--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Then when I’d thought nothing else could…" description: "\"“Then when I’d thought nothing else could possibly startle or surprise me, the Lord Master had taken one look at Barrons—and walked away. That worried ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/karen-marie-moning-189_betray_then-when-i-d-thought-nothing-else-could_2182497.jpg" --- # Then when I’d thought nothing else could possibly startle… ![“Then when I’d thought nothing else could possibly startle or surprise me, the Lord Master had taken one look at Barrons—and walked away. That worried me. A lot. If the Lord Master walked away from Barrons, how much danger was I in on a daily basis? I’d been feeling invincible up until those last…” quote by Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/karen-marie-moning-189_betray_then-when-i-d-thought-nothing-else-could_2182497.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/karen-marie-moning-189_betray_then-when-i-d-thought-nothing-else-could_2182497.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/karen-marie-moning-189_betray_then-when-i-d-thought-nothing-else-could_2182497.jpg) > ““Then when I’d thought nothing else could possibly startle or surprise me, the Lord Master had taken one look at Barrons—and walked away. That worried me. A lot. If the Lord Master walked away from Barrons, how much danger was I in on a daily basis? I’d been feeling invincible up until those last few moments in the cave. Until one man in the room with me had stripped away my will with mere words, and the other man in the room with me had apparently intimidated that one into leaving. Bad and badder. I glanced across the front seat at badder. I opened my mouth. He looked at me. I closed it. I don’t know how he continued driving, because we stared at each other for a long time. The night whizzed by, the air inside the speeding car pregnant with all the things we weren’t saying. We didn’t even have one of our wordless conversations this time; neither of us was willing to betray a single thought or feeling. We looked at each other like two too-intimate strangers who’ve woken after the lovemaking and don’t know quite what to say to each other, so they say nothing at all and go their separate ways, promising, of course, that they’ll call, but each time they look at the phone over the next few days, the discomfort and mild embarrassment of having taken off their clothing in front of someone they didn’t really even know rises up, and the phone call never gets made. Barrons and I had taken our skins off around each other tonight. Shared too many secrets, and none of them the important ones. I was about to look away when he reached across the seat ,touched my jaw with his long, strong, beautiful fingers, and caressed my face. Being touched by Jericho Barrons with kindness makes you feel like you must be the most special person in the world. It’s like walking up to the biggest, most savage lion in the jungle, lying down, placing your head in its mouth and, rather than taking your life, it licks you and purrs. I turned away. He returned his attention to the road. We completed the drive in the same strained silence it had begun.”” [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator describes a tense, intimate encounter where unspoken emotions and vulnerability coexist with danger and awe. **In simple terms:** A charged, silent moment between two strangers. Key Takeaway Acknowledge unspoken tension. Themes intimacy danger vulnerability Mood intense reflective Type narrative emotional When to use this quote - night drive - conflict resolution - emotional intimacy Key Concepts psychological tension character bonding Questions to Reflect On - What emotions remain unsaid? - How does silence affect trust? A Different Perspective May romanticize risky encounters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Barrons Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barrons-danger-4720680/) [Betray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/betray/) [Gaze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gaze/) [Intimate Strangers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intimate-strangers-1413224/) [Jericho barrons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jericho-barrons/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [Master Taken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/master-taken-4720681/) [Phone call](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phone-call/) [Savage Lion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/savage-lion-220357/) [Separate ways](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/separate-ways/) [Special person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special-person/) [Willing Betray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/willing-betray-2672689/) ## Related quotes > [“Being touched by Jericho Barrons with kindness makes you feel like you the biggest, most savage lion in the jungle, lying down, placing your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/being-touched-by-jericho-barrons-with-kindness-makes-you-feel-like/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [I was about to look away when he reached across the seat, touched my jaw with his long, strong, beautiful fingers, and caressed my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/i-was-about-to-look-away-when-he-reached-across-the-seat-touched-my/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“We watched each other’s eyes. We were as strangers, in that moment — as intimate as strangers — for strangers know more of us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-t-anderson/we-watched-each-other-s-eyes-we-were-as-strangers-in-that-moment-as/) [M.T. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-t-anderson/) > [“We were as strangers, in the moment-as intimate as strangers-for strangers know more of us, and can judge of us more without reproach than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-t-anderson/we-were-as-strangers-in-the-moment-as-intimate-as-strangers-for/) [M.T. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-t-anderson/) > [“If only you were willing to betray a trust, why, the most amazing range of possible actions opened up to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/if-only-you-were-willing-to-betray-a-trust-why-the-most-amazing-range/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [Some people are willing to betray years of friendship just to get a little bit of the spotlight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-conrad/some-people-are-willing-to-betray-years-of-friendship-just-to-get-a/) [Lauren Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-conrad/) > [And many kinds of creatures must have died, Unable to plant out new sprouts of life. For whatever you see that lives and breathes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/and-many-kinds-of-creatures-must-have-died-unable-to-plant-out-new/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [“He calls me his Queen of the Night. He shows me the wonders in this incredible city. He encourages me to find my own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/he-calls-me-his-queen-of-the-night-he-shows-me-the-wonders-in-this/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [If he’d been any other man and i'd been any other girl, I’d have called the narrowing of his heavy-lidded dark eyes lust. