“Maybe later. Right now I’ll waddle to the couch and hope I don’t fall asleep during our talk.”

“While I’m hoping we don’t yell at each other, I don’t want you nodding off on me either.”

She touched his cheek. “I won’t.”

“Good. Go on. I’ll put the food away.”

“You need help?”

“Nah. I’ll just dump it all back in the crock and shove it in the fridge.”

When Knox walked into the living room, he noticed Shiori had taken her boots off. She had her hands in her back pockets as she stared out the bay window.

In that moment she didn’t look like a Domme; she looked small and fragile and maybe a little lost. Sometimes it was hard for him to see past her various personas—the high-powered business executive, the billionaire heiress, the martial-arts master—to the woman beneath.

He moved in behind her. “Do I need to ask before I put my arms around you?”

She looked over her shoulder and said, “Never.”

Knox enfolded her in his arms. He had to bend down to rest his chin on the top of her head. She held such power in a small package.

After a bit she kissed his biceps and wriggled free. “You ready to go over your homework?”

He chuckled. “I’ll warn you, I’ve always been a C-minus student.”

She sat in the corner of the couch and pulled her knees to her chest.

Her protective posture annoyed him. This conversation would be easier if she sat on his lap and he could touch her. He mirrored her pose on the other end, but he stretched out his long legs so they encroached on her space.

Already testing her boundaries?

“Let’s go over the problem areas. First, we work together. You’re in charge at the dojo. I’ll respect that. When we’re alone together outside the dojo, you’ll defer to me.”

“In all things? You dictate where we eat, what we do, what movies we watch?”

Shiori frowned. “Okay. Back up. I’m talking about sexual submission. So we won’t be doing any of the normal-couple things like if we were starting to date.”

Knox said, “Then I’m not interested.”

That startled her. “I’m confused.”

“Yes, ma’am, you are. I’ve never been in this type of relationship, and I don’t know your rules, but I do know mine. I like you. I want to spend time with you. Outside of the dojo and outside of Twisted. That means we do couple things together. We watch TV, we share meals, we get to know each other. I’m willing to let you direct our intimate relationship, but the key word there is relationship. I’m not interested in you calling me to show up at your penthouse when you’re feeling horny and need a man to service you. There are places that cater to that type of need. Or you can just hold off and get what you need from one of the male submissives at Twisted.”

Her eyes flashed. “How are we supposed to have a relationship? We can’t let anyone at the dojo know we’re involved.”

“Why not?”

“I have no idea how Ronin will react, and he should hear about it from us, not thirdhand gossip from Katie.”

“It’s none of his or anyone else’s business.”

“Wrong. Black Arts is his business. He made us assure him that we wouldn’t kill each other while he’s away. His worries wouldn’t be any less if he knew we were involved. So we’d have to keep it strictly between us.”

“Basically, we’ll be sneaking around,” he stated.

She cocked her head. “You’re trying to rile me on purpose?”

Fuck. This was not how tonight was supposed to go. He leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling for ten counts before he looked at her again. “Fine. If we’re keeping this on the down low, then that means no signs we’re together at Twisted either.”

“You can’t make that determination.”

“Yes, I can. If I can’t claim you in public, then you can’t claim me either.”

Shiori set her chin on her knees and considered him. “Is this your manipulative way of being my submissive without having to learn what it means to be a submissive?”

Knox shook his head. “I am learning; keep that in mind. Is public approval of club members important to you as a Domme? Do you need it to prove your dominance over me?”

No response, but he knew he’d touched a nerve.

“You can teach me to be what you want and need in ways public humiliation never will. Any type of humiliation in any setting is my hard limit.”