I wasn’t sure how long Pope and I sat out on that porch smoking our cigarettes in silence, but knowing what I still had to do, I could have remained there all night. I sat with my legs tucked up against my chest, and the warm blanket cocooning me inside the soft fabric. The wooden deck felt like a lifeboat I didn’t want to disembark. I closed my eyes, savoring my false sense of security.

“You’re tired,” Pope said, the first in breaking the soothing silence. “You can have the bed, and I’ll make a pallet on the floor.”

I shook my head, knowing now was the dreaded time to tell him what needed to happen. “No. We have to sleep together. Your mother will know if we don’t.”

“No, she won’t. What happens behind that door is our damn business. She can believe we are, or whatever the fuck she wants.”

Taking a deep breath and trying not to cry, I took in his powerful body, his face, and then his eyes. I didn’t want to cry. I needed to remain strong and composed. I wasn’t going to give Vivian the power of any more tears. “She has cameras, Pope.”

Anger sizzled in his deep brown eyes. “No fucking way.”

“Yes, she told me. She said Richard helped her set them up. She said they are everywhere, and she’ll be watching the videos. She also said that Richard has access to the footage, and if he sees us do anything to harm Vivian or act out in any way, that his instructions are to go down the list that Vivian made for him of ways to hurt Maria and Luis.”

Pope didn’t say anything. He took a deep breath and stood from the chair.

“Even if we found the cameras, we can’t risk turning them off or breaking them. I believe your mother when she says she’ll do something bad to my friend. I believe her.”

“I believe her too.”

He paced in front of me from one side of the deck to the other. “So, let’s discuss a plan.”

“The only plan for now is that we have to sleep in the same bed. We have to give off the image she wants. We have to do every single thing she asks of us. She wants us to court as she puts it.”

“Fine. Fine. Fuck!” He stopped pacing. “We’ll sleep in the same fucking bed if that’ll make her happy.”

I flinched at his fury. Though understanding it, Pope’s loud, booming voice startled me.

“There’s more,” I said softly.

“More? What?”

“I’ve been given a task to do tonight, or else.”

“What task?”

I swallowed, breaking the stare that Pope and I had. How was I going to say this? Heat ran along the surface of my cheeks, and my mouth grew dry. “I have to… I have to—”

“What? Tell me!”

“I have to give you a blow job,” I blurted as I stared at the splintering wood to avoid seeing Pope’s reaction.

“What? Are you fucking kidding me?”

“She said I have to. For the sake of Maria.”

“No way! This has gone far enough. This is fucking sick. I’m not going to allow this any longer. Enough is enough!”

“Shh,” I said as I brought my finger to my lips. “If you keep yelling like that, she’s going to hear you. Stop and be quiet. Please!”

He opened his mouth, but then closed it as he took a deep and calming breath. He looked up at the sky as he did so.

“It wasn’t a suggestion of hers. It was a demand. And one I plan on doing to keep my friend safe.”

Looking back down at me in disbelief, his eyes wider than I had ever seen them, he asked, “You’re serious?”

“We have to, Pope. Vivian threatened starting a fire while they slept. God knows what else is on her evil list for Richard. But I can’t risk it.”

“So what? We go inside and you suck me off while my mother watches? This is the sickest shit I’ve ever heard!”

I nodded. “It is fucking sick, but something I’m willing to do.”

“I can’t believe this,” he mumbled to himself.

I stood up, still gripping the blanket tightly around me. “We need to go inside so I can get this over with. So we can get this over with.”

Without waiting for a response, I walked back into the bedroom. I could hear that Pope was walking in behind me, no doubt feeling the same sense of dread that I was. The sound of the sliding door being closed heightened my awareness that my little sanctuary on the deck was blocked out by a heavy pane of glass.

Closing my eyes for a quick moment and taking in a large breath of air, I mustered every last ounce of strength I had. Walking over to where Pope stood, I dropped my blanket and stood on tiptoe to place my lips by his ear. “Go sit down in that chair. Pretend you like it. Don’t give Vivian any reason to retaliate or punish me for telling you her plan.”

