by Ward, Vivian
He picks up a cracker from the plate and shoves it into my mouth, forcing me to chew. To appease him in hopes that he’ll let me go, I voluntarily grab the next one and shove it into my mouth with an equal vengeance as the first one. This seems to work and he slowly backs away, leaving me to eat; though, he never takes his eyes off me. After a few crackers, he retrieves a glass of water to help me wash it down. As much as I hate to admit it, I needed this. I needed to eat. My stomach feels so good right now and the hunger pains are finally beginning to subside.
“Do you think I could save the rest of these for Lizzy?” I ask, slowly chewing. Even if I wanted to, I don’t think I could eat another bite. My stomach feels so full and heavy right now. This is more than I’ve had to eat in over a month.
“Can she eat crackers now?” He nods, slightly amused. I’m not sure whether he’s pleased that he finally won by getting me to eat or if he’s delighted that I’m talking about the baby. He’s always had a soft spot for her.
“Yes,” I say, wrapping up the rest of them in their plastic casing. “She has a few teeth now and loves them.”
“You save those crackers for yourself,” he says, going back to the cabinet. “Take these for her.” He hands me a second package.
He might be a complete jerk at times but I have to admit that his heart is in the right place. While I know he expects sex in return for his help, he hasn’t forced himself on me; yet, he continues to be kind to both Lizzy and me. It’s puzzling and a bit unsettling, but then he does something I never dreamed of.
“Take this blanket with you,” he strips the one from his bed and hands it to me. “The nights have been so cold and I know there isn’t enough straw down there to keep the two of you warm while you’re sleeping.”
“I can’t take this,” I gasp. Since when the hell did he become so kind?
“You will take it,” he growls, forcing it into my hands along with the crackers.
“No, I mean, how will I sneak it down without the others seeing?”
“For bloody sakes, you don’t belong on this ship,” he rolls his eyes. “If you’re a convict, you’ve got to start thinking like one, Victoria.”
I’m not sure why but somehow his comment offends me. It’s as though he’s insulting me. “What do you mean?”
“What I mean is that you have to learn how to be sneaky. You were clever enough to try to fashion a key, turned makeshift shank to stab me. Don’t tell me you can’t figure out how to sneak a blanket back down with you.” I stare at him for a minute but no words pass between us. He’s right. “Lift your dress and tie it around your waist,” he instructs me.
“Right,” I say. I wait for him to turn around so I can do just that but he does no such thing.
“Go on,” he smiles.
He’s getting quite the kick out of this but I won’t let him win. I refuse to let him watch me as I lift my dress. “Turn around,” I insist. After a few moments, he finally gives me a bit of privacy. I lift my dress and tightly wrap the blanket around my torso and tie it. “Can you tell?” I ask.
Turning around, he bursts into laughter. “You look a few pounds heavier but I don’t think anyone will be the wiser.”
I can’t stop thinking of Matthew the entire night, even as I fall asleep. Is it wrong? I think it is but I can’t help it. Yes, I’m still married; though nobody knows my husband’s whereabouts, I may have to start considering the fact that if it weren’t for him, Lizzy and I might be dead by now. He’s been the one to make sure she has enough food to eat, and if it weren’t for this blanket, we might freeze to death as the voyage continues. Pulling the blanket up to my chin, I snuggle Lizzy next to my breast and inhale his scent from the fuzzy wool.
He didn’t have to allow us on deck. They could’ve picked anyone for laundry detail, but he chose me so I could bring Lizzy up for fresh air and sunshine. He didn’t have to sneak us food. It’s his own supply, after all. He could’ve kept it for himself, or he could’ve saved bowls of the sweat sock soup for us. It’s not like I would’ve turned it down as hungry as we are. And he certainly didn’t have to give me the blanket from his bed, but he wanted us to be warm.
It’s obvious that even though he’s a bloody bastard, he does think of us often. I think he truly cares about Lizzy and me—our wellbeing. He certainly doesn’t care about the other convicts. Before he took pity on us, we were sleeping on top of the scarce piles of straw that we could find, just like the other women.