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/if-he-d-been-any-other-man-and-i-d-been-any-other-girl-i-d-have/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“He was standing right behind us, the epitome of stillness, one hand on the back of the sofa, dark hair slicked back from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/he-was-standing-right-behind-us-the-epitome-of-stillness-one-hand-on/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“Leave it alone, I'm handling this," Barrons told Ryodan. "I suggest you do a better job." "And I suggest you go fuck yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/leave-it-alone-i-m-handling-this-barrons-told-ryodan-i-suggest-you-do/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [I’m asking the questions tonight.” One day I was going to write a book: How to Dictate to a Dictator and Evade an Evader,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/i-m-asking-the-questions-tonight-one-day-i-was-going-to-write-a-book/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Nobody home but She for Whom I Am the World. Can't go on like this, can't keep doing it.- Jericho Barrons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/nobody-home-but-she-for-whom-i-am-the-world-can-t-go-on-like-this-can/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Sometimes, Ms. Lane," he said, "one must break with one's past to embrace one's future. It is never an easy thing to do. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/sometimes-ms-lane-he-said-one-must-break-with-one-s-past-to-embrace/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Ancient eyes had stared at me, filled with ancient grief. And something more. Something so alien and unexpected that I'd almost burst into tears.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/ancient-eyes-had-stared-at-me-filled-with-ancient-grief-and-something/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) ## More by Karen Marie Moning > [“I can either be a victim—or a winner. Fuck victimhood. I don’t wear it well; it clashes with my wardrobe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/i-can-either-be-a-victim-or-a-winner-fuck-victimhood-i-don-t-wear-it/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Ancient eyes had stared at me, filled with ancient grief. And something more. Something so alien and unexpected that I'd almost burst into tears.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/ancient-eyes-had-stared-at-me-filled-with-ancient-grief-and-something/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Some things are sacred. Until you act like they're not. Then you lose them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/some-things-are-sacred-until-you-act-like-they-re-not-then-you-lose/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Who would ever understand me?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/who-would-ever-understand-me/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Sometimes, Ms. Lane," he said, "one must break with one's past to embrace one's future. It is never an easy thing to do. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/sometimes-ms-lane-he-said-one-must-break-with-one-s-past-to-embrace/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“I think I’m under control, that I’ve stripped away all weaknesses. That committing to my mission has made me impervious. I’m wrong. The thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/i-think-i-m-under-control-that-i-ve-stripped-away-all-weaknesses-that/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Desire makes life happen. Makes it matter. Makes everything worth it. Desire is life. Hunger to see the next sunrise or sunset, to touch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/desire-makes-life-happen-makes-it-matter-makes-everything-worth-it/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“Finally, someone had seen him. And what had he done? Let her get away. Undermined by his disgusting human anatomy. It had just been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/finally-someone-had-seen-him-and-what-had-he-done-let-her-get-away/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“Our sex is fierce. We will both be bruised. "I want it to always be like this," I tell him. "Try holding onto that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/our-sex-is-fierce-we-will-both-be-bruised-i-want-it-to-always-be-like/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Keep hoping to see the light in her eyes. Even knowing it'll mean she's saying good-bye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/keep-hoping-to-see-the-light-in-her-eyes-even-knowing-it-ll-mean-she/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Strength wasn‘t about being able to do everything alone. Strength was knowing when to ask for help and not being too proud to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/strength-wasn-t-about-being-able-to-do-everything-alone-strength-was/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“He swapped the fistful of my shirt for one in my hair, and ground his mouth against mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/he-swapped-the-fistful-of-my-shirt-for-one-in-my-hair-and-ground-his/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [He’s so beautiful,” she said wistfully. “He’s like an angel.” “Yep,” I agreed flatly. “The one that fell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/he-s-so-beautiful-she-said-wistfully-he-s-like-an-angel-yep-i-agreed/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [And when he did that, my hands curled into fists because I thought about touching his face like maybe I could catch joy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/and-when-he-did-that-my-hands-curled-into-fists-because-i-thought/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“Flattered as I am that you count me among the beautiful people, Barrons, allow me to point out that I’m still alive. I encountered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/flattered-as-i-am-that-you-count-me-among-the-beautiful-people/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) [Explore all 940 Karen Marie Moning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) ## More Betray quotes > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [“Ash,” Mab crooned as he drew near. “My poor boy. Rowan told me what happened between the two of you, but I know you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-kagawa/ash-mab-crooned-as-he-drew-near-my-poor-boy-rowan-told-me-what/) [Julie Kagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-kagawa/) > [“79. A soul which knows that it is loved, but does not itself love, betrays its sediment: its dregs come up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/79-a-soul-which-knows-that-it-is-loved-but-does-not-itself-love/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Joy doesn't betray but