Moving toward his private bathroom, he returned with several long sashes from a bathrobe. Without a word, he tied it around the post at the bottom of the bed. Never looking away, he imprisoned my ankle and ever so gently wrapped the terry-cloth sash around me.

My heart splattered with a mix of erotic excitement and spellbinding fear.

Jethro paused, his eyes tight. “I feel what you’re thinking, Nila.” He stroked my calf, calming me. “You’re intrigued what I’m about to do to you, but afraid of being tied up again. Am I right?”

I blinked. I will never get used to that. “Yes.”

Every time he’d tied me up, he’d done something awful.

His jaw clenched. “It’s understandable. Every time I’ve tied you up, I’ve done something unforgivable.”

I jolted at how eerily close his conclusions were to my own. I nodded slowly. “You’re right—”

Jethro scowled. “And why wouldn’t you despise me for what I’ve done? The First Debt I tied and whipped you. The Second Debt I bound and drowned you. The Third Debt—”

“I know what happened, Jethro. You don’t have to torture me or yourself by reminding us.”

There was no telling how I would react to being tied while he pleasured me. It could cancel out the bad he’d caused but also ruin whatever good he attempted. If I was honest, I didn’t want to be trussed up. I didn’t want to be helpless to his whims. But at the same time…wasn’t that what trust was? To have faith in someone that they wouldn’t go too far?

His fingers stroked my ankle. “I promise on my soul I will never hurt you again.”

My body screamed yes. My mind screamed no. I struggled to choose.

“This is pleasure,” Jethro murmured. “I give you my word; I’ll release you the second you ask.” His eyes glowed with need, begging me to grant one more sacrifice.

Slowly, I nodded.

He exhaled heavily, moving his attention to my other ankle. “Thank you.”

He wrapped a similar sash around me, spreading my legs apart. The vulnerability and almost degrading way my legs were held open made me squirm with nervousness and need.

Jethro ran a hand over his face, drinking in my body. “Fuck, you’re stunning.” He grabbed his cock, working himself. “I’ve never been so attracted to anyone as I am to you. Never wanted to worship anyone. Never been so fucking besotted.”

My nervousness popped like champagne bubbles, leaving me tipsy on lust.

“What I want to do to you isn’t degrading or demanding, Nila. It’s so much more than that.”

Breathing shallowly, I didn’t move as Jethro climbed onto the bed, crawling over me to place my hands above my head. “It’s not about control; it’s about showing you my world.” Climbing higher, he fastened my wrists above my head with another sash.

His cock nudged my chin as he bent forward, reaching over me.

Without thinking, I opened my mouth and sucked him. The tang of his desire coated my tongue as I swirled around his crown.

He froze.

A groan wrenched from his lungs. “Christ, Nila.”

His hips twitched, feeding a little more of his length into my mouth. He trembled as my head bobbed, sucking him as much as I was able to while imprisoned below him. I looked up.

His eyes scorched mine, melting with love. “You’re so perfect.”

With a grimace, he withdrew. “I’m too fucking close as it is. This is for you. My pleasure can wait.”

I licked my lips, missing the small burst of power I’d had over him. I wriggled, completely constrained but not helpless.

“This isn’t about dominant or submissive, Nila. This is about showing you how I feel. How earning your ultimate trust is better than any drug, better than any promise. This is about making you understand.”

“I don’t need to understand. All I know is my heart belongs to you.”

Jethro placed his fingertips over my mouth, shaking his head softly. “That isn’t enough—I owe you so much more than that. I want to show you the level of intensity I live with. I want you to know first-hand the sensory overload I suffer now that I’ve fallen in love with you.”

Fallen in love with you.

No words would ever compare.

I trembled as he stood up, gazing at my spread body. He stepped back; the bedside lights illuminated his spattering of chest hair and gleaming cock. His eyes hooded, filling with salaciously carnal intentions.

Even though I was the one tied up, he was the one bound—locked in a life that demanded so much from him. The longing on his face clenched my core, making me wet.

“You look incredible like that,” Jethro whispered. “Knowing you can’t run. Can’t hide. That you’re all mine.” He prowled to the side of the bed, dragging his fingertip over my knee, my thigh, between my legs, my belly, my breast, my chin, my mouth.

With a gentle press, he pushed his tattooed index past my lips. The thought of my initials stamping ownership on him reminded me we hadn’t done the tally for the Third Debt. I shouldn’t want something so ridiculous on my flesh, but I wanted him to sign and approve every inch of me. I wanted to be his completely and forever.

My tongue swirled around his finger.

He pulled his digit free. “Wait here. I have to get a few supplies from next door.”

Supplies? What supplies?

Ignoring my racing heartbeat, I laughed. “Where exactly can I go?”