As I doze off, my mind begins to wonder if I’ll ever find Henry—if he’s even alive—and I think about what Matthew might want out of this. Is it just sex? If it were, I doubt he’d act so kindly towards us. So what does he want? A companion? I wonder if he has a wife or fiancee back home, and maybe he’s just homesick? Or is he single? And what kind of partner and father would he make?
Riddled with more questions than answers, my heavy eyes finally win the battle of my wits and close, only to leave me dreaming about the man who enslaves me to his sexual needs even while I’m already in captivity.
I’m not just a convict; I’m his prisoner.
I’ve not seen much of Victoria with the icy conditions. Most of us are wearing our uniforms multiple days in a row—sometimes a week or more—before changing into clean clothes but that’s the least of my concern right now.
The few times I have gotten to see her, I’ve noticed her dress is so worn that you can practically see through it. Not only will she freeze to death in it but it also entices some of the other men on board. I’ve caught a few of them peeping at her as she hangs out the clothes when she comes up for laundry detail and it makes me want to knock every single one of their heads off their bodies.
The temperatures have plummeted and I’m really worried about her. When she was up on deck a few days ago, I noticed how chapped and raw her skin was from the frigid weather. It won’t be long before it cracks open and infection sets in. And if her skin looks like that, I hate to see what the baby’s skin looks like. Their skin is so much more fragile and delicate than ours. I can’t let that happen because I know we’re almost out of medicine and she could die.
Our food supply is also running low. Part of it is due to some of the food going bad because there’s no good way to store it. Instead of letting it continue to rot and let everyone starve before we can get more food from the surplus ship, the Captain has decided to bring some of the women up to cook it before it gets too bad and we have to dump it in the water. I immediately think of Victoria and Lizzy. I’ve got to get them up here—not only so they’re warmer but also so they can eat more than the others.
Digby is assigned to call the women up and I make sure that Victoria is given permission to come to the kitchen. It doesn’t take long for the smell of cooked food begins to fill the air and everyone’s mouth is practically watering. I take my opportunity to get her alone while the others are busy feeding their faces.
“What’s the bloody meaning of this?” Victoria whisper shouts as I pull her into my room and lock the door. “Everyone is eating and I want to make sure Lizzy and I get some of it!”
“There’s plenty,” I say, showing her the food that I’ve already stashed away in my room. I took more than enough as they were cooking so that I wouldn’t be noticed carrying too much food at once when it was all finished.
“You stole from the others?” She gasps. Her sharp tone and clenched jaw let me know that she’s angry with me but she doesn’t understand the severity of the situation like I do. None of the passengers realize that if the supply ship doesn’t catch up to us soon, we might all die.
Shaking my head, I say, “No. I made sure that the three of us have enough to eat. As hungry as everyone is, the food won’t last. You know as well as I do that they’re all going to take more than they can eat, hoarding it away for another day.”
“Like you did?” She huffs. “It’s not right, Matthew! You can’t decide who gets to eat and who doesn’t. There are other women and children on this ship! One wo
man had a baby last night and she’s nothing more than a sack of bones!”
Her yelling is going to get us caught and we’d both receive punishment. While hers may only be a lashing from another officer, I would lose my position as a Marine and serve a hefty sentence myself. It’s not an ideal situation for either of us.
“Lower your voice,” I warn her. “I’m not telling you twice.”
“I’ll do whatever I bloody want! There are too many—.”
Growling, I stop her mid-sentence, pulling her to my chest. I’ve had enough of her mouth and it’s time I silence her. She doesn’t have time to react before our mouths clash together, teeth banging into each other and I taste a tinge of blood as my tongue enters her mouth.
Her body goes completely still against mine and I take that as an invitation to continue. My mouth consumes hers and it’s only a matter of seconds before she begins responding by kissing me back. I bite her tender lip, sucking on it, enjoying the metallic taste that her blood has to offer. Over and over, I force my tongue into her mouth, biting her lip, tasting her blood and repeat the process all over again. Her eyes remain closed for most of it, only opening when I stop kissing her.
