Tara sat perfectly still on the soft carpet. Her bare skin was completely cooled by the room temperature but inside she was burning with absolute deep frustration. Arjun remained on the bed breathing heavily and staring right up at the dark ceiling. The heavy silence in the room was thick and totally suffocating.

Finally he sat up. He did not look directly at her. He reached straight under the heavy mattress and pulled out a large thick coil of natural hemp rope. The rough sound of the heavy fibers dragging across the dark sheets made Tara shiver uncontrollably. She knew exactly what that heavy sound meant. The strict worship phase was entirely over. It was time for his absolute physical claim.