Wicked Solace is a companion short story to Tenderly Wicked, a novel about Max, an American expat in Moscow and newbie Dom, and his Russian sub, Vadim. Vadim has a problem with saying no—to his boss, his colleagues, and basically anyone, which often brings him trouble.

Max decides to play a game of what ifs and tells Vadim an unusual and somewhat wicked bedtime story, inventing an alternate universe where Vadim is a slave and his boss's displeasure bodes more than just a reprimand. Would things be easier for Vadim if he really couldn't do anything but obey?