Ask Stéphane what exactly Antonio told him about your travel plans.

You stare at Stéphane, your mind racing. "Antonio," you say carefully, "what exactly did he tell you about why we came?"

Stéphane's grin widens. "That you and Rosaria were finally ready to explore properly! He said he'd been dropping hints for years but you were always too cautious. When he heard you'd booked, he was thrilled—said it was about time you stopped being so vanilla." He laughs, clapping you on the shoulder. "Antonio's been here twice himself, you know. Absolutely loves it. He and Giulia spent their fifth anniversary here last year."

The world tilts slightly. Antonio. Your cousin Antonio, who recommended this place with that knowing wink. Who has been here twice. Who thinks you deliberately booked a BDSM resort island.

"He... he never said that," you manage. "He just said it was beautiful. Great beaches. He showed me photos of—of palm trees."

Stéphane's expression shifts to confusion. "Wait. You didn't research the island before booking?"

"I thought it was a normal resort!"

Stéphane's eyes widen, while his lips seem to twitch. He doesn't seem to be sure if he wants to laugh or to feel horrified. He then looks at Rosaria, who's making increasingly frantic sounds behind her gag, then back to you. "You had no idea? About any of this?"

"We read nothing! The travel agent said it was exclusive, that was it!"

Océane makes a soft sound—something between sympathy and amusement. She tugs gently on her leash, drawing Stéphane's attention, then gestures with her bound hands toward Rosaria.

Stéphane runs a hand through his hair. "Okay. That's... that's actually terrible. Antonio must have assumed—" He stops, looking genuinely distressed now. "Look, some rules are a bit relaxed in private spaces. The beach counts as semi-private if you're sitting down together, away from the main paths. Let's ..."

He gestures to a cluster of palm trees further from the volleyball game. "Let's talk."

Rosaria is pulling against the leash now, her eyes fixed on you with an intensity that makes your chest tight. The humming from her belt continues its relentless drone.