Unwound

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“WE’VE got to stop meeting like this,” Shiori deadpanned.

“Are you afraid people will start to talk?” Amery joked back.

Shiori peered over the top of her sunglasses. “That’s the question of the day, isn’t it? Why did you summon me to your lair?”

“To go over my questions on the contracts. In private.” Amery had set up this meeting after everyone in the office had gone for the day. She still hadn’t shared with her friend and officemate Chaz why she and Ronin had broken up in the first place. Now that they’d reconciled, Ronin’s family connections didn’t matter—at least not to her. But if sexy, mysterious Shiori Hirano sauntered into the office, Chaz would grill her. So the best way to deal with the potential headache was to avoid it.

At least for now.

While Shiori wandered around Amery’s apartment, Amery filled the two lowball glasses with ice. “What would you like to drink?”

“Just water. I’m teaching the late class tonight.”

“How’s it going?”

Shiori took a seat at the breakfast bar. “I enjoy teaching far more than I thought I would.”

“I’m surprised you have time with all the responsibilities of someone in your position.”

She shrugged. “I’d be training there anyway if I weren’t teaching. My sensei in Japan reminded me that teaching is just another way to learn.”

“Philosophical. Are all masters of martial arts like that?”

“The good ones are.”

“You sound like Knox.”

“The only thing Knox and I have in common is our desire to beat each other unconscious.”

Amery raised an eyebrow.

Shiori pointed to the contracts. “What have you decided?”

“You said the terms are negotiable.”

“To some extent. But to be blunt, Okada walks away if the terms aren’t to our liking. Then all negotiations are permanently over.”

“I understand that I need Okada more than Okada needs me. But along those lines, I don’t think I can work for one company exclusively, no matter how well they pay.”

“Forgive me if I don’t quite grasp this. Your company is dangerously close to shutting down because of lack of revenue, and Okada is offering you a permanent, steady income, and you’re turning it down?”

Amery fiddled with the ice in her glass before sucking down a mouthful of booze. “I know it sounds crazy. And believe me, I’ve wrestled with this, but I like the diversity of what I do. Being contracted for a specific project line with Okada would provide me with enough income to keep Molly on and maybe hire another employee. Yet at the same time, I could retain my other clients. They’ve stuck with me, so I don’t want to ditch them when a bigger company waves a big, fat check in my face.” She met Shiori’s confused gaze. “You do get what I’m trying to tell you, don’t you?”

“You’re about loyalty. You’d rather fail on your own than compromise your integrity.”

“Exactly.”

“I can respect that.” Shiori rifled through the contracts. “I believe the language in this one is case specific. I’m fairly confident Okada will agree to those terms, but they will expect you to forego design work for your clients in the restaurant business.” She offered a small smile. “We would prefer consumers were at home eating our line of healthy frozen meals.”

She laughed. “Done. My design work for them is minimal anyway. What about the organic food markets?”

“As long as you’re not creating ads for our competition, I don’t believe that’ll be an issue.”

Amery exhaled slowly. “Then I’ll sign on the dotted line.”

“Good. Have you discussed this with Ronin?”

“No. I’d like that nondisclosure agreement to go both ways.”

Shiori frowned. “You don’t plan to tell him?”

“Of course I’ll tell him. But I want it to be on my terms, when the timing is right. We’re still working through things.” It wasn’t like he wasn’t keeping things close to the vest himself. Case in point: She still had no idea what the doctor had told him. Amery finished her drink. “Like you reminded me, it might’ve been my relationship with Ronin that got my foot in the door, but the work speaks for itself.”

“All right. But if my brother asks me point-blank if you’re working for Okada? I will not lie to him. I’ve done that often enough, usually without choice, that I fear our relationship can never be repaired. Anytime I try to talk to him . . . he shuts me down. Or ignores me.”

“Neither of those are my favorite traits of his either.”

Shiori nodded. “Last business thing. Given our history and your relationship with Ronin, you won’t be dealing directly with me at all.”

“Really?” she said skeptically.

“Yes. You’re in North America, which means you’re under Maggie Arnold’s purview anyway. I told her I’d be in Denver and would meet with you to save her the trip, but all information, payments, and problems will be handled by the Seattle office.” She smirked. “So if you fuck this up, don’t expect me to bail you out.”

“You’re hilarious.”

“So because I’m nosy, I have to ask what other projects you’re working on that are exciting enough to keep you from becoming Okada’s lackey?” She laughed. “Sorry—I couldn’t resist the shot at the family business.”

