Nate POV
"And who is the girl for you to defend?" The tall, grumpy man with big black eyes seemed important—he was one of the few customers who usually patronized my aunt. Despite his significance, he was very rude to Billie, calling her names when she was already disliked by others. I had no choice but to stand up to him, and now he was questioning my connection to her. His arrogance was evident; he was proud of his status.
I could boast about my father being the heir to one of the most profitable businesses in New York before his demise, but I wasn't raised that way. I despised the idea of acting tough, especially not in front of Billie.
“She is my…” I noticed the entire room freeze at my confession, even Alice seemed interested. “She is my friend,” I said, locking eyes with the ma
