Okay, maybe he had spilled the beans.

Landry clasped her hand. "I also told him you offered to let me stay with you during my treatments." He looked back at Ross. "I wouldn't feel right about staying there if I didn't pay my own way, and pay for her time."

She relaxed again. Her irritation at him faded. Maybe this would be okay after all. And what the hell was taking the girls so long?

Ross looked down suddenly and pulled his BlackBerry from his belt. He thumbed it, scowled as he read a message, then his face shifted to a strange, blank expression Tilly wasn't sure how to interpret. "Can you excuse me for just a minute?" He got up from the table and walked away.

Landry leaned in. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. It seemed easiest that way, straightforward. I didn't tell him about getting married, or about Cris."

"Great," she whispered, almost a hiss. "So how the fuck am I supposed to work those little factoids in?"

He was about to answer when Kim and Kylee returned, both of them looking...weird.

They managed to uphold a stilted conversation for a few moments until Ross and Loren returned.

Whatever message Ross had received, he looked ready to kill and cast a murderous glance toward Landry.

"What's wrong?" Tilly asked him.

He shook his head, his face clearing. "Nothing. Sorry, got an issue at work I'm dealing with."

She felt relieved. If she didn't know any better, it was like they'd all suddenly passed an unfavorable judgment on Landry.

The conversation felt forced from that point on but Tilly couldn't put her finger on it. Kim and Kylee didn't seem to want to talk to Landry now, and Ross barely talked to anyone. Loren had slipped into dutiful slave wife mode in that Tilly would swear she was only acting normal due to some order on Ross' part for her to act that way.

It creeped Tilly out.

After their meal, Tilly hugged her friends and told them she'd see them in an hour at the club.

When they got into the SUV, Landry glanced at her. "I suspect your suspicions mirror mine. The text message Ross received had nothing to do with work."

"Yeah," she admitted. "I think you're right."

They returned to her house, changed clothes, and headed out again. Tilly liked that he helped her tighten her corset, but she felt unsettled. "We don't have to go tonight if you don't want to." Truth be told, she wouldn't mind staying home and trying to talk him into a repeat performance of that afternoon.

"That's all right. I don't mind. Unless you wish to stay home?"

Part of her wanted to do just that. On the other hand, she wanted the chance to introduce him to her friends before they had to take time away from the scene for his treatments.

He carried her toy bag inside the club for her. Ross and Loren had already arrived. Tilly and Landry no sooner walked in when Loren cornered her.

"I need your help with my corset, please."

Tilly couldn't help but notice Loren seemed agitated. "Since when?"

"Please, Til?"

Tilly rolled her eyes and left Landry out in the dungeon playspace while she followed Loren into the bathroom. They were alone, and Loren's corset didn't need tightening.

"Sweetie, I don't know what's going on with that guy, but please, just let him go handle his problems by himself!"

"What the fuck, Lor?"

Her face looked torn between pained and murderous. "We didn't want to tell you this the other night." She took a deep breath. "That guy, Kim and Kylee saw him up in Tampa at the old club we all used to go to. The one in Ybor."

"So?"

"They saw him with Cristo."

Tilly closed her eyes. Okay, so in some ways this would be easier, and some ways this would be harder.

Loren wasn't done. "So please, just tell him no-go, you can't help him. I'm still not sure how you met him, but-"

"He's Cris' Master," Tilly quietly admitted.

Loren's eyes widened. "What?"

Tilly nodded.

Her friend stood there, shocked. After a long moment, she finally spoke. "What?"

"You said that."

"What the hell?"

"That's different."

"Tilly, quit fucking around! You know he's with Cris?"

She leaned against the counter and folded her arms over her chest. "Yeah. I've already seen and spoken to Cris. He doesn't know about Landry's cancer returning."

Her eyes widened even more. "What?"

Tilly took a deep breath and gave her the short version of the story, leaving out the whole marriage and revenge plot part of the equation.

Loren stood there, stunned. "So, after what the fucker did to you, you're just going to let him back into your life like that?"

"No, I'm helping Landry. He's a nice guy, Lor. Get to know him, you'll like him. We have a deal. It'll let me pay off the house without having to work for a while. It's the right thing to do."

"It's fucking bullshit!" That's when she spotted the ring. She grabbed Tilly's hand. "Holy crap, when did you buy that?"

Might as well bite the bullet. "I didn't," she quietly admitted.

She frowned. "Cris?"

Tilly shook her head.

Loren's voice dropped to a whisper. "Landry bought it for you?"

She closed her eyes, ready for the outburst. So much for keeping it quiet. "He asked me to marry him. It'll make the bookkeeping easier."

