company. Despite Noah’s obliviousness to her plight, she was on edge.
“So, Noah, do you have family?” Zach asked, signaling for Karen to pour him some wine.
Noah hesitated. Then he said, “Yes, I do. A brother, actually.”
“What about your parents?”
“My parents are dead, unfortunately. They died before I was blinded.”
“That’s awful,” Karen said with feeling. How much tragedy could a man take?
“How did they die, if you don’t mind me asking?” Zach asked.
“My mother died when I was ten. Cancer. My father had a stroke about five years ago, just before I was blinded.”
Karen wanted to say that this was not appropriate conversation for dinner, but Zach would punish her for it later.
“I’m so sorry,” Zach said sincerely.
“It happened a long time ago.”
“Such a coincidence,” Zach mused. “You being in that accident right after your father’s stroke.”
Karen swung to him in amazement. Why was he saying such things?
Noah’s cheek muscle flinched.
“Yes,” he said. “But we must take what life throws at us, or how else would we be able to go on living, right?”
Karen cleared her throat. “I’m going to clear up and bring in the main course.”
“Good idea,” Zach remarked. “I’ll help you.”
Noah smiled at both of them as Karen set about to clearing the plates and empty shells.
In the kitchen, she turned to Zach. “Why are you asking him such questions?”
Zach loomed before her. He was very close to her, and he suddenly grabbed her chin. “Ssssh, little flower. You’re questioning my ways more than usual tonight. Having a guest is making you bold, isn’t it?”
His grip on her chin was very hard. She gazed into his dilated eyes, knowing that he was aroused.
“N-no, Master, I would never presume –”
“Good. Don’t presume.” He let her go.
Trembling, she went to the oven to get the beef tenderloin.
“Wait,” he said.
She turned around again. She was getting more and more terrified of Zach and his unpredictability. Since when did this happen? How did their relationship descend to this?
He opened one of the cabinet drawers and took out a chain, affixed with two clamps. Her mouth went dry.
“Come here,” he said.
She stood still as he fastened the two clamps on her nipples. She drew a sharp breath at the exquisite pressure on her sensitive protuberances. The silver chain connected the clamps. He stood back to survey his masterpiece.
“Now go out there and serve,” he commanded.
“Yes, Master.” She could only be glad that the clamps did not come with bells.
She went outside again with the three servings of beef tenderloin on a tray, acutely aware of the shaking chain. She was especially nervous when she had to go to Noah’s side to place the dish in front of him.
He looked up at her and smiled. “Smells delicious. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Her voice betrayed her jitters. Was he aware of the added accouterments on her?
They all sat to eat the next phase of the meal. The beef was very tender, and it was the best thing she had ever cooked. But she had suddenly lost her appetite.
“This is exquisite,” Noah proclaimed.
“It is, isn’t it?” Zach said. “So, Noah, where’s your brother now?”
“He lives on the other side of the country.”
“Do you two get along?”
Karen stared at her boyfriend in amazement again. Why was he asking so many personal questions?
Noah paused. Even he seemed to think so.
Please, please don’t ruin this, Karen prayed.
Noah said, “We’re OK, as brothers usually are. There are ups and downs.”
“Is he an older brother?”
“No. We’re twins.”
“Twins!” Zach laughed out loud. “I’d never have pegged you as having a twin.”
“Not many people do,” Noah replied. “But no worries. He’s sighted.”
“He’s the lucky one then.”
“I guess so.”
Karen’s stomach churned. She put down her knife and fork.
“Is anything the matter, darling?” Zach
“So, Noah, do you have family?” Zach asked, signaling for Karen to pour him some wine.
Noah hesitated. Then he said, “Yes, I do. A brother, actually.”
“What about your parents?”
“My parents are dead, unfortunately. They died before I was blinded.”
“That’s awful,” Karen said with feeling. How much tragedy could a man take?
“How did they die, if you don’t mind me asking?” Zach asked.
“My mother died when I was ten. Cancer. My father had a stroke about five years ago, just before I was blinded.”
Karen wanted to say that this was not appropriate conversation for dinner, but Zach would punish her for it later.
“I’m so sorry,” Zach said sincerely.
“It happened a long time ago.”
“Such a coincidence,” Zach mused. “You being in that accident right after your father’s stroke.”
Karen swung to him in amazement. Why was he saying such things?
Noah’s cheek muscle flinched.
“Yes,” he said. “But we must take what life throws at us, or how else would we be able to go on living, right?”
Karen cleared her throat. “I’m going to clear up and bring in the main course.”
“Good idea,” Zach remarked. “I’ll help you.”
Noah smiled at both of them as Karen set about to clearing the plates and empty shells.
In the kitchen, she turned to Zach. “Why are you asking him such questions?”
Zach loomed before her. He was very close to her, and he suddenly grabbed her chin. “Ssssh, little flower. You’re questioning my ways more than usual tonight. Having a guest is making you bold, isn’t it?”
His grip on her chin was very hard. She gazed into his dilated eyes, knowing that he was aroused.
“N-no, Master, I would never presume –”
“Good. Don’t presume.” He let her go.
Trembling, she went to the oven to get the beef tenderloin.
“Wait,” he said.
She turned around again. She was getting more and more terrified of Zach and his unpredictability. Since when did this happen? How did their relationship descend to this?
He opened one of the cabinet drawers and took out a chain, affixed with two clamps. Her mouth went dry.
“Come here,” he said.
She stood still as he fastened the two clamps on her nipples. She drew a sharp breath at the exquisite pressure on her sensitive protuberances. The silver chain connected the clamps. He stood back to survey his masterpiece.
“Now go out there and serve,” he commanded.
“Yes, Master.” She could only be glad that the clamps did not come with bells.
She went outside again with the three servings of beef tenderloin on a tray, acutely aware of the shaking chain. She was especially nervous when she had to go to Noah’s side to place the dish in front of him.
He looked up at her and smiled. “Smells delicious. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Her voice betrayed her jitters. Was he aware of the added accouterments on her?
They all sat to eat the next phase of the meal. The beef was very tender, and it was the best thing she had ever cooked. But she had suddenly lost her appetite.
“This is exquisite,” Noah proclaimed.
“It is, isn’t it?” Zach said. “So, Noah, where’s your brother now?”
“He lives on the other side of the country.”
“Do you two get along?”
Karen stared at her boyfriend in amazement again. Why was he asking so many personal questions?
Noah paused. Even he seemed to think so.
Please, please don’t ruin this, Karen prayed.
Noah said, “We’re OK, as brothers usually are. There are ups and downs.”
“Is he an older brother?”
“No. We’re twins.”
“Twins!” Zach laughed out loud. “I’d never have pegged you as having a twin.”
“Not many people do,” Noah replied. “But no worries. He’s sighted.”
“He’s the lucky one then.”
“I guess so.”
Karen’s stomach churned. She put down her knife and fork.
“Is anything the matter, darling?” Zach
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