I knew very little about shibari, but Lucia had been right earlier when she assumed I knew my sailing knots. And I also once trussed the turkey for Artemisia's first American Thanksgiving.

How hard could it be?

I leaned back onto the bed, crossing my legs. "How long's it been, Lu?"

She was trying not to be reactive, but the gold choker around her neck glimmered as she swallowed hard. Her jaw tightened with a smile.

"Since when, darling?"

"Since your husband found out about your dom and killed her?"

"Hmm..." Her crossed arms dropped, eyes sharpened on me. "Another one of Charlene's scheduling mishaps. One that, I suppose now, had been more calculated than I originally thought."

I tilted my head to look past her at the painting. "Is she our Judith?"

"Charlene is a coward."

"So is that a no? Or—"

Lucia tugged at the two diamond rings on her fingers and laid them on top of her dresser. "And as a coward, I expected her to run when I gave her the first opportunity."

"Are you saying she's still here?"

"She was here, yes, begging for forgiveness at the height of the party. Offered up more of Mikhailov's girls. I told her I would consider it. I sent her to fetch me my paints from the study, moreso as a test than anything. But you say it's nearly three now? That was more than an hour ago."

I was a little unnerved, knowing she might be lurking. I glanced over to the balcony where Lucia still had the heavy curtains drawn open. Just the sheers blew in the breeze.

Lucia stepped closer, eyeing me up. "You didn't run into Charlene while you were with Soraya?"

"I uh, wasn't with Soraya. Not long at least." But not even I was convinced.

"You're wearing a Mikhailov harness."

I sucked at my teeth and looked down at the leather straps that wrapped my ribs and barely covered my nipples. "What do you want with them? The Mikhailov girls?"

"I want to make sure they don't ever have to do anything they don't want again."

"Right." I snorted as I leaned back. My fingertips brushed against the cold brass handle of the sword. "And what's in it for you?"

"The more they let me help them, the more they help me. I offer them employment through the club and my art houses if they want it, but they're not obligated. I offer them new identities and safe housing regardless." Lucia stood in front of me, statuesque and stoic. Not a muscle in her body twitched with insincerity. "I was one of those girls once, Kirby."

I nodded slowly. I believed her. But just because I believed her didn't mean I trusted her. I thought back to what Lisette had said about doing good for bad reasons. My eyes traced the outline of her body as I worked out a route in my head. Without saying another word, I hopped up from the bed and went to the hallway door to twist the lock shut.

"Agent Udekwu will be disappointed, I'm sure. I know she was looking into the club. I do hope she let herself go a little tonight."

I took a deep breath before turning around to walk back over to the bed. "How's your blood pressure?"

"Impeccable."

"And your flexibility?" I wrapped my hand around one of her wooden canopy bed posts and tried to shake it, but not even the drapery moved. The cross beams above the posts were likely just as sturdy.

As I glanced over, Lucia had her leg stretched out in the air behind her in an arabesque pose. She then reached behind her head to grab her toes. Just beyond her, Georgiy's frozen head on the sofa leered our way.

Grabbing the sword from the bed, I swung it around between us. "Always play safe." Lucia swallowed hard as I pointed the blade near her throat. She slowly let go of her foot behind her. "Safety shears—or in our case, the safety sword, will always be within reach." Swinging it back towards the bed, I sunk the blade into the bedpost.

Lucia winced at the thunk.

"Now, come here."

She stared at me for a moment. Suspicion filled her eyes, but her curiosity got the best of her. As she inched towards me, I slid my fingers beneath the shoulder straps of her gown. The dress fell away, revealing the leather harness she had shown me earlier. Metal loops dotted the front of it. Straps of leather wrapped her ribs, her waist, and two went around her upper thighs and ass. An audible whimper might have escaped my lips in the moment.

But I couldn't let myself get too carried away with her.

Sliding my hands up her arms and around her neck, my fingertips traced the back of the choker, feeling for any type of clasp. Lucia rubbed her lips, eyeing up mine. I tested a soft kiss with her at first to see how she would react. With having a professional dom, I didn't know how much intimacy or romance she received. But as I pulled away fast she tried to hold on. I pressed my lips against hers again, longer to buy myself more time with the choker.

Just as I thought I felt a latch, she caught my wrist. "Leave it."

"You don't want me to wrap your neck? I don't want to break it with the rope."

Her fingers left my skin to trace the jade beads along the front. "No, not my neck."