sustains activism. And when you face a politics that aspires to make you fearful, alienated and isolated, joy is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/joy-doesn-t-betray-but-sustains-activism-and-when-you-face-a-politics/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [Even if we have to go without bread, we Albanians do not violate principles. We do not betray Marxism - Leninism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enver-hoxha/even-if-we-have-to-go-without-bread-we-albanians-do-not-violate/) [Enver Hoxha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enver-hoxha/) > [Stop holding onto people that treat you like crap. They might be nice sometimes, but the rest of the time they disrespect you and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/stop-holding-onto-people-that-treat-you-like-crap-they-might-be-nice/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/now-the-brother-shall-betray-the-brother-to-death-and-the-father-the/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [One day you and I will have to have a little talk about this business called love. I still don't understand what it's all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oriana-fallaci/one-day-you-and-i-will-have-to-have-a-little-talk-about-this-business/) [Oriana Fallaci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oriana-fallaci/) > [“Sarai, you never know who might betray you until it’s too late.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-redmerski/sarai-you-never-know-who-might-betray-you-until-it-s-too-late/) [J.A. Redmerski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-redmerski/) > [Waking up every day and loving someone who may or may not love us back, whose safety we can't ensure, who may stay in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/waking-up-every-day-and-loving-someone-who-may-or-may-not-love-us/) [Brene Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Indifference must be a crime in us, to be ranked but one degree below treachery; for deserting the commonwealth is next to betraying it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-st-john-1st-viscount-bolingbroke/indifference-must-be-a-crime-in-us-to-be-ranked-but-one-degree-below/) [Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-st-john-1st-viscount-bolingbroke/) > [The zombie is in a lot of ways the perfect horror movie bad guy. It plays on so many fears all at once. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gunn/the-zombie-is-in-a-lot-of-ways-the-perfect-horror-movie-bad-guy-it/) [James Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gunn/) > [Books should confuse. Literature abhors the typical. Literature flows to the particular, the mundane, the greasiness of paper, the taste of warm beer, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/books-should-confuse-literature-abhors-the-typical-literature-flows/) [Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/) > [It is up to us to take care of this planet, it is our only home. To betray nature is to betray us. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince-ea/it-is-up-to-us-to-take-care-of-this-planet-it-is-our-only-home-to/) [Prince Ea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince-ea/) > [In his bleak mercy, Death forever strips The soul of light and memory, rendering blind Our vision, lest surmounted deeps appal, As when on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clark-ashton-smith/in-his-bleak-mercy-death-forever-strips-the-soul-of-light-and-memory/) [Clark Ashton Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clark-ashton-smith/) [Browse all 966 Betray quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/betray/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Then when I’d thought nothing else could possibly startle or surprise me, the Lord Master had taken one look at Barrons—and walked away. That worried me. A lot. If the Lord Master walked away from Barrons, how much danger was I in on a daily basis? I’d been feeling invincible up until those last few moments in the cave. Until one man in the room with me had stripped away my will with mere words, and the other man in the room with me had apparently intimidated that one into leaving. Bad and badder. I glanced across the front seat at badder. I opened my mouth. He looked at me. I closed it. I don’t know how he continued driving, because we stared at each other for a long time. The night whizzed by, the air inside the speeding car pregnant with all the things we weren’t saying. We didn’t even have one of our wordless conversations this time; neither of us was willing to betray a single thought or feeling. We looked at each other like two too-intimate strangers who’ve woken after the lovemaking and don’t know quite what to say to each other, so they say nothing at all and go their separate ways, promising, of course, that they’ll call, but each time they look at the phone over the next few days, the discomfort and mild embarrassment of having taken off their clothing in front of someone they didn’t really even know rises up, and the phone call never gets made. Barrons and I had taken our skins off around each other tonight. Shared too many secrets, and none of them the important ones. I was about to look away when he reached across the seat ,touched my jaw with his long, strong, beautiful fingers, and caressed my face. Being touched by Jericho Barrons with kindness makes you feel like you must be the most special person in the world. It’s like walking up to the biggest, most savage lion in the jungle, lying down, placing your head in its mouth and, rather than taking your life, it licks you and purrs. I turned away. He returned his attention to the road. We completed the drive in the same strained silence it had begun.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Karen Marie Moning" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/then-when-i-d-thought-nothing-else-could-possibly-startle-or-surprise/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Betray" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/then-when-i-d-thought-nothing-else-could-possibly-startle-or-surprise/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/karen-marie-moning-189_betray_then-when-i-d-thought-nothing-else-could_2182497.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/karen-marie-moning-189_betray_then-when-i-d-thought-nothing-else-could_2182497.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/karen-marie-moning-189_betray_then-when-i-d-thought-nothing-else-could_2182497.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Then when I’d thought nothing else could possibly startle or surprise me, the Lord Master had taken one look…” — Karen Marie Moning", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Karen Marie Moning", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Then when I’d thought nothing else...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/then-when-i-d-thought-nothing-else-could-possibly-startle-or-surprise/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/then-when-i-d-thought-nothing-else-could-possibly-startle-or-surprise/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```