Thankfully, Pope didn’t argue. I didn’t have the strength to deal with any resistance. I was already balancing on a tightrope of fear. The slightest shove would have sent me tumbling into the abyss of absolute horror.

Silently sitting, Pope looked at me with compassionate eyes. I could feel him. I could hear his silent words. They were reassuring. I’m not sure how, but I could sense his supportive words. I could feel them. And whether he knew it or not, Pope gave me the added power to take the next step.

Untying the belt of the tiny robe that covered my see-through nightie, I anxiously locked eyes with Pope as I lowered the satin to the floor, exposing me completely with nothing but pink sheer fabric on my skin. Pope’s eyes remained linked with mine. He surprisingly didn’t look at my breasts and hardened nipples. He didn’t glance down to discover the sheer fabric did nothing to conceal my bare pussy freshly shaven for him. He didn’t gawk at my nakedness but rather remained focused on my eyes alone. He gave me that dignity. He gave me that privacy even as I took small steps toward where he sat, prepared to take his dick into my mouth. Maybe Vivian was watching that very moment, or maybe she wouldn’t watch until the next morning. But regardless, I was going to push that awful thought and visual to the deepest recesses of my mind. I would not give her the power of disgusting me any further. It was just Pope and me now. I was only going to focus on Pope. Nothing more.

Kneeling between his legs in front of the chair where he sat, I looked up at him with pleading eyes. I silently begged for him to offer no fight. To allow this. Allow me to do whatever it took to protect my friend. I wordlessly begged that he allow me to take control.

As if he could read my thoughts, he gave me a slight nod of permission. He reached out and caressed my cheek in a loving act of reassurance. It was as if he had to offer some light on this dark situation. He was compelled to offer the slightest bit of affection even if it was only a soft touch to my face.

I reached with shaky hands for the button on his pants and undid it with the ease of a woman who had done this before. I was like a dying fish out of water, but I would pretend to be a mighty shark. If I pretended to be strong, then maybe, just maybe, I would be able to hold onto a little bit of that strength to allow me to survive this situation. When the button unfastened, and after I lowered the zipper, Pope reached for my hand to stop me. His eyes told me he was having second thoughts.

Survival was on the line.

No time for second thoughts.

“Pull your cock out of your pants and put it in my mouth,” I ordered in a stern whisper. I wasn’t asking. I was demanding just as Vivian was. “Now.”

“No,” he said as he went to zip up his pants.

“Please. Pope.”

He froze, scrutinized my face and then did as I asked. He removed his cock with his hand, but didn’t let go. It was as if he was shielding himself from my assault. And it was an assault. I was going to rape his dick with the touch of my lips and the lick of my tongue, just as he was going to rape my mouth. A sexual act against both our wills.

Seeing that he was beginning to waver again as his body tensed, I placed my fingertips on his hand that still held his cock. The simple touch made his penis twitch, and I could see it start to harden. Feeling encouraged by his slight sign of arousal, I gently pushed away his hand and captured Pope’s hardening dick into my palm. It grew as his breath hitched. He didn’t want this, but his body did. I could see, I could feel that it did. I glanced up at him and watched as Pope closed his eyes and leaned his head back into the leather of the chair. Pleasure replaced every other emotion that was once on his face as I eased my hand down his shaft and then back up again. Looking back down at his dick, I saw Pope Montgomery at full sexual arousal, and what an impressive sight it was. I had never taken a penis of that size into my mouth before. It was thick and tall as it stood ready for my tongue to lick along its extraordinary length.

Feeling my pulse speed up, and my own desire throb between my legs, I parted my lips and brought them to the tip of his cock. The minute they made contact with his sensitive flesh, Pope moaned. This was happening. We both knew at that very moment I was going to fuck Pope with my mouth.