At least she had a sense of humor. Amery was finding the more time she spent with Ronin’s sister, the more she liked her. “Give me a second.” She scrolled through her folders and clicked on the cover she’d designed for Cherry Starr. “Check this out.” She spun the laptop toward Shiori.

Shiori leaned closer. “You did this?”

“Yep.”

“Graphics too?”

“Yep.”

“That is stunning. The red rope against the paler skin. Everything about this is sexy. Tied to Him.” Shiori looked at her. “Did you come up with the title?”

“No. The author has written several books in this vein.”

Then Shiori pulled the laptop closer. “Beautiful binding. It’s perfect. I assume this is rope master Black’s handiwork?”

“Since it’s no big secret to your family that Ronin is a rope master, I can say yes, Ronin did the binding for this shot.”

“Do you know the model?”

Amery felt her neck getting warm. “Yes.”

“You didn’t take issue with him doing kinbaku on another woman right in front of you?” Shiori’s gaze snapped to her. “That’s because you’re the model.”

“What gave it away?”

“Nothing in the image screams, ‘body by Amery Hardwick, binding by Ronin Black.’ But it’s easy to make the leap since I’m aware that you two have this type of relationship.” She peered at the image again. “I want to read this book.”

“She’s working on the other two books in the trilogy.”

“Did she ask you to do the covers?”

That stupid blush moved from her neck and warmed her cheeks.

“You did! Show me.”

“I’ve only done the second one. We’re still debating on what to do for the last book.” She angled the laptop, then opened the image. “Here’s the cover for book two.”

“Holy. Shit. That’s Ronin.”

Amery’s jaw dropped. “How did you know?”

“I guessed. Was it a case of ‘I’ll let you bind me if I can bind you’?”

“No. We were messing around and I snapped a few pictures. After I promised that no one would know how sloppily I bound the rope master, as well as assuring him I’d never tell anyone the rope model’s name, I showed it to Cherry and she loved it.”

“Undone by Her. Another great title to go with the image. He does look to be hanging by a thread.”

You have no idea. Amery loved that she and Ronin were the only two who’d ever know what really happened at the photo shoot to put that look on his face.

“Dammit. Does this mean I can’t tease my big brother about being featured on the cover of an erotic novel?”

“No!”

Shiori laughed. “Kidding. On a serious note, it shows how much he trusts you, Amery, that he let you bind him.”

Amery absentmindedly touched the image on the screen. “I guess. But it’s not his trust in me that’s the issue. It’s whether I trust him.” The second the words exited her mouth, she wished she could take them back.

“I don’t fault you for how you feel. I’m happy you’re giving him the chance to earn that trust back. Maybe he’ll figure out I’m trying to do the same thing.” Shiori’s slip into melancholy vanished. “What are your ideas for the third cover?”

“I’d love to do a shadowed image of Ronin and me. Keeping with the rope theme, either him holding a coil before he binds me or after, right before he unties me. It’d take the series full circle. And the title for the last book is Tangled Together.”

“Have you run the idea by the author yet?”

Amery groaned. “I haven’t run it by Ronin yet. It’d be a difficult shot to achieve without having a third person with us. I don’t know if he’s down with that, but we’ll see.”

“Without sounding creepy, if you need someone to help with the shot, I’m a decent photographer.”

“Thanks for the offer. I’ll definitely let you know.”

“Either way, I want to see the third cover.” Shiori took her phone out and dialed. “I’m ready. Pick me up in the alley. Thanks.” She smiled. “My ride. Time for me to get to the dojo.”

On the way down the stairs, Amery said, “I find it strange there aren’t any pictures of Ronin’s family anywhere at his place.”

“I didn’t see pictures of your family among your knickknacks either,” Shiori pointed out. “But that reminds me.” She reached into her oyster-colored Chanel handbag and pulled out the wrapped package Amery had given her at their first meeting. “I don’t think this was meant for me, was it?”

“No.”

“Give it to him. He needs reminders of you and how you feel about him everywhere.”

“Clashes with your decor, huh?” Amery said lightly.

“Raunchy is more my style. I’ll show you my Hello Kitty whip collection sometime.” Shiori smiled, slipped on her Versace shades, and stepped out the back door.

Yes, she was really starting to like Ronin’s sister—even when she suspected Shiori hadn’t been kidding about the anime whip thing.

• • •

“I don’t think it’s necessary. In fact, if you looked at my proposal, you’d see . . .” Blah, blah, blahdedy, blah.

Ronin stared at Katie, imagining four or five different ways he could choke her out to get that damn mouth of hers to stop moving.

