Page 16 of Stolen Compliance

“Let’s go,” I call out as I exit the building, heading for the van.

I hear them muttering behind me, but I ignore it. Hell, I ignore everything except for the job. I slide a piece of paper to the driver. He grunts and nods but otherwise doesn’t say anything. Which suits me just fine.

As soon as Dominic and Teo are in the vehicle, we take off. I pull out my phone, verifying that everything is on schedule. Thank fuck for social media and hackers that can pull user names off certain sites.

It doesn’t take nearly as long as I expect to get to the beach I need. The city traffic, for once, isn’t as bad. Of course, most of the drive is spent hugging the lakeshore. It would be a beautiful sight if I could actually appreciate it.

“This is an interesting location,” Dominic murmurs as we pull into the beach.

I don’t bother replying, merely check the time. It’s a little early, but it’ll still work. This beach isn’t crowded, and since it’s the offseason and, at the exact wrong time for visitors, I expect it’ll be easy to find my quarry.

I step out of the van, putting the windbreaker on, but not zipping it up completely. Jogging down the pathway, I avoid the beach house and other facilities. Anyone who sees me will just assume a runner, nothing out of the ordinary here—especially in the offseason.

Once I hit the beach, I kick up the speed a little bit and sure enough, I clock the kid sitting in the sand, staring out at the water. For a moment, I ignore him, but as I get closer, I swipe my hat off. Shaking my head, I run my fingers through my honey-blond hair. There are times when looks matter, and right now is one of those.

Sitting my cap back on my head, I let my head swivel over to the kid. He’s eyeing me in a way that’s all too familiar. While it would normally send a shot of lust through me, right now it’s only pity. I jog up to him, smiling even though my eyes are covered with sunglasses.

“Hey, I hope you don’t mind me bothering you, but are you local?” I ask, ducking my head like I’m shy.

“Uh, yeah. I am,” the kid responds, shrugging. He’s definitely eye candy, even if he’s far bulkier than I normally go for.

I sit down next to him, letting myself stare at the waves. “So…I know I’m really bad at this, but I’m in town for a bit and I’ve heard this is one of the beaches you can surf on. I don’t want to cause trouble, so I thought I’d ask a local. I’ve never done much freshwater surfing—the joy of living on the coast and all.”

“Ah. Yeah, we go out every now and then. This is one of those places—although it’s not open to surfers year-round. It’s not the best, to be honest. But I spend time here as a lifeguard when I’m not at school or working at the docks. Right now, there’s no lifeguard on duty due to the time of year, but it still brings me peace.”

“Busy man. I get it. Gotta go get the bread and shit. Surfing is good for the brain, though.” I shrug, hating the words coming out of my mouth. “Any tips?”

“Probably a million of them if you’re not used to freshwater surfing,” the boy says with a laugh. “Most importantly, I hope you’ve got the right equipment. Because that shit is cold and out-of-towners don’t take that into account.”

“Oh, don’t worry… I always make sure I have protection,” I purr, watching the blush bloom across the kid’s face.

“That was horrible!” he retorts, even as he laughs.

I shrug. “But it got you to smile. And that was the goal.”

He smiles softly at me, and guilt adds another layer to my soul. Nausea churns inside me, but I clear my throat, forcing the thick lump down. “Hey, you want to check my equipment before I head out? Or, I don’t know, grab coffee?”

“I think that sounds good. It’s certainly better than just sitting here and thinking about things I can’t change.”

I stand up and offer him a hand. Although he takes it, he barely gives me any weight. His strength is obvious, and I pity what will happen to him because, fuck, Dominic is right; he’d be great at an auction.

“Times are tough?” I prod gently, even though I’m not sure why. The last thing I need is to connect with him. Fuck knows I’m about to become the villain, even as he eyes me like a damn hero.

He shrugs a shoulder as we head back toward the parking lot. “Family shit. Can’t help who you’re born to, but fuck do I wish it were possible. I have plans, though. Getting away from them is at the top.”

Fucking hell. This kid is far more than temptation. He’s a damn warning sign ensuring I know I’m going to Hell for this shit. I mean, I always was headed there, but fuck knows I’m screwed if there are levels for that shit, because this just earned me a trip to the lowest pits.

“Well, at least we can choose our friends,” I remark lightly, even as the tension in my chest tightens. He nods, sending me one of those blinding smiles I know will haunt me in my sleep. Thankfully, the van is in sight, and with the way it’s parked, he can’t see anyone in it. I use my elbow to jab his side lightly. “Now come on and check out my gear. I always make sure to pack extra rubber…”

He bursts out in such a carefree chuckle, even as he groans. I tell myself at least I can make his last memory a good one. Because after this, all that’s left for him is pain and misery.

“Oh, that’s so bad,” he mutters as he shakes his head.

I sling an arm across his shoulders, helping to guide him toward the van. Right as we get to it, I draw him against the back of it. Slowly, I tilt his head up and steal a kiss, all while grabbing the needle out of my right pocket. I stab him quickly as I pour everything into the kiss, playing with his tongue and stroking his jaw with my free hand.

Despite jumping at the sharp insert, he’s so into it that he doesn’t break away. At least until the drug hits his system. As he sinks against the van, he stares at me, his eyes unfocused, but he still sees enough. The truth hits him as I wrap my arm around him and guide him inside.

Before we enter, he manages one word. It strips me raw. “Why?”