Chapter 4 – Leather & Lies

Rowan showed up at 7:50 a.m. on Thursday.
He hadn’t brought rope—not the kind from a hardware store.
Instead he carried a slim black gift box tied with red ribbon. Inside: two lengths of soft black leather cord, each six feet long, buttery and supple, with small silver O-rings at each end. The kind made for bodies, not boats.
He’d ordered them overnight after her message.
Paid extra for discreet packaging.
Felt like a traitor every time he clicked “buy.”