Roman, I found out, was also busy. She had finally met a guy and her calendar was full until the following week when he went out of town. We agreed to tell each other everything when we got together then. In the meantime, unproductive summer days grew long and lazy. Empty hours filled with meditative reverie. Most days, Richard drove to Chicago to work and returned home around seven. While I slept, Richard worked in his study. He rarely spent the night in bed with me and was usually gone from the house before I woke in the morning. During the day, I swam in his pool or lay in the sun on his pool-house patio overlooking Lake Michigan. At night, we talked about our childhoods or explored some of the things in the contract. He seemed to have an endless supply of gags and rope with which to tie me. And he proved to be an expert in the art of eliciting and then extending a woman’s orgasm.With Richard’s case closed, I used my leave of absence to figure things out. Was I ready to get back

After lunch, I took another look at the charges against Bohdi Michaels. The spelling of his first name was odd. I was familiar with the Hindi name, Bodhi, which meant enlightened one. I double-checked the spelling and meaning with Google before continuing my search. The definition that showed up most often said awakening or enlightenment. Despite the odd spelling, given my desire to change the path of my career, his name was as good a reason as any to research the case. It turned out he was a banker by trade and worked for a Fortune 500 company, Houghton Chambers Investment Bank. He made close to seven figures a year. The solicitation and money laundering charges brought against Michaels were related to the recent police sting involving a prostitution ring at Red Lace Escort Services. The business advertised young women, and others—genderqueer, transsexual, or gay people—for hire as arm-candy for ritzy events and parties. Under the umbrella of Red Lace Escorts LLC, the individuals h

Richard traveled to Tokyo the next day, but the sublime strike of his reed remained in my memory. Despite his absence, I longed for my fix. The seed of desire—for punishment, for pain—was blooming, and its thorny tendrils held me by the ankles. While sitting at my desk, the simple pressure of the chair cushion caused my sex to weep for more. With Richard traveling for work, there was no reason for me to stay in Lake Forest and my new client demanded my attention. So I went home to my apartment in Chicago where fewer distractions allowed me to focus on work for the rest of the week. Later that day I was sitting at my desk when I received notice of an incoming, encrypted video call. I answered, but without turning my video camera on.The man in the screen had shaggy brown hair with silver streaks at his temples. He was shaved to a polish and his intensely blackish-brown irises were rimmed with heavy gray circles. “Who’s calling?” I asked.“Bohdi Michaels. Turn on your camera, Ms. Robe

A long with Natasha’s mugshot, Bohman Underwood sent a short article translated from Croatian. The author suspected there was more behind the Dubrovnik General Hospital’s firing Natasha than was on paper. Natasha was suspected of stealing drugs from their supply rooms. A photo of him with known organized crime boss, Artur Protsenko, was featured in the header. Bohman Underwood’s brief text asked: How does Richard know this gem? Is he working with PPS?I replied: Not with PPS. Keep digging. He’s visiting the States for unknown reasons. I want an excuse to get him arrested or sent back home.Bohman replied later: Sure thing, Ms. Robert.Bohman had learned the hard way to never divulge his research over the phone. I let him know I wasn’t available for a few more days. His simple reply felt like an ice cube down my shirt. Be careful.We didn’t see Richard until that evening, and he greeted Roman with a friendly embrace. “I’m so happy to meet you, Roman.”Roman said, “It’s nice to fin

Something was strange as we entered my condo. Confident that I’d turned all the lights off, it surprised me to see the blue seed-glass pendants over the kitchen counter turned on. Motion caught my attention out of the left corner of my eye and every nerve in my body sprang to attention. My free hand moved instinctively to the sidearm.Greg saw my hesitation and pulled me back, his weapon already drawn. He recognized the intruder first. “Jon. We weren’t expecting you,” he said.Richard stood near the couch with a bouquet of white roses in his hand. After what happened at the office my heart raced as I lowered my briefcase to the floor. “You scared us.”Richard stepped nearer offering the roses to me. “I didn’t mean to, Thena. I heard what happened today and needed to see you. To make sure you’re alright.”Despite being startled at his unannounced visit, I was grateful he’d come. “I’m fine.”“Did he hurt you? Did Natasha—”“No. He was letting us know that—even at my office—he could get