“I’ve been sexually involved with my rope partners and not sexually involved with them. It’s always been about aesthetics, skill, sensuality, and connection in the moment,” Ronin said defensively.
Knox just stared at him.
“What?”
“You’re not an idiot. Even I know you’ve never been in love with any of your rope partners. The difficulty of the pattern, the amount of body-to-skin contact, the sexual pull—you can no longer compartmentalize any of it because it’s all there when you bind her. And it’s there only with her. The fact you were so off balance during those six weeks the two of you spent apart had nothing to do with you missing shibari or kinbaku in your life. It was about you missing her.”
Ronin was truly stunned by Knox’s insight.
“Maybe you’ve been binding so many women over the years because you’ve been looking for someone like Amery. Now you’ve found her and it’s changed you. That’s why it felt wrong to tie someone else.” Knox popped to his feet. “I’m guessing your demo days at the club are over.”
He wasn’t sure how he felt about that even when he suspected it was true. Not that he and Amery had discussed it. That was just another thing hanging over his head. Was he ready to give up public bondage demonstrations?
Ten minutes later, Shiori waltzed in. “We’re still on for tonight?”
“On for what?”
“The sporting goods trade show at the tech center. You agreed to meet with some of the equipment guys for possible sponsorship for Black and Blue Promotions since Blue is teaching tonight, remember?”
“I must’ve blocked it out. Aren’t you teaching tonight?”
“Knox is taking over my class.”
Ronin gave her a skeptical look. “How hard did you have to beg him?”
“Not at all. I outrank Godan. It’s my responsibility to provide him with additional teaching opportunities.”
Jesus. He’d get an earful about that.
“You want to ride with me?”
“I’ll meet you.”
“Okay. I’ll be there around six. South entrance.”
Shiori hesitated in the doorway.
“What?”
“Have you heard from her yet?”
He shook his head.
“You will.”
“Do you know something I don’t?”
“Just that she can’t stay away from you any more than you can stay away from her.”
He hoped to hell Shiori was right.
• • •
AFTER two hours wandering around the vendor spaces, Ronin was ready to leave. And the first place he intended to stop? Amery’s. Her silence made him crazy.
He’d just pulled out his phone to text Shiori when he heard, “Hello, Ronin,” from behind him.
Every molecule in his body seized up.
No. Fucking. Way. She couldn’t be here. Had to be a hallucination, or he’d fallen asleep and was dreaming of hell.
Go away.
“I can make a scene to get you to pay attention to me.”
Ronin slowly turned around.
Naomi stood less than five feet away.
She didn’t look any different than she had almost four years ago. Same conservative business suit, same pixie haircut, same understated makeup—she’d even worn the same color of red lipstick. Normally he wouldn’t remember things like that, but Naomi had glossed up her lips only when she’d gone down on him. She claimed it was to leave her mark as a reminder of how much she loved him. Afterward she’d placed fresh lipstick marks down his thighs. But he knew the truth; she wanted him to fear—just for a second—that she’d made him bleed.
Sick f**king woman.
Her siren-red mouth curved into a smile. “I know what you’re thinking about.”
He moved his gaze up to her eyes and kept his face impassive. “That it’s obvious you’ve resorted to using Botox?”
“Insulting me? Not nice, pu**ycat.”
Since she’d always preferred to speak Japanese with him, her use of English meant she wanted people to overhear their conversation. “When I insult you, you’ll know it,” he said in Japanese.
“Where’s your new girlfriend? Shiori assured me you’d both be here tonight so I could pay my respects.”
She was such a liar. “Wrong. How did you find out where I’d be?”
“Ronin-san, I know where you live.”
So she’d followed him. Really f**king creepy but completely her style.
“I’m in Denver on unfinished business.”
“Why would you think I’d care?” He started to back away.
She edged closer. “Aren’t you curious about who I’m here with?”
“Some lowlife wannabe Dom you’re trying to make jealous? You hoping he’ll beat you and f**k you in front of everyone in the arena?”
Malice glittered in her eyes. “Sounds like jealousy, pu**ycat.”
“Yes. You know me so well,” he sneered.
“I know you better than you think.” She pursed her lips into a pout. “I’ve missed you. All the great times we used to have together. In your penthouse, at my apartment, at the club. Don’t you miss those days?”
As much as he missed an oozing boil.
“I do,” she said dreamily. “Especially the club. Not that I could relive old times there after you had me banished for life.”
“You made your choices, and you knew there’d be consequences.”
“You don’t feel guilty at all for such an extreme reaction? It was a sex club! You really can’t blame me for taking a sample of what was freely offered.”
Enough. Ronin turned to walk away.
But Naomi grabbed his arm. “Don’t leave in a huff, lover. You’ll want to hear this.”
“Let. Go. Of. Me.”
She dropped her hand. “So upon my return to Denver, without a club of my own, I visited your new club . . . Twisted? The manager is lovely. Of course I name-dropped you like crazy, and the man was very eager to dish on your rope skills. You do have a fan in him. Anyway, he indicated it’s been quite some time since you did any public rope demonstrations at the club. I had to ask myself why that was. And then I asked him. Do you know what he told me?”
Ronin didn’t react.
“The manager told me your new girlfriend refuses to be part of a public bondage scene. The information shocked me. A master who lets his lover impose the rules? Has pu**ycat become pussified?”