Loren didn't disappoint. "What the holy fuck?" she shrieked. "Are you crazy?"

"Yeah, I am. But you want to know something?" she shot back. "He's great in bed, I'm sick of being alone, and all I'm obliged to do for the next couple of years is make sure Cris can get into the hospital!"

"That Cris...Wait a second. Good in bed? Did you say good in bed?"

Tilly clenched her jaw. "Yeah. Damn good. And so far we haven't even fucked yet."

That was enough to shut Loren up for a moment. She stared at Tilly for a long time. "What is this going to do to you emotionally?" she quietly asked.

"I'm not the girl I was. You know that. I'm a strong, tough bitch. Helping Landry out is the right thing to do. I'm not doing it because of Cris, because he's totally in the dark about this. He's stuck in a hotel room right now, completely clueless."

"Cris has a Master." She shook her head. "I still can't wrap my mind around that fact."

"Oh, believe it. Landry's a sadist, too. Makes me look like Winnie the Pooh." She told her the story about Bob and the confrontation with Cris, and Landry volunteering to hold Cris for Bob.

"Holy fuck!"

"Yep." She checked her make-up while trying to slow her pounding heart. "Now please, I'm asking you as my friend, just give him a chance. He's as upset about this..." She thought about it. "He's upset about what happened to me, and he's trying make amends. He's a good man. I mean it when I say I really like him. I've spent the past two days with him."

"So what happens with Cris? He moving in too?"

"I guess so." She smiled at Loren in the mirror. "I already told Landry he'd better let me boss Cris around."

"Oh, fuck yes! I damn sure want to watch that!"

When they returned to the dungeon, Ross looked less than happy and Kim and Kylee had arrived. Landry stood a little away from them, leaning against the wall, waiting.

She waved him over and clasped his hand as she led him to Ross. "Ross, I need to tell you something," she said.

Landry looked at her but remained silent.

She told him the same story she told Loren, again leaving out the revenge part of the equation.

When she finished, Ross looked a little less murderous.

"Will you hold him for me if I want to cut his nuts off?" he asked Landry.

Landry laughed. "I would say gladly, but Tilly has already told me I'm not allowed to let his nuts or his cock be removed. I already offered to let you take a propane torch to him." He squeezed her hand. "She's such a spoilsport about some things."

Ross' face tensed before he burst out laughing. "Jesus, this is fucking nuts." He scrubbed his face with his hands, then stepped in and hugged her. "Congratulations, sweetheart." He turned to Landry and held out his hand. "Hurt her, and you will lose your nuts."

Landry smiled as he shook Ross' hand. "Believe me, I am rather fond of them and would prefer to keep them intact."

Loren smacked her, hard, on the shoulder. "And why weren't we invited to the wedding? More importantly, why didn't you ask me to do it?"

Tilly winced and rubbed her shoulder. "Okay, first of all, ow! Second, duh! I worried the whole 'Loren wants Cristo dead' issue might have caused problems."

"No. You'll get married at our house. I'll perform the ceremony."

Landry cleared his throat. "Will that be an issue, having Cris there?"

Ross frowned. "Why will he be there? I thought you said he didn't know?"

"Well, I will admit I looked forward to him witnessing it. To rub his face in it. Show him what he threw away."

Loren laughed. "Okay, Til? I gotta say, I like his style. Fuck yeah, if Count Craptastic is going to be humiliated, I'm definitely in!"

They spent the evening talking and watching others play. Landry enjoyed watching Tilly top a pain pig, the husband of another friend of hers. By the time they left, Loren had already invited several dozen of Tilly's friends, many who knew Cris, to attend the wedding.

It was more than Landry and Tilly had planned. It was also moved to the club at seven on Sunday night, because of parking issues and so more people could attend.

Cris' humiliation would be total.

As they drove back to her place a little after two in the morning, he thought of something.

"What was that Loren called him? Count something?"

She smiled. "Count Craptastic. You know, Cristo, the Count of Monte Cristo? That's the nicest thing she calls him. Usually, she refers to him as 'that goddamn fucking asshole'."

"Her husband, he is the one whose collar you wore?"

"For a while, yes." Her voice softened. "Not for play or scening, just to help me regain my footing again. If it hadn't been for them I wouldn't have made it. Cris called that one right. They picked me up, wouldn't let me give up, wouldn't give up on me. Thank God I had them."

At home she kicked off her five-inch heels in the foyer. "Man, these things are murder."

He scooped her into his arms. "Allow me, love." He carried her to the bedroom. "I'll rub your feet for you before we fall asleep."