"Okay." I let my hands fall around her waist and tried to come up with another tying route. "Boundaries are good. Thank you for letting me know."

"You need a key anyway."

"A key?"

"To take the choker off."

You've gotta be fucking kidding me.

"It's beautiful," I replied quickly through grinded teeth. "Where'd you get it?"

"Just a piece of collateral I picked up. Are you nervous?"

She could sense I was up to something.

"I am, actually." Which wasn't a complete lie. I lowered my voice to a whisper. "And I uh, I'd rather Artemisia not find out about this."

"Hmm..." Her eyes darted to the adjoining door. "Did you slip out of her bed to come see me?"

Looping my finger through the metal ring on her harness, I tugged her into another kiss and turned her against the bed. Her hands caressed my body, finding the back of my neck. She slid backwards and pulled me with her, legs slipping between mine. My hands felt around the plush velvet comforter. Coarse rope brushed against my skin. I grabbed the coil and lightly slid it up between us, against her inner thigh.

Her gasp sent goosebumps all over me. I could feel my body betraying my brain. I was enjoying this far more than I should.

Slowly, I unwound the rope, making a show of it. She watched on with hungry eyes while I fed off of her anticipation. Normally, I was the submissive one. Even when I topped, Artemisia was always in charge, same with my random hookups. But this was empowering. Watching this powerful woman writhe for just the slightest touch. For a second, I let myself imagine being in Lucia's world. With her.

"Use me instead."

Lucia's eyes focused on mine. "What?"

"Instead of Artemisia," I clarified.

I looped the rope around her waist then crossed up over her chest, down around her back, and then the other side, repeating in a pattern. Each movement I dragged out to make sure she could feel it.

"You said you wanted me earlier. I still don't understand to what extent, but you wanted me enough to pay off my debts. I don't know what Artemisia agreed to, and I'm clearly no dom and I'll probably screw up these knots if you keep looking at me like, well, that..." I began to weave the rope, adding in sliding knots at each cross. "I'm not as good as Artemisia, but you said I had potential. I'm not sure anyone's ever told me that."

Lucia watched on as I started quickening my ties. I placed her palms together in a prayer position to bind her wrists.

"Kirby—" She let out a soft cry with a smile when I tightened the knot hard against her skin. "It was never about Artemisia. Sure, I will likely need her for a few things, but I have bigger plans for you."

She had used Artemisia to bait me.

I pushed her face down into the mattress. "I'll need that red notice wiped."

She turned her face to the side and arched her ass into the air. "Consider it done, love."

An eerie scratching noise came from the balcony as the branch of the old olive tree rubbed against the side of the mansion.

I had to make a decision.

Running the rope up between her legs, I brought her ankles up to her ass and looped the rope into her harness. From there, tying her thighs was easy. I brought the rope back up around her waist and back. Tight knots mimicked her spine. Finally, I rolled her over onto her back for the final support knot.

Her dark curls spilled out around her head, neck elongated. I hadn't noticed before, but a bruise darkened the side of her neck, mostly hidden by the choker. It wasn't something she wanted me to see apparently.

I squeezed the back of her thigh, letting my thumb tease close to her center. Her hips rose up giving me more access. But she was unable to move any other way. The desire to be inside of her began to overwhelm me.

My thumb slid against the edge of the leather between her legs. Her breathing quickened.

"Are you okay?" I whispered to check in. The tip of my thumb began to slip beneath the leather.

"Yes."

I had to keep moving.

As I removed my hand from her, she let out an exasperated moan. I tossed the rest of the rope up over the cross beam of her bed canopy. Using my own weight as leverage, I managed to get her into the air pretty easily and tied her off on the post. Like a ball in a net, she swayed, long locks of hair dangling. Neck completely vulnerable.

A key turned in the lock of the hallway door.

I cupped the back of Lucia's head to support her. "Remember how you advised me not to tie myself down with one person?"

Her brows furrowed as her smile faded. I caressed her cheek as her lustful gaze slowly turned to anger. Through the bedroom wall, I could faintly hear Artemisia's voice.

The hallway door opened, but I didn't turn around. It quickly closed, lock latching once again.

Footsteps padded. Both doorknobs rattled. Muffled calls for my name came from behind the doors.

Lucia's eyes looked up behind me. Her body began to wriggle and squirm in the air. I held her head tight.

"You dumb—"

Before Lucia could finish her insult, a hand shoved what looked to be a pair of panties in her mouth to gag her.

"What was the number on her head?" I asked.

"Five million," Chaya answered.