As soon as I said the last sentence, I knew it was coming more from me than Lucas Steel, but that knowledge led me to find common ground with him. He wouldn’t want fake reactions from her either and that was a foundation I could build a character on.

Elena studied me, but didn’t give away her thoughts on what I’d come up with. Instead, she said, “I agree that he would be into rope, but it isn’t a major part of the book. Walk me through how you got there and why he doesn’t want me to talk.”

I had to think how to articulate it. “He wouldn’t want to bring pain without bringing equal pleasure. I know you said he’d be there to make it about him, but I think even when he’s giving pleasure, it’s partly about him. He’s getting off on being able to make them get off.” Something else I had in common with him. “Given the intensity of his tastes, giving equal pleasure would be impossible within the boundaries of the dungeon. I think he would be there to clear his head. If he was just looking for fun he’d play at the palace with a partner. I read that elaborate rope can take hours. He’s come to a pro who he knows can patiently handle that without complaint and who might enjoy it too. I couldn’t see him making small talk while that was happening and he’d like the power of making you stay silent.”

She beamed at me again. “And here I thought you were just pretty. Nicely done, Mr. Chase. You’re figuring him out. Here’s the question you still need to figure out, though. Why bondage? What does he get out of it? Why does he love it?”

“Because he likes to be in control?”

She inclined her head, still gracefully kneeling at my feet. “Partly, yes. But it’s not just being in control. It’s someone giving you control. It’s someone willingly allowing you to take away their autonomy. It’s trust. And with the kind of rope you’re describing, it’s the relentless focus it requires that forces you to clear everything else out of your head. When we were dancing the other night, you said nothing else existed but the feel of me and of being in control. Tying someone up is just like that, but more intense. If we had more time, I would teach you, but rope takes years and we’ve only got four more weeks.”

“What does his sub get out of it?” I asked.

She smiled slowly, eyes turning dreamy. “The incomparable feeling of being completely powerless with someone you trust. It’s liberating to let go completely.”

I’d thought I fell somewhere in a neutral space on the spectrum of dominance and submission, but a few lessons with her had proven me wrong. I had more in common with Lucas Steel than I could’ve imagined. I wanted to know what it would feel like for her to let go with me.