TP had neglected to mention his daughter was a know-it-all pain in the rear who came to work dressed like a hooker, flirted with any male that crossed her path, smacked her gum like a clichéd teenager, and wasn’t nearly the dim bulb her father portrayed her to be.

Katie Pettigrew Gardiner was the antithesis of what he wanted in a promotional lackey for their upstart company. The girl needed humility in a bad way, and since he was her boss, it was up to him to dish it out.

He hated this shit. Hated it.

TP, you bastard, we are more than even after this.

“Ronin, are you even listening to me?” Katie demanded with a pout.

“How many times do I have to tell you not to call me by my first name? I am your boss. Which means you call me Mr. Black, or sir, understood?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Second, you do what I tell you. Nothing more and definitely nothing less. While I appreciate your initiative, I don’t need it. I need you to put on the ring-girl outfit.”

“But—”

He held up his hand. “No buts. Ever. Meet Sophia down in the dojo locker room. Handing out free tickets for the upcoming event is your job. A job which you are still on probation for.”

Katie pushed herself out of the chair. “I will prove to you that I’m more valuable than being a bimbo ring girl.”

Two raps sounded on the door, and Amery walked in. “Hey, Ronin. I just . . .” She froze, and her gaze flicked over Katie.

A sneaky smile curled Katie’s mouth. “Okay, boss man. Do you want me to come back up and model the outfit? I know how much it means having your approval.”

“No. Get moving. You’re already late.”

“It was hard to tear myself away from such fascinating conversation with you, even when we’ve spent most of the day together,” she practically cooed. “Until tomorrow.” She whirled around and strutted out of his office.

“Who the fuck is she?” Amery demanded. “Is she lost?”

He did not need this today on top of every fucking thing else. “No. She works for Black and Blue Promotions.”

“So she came with Blue’s crew?”

“No. I hired her.”

With the way her eyes turned into lethal arrows? He’d given the wrong answer. “Just how closely will you be working with her in this new promotion company?”

“Why are you acting like this?”

Amery seemed to take a deep breath to try to compose herself, then stalked over and slapped her hands on the desk. “A six-foot-tall Amazon with perfect tits, a perfect ass, perfect blond hair, and a predatory smile just sauntered out of your office, after making it perfectly clear to me that she planned to be around you all the damn time.”

“You’re reading too much into this. Katie is a kid.”

“You’re kidding yourself if you don’t think that kid has designs on you. And she’s not a kid. I’ll bet I’m not that much older than her.”

Ronin counted to ten. “You’ve misread the situation.”

“Then explain it to me.”

“We agreed to stay out of each other’s business. This is business, plain and simple.”

She looked ready to argue, but changed her mind and stepped back. “You’re right. I forgot my place for a moment.”

“Jesus, Amery. Stop with this.”

“You betcha. Wouldn’t wanna speak up when something bothers me. I’ll just let the big, strong man handle it and put it out of my empty little head.” She granted him a fake smile, along with two cheesy thumbs-up, and stomped off.

He would not chase her down.

Would. Not.

Right. Who the fuck was he kidding? He always chased her down.

Ronin smacked his sore knee on the side of the desk and bit back a curse when it slowed him down. When he reached the hallway, Amery was nowhere to be found.

Blue came around the corner. “Hey, do you—”

“Did you pass Amery?”

“Yeah. She was not looking too happy.”

“Where’d she go?”

“I don’t know. So do you have time—”

“Not now. I have to deal with this first.”

Blue clapped Ronin on the shoulder. “Hope you have a cup on, man.”

He heard the elevator ping, so he reversed course and opened the door to the stairwell. In Amery’s present mood, she wouldn’t head for the penthouse, so he started downstairs. She’d have to get off at the second floor since classes were in session in the dojo.

So when the elevator door opened, Ronin was leaning against the wall waiting for her. When she saw him, she frantically poked buttons, trying to close the door in his face, but he was too fast. He snagged her wrist and hauled her out.

“Hey! What the hell? Let me go.”

Ronin didn’t respond; he just towed her down the hallway.

“You are pissing me off.”

He tightened his grip on her wrist in warning.

“Don’t make me use kung fu on you.”

Jesus. The shit she said sometimes . . .

The conference room door was open. Ito, Terrel, one of Blue’s instructors, and Knox were lounging around the table. They all looked up.

Ronin bit off, “Get. Out.”

Ito and the other dude were gone lightning fast. But Knox said, “Fair warning. I hear you throwing furniture around and glass breaking again, and I will come in.”

