Page 60 of The Defiant Curse

He was curious.

“Can I know the issue?” he asked.

The man nodded.

“Yes, sure you can. He told her that he lost faith in her while she was hunting this killer. That broke her heart a little that with all they’d been through, it was abandon ship time—her being the S.S. Elizabeth.”

He cringed.

“To a woman like Elizabeth, that had to hurt. I couldn’t imagine telling my spouse I didn’t have faith in them. Plus, for him to say it, that means he had to be in a bad place too.”

He nodded.

“Yeah, pretty much. Ethan has one rule, and it’s this. Elizabeth is OFF LIMITS. If he hears anyone saying shit about her, he’ll go to war over it. Not that anyone in the family would, but still.”

Oh, well, Graham understood that.

Michael continued.

“I think I need to help them fix this. She sent me here when I was lost and pointed me at you. I think I need to help it out a bit. You know…give it a little gas to keep the home fires burning. Maybe it’s time for me to play Cupid for…Cupid.”

Graham wasn’t sure of that reference, but he understood his willingness and desire to help her.

He felt it too, and he’d only just met her.

“It won’t hurt it. Gene will likely be curious to know if she’s okay, or he’s being held hostage by the men to torture her location out of him. I do believe he told you to check in, so consider it that.”

Damn.

He was right. He’d forgotten about that.

As for the other part, he clued him in.

“I mean, the Den of Iniquity is a real place,” he joked. “A lot of torture goes on there.”

Graham didn’t get it.

Clearly.

Because Michael saw the look and opted to explain it.

“They built a sex playpen with all kinds of kinkery outside of their home so they can go there in private and have some sexy fun. Sadly, it’s in DC, and they aren’t there anymore. The place was wild. You’d like it,” he said. “HINT. HINT.”

Immediately, his eyebrow went up.

“Did they now? Lucky them,” he said, grinning. “I absolutely would love a Den of Iniquity. Now I have a bedroom of kinkery.”

That had Michael thinking about other things, mainly his dick.

Why?

Well, they were newlyweds only married a few weeks.

“Would you go there with me if I asked you to, husband?” he asked.

Graham laughed.

“I’d insist. I’m not batshit insane. You, me, and sexual torture? I’d be an idiot to say no. I’ll drive, paddle, or whatever it takes to get us there.”