She wants more.
Cupping her breasts in my hands, I squeeze them and a light whimper escapes from her swollen, bloody lips. Her nipples harden and poke through the thin fabric of her dress. I want them in my mouth but I’m taking my sweet time with her. Toying with her.
I’ve got her exactly where I want her.
Pulling her hair, I force her head back. In a compromising position, her neck is completely exposed to me. I bite her neck, trailing kisses after each nibble. Goosebumps erupt all over her body as she subtly spreads her thighs.
It reminds me of how I manipulated her body when I forced her to stroke my cock, and all I can think about is how bad I want to bury my cock inside her sweet pussy this time.
Picking her up, I carry her to the bed. “Lift your arms,” I command her. She stares at me for a moment and I can see her mind racing a mile a minute. Yes, I know she’s married and I shouldn’t have her, but she’s mine in every sense of the word. Her husband is nowhere to be found and I refuse to let her get away.
Her eyes flutter for a second, looking up at me through her thick, hooded lashes before she finally raises her arms. Swiftly, I remove her dress and take in the gorgeous sight before me.
Her crimson cheeks give away her embarrassment as my eyes fixate on every detail of her body. I’ve never seen such perfect skin. Creamy and pale, it’s flawless. If angels exist, I doubt there would be one as beautiful as her.
My mouth stiffens as I notice how her pointy bones protrude at her hips and shoulders. It pisses me off that it doesn’t look like she ate any of the food that I snuck to her. I risked a lot making sure she had enough to eat but now that I see how bone thin-she is, my anger consumes me.
“Haven’t you been eating the food I’ve given you?” My voice booms.
Her eyes cut up to mine, scared. “S-some of it,” she admits. “But I mostly feed it to Lizzy. She’s a growing girl and needs it more than I do.”
Damn it! I should have been giving her more. Knowing how much she cares about that baby, I should’ve known she’d give it all to her. I would risk anything for her, even if it meant the worst whipping or corporal punishment. I wouldn’t care if I were stripped of my rank and lived homeless on the streets if it meant seeing to it that she survives. How fucking foolish am I? I’m a bloody idiot. She’s on the path to starvation!
Even her ribs are prominent; I can visibly see her sucking in air as she remains perfectly still while on display for me. Knowing that she’s nervous makes me smile. My hand slowly caresses her cheek before wandering down her neck, shoulders, breasts, and hips. Tiny goose pimples erupt all over her thin, pale body.
She has a perfect bush covering her little pussy and I’ve waited long enough. Reaching between her legs, her thighs immediately part for me.
She’s already wet.
So wet.
I have to taste her. It’s been too long since I’ve had a woman and ever since I laid eyes on her, she’s all I’ve wanted. I want her to feel what it’s like to have my mouth and tongue on her body. Licking her sweetness off my fingers, it’s time for more.
Picking her up, I lift her onto my bed and position myself between her legs. She eagerly spreads them for me and I waste no time. I’ve been waiting months for this moment and I won’t let another second pass by. Lying on my stomach, I pull her tiny folds apart to grant me full access to her pussy and slowly trace her throbbing button.
Her body instantly responds to my tongue and I’ve only just begun. With her back arched, a deep hiss escapes her cracked, bloody lips before she looks down at me but I’m too focused on tasting her.
This is for my pleasure, just like everything else; though, I know she’s enjoying it, too.
Eager for her juices, my tongue runs up and down the full length of her slit. My beard is completely coated in her sweet glaze but it’s not enough. I want her to writhe beneath my touch, come on command, and call out my name.
My attention goes right back to her throbbing clitoris. I can practically feel it buzzing against my tongue and my cock stirs against the mattress. Alternating between long, slow deliberate strokes and short, quick ones, I can hear her breathing becoming more erratic.