“Lock the door,” Ronin said to Knox without taking his eyes off Amery.

Knox grumbled, but he left.

Ronin slammed his mouth down on hers as soon as the door shut. One hand holding her head in place, his other hand locked around both of her wrists as he literally pushed her into a corner.

After returning his kiss with equal voracity, Amery must’ve remembered she was mad at him and kissed him angrily. If he hadn’t moved his mouth, she would’ve sunk her teeth into his lower lip hard enough to draw blood.

“Not nice, baby,” he panted against her throat.

“I’m not feeling very nice toward you right now, baby.”

“What has gotten into you? You’re never this insanely jealous.”

“What has gotten into you? You’ve never put a porn star on the payroll.”

Do. Not. Laugh. “This is all about Katie?”

“Yes. When did you hire her? While we were broken up? Because I will be screaming banshee mad at you if you already had my replacement picked out. What did—”

“Stop talking. You’re just getting yourself in deeper.”

“Make me stop talking, hotshot. Just because—”

Ronin put his hand over her mouth. “Calm down, and listen, because I’m going to say this one time.”

She blinked.

“We are together. That means I don’t look at another woman the way I look at you. I don’t touch another woman the way I touch you. I don’t feel about any woman the way I feel about you. Got it? Don’t ever think I’d throw away what we have for a cheap, meaningless fuck. You either trust me, or you don’t. So what’s it going to be?” He moved his hand from her mouth and released her wrists.

She studied him without speaking, which was so unlike her. Then she slapped her palms on his chest. “Goddamn you. I worked up a really good mad and then you say something like that.”

“I should’ve said something like . . . Do you know how fucking hot it is that you’re jealous?” He pressed his dick into her hip.

Amery tossed her head. “Oh, that hard-on is for me? I thought maybe . . .”

“What?”

“That you were hard before I walked into your office.”

Ronin growled. “Now you’re just provoking me. The only woman who gets me this hard is you.” He put his mouth on her ear. “I’ll prove it. Right fucking now.”

“Ronin—”

“I warned you not to throw down a challenge in my dojo because it will be answered.” He used his teeth on the cord in her neck as she strained to get away from him.

“Master Black—omigod you are not doing that here.”

“What? This?” He zeroed in on the sensitive section of skin between her collarbone and shoulder that made her squirm, made her wet, made her moan.

When she called out his name, it came out on a long wail.

“Tell me to stop.”

“I can’t! You know I can’t.”

“Because you want this.”

Amery angled her cheek into his. “I always want you. It makes me crazy when I see other women wanting you too.”

Ronin took her mouth hungrily, giving her every ounce of passion she brought out in him. He eased back, looking into her lust-glazed eyes as he brushed whisper-soft kisses across her lips. “Crow’s Nest. Now. The penthouse is too goddamn far away.”

She swallowed hard and nodded.

He stepped back and she tried to duck past him, but he snagged her upper arm. “Stairs.” He didn’t touch her at all as they left the conference room.

Inside the stairwell, Ronin pushed her against the wall, sliding his leg between hers so she rode his thigh. Then he slipped his hands underneath her shirt, letting his thumbs sweep across the arc of her rib cage. “Undo the buttons.”

Her hands shook as she unbuttoned her blouse.

As soon as she’d exposed her camisole, he lowered his head and dragged his mouth over the mounded flesh spilling from the white lace. Her skin was so soft. So warm. Smelled so fucking sweet, like cherries, that he wanted to take a big bite. So he did. Sinking his teeth into her flesh and sucking hard.

Amery’s head fell back, and she groaned.

“Someday I’ll tie you to my bed and leave these marks everywhere. I want you to see that every part of you is mine.”

“Are you trying to make me come before that big cock of yours is inside me?”

“No, baby, just stating a fact.” He dipped his tongue beneath the lace, trying to reach her nipple.

Then her fingers were there, pulling the stretchy fabric aside. “Suck hard. Make me feel how much you want me.”

Goddamn he loved this woman. He circled the rigid point with his tongue. Then he nipped just the tip hard enough that she released a sharp gasp. He suckled the hot flesh strongly, drawing as much as possible into his mouth.

“You’re gonna make me come,” she panted.

“Not. Yet.” He removed his hands and straightened her blouse. “Stop tempting me.”

“Then stop stalling.”

Grabbing her hand, he towed her down the stairs to the first floor. The door to the Crow’s Nest locked only from the inside, so as soon as they were in, he locked the door. He turned and hauled Amery against him, kissing her crazily while his fingers worked the button and zipper of her skirt. “Off.”

