Page 46 of Stolen Compliance

Dominic shrugs. “On his best behavior besides his recent fuck-up.”

I curl my hands into fists but show no sign of anger or upset at being talked about while I’m sitting right fucking here. It was a hard lesson to learn, but eventually, I got it.

“They’ve both been handling the merchandise as expected?”

“Yes. Luca has gained a little finesse even.”

I snort but have to agree. The bunny might not like touching and being touched by the merchandise, but he doesn’t flinch so hard any longer. In that, he is better than I am.

Sergio leans back in his seat and looks between the two of us. “I think it’s time to introduce the next phase then. We can’t throw him into training as a guest, but…he is here to learn, is he not?”

My heart pounds at whatever comes out of my father’s mouth next is not going to be good for any of us.

“The auction at the end of the month… I believe we should bring Luca with us. After all, he will have to get used to how they work in order to buy and sell his product.”

I should have seen this coming, but fucking hell. The Christmas party was one thing, with my father’s…closest business associates gathered to enjoy a night of depravity. An auction is an entirely different beast. And the first of the year sets the tone for the rest of them.

Is he setting the bunny up to fail? As I stare into my father’s eyes, such a similar shade of blue to mine, I see nothing but cold apathy there.

Fuck.

There’s more going on here than simply testing Luca and introducing him to our business. I give a sideways look to Dominic, but of course, he’s a brick wall. The loyal Second who never shows anything he doesn’t want you to see.

I desperately want to ask him what he knows, but I’m not stupid enough to believe he’ll tell me. My fear for Luca goes up a notch. Because despite our issues and the distance between us, I don’t want to see him get swept up in my father’s fuckery.

Take him apart and make him ours? Yes. The darkness that was awoken in me yearns for that. But actually seeing the bunny destroyed because my father has an agenda?

No. The…feelings building in me thanks to Luca scream that I need to save him from whatever Sergio has planned.

It’s a confusing mess of contradiction that adds tension to my already-weighed down shoulders.

“We’ll make sure he’s ready, Boss,” Dominic says.

“Good. Because it’s the first of the year, and I want to show off a little… Compliance is going to be the theme of the night.”

The way my father slides his gaze to mine as he says that spells nothing but trouble; thankfully, I learned very early on how to school my expression around him. Compliant I may not always be, but I’ve always been good at lying…at least to him.

“As Dominic said, we’ll be ready.”

“I hope so.” The tone he uses says the complete opposite. As much as Sergio would be pissed if I embarrassed him in front of others, he wouldn’t mind seeing me fail.

Fuck, we’re so fucking screwed…

There’s an undercurrent dancing between Teo and Dominic that I don’t understand. It’s worse when they pull me into their shit, using words and touches that I can’t interpret. Heavy emphasis on seemingly random words that when strung together gives me a bad fucking feeling.

Compliance. Behavior. Submission. Obedience. Acceptance.

Around and around they go. Invading my mind. Until even their whispers infect my dreams, or are they nightmares? Fuck. I can’t tell anymore.

It’s a dizzying life here, far away from the comforts I’ve come to expect. It may be drenched in gold, but it’s all paid for in sins that not even Il Padrone would touch. But touch… that’s the fucking issue.

Around and around it goes. Those little touches. Seemingly innocent. Bullfuckingshit. There isn’t anything innocent about Teo and Dominic. Fuck. That.

It’s been a week since I’ve checked in with Il Padrone, and for the most part, everything has been normal. Aside from those hints they sprinkle throughout the day and night. Today, though, the mood between them is chilly, focused, and honestly, scares the fuck out of me.

Dominic’s perfect Second persona is locked down tight. Teo is desperately trying to mimic him, a loss before he even starts. From what I can tell, Dominic doesn’t have a fucking heart, and Teo, despite what he’s done to me, at least gives flashes of humanity.

Teo reminds me in some ways of Lio. A homicidal teddy bear. But for him, it’s more like a kitten trying to be a lion. His claws can do some damage, fuck knows my body remembers, but there’s enough heart in him to keep a small sense of morality. Even if Dominic and Sergio seemingly try to snuff it out regularly.