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“I agree, damn it!” Con snapped as he threw up his hands “But we need to find a way to send soe that he’s taken”

“He’s not leaving our sides, so it doesn’t fucking hn shouted back “Those assholes won’t approach him if he stays with Luca!”

I sighed as the back and forth continued Not one of the men wanted me to wear the collar, but I knehat it would mean if I did

It would mean I was Luca’s property

The picture had been the start

But the collar would cement it

It would , and since I’d overheard theonline that Luca wasn’t a true “believer,” ere already at a disadvantage going into the party As it were, Luca, and ns that our relationship wasn’t what it was supposed to be

There’d still been no contact from the Stylianos character who’d supposedly had the lead on Gio at one point, but there had been hn had warnedht price, but it was only in the hopes of forcing Stylianos’s hand If the sick ht be more inclined to make himself known

I glanced at the box again

It’s not real, I res Gio home

I climbed unsteadily to my feet and went to Luca’s desk None of the men seemed to notice me, so I tuned theo, the moment I flipped the lid up on the jewelry box, my resolve fled

In a big way

Close it

Close it!

My brain kept screa the order at me and I knew I could

It was a choice like any other And it wouldn’t make me a coward None of these men would look at me that way

I left the box open and wrapped old jewelry It wasn’t exactly a necklace, but it looked nothing like the dog-style chain Father had put around ether with a blowtorch while another had heldabout the screams of pain I’d let out

Or the tears I’d shed

Or the pleas to stop that I’d repeated over and over