Amery’s blouse fluttered to the floor and she kicked off her shoes.

Ronin shucked his gi pants. He stroked his cock, watching as Amery shed her skirt and panties. “Are you wet?”

“With the way you’ve been using that dirty mouth on me? I’m dripping.”

He clamped his hands on her ass and lifted her, pressing her back against the brick wall. “Put me in you.”

Her fingers circled the root, and she swirled the head of his cock around her wet entrance. “Say pretty please.”

Ronin canted his hips and drove into her with one hard stroke. “I’m too impatient to say please. Holy fuck, woman, you are drenched.”

“Stop being so chatty and fuck me.”

Chatty? Jesus. Not even on his best day was he considered chatty and definitely not when he was balls deep inside this sexpot who made him so insane to have her he was fucking her in his dojo, for christsake. He never did that.

“What are you muttering about?” she asked.

“You.” He buried his lips in her neck. Keeping one hand on her ass, he moved the other beside her head for better leverage. “How goddamn much you own me.” He plowed into her, his cock withdrawing completely and slamming back into her hard.

One of Amery’s hands was gripping his hair; the other clutched the back of his neck. “Grind more,” she panted. “Yes, like that.”

Ronin flicked his tongue across the pulse point in her throat when he felt her legs tighten around his hips.

“Harder.”

“I won’t last long, if I start doing that.”

“Do it.” Five more hard strokes and Amery detonated. Her pelvis grinding into his. Her fingers digging into his shoulder. Biting her lip to keep herself from crying out.

Somehow he managed to keep focused on giving her what she needed rather than letting her orgasm pull him over the edge with her.

A sigh, a full-body shudder, and then her soft lips brushed his damp forehead. “You fuck like a dream, man of mine.”

Ronin would’ve laughed, but he was too goddamn close. “Lift your tank top; I’m coming on your belly.”

“What? Why?”

“Because I’m eating my fill of this hot cunt after I’m done fucking you.” He rubbed his lips below her jaw. “I want you to look at yourself and know you’re sticky beneath your shirt, wearing my seed.”

Amery’s fingers inched between their chests, and she maneuvered her camisole up while Ronin continued to pound into her.

“Almost. Fuck!” When his shaft tightened from his cock to his balls, he pulled out and rubbed the length along her slit, angling up on every stroke so his cock head connected with her clit.

When he started to come, he threw his head back as his cock jerked against her belly with every hard pulse.

She yanked him to her for a voracious kiss. A hot clash of tongues, lips, and teeth. After a dizzying minute of her onslaught, he tried to break free, but she refused to release his mouth. With the kiss, she helped him slow his heart and respiration rate, breathing with him, letting their lips part for only a moment to change angles. Only when he’d regained his balance did she let him go.

Amery nuzzled his temple. “Your semen was so hot when it marked me, but now it’s drying. Sticking to my skin.”

A rumble of satisfaction filled his chest. He looked into her eyes. “I’m not done with you.”

“Ah. Okay. What—eep!”

Ronin pulled her away from the wall and carried her to the stairs that led to the observation deck. “You’ll need that yoga balance.” He set her on the fourth stair tread. “Hook your feet against the half-walls and rest on your elbows.”

“You’re serious.”

“About eating your pussy? Yes.” When she hesitated, he said, “Do it. Get your hips in the air and give me what I want.”

Her eyes darkened. Yeah, his sexpot liked being bossed around.

As soon as her feet were in place and she raised her hips, he scooped her soft buttocks into his hands, pulling her into a forty-five-degree angle, leaving her no choice but to balance on her elbows.

“Ronin!”

“What? You’re always worried about me putting too much pressure on my knee. This way I can stand and the pressure is on you.” The woman was such a visual fucking feast, wide open to him, her pussy wet and swollen. He lowered his head and licked her. One long, thorough swipe with the flat of his tongue. She tasted good. Like sex and woman. He pushed her hips up higher and met her gaze across the slope of her upper body. “Seeing my come still glistening on your belly turns me into a wild man, baby. So be warned.”

He settled his mouth over that hot, slick flesh and tongued her clit until she came in a thigh-clenching, chest-heaving orgasm.

“That’s one,” he whispered against the inside of her thigh. “One more.”

“I can’t.”

