Page 91 of The Condemned (Echoes from the Past #6)
Virginia Colony
A warm day gave way to a balmy night, the air heavy with the smell of new grass and wildflowers.
A lazy moon floated in the sky, a perfect sphere that cast a silvery pall over the bed.
Simon stretched out on the rumpled sheet, his naked body glistening with perspiration.
The cabin was quiet, the silence of the night disturbed only by the chirping of crickets and the chorus of cicadas.
Simon smiled to himself, pleased with his good fortune.
Well, it wasn’t good fortune exactly, it was the result of waiting, planning, and executing.
He mentally cringed at the word but reminded himself that John’s death wasn’t really his fault.
None of it was. He’d never forced anyone to do anything, and he’d never lied about his intentions.
The people who had placed themselves at his mercy had done so willingly, and they had always known what the consequences of their actions would be should their activities come to light.
Simon rolled onto his side as his lover’s eyes fluttered open.
Oliver Hunt smiled lazily and blinked several times, still groggy with sleep.
The lower half of his body was covered with a sheet, his hairless chest white in the moonlight.
He was as soft as a woman, never having done a day’s work, but despite his lack of physical beauty, he was surprisingly well endowed.
Hunt pulled aside the sheet, exposing his stiffening shaft.
“Take it in your mouth this time,” the secretary commanded, watching with hungry eyes as Simon slid down and wrapped his lips around the man’s cock.
Simon’s eyes never left the secretary’s face as he went to work, bringing Hunt to orgasm quickly and skillfully.
Once he was done, he moved up, covered Hunt’s body with his own, and looked deep into his eyes .
“I want this plantation,” he said softly.
“What would you have me do?”
“I would have you sign it over to me.”
“Simon, I have already purchased your indenture contract and given you your freedom. You may remain here until the new owner takes up residence, but then you will have to leave. I can’t?—”
“You can and you will, or you will greet the newcomers to this colony swinging off the crossbar of the gate. All I have to do is say the word.”
“It’d be your word against mine,” Secretary Hunt snapped, pushing Simon off and reaching for his breeches.
“No, it wouldn’t be.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that Travesty Brown would surely testify that Secretary Hunt visited me while John Forrester was still alive and demanded sexual favors in exchange for protection and eventual monetary compensation. And I’m sure at least one person would come forward once they heard her testimony, as I was seen leaving your house in the dead of night—more than once, I might add. ”
“Travesty knows about us?” Hunt gasped.
“Of course, she does, and she will do what I tell her to. Sign the plantation over to me and you will never have to fear exposure. I will settle down to a life of respectability. I might even marry.”
Secretary Hunt stared at Simon, his eyes narrowed in anger. “Did you two plan this? Did you always intend to betray Forrester?”
Simon didn’t reply, but the answer was there in his eyes. “You have until the end of the week. Have the deed signed over to me by Sunday morning, or we’ll finally have a rousing church service. The choice is yours.”
“You conniving son of a whore. You’ll hang for this.”
“If I do, you’ll be hanging right alongside me.”
The secretary hastily dressed and stormed out of the cabin, slamming the door behind him.
Simon folded his arms behind his head and stared at the ceiling, smiling.
All this would be his in a few days. Then he would marry Travesty, as he had promised, and they would begin their life together.
Some men might not want a wife who knew all their transgressions, but Simon didn’t mind.
He needed a woman who was willing to do anything to survive, and who wouldn’t be too squeamish to break a few rules, be those the rules of man or God.
He’d done what he had to do to assure a desirable future for himself, and Travesty had played her part, accusing John and Mary and getting them out of the way so Simon would be free to apply pressure to Hunt.
It had all worked out, and a lot quicker than either one of them had expected, thanks to the attack on Mary that had brought it all to a head.
He did feel badly about Mary, but her banishment had worked in his favor, since there would be no offspring to lay claim to John’s land and no widow to court had Mary inherited John’s estate.
Mary was beddable enough, but, for once in his life, he wanted to have a choice about his future.
Simon got out of bed and went to pour himself a cup of ale. His mouth still tasted of Hunt, and he needed to wash away all traces of him. Today was the last time he’d suck any man’s cock. Today was the day he embraced his freedom.