Rising up on my knees so I could help ease the motion of lowering my mouth onto him fully, I sank his cock all the way to the back of my throat. He was rooted completely into my mouth. I circled my tongue around the mass that spread my lips wide. Up and down, I began this forced blow job. Tightening my lips around his cock, I bobbed my head as his moans pervaded my ears. I was pleasing him… and I liked it. I liked it so much that I pressed my mouth all the way down, deep throating his member until I gagged and tears slid from my eyes. Enjoying the only power I had—the power to please Pope—I slowly rose to the tip of his penis, circled it with my tongue, and then lowered him into my mouth, pressing hard against the back of my throat. I wanted all of him. And as he grabbed a fistful of my hair and helped guide me up and down in the rhythm he desired, I obediently followed his direction. Up and down, I sucked. Up and down, I licked. Up and down, I felt the slight sting against my scalp as Pope set the tempo.

Everything about the act was wrong. My mind screamed no. My heart ached as my will was stolen from me. It was so wrong, but the hungry need throbbing between my legs disagreed. It was wrong, but it was so fucking right. I sucked, I feasted, I enjoyed every minute as Pope clearly did as well. It was wrong, but my sexual need overpowered all sense. I wanted more. I should have wanted this to be over with, but I only wanted more. The erotic nature of this act only fueled my screaming libido inside. His cock… I wanted his cock in more ways than just in my mouth. I was ravenous and my appetite only grew as his hard dick mastered my wet lips.

Pope’s moans grew louder, and I knew he was close to completion. Would I allow it? Have him come in my mouth and swallow? Would I pull out and let him come all over this little pink nightie? Or would I straddle his lap and have him come deep inside my pussy instead?

Yes, I wanted that. I wanted to fuck Pope. I wanted his cock inside of me.

Just as I was about to pull his dick out of my mouth and sit on his lap, I heard a knock.

A knock on the door…

Another knock.

I froze, his dick still in my mouth as I looked up at Pope who had opened his eyes and looked at the door, stunned by the interruption.

Another knock.

“Pope? Can you help me?” It was Vivian… No, it was Viv. There was no southern accent. “Pope?”

Confused, I removed his cock from my mouth, pulled away, and sat back on my heels as Pope tucked his penis back into his underwear and fastened his pants. He stood—his hard member tenting his slacks—and walked toward the door just as there was another knock.

Still sitting on the floor, struggling to catch my breath, I watched Pope crack the door and look into the hallway.

I heard Viv’s gentle voice. “I’m sorry to bother you, but I can’t open my medication bottle. She’s allowing me to take the medicine tonight. It’s been so long since she has, that I thought I should take advantage of it.”

“Momma?” Pope remained frozen in place, but then as if seeing for himself that it was his momma and not the crazy Vivian, he took the pill bottle and opened it for her.

“Thank you, son. I’m sorry to bother you.”

Pope didn’t say another word, but closed the door and locked it once again. He turned and leaned against the wood as if he needed the door to hold him up. I still hadn’t moved from my dutiful position on the floor. His eyes locked with mine, and I could still see the desire in their depths. He wanted me. I could see it.

I wanted him. I could also feel it.

Striding over to where I sat, he reached down and lifted me from the floor. Embracing my scantily-clad frame tightly against his chest, he did nothing more than hold me. He held me.

Wrapping my arms around his thick torso, clinging to the warmth I so desperately craved, I whispered against his chest, “Please don’t ever let me go.” I needed him. I needed his touch. I needed his comfort. I needed him so that I could feel safe.

“I won’t. I won’t ever let you go.”

Whatever those words meant, and whatever I wanted them to mean, all I cared about was at that very moment, I felt safe. I felt protected. I needed to be held. I needed to hear his heartbeat against my cheek. God I so fucking needed it.

I just had his cock in my mouth, and I had just considered fucking the shit out of him, but at that very moment, I wanted nothing more than to remain firmly in his arms.

“Let’s get some sleep,” Pope finally said as he gently rubbed my back.

I wasn’t sure why we weren’t discussing what just happened before we were interrupted by Viv, but I no longer had the energy to discuss it or try to make sense of a situation of such epic madness.

Silently, I allowed him to guide me to the bed that we would be sharing. We would sleep side by side as a normal couple would do. It was official… Pope and I were courting.