“I know you can.” Ronin backed off from direct contact. He pressed his lips to every inch of her bare mound; she’d gone full Brazilian last time. He nibbled her softest tissues. Teased her with his breath and the very tip of his tongue. He soothed the nip and scrape of his teeth with soft smooches. He licked every fold and swell, jamming his tongue in and coating his face with her juices. He backed away when she started to pump her groin into his face. Rubbing his five-o’clock shadow on her inner thighs as they trembled. Then sweeping his razor-stubbled chin across her clit just to test her reaction.

Her hips nearly shot to the roof—good to know. He’d test her limits on that another time.

Ronin switched his focus to her clit, suctioning his mouth to the plumped pearl, using his tongue until she arched harder and moaned his name.

Her cunt pulsed against his mouth, and he swallowed every spasm, every bit of sweet slickness, growling against her soft tissues because he wanted more.

“Ronin. Stop. I can’t hold this pose anymore.”

He gently set her butt on the stairs before leaning forward and running his hands up the inside of her legs, from her ankles to the creases of her thighs. “Come on.”

Amery still had that slightly vacant post-orgasmic look in her eyes. “Where are we going?”

“Up,” was all he said. He lifted her over his shoulder in a fireman’s hold.

“What are you doing? Your knee—”

“Is fine.” He slapped her bare ass. “You should worry about my cock, because I’m still not done with you.”

“You are insatiable.”

Upon reaching the observation room, Ronin headed for the small desk. He swept everything off it before letting Amery slide down his body.

He flipped her around onto her belly across the desk and hiked her hips in the air. He pushed between her thighs, his cock hitting her warm wet center on the first attempt, and he slowly slid inside her.

Amery moaned. “You’re trying to break me.”

Curling his fingers around her hips, he layered his chest to her back, wishing they were skin to skin. “No, I’m proving to you you’re the only one who gets me this fucking hard.” For a moment he stayed right there, inhaling the scent of her hair, and then he exhaled slowly, feeling her shudder beneath him as the air tickled her ear. “Not once in the ten years I’ve owned this dojo have I ever fucked a woman in it. Never. And I’m fucking you twice. So what does that say about you, baby?”

“Oh god. You’re killing me with this, Ronin.”

“Say. It.”

“It says you love me. Just me. You want me. Just me.”

“Goddamn right I do.” He pulled out of her pussy and eased back in. His cock wanted to hammer into her tight, wet heat, but he forced himself to go slow. To draw out the pleasure of this joining.

She pushed up and turned her head, capturing his mouth. The angle was wrong, yet somehow, the glide of lips on lips was more erotic than an openmouthed tongue-thrusting kiss.

When Amery squeezed his dick with those strong inner muscles, he moved faster until his orgasm blasted through him.

The muffled sound of ki-yahs roused him from that other plane. He murmured, “I’m yours just as much as you’re mine,” before pulling out.

Ronin half staggered back to her after picking up their clothes. She sat on the desk facing him, watching him. After they dressed, she snaked her arms around his waist and held on tight.

As intense as the last half hour had been, it hadn’t escaped his notice that Amery still hadn’t admitted she loved him. But he did have some pride; he wouldn’t ask her.

The intercom buzzed.

He disentangled from her and reached for the handset. “What?”

“Reminding you of the meeting,” Knox said. “Five minutes.”

“Thanks. Be right there.”

“What’s going on?” Amery asked him.

“Meeting to discuss the upcoming event.”

“Have you always spent this much time pushing paper?”

“More than one might think. Why? Does the fact that I have to plan shit instead of using my fists take away from my manliness?”

Amery laughed and jumped down to zip up her skirt. “You just fucked me twice and I came four times, so your manliness is not in question, Ronin Black. I asked because I don’t see you until the end of my workday, and you’re already into the physically demanding part of your job.”

“Not lately.”

Her gaze sharpened. “But you are taking it easy?”

“Too easy.” He reached out and smoothed the pieces of her hair sticking up all over. “Sorry about the sex hair.”

“No, you’re not. And you’re changing the subject.”

Which he did again. “Sit in on the meeting with me.”

“Why?”

“You have great insight. Maybe you’ll pick up on something I’m missing. Some of my MMA instructors have been less than enthusiastic about this promotion company.”

“Ronin, I don’t want to be that clingy girlfriend who horns in on everything.”

“You’re not.” He kissed her. “You’re in my life. This is part of my life.”

She set her hand on his cheek. “There’s more to it than that.”

Again Ronin held back on telling her he felt useless in his own dojo. Being restricted to inactive status. Amery knew his limitations; she’d been babying him along as much as everyone else. He wanted her to see him in a take-charge business role, especially since all his instructors would be at this meeting. “So is that a no?”

“I’ll sit in if it’s really what you want.”

