I can’t believe I just agreed to have dinner with him.

That old confession booth trick was risky enough. I had to round the block four times to be sure Marcus wasn’t following me before I went inside.

I should have said no. Why didn’t I say no?

Oh, honey. You’re not that stupid.

I know exactly why I agreed. My lips started tingling the second the question came out of his mouth. Dinner means being face-to-face with him again — and without a decades-old wooden screen between us. It means wine and quiet conversation. It means inching closer and closer to each other until we…

It means I’m beyond fucked. That’s what.

I need advice. I can’t go over there tonight without having a long, hard talk about this with an expert.

I leave my car in the parking garage down the street from Nora’s condo. She’ll know what to do. Love and relationships are what Nora Payne does. It’s what earns her the big bucks. She’ll know exactly how I’m supposed to handle my obvious attraction to the man trying to put my father behind bars for the rest of his life…

I hope.

I reach the building and use my spare key for her place to get inside. Sure, she gave one to me and Melanie for emergencies only, but hell, I think this qualifies.

“Nora?” I ask as I open her door.

I glance around her empty living room and smile. She definitely dragged Clive around to buy him some stuff. Her cutesy hot pink throw pillows are gone, replaced by muted gray and black ones. Her bookshelf is only half-full. The top shelves are empty, dusted clean and ready for whatever new stuff Clive wants.

Aww. Compromise. Ain’t it cute?

“Hey, Nora!” I shout again as I cross the hall to her home office. “You here?”

My voice echoes across the apartment. Nothing but silence.

I reach the stairwell and climb up toward the bedrooms.

“You didn’t sleep in, did you?” I ask outside the open master bedroom. “Because I honestly didn’t think you were capable of—”

I freeze in the doorway, my cheeks instantly tight with laughter.

Clive lies on the bed, alone. His arms are stretched out to the sides and fastened to the headboard with deep red neckties. He’s completely nude with exception to the small corner of the white bedsheet obscuring his groin. His face is beet red and completely grimaced to the point that he’s kind of not even recognizable.

I bite my tongue, holding back my laugh. “Hi there, Clive.”

“Hello, Trix,” he says, clearing his throat.

“Where’s Nora?”

“Nora...” He pauses. “She ran out for a few minutes.”

I take a step into the room. “She ran out for a few minutes?” I repeat.

“To the post office.”

“Nora went to the post office and...” I point to his arms, “left you here like this?”

He nods slowly. “Yep.”

I smirk. “And why did she do that?”

“Oh, she wants me to... think about what I’ve done.”

My lips twitch. “And what exactly did you do?”

Clive hesitates. “You know, I’d rather not say.”

“Fair enough.” I shrug one shoulder. “She’ll probably tell us at brunch tomorrow anyway.”

I turn to leave, then stop.

“Hey, you’re kind of a dick, right?” I ask him.

“I...” He frowns. “I don’t think so?”

“No, you are,” I say, walking back in. “You lied to Nora, got in her pants, all in an effort to steal her company secrets and sell them for millions. You’re a dick.”

He shifts. “Well, when you put it like that...”

I touch my chest. “I’m not judging! This isn’t judgment. I could actually use some advice and Mel and Nora are...” I curl my nose up. “Let’s just say they’re a little pure and I need to bounce ideas off someone whose morality has some shades of gray.” I gesture at his bound hands. “Pun intended, of course.”

Clive nods. “What kind of advice?”

I cross the room and plop down on the bed beside him. He shifts again, trying to inch away but quickly realizes that any movement will make that sheet slide right off him.

“So,” I begin, focusing on his face instead of his chiseled body, “in case Nora hasn’t told you yet, my family is the Argento crime family.”

“Crime family?” he says. “You mean like... the mob?”

“Not like the mob. We are the mob. Like super mob. But not in a Michael Corleone, kill everyone who disagrees with me kind of way. More like a give the people what they want and to hell with the man kind of way. You know what I mean?”

“I think so?”

I wave a hand. “Anyway, my Uncle Alonso got busted whacking a guy out in California earlier this year. Which isn’t normally how we do things but there’s also a protocol for that kind of mistake. You take the plea deal and you do your time. You don’t sell out the family but Uncle Al had a case of the wussies and sold my dad down the river in exchange for a reduced sentence.”

