Amery Hardwick is a self-employed graphic designer living her dream life in the Colorado mountains--but something's always been missing. When her friend takes a women's self-defense class as part of her recovery after a brutal attack, Amery joins her for support. That's where she meets him. Ronin Black is an 8th degree black belt with an enigmatic, alluring presence. And he's drawn immediately to Amery, taking over her self-defense training and hiring her to design a new logo for his dojo. Their attraction boils over into a sexual awakening--but Ronin is hiding a deeper desire to bind Amery to him--both physically and emotionally. At first Amery takes pleasure in Ronan's use of occasional bondage in the bedroom, but as the obsession grows, she starts to pull away from him. Especially since he's hiding a secret from her that will change everything... FIRST IN A NEW SERIES In the new Mastered series by New York Times bestselling author Lorelei James, a woman's desire to shatter her inhibitions leaves her unprepared for where that erotic journey will take her.... Former small-town girl Amery Hardwick is living her dream as a graphic designer in Denver, Colorado. She's focused on building her business, which leaves little time for dating-not that she needs a romantic entanglement to fulfill her. When her friend signs up for a self-defense class as part of her recovery after an attack, Amery joins her for support. That's where she meets him. Ronin Black, owner of the dojo, is so drawn to Amery that he takes over her training-in public and in private. The enigmatic Ronin pushes Amery's boundaries from the start, and with each new tryst, Amery becomes addicted to the pleasure and to him. But when Amery senses Ronin is hiding something, she questions her total trust in him, despite the undeniable thrill of his possession....