by J. A. Kerr
Max
Due to the membership being a surprise, Max had to complete his outstanding paperwork whilst at the club. Gabriella had covered the basics, but he needed to fill in the blanks. He would also receive The Braille Bible and additional literature featuring the facilities of the club. The taxi dropped Max outside Harrison’s and he hurried in, shivering as the cold air hit him. He swithered whether to use the underground car park, but decided to arrive anonymously. He didn’t want his large, expensive car drawing attention. Max rarely drove now and employed a full-time driver who he knew would be very curious if he suddenly started driving his car himself.
Standing at reception, Guy was soon grasping his hand; he was surprised, but nevertheless delighted to see him. Gabriella had said nothing about Guy being in charge. The next hour passed quickly, with Guy bringing him up to speed with how things worked. He was beginning to feel a bit daunted by all the information and rules. Gabriella said she found it exciting, the whole unpredictability of getting the security code and the responsibility on the member to get themselves in. He, on the other hand, just wanted to get to his lesson. Guy had taken him to the Elysian reception where they asked for his card and Braille Key.
Max withdrew the key from his pocket and handed it over before fumbling for his wallet, his pulse quickening with the thought he might not have it with him. It took several anxious seconds for him to locate the blank cream card and pass it over. The girl smiled again, ran them through her computer, and asked if she could take his coat.
Now he was standing in front of double doors, punching the number that he had received by text into the pad and was relieved to hear the door click. He stopped and stared, trying to take it all in. The magnificent chandeliers, the pale cream wood panelling, and the marble floors were all breath-taking as he made his way towards the entrance of Elysian. Guy was already there, waiting for him.
“I believe you were with us on Saturday.”
“Yes, that’s correct,” said Max, smiling. “It was a wonderful birthday gift from Gabriella, but she didn’t mention she had met you.”
Guy smiled. “Good. Let’s get started, shall we?”
The next place Guy took him was down to Caligo, and as soon as the doors slid open the intense intoxicating perfume hit him. He was surprised to see people all around the room having coffee or eating lunch. The format of the room had changed to a large opulent dining room, the atmosphere warm with people chatting, drinking, and laughing. Curious, Max picked up a menu; it was blank except for some raised dots.
“What is this? Surely people can’t choose from a blank menu?”
“We have all our members’ preferences on their enrolment forms, along with their medical history, hobbies, interests, etcetera. When people come to dine they can choose from a three-course menu.” Guy smiled.
“But what are the starters, main course, and desserts?”
“Max, this club is all about stimulating the senses. Facts tell us people who cannot see what they eat enjoy their meal less and often do not finish their plate of food. Hence, the saying, ‘we eat with our eyes.’ However, our members’ dining experience is heightened by the anticipation of not knowing what delights will be placed in front of them. We challenge people’s taste boundaries; it’s all part of the experience. Our chefs are highly skilled and as yet have never received a complaint.”
“It only happens once a week, and it’s our busiest lunch period.” Guy led Max to a smaller area with ornate chairs and overstuffed sofas and sat down.
A waiter approached them and Guy ordered two coffees without asking Max his preference.
“You may always ask for refreshments, we do our best to fulfil our members’ needs.”
“But there are no prices on anything, how do I know what I’m spending?” asked Max irritably.
“We have a fixed price menu for lunch and dinner, and our bar prices are very competitive. Do you see the monitors dotted around the room? You can access your account at any time via your card. Payment can be made monthly or per transaction. You see, we ask our members to exercise an element of trust. Just because you cannot see the price doesn’t mean you don’t know what it is. You can access that information anytime within the club or at home, it’s all there in the new member literature.”
The waiter arrived with the two large espressos in exquisitely decorated china and placed it down along with a plate of petit fours. Max could smell the wonderful aroma of the coffee and lifted it to his lips. The taste was sublime, and he felt transported to Italy where he had spent many holidays. He looked at the plate of treats, knowing before asking he would have to choose at random. He picked one up and popped it into his mouth, savouring the salty caramel taste as it melted on his tongue, wondering how they knew he loved that flavour.
He was impressed; more than impressed. Max was blown away with everything Harrison’s and Braille had to offer. Guy sipped his coffee and studied Max. This man would be important to Braille; he just didn’t know why.
They finished their coffees in silence, both preoccupied with their own thoughts.
“I believe you are booked in for a sensory lesson, so I will be handing you over to Grace. She will bring you to my office thereafter to complete your enrolment; are you okay for time?”
“Yes, I’ve cleared my diary for today,” said Max.
They stood, and Max followed Guy to the elevator. He indicated that Max slide his card into the slot and after a short journey the doors slid open. The room was airy; his senses surrounded by a wonderful perfume which seemed stronger here, perhaps because of the candles. They walked down the plush carpet until they came to a small desk. The door opened, and a slender, elegant woman appeared and smiled at them both.
“Max, this is Grace,” said Guy. Max shook her outstretched hand, his body tensing at the contact. Grace seemed to sense his discomfort.