Clive’s mouth sits wide open. “Well, that... sucks.”

“No kidding.” I sigh. “So now, Papa’s in jail on criminal conspiracy charges. His trial is coming up and I’m totally sick about it. My family’s keeping me at arm’s length but they won’t tell me why.”

“They probably just don’t want to upset you.”

“I’m not a little girl,” I argue. “I don’t need people to protect my fee-fees. I’m Angelo Argento’s oldest child. I know how this family works.” I pause, looking down. “You know that guy I danced with at the auction last night?”

He nods. “Yeah.”

“That’s Lance. He’s the lawyer trying to nail my dad to the wall.”

“Well, that’s awkward.”

“Not as awkward as him asking me out to dinner an hour ago.”

“Whoa,” he says.

“Yeah, whoa.”

He leans forward an inch. “What’d you say?”

“I said yes.” I pause, feeling a warm twinge in my gut. “I’ve always had a thing for the forbidden guy, you know? My brothers’ friends, my dad’s bodyguards, and now...”

“Your... friend’s boyfriend?” he asks slowly.

I snort. “God, no. I’m not a monster.”

He exhales. “Okay.”

“Do I really seem like the kind of girl who would try and take advantage of her best friend’s man tied to a bed in front of her?” I slap his bare thigh. “You’ve got a lot to learn, Daddy-o.”

“Sorry,” he says, shifting again.

“Honest mistake.” I shrug. “The forbidden guy is my kryptonite and Lance Tyler is ticking all of my boxes. He’s smoking hot. He wears nothing but suits that actually fit him. He’s witty and smart — and not just street smart, either. He could triple word score me all night long if you know what I mean.”

Clive shakes his head. “Not really.”

I sigh as I stare at the white wall above his head. “Maybe you’re right,” I say.

“I am?”

“This is almost too naughty. Even by my standards. I can’t date the lawyer trying to dismantle my family legacy. That would be baaaaad.” I chew on my lip. “On the other hand, I’m not going to be able to think objectively about this without more information and Lance has got nothing but information. If I don’t see this through then my dad could rot in jail. I can’t let that happen. I have to take one for the team.” I look at Clive. “You’re right.”

He blinks. “I didn’t say anything.”

“I’ll have dinner with him. It’s just dinner, right? What’s the harm in that?” I grin. “You’re really easy to talk to. I can see why Nora likes you.”

“Thank you?”

“You’re welcome.” I gesture at his hands. “Want me to let you out?”

“Oh, no,” he says quickly. “She wouldn’t like that.”

I raise a brow. “She’s like four-foot-eleven, dude.”

“Yeah, but she can be...” His throat clears. “You know.”

I slap his thigh again. “Yeah, I know.” I stand up off the bed. “Anyway, I’ll let you go. You probably still have a lot to think about.”

He nods. “Yeah…”

“But, before I do, question: If you’re the Dom, why are you the one tied up?”

“Oh, we’re just…” He chuckles lightly. “We’re trying something new.”

I smile, feeling happy for my friends. “Good for you guys.”

“Thanks.”

I give him one last nod and walk to the door.

“Hey, Trix.”

I pause. “Yes?”

“If you could...” he waves his bound hands, “…you know, not tell anyone about this, that’d be great.”

“Oh, honey.” I shake my head, smiling wide. “That’s not how this works.”

He swallows. “It’s not?”

“You should really sit down and have a drink with Robbie,” I suggest. “He’ll fill you in on your role here.”

“... My role?”

I wink. “Bye, Daddy.”

I take off down the hall and reach the bottom of the stairs as the front door opens.

“Hey, Nora,” I greet with a hop in my step.

She smiles instinctively. “Hey, Trix—” Her voice drops as her eyes flick up the stairwell. “Uh, what are you doing here?” she asks, trying hard to be casual.

I wave a hand. “Just stopped by for some advice. I’m good now.” I plant a quick kiss on her cheek. “Bye! See you at brunch tomorrow.”

“O… kay,” she says. “Bye.”

I walk out the door, chuckling softly to myself as I make my way down to the street to the parking garage again.