Page 78 of Slave

The large man turned his attention to us. A grin lit his face as he strolled over. I stepped back and angled myself behind Master.

Before I knew it, the man had Master wrapped in a hug.

Although Master was enveloped in an embrace that looked almost painful, he never let go of my hand. I was very grateful because the feel of his hand in mine was the only thing keeping the panic from taking control of me.

Then the man turned in my direction. He moved toward me. Master stopped him and the man looked puzzled.

Instead of answering his expression, however, Master said, “When Diane called to tell me they were inviting friends for dinner, I had no idea it would be you.”

The man laughed again, appearing to forget his confusion from a moment ago. “Good to know I can still keep you guessing, Stephan.”

Master laughed this time, too.

“So do I get an introduction to the girlfriend?”

That was when a blonde woman I hadn’t noticed walked toward us. She extended her hand to my Master. “Maybe if you weren’t so excited to see Stephan, you wouldn’t have scared the girl half to death, Jimmy.”

The man, Jimmy, looked hurt for just a moment and then laughed. The woman ignored him and turned to Master. “How have you been, Stephan?” she asked with an air of formality.

“Fine,” he answered her with the same overpoliteness. “And you?”

“Can’t complain,” she answered with a smirk. Then her eyes fell to me. “Do we get an introduction?”

He turned a little to look at me and tugged on my arm slightly, bringing me more to his side. “Brianna, I’d like for you to meet Jimmy and his wife, Samantha. We went to high school together.”

Be polite. Be polite. “Hello,” I said sheepishly.

“Oh and she’s shy,” Jimmy commented and then laughed, causing me to cringe against Master again.

Samantha just shook her head. “Please excuse my husband. He’s a little overexcited today. He’s not normally this . . .” She seemed to be searching for a word. “Insufferable.”

“Hey!” Jimmy acted offended, but just as quickly he pulled Samantha into his arms and kissed her soundly.

When they broke apart, the doorbell rang. “That must be Logan,” Jimmy said as his excitement from earlier returned. I watched as he hurried past us in order to greet the new arrivals.

Logan and Lily followed Jimmy into the room along with Richard. Logan greeted Stephan and me before turning his attention to Diane and Samantha.

Master kept hold of my hand as we all stood around talking for several minutes before Diane began handing plates and bowls to everyone for the dining room table. I was handed a beautiful bowl filled with mashed potatoes.

As we all took our seats, I realized what had been bothering me since Lily and Logan had arrived. Lily hadn’t said anything. Not one word. She’d smiled at me briefly when Logan and Master had been talking with Jimmy, but she wasn’t her normal energetic self.

Now, as I watched her take a seat beside Logan, I noticed that her demeanor hadn’t changed. Something was wrong.

The food was passed around the table, and I put food on my plate as Master handed me each dish. My eyes never left Lily, though. Twice Logan had not handed her something going around the table. Instead he had given the bowl to Jimmy who was sitting on the other side of her.

My confusion continued as everyone started to eat. I waited for Master to begin before I did, as usual, but noticed that Lily also didn’t start to eat until after Logan had taken his first bite. What was going on?

Most of the conversation throughout the meal was directed toward Samantha and Jimmy. Apparently they had been living in Boston near her family but had decided to come back to Minneapolis so he could start his residency. He was training to be a surgeon.

I was only half paying attention because of what was happening just across from me. Every now and then Lily would glance up at me, but she never spoke. About halfway through dinner Diane asked if everything was all right, and Logan had just said that her throat was bothering her and she was resting it. Then when Richard offered to take a look after dinner Logan waved his hand and said he was sure it would be fine by tomorrow.

After that Master changed the subject. The dinner continued with Lily still not saying anything, and my worry was increasing. She just wasn’t being Lily.

When Diane disappeared into the kitchen Master leaned over to whisper in my ear. “What’s troubling you, Brianna?”

I turned my head so that I could speak to him quietly without anyone overhearing. “I’m worried about Lily. She isn’t acting like herself.”

Master glanced quickly to where Lily and Logan were sitting and his lips turned up in a smirk before he turned back to look at me. “Lily’s fine. I will explain later if you wish.”

---