“Hi Max, delighted to meet you. Please follow me,” she said kindly. Max entered a large room which had several strange looking chairs and two love seats with cabinets on either side.
“Before we start may I offer you any refreshments?” said Grace.
“Yes, do you have brandy, by any chance?” Max asked hopefully.
Grace paused, then walked to the other side of the room where there were several decanters containing various colours of liquids. She lifted one and brought it over to Max along with a glass.
“Would you like ice or water?”
“No, this is all I need.”
Max poured himself a generous measure and then felt guilty.
“Max, you are here today to experience pleasure, to give pleasure. If you put on the garment you find behind the screen, we can proceed.” Gabriella had told Max about the clothes, and although he felt extremely silly, she had insisted he would soon forget all about how he looked.
He didn’t have separate items like Gabriella had described. He had an all in one suit, and he was surprised as he pulled it on, the way it clung to his skin and yet did not feel tight. There were no mirrors, but he knew he must look ridiculous. Grace motioned him to a strange looking chair with a narrow back, and he gratefully sat down. She had a case in her hands, and she was removing some items from it.
“There are three rules we observe at Braille, and they are our commandments.” Grace gently snapped on the velvet cuffs, pulling Max’s arms loosely behind his back, sensing Max’s increasing discomfort.
“These are your controls; if you want to stop at any time, simply shake your wrists,” Grace continued. “Please do so now.”
Max shook his wrists; his brain connected the ringing with his last recollection of it, and he blushed. He wanted to feel that way again, scared his recovery was a one off. The thought filled him with fear and anxiety as he tried to concentrate on what Grace was telling him.
“Remember, you must try to keep your hands from moving, as when the bells ring, everything stops. The first rule is blindfolds must be worn; they are compulsory. May I?”
Max
eyed the silken hood warily but nodded. Plunged into darkness, he felt his anxiety mount.
“Silence is our second rule, you may hear music, but you mustn’t speak. Please nod if you understand and wish to continue.”
Max nodded, as a familiar tune sounded softly in his ear.
“Our third rule is discretion; your experience today is private and should remain so. As you requested a partnered session, I will now leave you in the capable hands of your wife.”
Everything Max had previously been thinking slipped from his mind as he felt his wife’s breath on his face.
***
Gabriella
Max’s utter surprise was hidden mostly by the hood, but Gabriella smiled delightedly as she entered the room. She nodded to Grace before familiarising herself with the sensory controls; this was going to be fun. She would ease Max in gently, letting the sensory suit work its magic. No talking permitted; she pressed a button on the chair and the circular disc moved out. She lifted the tablet control from the back of the chair before she pulled down the flap and made herself comfortable.
She pulled the tablet over her head, as she preferred it hanging from her neck, and pushed the button that would activate the sensory suit. Slowly she bent over and placed her lips on her husband’s mouth, breathing in his scent and feeling him quiver.
Chapter 42
THE BRAILLE CLUB
Braille Club, London, Present Day: The Braille Bible is a book containing all the rules a Braille member must follow. They include the Braille Commandments, zone conduct, and careful instructions for use of the sensory equipment. Breaking the rules is not tolerated and any member doing so will experience the wrath of Guy.
London, 2012
Siena
Siena’s heart beat wildly as she made her way through the deserted hotel, taking the stairs for speed rather than wait on the lifts, her mind in turmoil as she tried and failed to come up with a plausible explanation for Nick. Her whole life was about to change, all because of Benedict Harrison. Unlike other couples, she’d barely had a conversation with Benedict, it was all business and sex—no, it was more than that. She loved the party that Nick had taken her to all those years ago. The whole idea had captured her imagination but she knew Nick didn’t feel the same.
He hadn’t needed the games although he played along, but she sensed he was never fully on board. When she tested Benedict and he complied, an excitement built within her, was he a kindred spirit? Taking charge and losing her cool, well, that had never happened before. She was always in control, had perfected her impartiality, built up her walls of defence, and he had effortlessly ripped them down. She wanted him, her mind a cacophony of emotions, but that was all she was sure of. Were they even compatible? Would they bore each other or worse, have nothing to say?
Sweating now as she turned onto her floor, she headed for her room. She paused outside, waiting for her breathing to slow, her head pressed against the coolness of the door before inserting her card and pushing the door open. Her mind took a second to register the room was empty, and her heart lurched in relief before worry about Nick crept in. But self-preservation won out, and she undressed and pulled back the sheets.
Utterly exhausted, if she could just close her eyes she could think. She lay down beneath the sheets wondering where the hell he was and thanking her lucky stars that she was not at this very minute dealing with him. Nick scared her when he was angry. There was an undercurrent of cruelty that she had seen flashes of throughout their marriage. Sometimes she found him suffocating, and she now admitted, controlling; she wanted to break free. She wished she had been strong enough to do it without the complication of an affair. The thought made her blush. She had always hated those types of people; too weak to stand up and walk away when their marriage wasn’t working anymore, and yet here she was.