“I do.” He kissed her again, holding her head in place. He murmured, “But it’ll give me another hard-on, looking at you and knowing you’re wearing my seed beneath this prim-and-proper blouse.”

“He says with a caveman growl.”

He quit crowding her. “Let’s go.”

Amery slipped on her shoes and fussed with his hair before they left the Crow’s Nest.

He didn’t hold her hand as they headed down the short hallway. He felt Amery’s questioning look as he retreated into his Sensei Black persona, but she didn’t comment.

“Before we go in, do I need to know who teaches what in the MMA classes?”

“Deacon is the kickboxing leader. He studied Muay Thai for a few years. Fisher, who you’ve never met, is from a boxing family, and he was nationally ranked champion. He didn’t start training in jujitsu until two years ago, and he’s on the fence about MMA fighting. But he’s great at working boxing drills. Ito also has an advanced black belt in judo; he works with throws.”

“And you? What’s your area of expertise?”

Ronin punched the elevator button. “Submission holds. Getting out of holds. I’m usually the grappling partner. But I’ll admit it took me a while to get used to no-gi grappling.”

Amery frowned. “What’s no-gi grappling?”

Sometimes he forgot she hadn’t been around martial arts her whole life like he and his instructors had. “In jujitsu we train students to use the gi in fighting situations. It’s an added advantage to use your opponent’s lapels, or sleeves, or even the back of the gi for takedown techniques. It’s much easier throwing a guy to ground when he’s wearing clothes than when his chest is bare. But we do spend time on no-gi grappling in class.”

Before they exited the elevator, Amery put her hand on his chest. “So the scratches I sometimes see on your chest?”

“From grappling. Once in a while I’ll get a mark from a gi that looks like a rope burn.”

She smiled. “I’ve dealt with the rope burn issue recently.”

When they stepped into the hallway, several guys were loitering outside the closed door. “What’s going on?” Ronin asked Gil, Blue’s second in command.

“Blue and Sophia are fighting. I tune them out because this is not unusual with them.”

Great. Ronin knocked twice before opening the door. “You two about done? We’re ready to start.”

“Of course,” Blue said. “Sophia was just—”

“I’m not leaving, brother.”

“Fine. Everyone find a seat.” Ronin took the chair at the head of the table. Amery sat beside him. He scanned the room. “Who are we missing?”

“Shiori,” Sophia said, plopping next to Blue at the opposite end of the table.

“She’s teaching,” Ito said.

“Blue?” Ronin prompted. “Where are we on things?”

“The first event is set. I didn’t have to jump through many hoops to get the name of our new company switched over. Not much to report.” Blue smiled at Amery. “I believe Hardwick Designs is handling the flyers and print promotional materials?”

“Yes. If you have previous playbills—matchups, whatever they are—hand them over along with all the details I’ll need and your deadline.”

“Are any of the Black Arts fighters going up against ABC fighters in this event?” Knox asked.

Blue shook his head. “Deacon is in the pro fight. Sophia is representing ABC in the lone women’s bout. We’ve got to decide how many amateur bouts we want on the card. Ideally we should represent as many weight classes as we can, and I think eventually that won’t be a problem. But right now, we’ve got no amateurs in the heavyweight or super heavyweight divisions.”

Ronin took the piece of paper Blue offered him. “What’s this?”

“My recommendation on joint promotional goals versus individual dojo goals. I realize we both want to get our amateurs experience in the cage, but by putting too many guys from Black Arts and ABC on the Black and Blue Promotions fight card, we run the risk of becoming incestuous. What we don’t want are other MMA clubs thinking we’re only interested in furthering our fighters’ records. Then they’ll stop submitting fighters for events. The only way to accurately judge whether our club fighters are up to snuff is by fighting guys from other clubs.”

“Agreed.” He looked at Deacon and Knox, then Blue and Gil. “You guys see other options?”

Knox rested his elbows on the table. “If we limit entrants, we’ll still have to find other fights for them.”

“Also, why would they stay with our training program if we’re not putting them in events we sponsor? They’d be better off training elsewhere. So we lose income and fighters. How is that beneficial for either club?” Gil asked.

Blue pointed to the piece of paper. “That’s why I brought it up. Why would we help other amateur fighters but not our own?”

No one said anything out loud, but Fisher and Ito were speaking in low tones.

Amery cleared her throat. “Can I suggest something?”

Ronin didn’t miss the annoyed looks sent her way—like why the fuck did Sensei’s girlfriend get to speak?—and now he under- stood her reluctance to attend the meeting. “No one else has jumped in with ideas, so go ahead.”

