CHAPTER TWO (ELIAS'S POV)

I knew a test when I saw one.

And right now? I was being tested.

The underground auction was successful but Luca and Matteo weren't fools. They might have bought me but they sure as hell didn't trust me.

Not yet.

Matteo leaves against the wall of the indoor gym, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt, revealing his toned, tattooed muscular arm and a silver bracelet that gleamed under the light.

“Like what you see?” He asked, teasing.

I ignored him, my eyes sliding over to Luca who sat on a sleek leather chair at the aft end of the room, watching us like a king on his throne. A glass of whiskey held in his hand as he swirled it lazily, he acted like he wasn't interested in what we were doing but I wasn't stupid.

He was studying me.

They both were.

"Fight me," Matteo said simply, cracking his knuckles.

I didn’t rise to the bait. I knew what this was. A way to gauge my strength, to see if I was as dangerous as my fake backstory claimed.

They thought I was a former soldier—a man who had been discarded, stripped of his honor, sold into slavery. Someone capable of violence, but tameable under the right conditions.

I had to give them just enough.

Not too much, not too little.

If I went too easy, they'd see me as weak.

If I went too hard, they'd suspect something.

I rolled my shoulders, stepping onto the fighting mat.

"Rules?" I asked.

A grin slowly spread on Matteo, it was just as dark as his soul. "There are none."

Of course not.

Suddenly, he lunged.

I barely had time to dodge the first blow which was a brutal left hook that would have shattered any jaw if I hadn't missed it by a hair.

I counted by landing a quick and brutal strike to his ribs but Matteo barely flinched. He was a masochist, he enjoyed the pain l.

A dangerous glint flashed in his eyes.

This was more than a test, he had a dark intention.

He faked an attack then delivered a brutal kick to my knee, causing me to stagger making Matteo see an opening which he took too fast.

Our fists connected. Our bodies collided in a brutal fight.

As I fought, I made sure to stay on the defensive to make him think that he was in control but Matteo wasn't satisfied with that.

He wanted me on my knees.

He delivered another powerful hit to my chest, knocking the wind out of me and slamming me to the ground, hard. The impact jolted my spine.

Before I could move or grab my breath, Matteo was on me— straddling me and pinning my worst to the ground.

He leaned in close to my ear, his hot breath fanning. “Bow.”

I snarled. "Fuck you."

He took my earlobe between his teeth, teasingly. “You'd like that, wouldn't you?”

My face burned.

What?!

Luca hummed from the sidelines, sipping his whiskey.

Matteo pulled away slightly, allowing me to see his face. His grin widened, seeing my reaction and his grip on my wrists tightened. 

"You don’t get it, do you?" he murmured. "You belong to us now. And in this house—" he deliberately let his hips down, low enough to brush his hard member against mine. A taunt and a challenge. “—submission isn’t a choice. It’s a fucking requirement."

I am not gay. I am not gay. I chanted in my head.

In my brief at headquarters, the friend's sexuality was unknown but now, I had a good idea what it was.

I clenched my jaw. "I don’t bow."

Matteo’s eyes lit up with thrill.

Then he held my wrist in one hand and slowly dragged a finger up my arm with the other until he got to my throat and wrapped his hand around it.

Tight.

But not enough to suffocate me.

Not yet.

My heart raced so fast I'm sure he could feel my pulse pounding against his palm but I didn't flinch. I refused to give him that satisfaction.

Matteo tilted his head. "Luca," he called out, voice dripping with feigned curiosity. "What do you think? Do you think we can break him?”

Luca exhaled a slow breath, sipping his drink. "I think you’re enjoying this way too much."

Matteo chuckled. "Maybe." His fingers tightened. “But so are you, aren't you?” 

Luca didn’t answer.

But he didn’t tell him to stop either.

The silence between us was thick, charged with something… more. Something that I liked but didn't like at the same time.

Something I shouldn't like in the first place.

Matteo gave my neck one more light squeeze before letting go.

I sucked in a deep breath, my muscles tensed and my heart hammering from the close encounter. Matteo leaned down to my ear again, his lips lightly brushing the side of my face as he did.

"One day, you will bow," he murmured. "And when you do?" He planted a ghost of a kiss on my jaw. "I’ll make sure you never forget it." He brushed his member against mine once more.

Then, just like that, he got off me.

I stayed on the ground for a second longer, forcing my body to relax. My body has reacted to him in a way that I didn't approve of.

Luca finally stood up from his seat in the corner, setting his drink aside. He walked over to me with slow steps then crouched down beside me.

His forest green eyes assessed me. Calculating and interested in me.

"You really don’t like to be controlled, do you?" His voice was quiet. Amused.

I held his stare, chest heaving. "No."

His lips curved slightly.

"Good."

Then, without another word, he stood up and left the gym.

Matteo smirked, giving me one last glance before following him out.

I exhaled slowly, pressing my hand to my throat.

The mission had just gotten a whole lot more complicated.

***

I couldn't sleep.  The room they gave me was way too nice for someone who had been bought at an auction to be their slave.

It was too nice. 

Every breath, every move I made was being watched. I sat on the edge of the bed, exhaling slowly, forcing myself to think about anything other than what had happened today.

I am not gay. I reminded myself.

I needed to stop focusing on whatever was happening and find their weak spots, earn their trust. Get close.

My hands curled into fists as determined courses through me.

I would end this.

I would end them.

A soft knock sounded at the door. Before I could react, the door swung open and Matteo walked in.

He was dressed in a suit, looking like he owned the world. He leaned against the doorframe, tilting his head slightly.

“Can’t sleep?”

I didn’t answer. His signature smirk returned like he knew the thoughts plaguing my mind. He got off the door frame and walked inside making me tense up but I didn't move.

He got to me, stared at me for a second before sitting next to me, the bed dipping slightly from his weight.

I was shirtless. He reached out and gently traced a bruise on my ribs making me suck in a sharp breath.

Matteo smiled.

“You’re interesting,” he murmured, voice deep and amused. “I haven’t decided if that’s a good thing yet.”

His fingers began to trail higher, gently brushing my nipple making me shiver before he finally settled on my jaw.

Suddenly, he leaned and pressed his lips against the corner of my mouth.

Soft. That was the only word in my mind.

It was a kiss. Barely.

It was a test. He wanted to know how I would react. A challenge.

Then, he pulled away, got up and headed to the door. His eyes flickered to mine, some sort of emotion passing through his.

“Sleep tight, Eli.”

Then, he was gone.

Leaving me in the dark.

Heart pounding.

Mind racing.

Face burning.

And the sinking, undeniable attraction settling in my gut.