***
Benedict
Benedict opened his eyes, sensing Siena had gone. He checked the time on his watch, seven-thirty. He had slept late and suddenly felt a terrible stab of anxiety that she was in trouble. He didn’t know when she had left. Had she waited until he had fallen asleep before slipping away? He hoped she was safe and cursed his stupidity. All the trouble he had taken putting Alex in his place to reassure her husband, and he had blown it by telling her to come to him. How could he have been so weak? He should have ensured her safety, arranged another time, but he just couldn’t seem to resist her. He had never felt this way before. She mesmerised him with her beauty and with her games. He had to admit it; would he have fallen for her without them? That dance…the card…then the call. He shook his head, trying to think clearly.
He reached for his mobile but had no new messages. The thought of Siena with her husband made him furious with jealousy. He would play along with her plan so she could leave her husband on good terms, but he was already getting impatient.
She sounded genuinely frightened of him. What sort of man did that? A bully, no doubt, and he had put her in danger. He sighed in frustration at not knowing if she was okay, for falling asleep, but most of all, just purely because he missed her. The feeling of loss was acute, he didn’t want to be parted from her for a minute and knew he must find her and reassure himself that she was safe.
***
Siena
Siena awoke to see Nick standing over her and almost screamed. “Nick! Where have you been?” she asked groggily.
His eyes bored into her as he stared at her.
“Was that the plan, Siena? Do you think I’m that stupid?”
Siena rubbed her eyes and sat up; she felt so tired, as if she’d only closed her eyes for a minute; she wasn’t far wrong, as it was only seven a.m.
This was Nick’s paranoia coming out; he’d accused her of wrong doings so often in the past that she didn’t even react. She knew he would have gone straight for her jugular if he had even the slightest suspicion she had been with another man. The thought chilled her and brought her life into perspective; no man was worth the risk, not even Benedict. She was playing with her life now and she realised what a fool she’d been. Nick would have hurt her if he had been in the room; she was sure of it. She had thought his possessiveness charming in the early years of their marriage. She felt loved and adored. It was only as she got older she began to see Nick’s behaviour was getting worse.
Working with her father had calmed him; he knew she was in safe hands. As she focused on her career, building up her father’s business consumed her. What little time she had left was purely Nick’s. She didn’t have many friends left and after Leo, there had only been Nick. He hadn’t encouraged her to seek out new ones. Their relationship changed when her father sold his company. It had started with Nick asking what she would be doing with her day. His need to control her movements had never changed but now she had free reign of her day, it became dramatically highlighted.
That’s when the affair allegations began, seemingly innocent questions about her day turning into full-scale interrogations. They started to argue and Nick started to drink. He was particularly vicious when he was drunk and that was becoming more and more often of late. Who was she meeting? Who were her friends? Siena had actively encouraged their move to London and Nick soon became absorbed in the project that took the pressure off their relationship. She threw herself into the villa project as a way to fill her day. Setting up her finance company using only people Nick knew, he relaxed now Siena was working, and balance restored. It had been a scary and stressful couple of months but often when you’re living it you don’t know how to get out of it. They’d had a spectacular argument just before coming to London. It had been then that a drunk and enraged Nick had told her that he’d kill her if she ever left him. He hadn’t even remembered saying it the next day, but Siena had.
She remembered his face contorted in rage at the thought of her betrayal and felt very frightened, because she knew he meant it. Although he had never been violent to her, he didn’t need to. He could control her with just his words and his threats,
hence the need to leave him without notice, to catch him by surprise. It was her best chance to get away from him. Her parents had her passport and her flight tickets; she couldn’t take the risk of Nick coming across them. Nick had his private face which was purely for Siena, and that was ugly and manic. But he was always the perfect gentleman in company, and she hoped today was no different.
“Nick, we’re meeting my parents at eight-thirty for breakfast. I will not fight with you this morning.”
“Why the hell didn’t you answer your cell? I couldn’t remember the fucking room number,” he screamed at her.
She swung her legs out of the bed and pushed past him, heading for the shower and trying not to let him see how much she was shaking.
“Don’t you walk away from me,” he snarled. “Why didn’t you come looking for me, eh? I bet that suited you,” he spat.
She turned to face him. “Nick, I went to bed like I told you I was going to do. I didn’t hear my cell because I was asleep. I didn’t know you weren’t in the room until you woke me and told me. Why didn’t you go to reception? Surely they would have given you the room number,”
“Yeah well, that’s where I was headed, but I sat down to call you and I fell asleep on that couch in the corridor,” he replied grumpily. “You can meet your parents; I’m going to bed. I feel like my neck is broken in three places,” he complained.
Siena closed the door and with a trembling hand turned on the shower. Washing her hair and body, she stood under the hot water for a long time. She felt tenderness in her breasts and more surprisingly, thought they’d increased in size. Looking at the rest of her body, a horrible thought occurred to her as she also noticed a slight swell in her stomach. When was her last period?