“Use the event as a carrot for your fighters. Tell them you’re picking only one fighter to represent the club. If the guys are serious, won’t they work harder to be the guy chosen?”

He checked out the reactions around the room. Everyone seemed surprised. “Not a bad idea. That’d also encourage them to find other amateur fights on their own to up their game.”

“Makes sense,” Deacon said. “Especially since I’ve gotta go lookin’ for my own pro fights.”

“So at least for the first few events, we’ll limit the bouts to one fighter from ABC, one from Black Arts. That means we’ll need two pro division fighters and sixteen amateur fighters to fill the other slots?” Blue asked Ronin.

“Sound fair?”

“Does to me.” Blue prompted Sophia and Gil. “You guys all right with that?”

Gil nodded.

Sophia said, “We are going to feature at least one women’s bout?”

“What’s the crowd reception been on that? Because we’ve not had experience with it,” Ronin asked Sophia.

“I could claim half-naked chicks beating the crap out of each other and rolling around on the floor really speaks to the type of people who attend MMA events, but I wouldn’t want to be called sexist.”

Everyone laughed.

“Seriously, even if we have to add a tenth match, I believe we should strive to have a women’s bout on every card. Not all promo companies do this, and it would set us apart.”

More murmured agreement.

“Blue, put the call out to other clubs. Since Deacon didn’t fight last time, he’ll be our one fighter.”

Blue grinned. “You sure you don’t wanna have a rematch, Sensei?”

“My fighting days are over for a while.” Ronin felt Amery’s stare, but he couldn’t claim his fighting days were behind him for good.

“It’s been some time since we’ve participated in a smoker,” Gil said. “We haven’t been keeping up with who’s running them on a regular basis. Have you?”

“We used to hold them a few times a year,” Knox said. “Sensei would ref. But the last time he ended up with a heel to the head.”

Blue sucked air in through his teeth. “I heard about that.”

Amery asked, “What’s a smoker?”

“When MMA clubs hold matches against each other. There aren’t winners and losers. It’s just a chance for fighters to compete outside of their clubs,” Sophia said. “The more you’re around the fighting life, the more lingo you’ll pick up.” She stood. “We done here? I gotta see if Katie stuck it out in Terrel’s class after she bitched about putting on the ring-girl outfit.”

“We’re done,” Ronin said.

“You are. The rest of us have classes to teach,” Knox grumbled.

After everyone was gone, Amery stood and paced to the window, then came back.

“What?”

“You didn’t deny that you’re going to fight again. Are you planning on it?”

“It’s what I do.”

“And if I asked you not to fight?”

“You won’t. You accept all parts of me, remember?” Ronin picked up her right hand and nibbled on her fingers. “Let’s go upstairs. It’s your night to cook. What are we having?”

“Something unhealthy like spaghetti. For having such a kick-ass kitchen, you don’t have all the tools I need to cook like I’m used to. So be warned: I’m bringing my stuff into your domain.”

“Bring it all. Then it’ll already be there when you move in with me.”

“I’m thinking about it.” She squirmed until he let her loose. “Tell me about Katie.”

And . . . she had sidestepped the issue once again. “This can’t go further than us.”

Amery poked him in the chest. “I knew it! She is a porn star you’re trying to reform.”

He laughed. “No. She’s Thaddeus Pettigrew’s daughter.” He explained the situation. “She’ll be Blue’s headache most of the time.”

“Will she have access to you?”

“In limited amounts.”

“Good.” She nipped his chin and then flicked the sting away with a sassy flick of her tongue. “I’d hate to have to give that little bitch the beat-down. I have had training from the best.”

“That you have.”

“I brought you something.” She reached inside her purse and pulled out a package. “Not as fancy of a tie as last time . . .”

“What is it?”

“A gift.”

Ronin ripped open the paper and saw a framed tin-type picture with Asian influences that they’d seen at a Renaissance fair several months ago. She’d refused to let him buy it, evidently so she could go back and get it for him. “Amery. This is . . .” So fucking sweet and personal. He was undone once again by her thoughtfulness.

“Your desk is decidedly bare. Maybe it makes me territorial, but when you see it, I know you’ll think of me.”

“Always.” He kissed her. “Thank you. It’s perfect. I’ll just grab the box of black ropes from under my desk before we go upstairs since we have a tradition of me tying you up after you present me with a gift.”

Amery leaned back to look at him. “A tradition? This is only the second time.”

“A tradition has to start somewhere.”