Inserting a finger inside her, I can feel how tight her walls are as they grip onto me. I gently rock my finger back and forth, almost as if I’m telling her to come but she doesn’t have my permission yet.
“Oh god,” she cries out, gripping the blanket.
“Not yet,” I say to her. “You don’t come until I tell you.”
Her eyes grow wide as if her ears have failed her but I know she heard me loud and clear. I push my finger deeper inside her until it lands on her G-spot. Her legs shake for a moment but the instant our eyes lock, I shake my head no. “Not yet,” I instruct her.
Too busy lapping her juices and stimulating her G-spot, I almost bring her near orgasm but quickly remove my finger before she has a chance to come. A small whimper escapes her mouth and I warn her again, “I’ll tell you when.”
I haven’t gotten to toy with her nearly as much as I’d like and while I have her in my bed, I’m going to relish in every second of it. She gives me a small nod. “Good,” I say.
Inserting my finger again, I go straight for her G-spot as my tongue continues exploring every part of her. “God,” she moans, twisting the fisted blanket in her hand.
Edging her to orgasm, I flick my tongue harder and faster against her button as my fingers also move quickly. Her entire body is shaking now and I know she wants to come so badly.
“Come for me, Victoria,” I murmur as I increase my pace.
Like a dam ready to burst, her legs begin to shake as they tense around my head.
“Oh, god,” she cries out. “Matthew!”
Drawing in a sharp breath of air, I feel her clitoris surging as her juices run down my face.
The smell of my sex hangs heavy in the air. As much as I know this is wrong, I can’t stop myself from wanting more. A convict should never have sex with one of the Officers. A married woman—assuming Henry’s still alive somewhere—should not desecrate her vows, but for all I know, he’s dead. I might be a widow.
I don’t like to think like that but it’s looking like the stark reality. Lizzy doesn’t have a father and I don’t have a husband. These last few months, Matthew has been the one taking care of me—taking care of us. He’s provided for us, made sure there was food for us to eat, and allowed us the opportunity for fresh air and sunlight instead of being cooped up in that dank, musty prison basement filled with rats, illness, and excrement.
Right now, he’s all we’ve got. I’ve been slowly coming to terms with the fact that Henry’s gone—he’s been gone— and have started thinking about my options. I’d much rather have my husband but I have to be realistic. Matthew is here and now
, and no matter how much of a monster that I try to paint him out to be, he’s not let anything bad happen to me or Lizzy. I’ve seen other convicts starve to death—literally starve as their body wasted away—and I’ve seen many die of illness but I know Matthew would try to get us medicine if Lizzy or I were to come down with something.
And I’ve heard rumors of other guards and Marines raping and sodomizing women. While he’s forced me to do things and has touched my most intimate parts, he’s never done such horrible things like the other men.
I have accepted the fact that we’re alive because of him and it’s been a small price to pay.
And his hands, his mouth, his tongue. I’ve only ever been with Henry so I don’t have much to compare him to but, my god! His touch is intoxicating and I can’t get enough of it.
Even that night when he had me locked in his room and came back with booze on his breath, his hands skillfully touched me—in a drunken stupor!
Until just a moment ago, I’ve never orgasmed so bloody hard. Not in my entire life! That’s not to say that Henry didn’t try to please me, because he did, but the way Matthew moves his tongue and fingers at the same time was incredible. My entire body writhed as my orgasm continued coming in waves that just wouldn’t stop rolling. For the first time in my life, I saw stars behind my eyes.
Tiny bursts of white-hot stars erupted and exploded behind my closed lids. I always thought that saying was made up but I can now attest that it is not.
Sitting up between my legs, he wipes his slick beard, cleaning it of my juices as he smiles.
“Your turn,” he says, pumping his cock in his hand.
Eager to please him, I quickly scramble to all fours and put him in my mouth. A low, rumbling growl escapes his throat, encouraging me to continue. My tongue swirls around his big, bulbous head before coaxing down his thick shaft. I can feel every rigid vein protruding from his meaty cock, and I let my tongue explore it as I take him in a little farther.
