<span style="font-size: 15px"><span style="font-family:Open Sans">Shit, <i>shit</i>. Marcus was not pleased to hear that Luca was sending money back to his family. It would be a cause for concern when it stopped. It was something he was going to have to deal with.<br/>
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“That's something we can explore options for later,” Marcus decided, going through ways he could still send money and keep communication open indirectly. Maybe eventually once Luca calmed down he'd be able to trust him more, but for now Luca was being resistant to the idea. Marcus' idea of Luca was starting to crack, the flaws in his plan seeping through, and with it his mood started to darken.<br/>
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“I didn't drive you across state lines to joke with you, Luca,” Marcus spoke, his lips pressing into a fine line. Marcus knelt down beside the young man was he proceeded to retch and dry heave. He put a hand over his back gently, then turned his face to look up at him.<br/>
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“You aren't getting it, Luca, not me. You <i>do</i> live here. From now on, with me,” Marcus explained, talking slowly, his tone serious. “This is a good home. This is a good life here. You should act more enthusiastic. I told you I'll be good to you, but don't test me, Luca.” There was a warning to his tone of voice. Luca's words were started to sound like rejection, and that was something Marcus dealt with poorly. Luca was supposed to be the perfect live in boyfriend to him. Marcus wouldn't give up that easily. It might take time, but Luca would adjust.<br/>
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Marcus heaved a sigh, knowing what it was going to come down to.<br/>
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“I really didn't want to have to go this far,” Marcus spoke, eyeing the door to the basement. “Come on. There's a bathroom downstairs if you're going to be sick.” He was rather forceful getting Luca to his feet, and he didn't take no for an answer when he pressed him through the basement door. Getting down the stairs was tricky, but Marcus wasn't as light as the young model. He had a bit more bulk to him, and he used this to his benefit, just as he used strength against those he choked the life out of. Marcus stuck with a regular fitness program and a meticulous diet. Something that would have to be modified for his new lifestyle.<br/>
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The basement was dim, but the light still functional. It was pretty bare, his family taking much of what had been in it with them during the move. They'd left the futon, the heavy television, and the stained pool table behind. The pool sticks were gone, the balls scraped and faded. It would work for now to keep Luca contained.<br/>
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“Once you understand better, you can come back up and live like a civilized human being in the rest of the house,” Marcus told him, frustrated and out of breath. Things had been simple when Luca was quiet and drugged. Even the people he'd killed had been simple. Now, he was trying not to hurt Luca. The young man was not making it easy.<br/>
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“This isn't supposed to be a bad thing. You're being overly dramatic,” he went on, this not quite lining up how he'd planned for things to go. “You're making yourself worse, working yourself up like this.” He tried putting his hands on Luca, to soothe him. So far his hands hadn't turned harsher than they needed to be to get the young man downstairs.<br/>
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“Please, Luca. Calm down. I'm a good man. We're going to be happy here together,” he spoke, trying one last attempt at making the other man see reason.</span></span>