salvatore has offered you up to the highest bidder, so to speak."

I have known all my life to my father that I am nothing more than a pawn in a twisted game. He would sacrifice my future or even my life if it meant his survival.

Lorenzo's gaze was unwavering. "He believes that selling his daughter will somehow grant him a reprieve."

I nod at his words. This is not news to me. To my father, women are just tools—traded for favors, used for gain, or discarded when the stakes get too high. My heart sank deeper, creasing my chest with icy dread. Glancing at the men in the room, I inquire as the bargaining chip.

"Yes," Lorenzo replied. "In his eyes, you're a means to assure his continued breath in this brutal world."

"So, basically, this plea he set up - is his life for mine? You will kill me to save his life?"

"No, you stupid girl," my father sneers. My freedom for your enslavement. You will be theirs to do what they wish. Your life to save mine. That is the way it should be.

I gaze upon this man I once referred to as my father, and in recent years, I understand his true nature - the lowest form of human being on this planet. A surge of defiance rose within me. "You think you can use me as a bargaining chip now?" I continued, my voice steady. "You think you can sell me off to save your own skin? You're mistaken, Father. I'm not yours to sell."

His face contorted with anger and desperation. "You ungrateful little bitch," he spat. "After everything I've done for you?—"

"Everything you've done for me?" I interrupted, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. "You mean like making my life a living hell? Teaching me that love is a lie people tell to get what they want? Showing me men cannot be trusted?"

I looked around the room, meeting Nico, Franco, and Giovanni's gazes. I saw something in their eyes—respect, understanding, maybe even a hint of admiration. They understood my father's true nature and the world he hailed from. And they knew I differed from him.

Turning back to my father, I said, "I will not be your sacrificial lamb. I will not let you use me to save yourself."

He sneered, "You think you're so much better than me, right? Do you believe you can leave this life? Tiffany, you are mistaken. Regardless of your feelings, you are still connected to this world.

I shook my head, "No, Father. Your world is not a part of mine. I never was. And I never will be."

I looked at Lorenzo Sansone. "Sir, I understand the gravity of the situation. And I understand that my father's actions have consequences. I refuse to be a pawn. I will not be sold to the highest bidder like a property."

Lorenzo nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "I see you have your mother's spirit, Tiffany. Very well. We will not force you into anything. But understand this: your father's debt must be paid. If not by you, then by him."

I nodded, understanding the unspoken words. My father would pay the ultimate price if I disagreed with their terms. But wasn't that what he deserved? After all the pain he'd caused and the lives he'd ruined, wasn't it time for him to face the consequences of his actions?

I looked at Nico, Franco, and Giovanni. I saw the hunger in their eyes. They wanted me—that much was clear—but there was something more, something more profound. They viewed me as an equal, not merely an object. They saw my strength, my fire, and they respected it.

At that moment, I made my decision. My motivation was desire, not coercion. I saw a chance for freedom, power, and life on my terms.

"I'll accept the debt payment terms," I assured confidently. "But on one condition. That as of this moment, I am no longer Salvatore Garzelli's daughter. From then on, I am dead to him, his crew, and his associates. No one in his circle is authorized to approach me. And Salvatore Garzelli is dead to me."

Lorenzo raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise in his eyes. Then he smiled a broad, genuine smile. "Well played, Tiffany. Yes, we have a deal."

I turned to my father one last time. "Goodbye. May you rot in hell."

CHAPTER 2

NICO

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