Page 53 of Stolen Compliance

“So use him. You both…like the same things, use that, and him, and get Papa on your side so he stops trying to marry me off for five fucking minutes.

“I am not the perfect princess Papa wants me to be, and I want time to explore that with—” She cuts herself off before saying more but I can guess, at least about the gender of her someone special.

Another thing Kari and I have in common besides the constant competition to get Sergio to approve of us: we both swing the opposite way than what our father thinks is appropriate.

Ironic considering what happened between Dominic, Luca, and I this afternoon, but that was “just training” and can be excused away easily by Sergio and his level of depravity and delusion.

So long as Kari and I meet his standards and end up married to the people he wants, nothing else matters.

Which is why I’m the fucking idiot who agrees. “Fine. I’ll figure it out.”

Kari smiles, hopping off the bed. “Thank you, now come. We only have a few minutes. Let me fix your hair.”

She drags me into the bathroom, and I let her do what she wants, while trying to find a way to get Sergio to finally, officially approve of me…without truly making Luca hate me.

Because while I agree with my sister he’s the perfect cover, and a little hate-love action is fun when I have him on his knees, I don’t want him looking at me with anything but the utter submission and devotion he did earlier today.

I shiver as Kari runs her fingers through my damp hair, and thoughts of Luca calling Dominic Sir and me something a whole lot more potent run through my mind…

I’m antsy. There’s no other word for it. And it pisses me off. I force myself to center, to let go of thoughts that shouldn’t be there. Dinner was frustrating. For some reason, the idea of sharing Teo and Luca ruined my appetite—and my patience.

It shouldn’t be that way. But memories continued to bombard me. The way they reacted. The pain Teo took. Hell, the way Luca let me fuck him like I owned him.

Now I’m forced to sit through another meeting with Sergio. As I wait for him to light up a cigar—an after-dinner indulgence for him—I wonder how Teo will change this room when the job passes to him. Somehow, I don’t think gaudy as fuck is his decorating style.

It’s hard to keep the distaste off my face as I note that Sergio has somehow added more to the damn room. Everything is perfectly monogrammed and cold. It makes me wonder, just what is his cousin’s office like? Is it the same gilded cage that Sergio has created? Wrapped up in possessions because there’s nothing else for him?

It also leaves me questioning… Will there be a place for me when Teo inherits this position? And if not, what will I do?

After far too long, Sergio finally speaks. “Tell me…how did it really go?”

Biting back a sigh, I respond, “It was successful. Far more than I expected.”

Sergio scowls in my direction, not necessarily pleased by this. He should be, but fuck knows his priorities change. Constantly. “They both just fell in line? Submissive to the core?”

Ah, and there the issue begins. I shake my head, relaxing in the chair across from him, even with the wide desk between us. “Not at all. Teo did what I’d expect. He complied, within reason. He also was defiant. It was…beautiful.”

Sergio tilts his head, narrowing his eyes at me. The warning is there, lurking behind the darkness that can’t be hidden in his icy-blue eyes. His thick, blunt fingers beat an annoying staccato against the desk, while his other hand almost crushes the delicate cigars gifted to him by one of the other Organizations we deal with.

My refusal to fill the silence forces him to speak. “Beautiful? My son is…beautiful…”

I wave my hand dismissively, hating that this became a word game. Sergio isn’t in the mood to be easily swayed and the beginning of a headache snakes in, pressing against me. There’s no option though but to defend myself, despite Sergio’s attitude.

“Of course. As someone who trains others, whether our own men or merchandise, it’s refreshing to see the Martelli attitude. To know that no matter what he’s faced, he’ll be a perfect Boss.

“Because he has the control. He knows how to lock himself down. But he also knows when to push back. He doesn’t lose his fire. Since he’ll be in charge one day, it’s a relief to see that.”

Sergio’s lips twist as he seemingly tries to find fault before grudgingly nodding. “Acceptable. Yes. I do…worry about him. About leaving this to him. It’s not easy knowing he didn’t grow up here. And there is only so much I can do to hurry on his education.

“Soon enough he’ll need to step up, though. Both he and Kari. I’d like her settled first, of course. Men can take their time, but women? Bah. Needs to start providing me with grandchildren. Finding her a husband, though…”

“I’m sure you’ll find a solution, Boss.”

Silently, I add, it won’t be one that works. For either of his children, but Sergio knows how to stack the deck. So far it’s just been threats, but I can tell he’s getting closer to forcing the issue, especially as his eyes return to the picture of the Martelli crest on the wall—and the new one closer to his desk; this one is fucking bejeweled.

The smoke begins to choke me, but I stay still, even as my head pounds harder. While Sergio is open to me about most things, his children are at his whims and not even I am fully aware of his plans. Hell, I don’t want to be at this point.

“What about Luca?” Sergio demands with a flick of his fingers. “How did he do?”