Page 24 of Taken By the Soldier
Is this really my life now? I’m to be a good little Zasforran wife who spends her days cooking and cleaning and waiting for her husband to come home at night?
Firm consequences.
My breath hitches as I recall his threat from moments ago.
He plans to keep me in line. Plans to make me behave. And if I displease him, my bottom will pay the price. I’m ashamed that the threat of a punishment—more specifically, the threat of a spanking—is enough to make me second guess my plans for rebellion and freedom. I’m also ashamed that Luka’s threats, and his dominance, leaves me achy between my thighs. I squirm in place as I feel the moisture growing in my panties.
Then I remember that he wants us to talk and become better acquainted with one another, and my stomach gives a tiny flip. Getting to know Luka is a very, very bad idea. I don’t want to like him, and I certainly don’t want to like it here in this Zasforran settlement, even if it is safer than my apartment building in Baltimore ever was.
But I can’t forget that he saved me.
I can’t forget that he risked his life to pull me from the rubble, tended my wounds, and gave me much-needed food and water. Resources are scarce right now, yet he’s sharing his with me.
Relief swarms me when he finally releases my chin, and he reaches for his glass of wine. I take a generous sip of my own wine as a thousand questions flit through my mind.
Despite my reluctance to like anything about this place, I do find myself wanting to know more about Luka and his people and the Deep Creek settlement they’ve created. Especially since everyone I’ve glimpsed from the windows today looked content, well-fed, and unharmed. None of the women appeared battered, starving, or frightened.
“So,” I begin, “how long have you and your men been living here?”
He fingers a strand of my hair as his eyes bore into mine. “About two months. Along with my unit, there are twenty-five units of Zasforran soldiers living within the boundaries of the Deep Creek settlement. As the most senior unit commander, I’m considered the leader here, though we’ll eventually follow the same politics we had in the Islands and an election will be held and we’ll elect our first governor, and perhaps our territory will expand a bit too. But before that happens, the war must officially come to an end.”
My head spins. The Zasforrans really are here to stay. They’re already making plans to govern themselves. They’re already taking wives and putting down roots. What little hope I held for rescue by American forces dwindles.
I clear my throat. “Twenty-five units? How-how many men is that exactly?”
“About eighteen thousand men, over half of whom now have American wives. Including the war orphans who also live here, the elderly Americans we’ve taken into our care who weren’t able to evacuate the coast, and the few Americans who were living here when we arrived but pledged fealty to us, that makes our Deep Creek settlement over thirty-two thousand strong.” He continues stroking his fingers through my hair, and his touch provokes goosebumps all over my body.
It's all I can do to keep myself from leaning into his touch.
“It’s safe here, Judith,” he says. “We’re in the process of erecting a protective shield along the borders of the settlement. Once it’s complete, strangers won’t be able to wander in, nor will American soldiers have an easy time attacking us. I hope you are not worried about the war.”
Damn it. His words make me feel safe, and I don’t like it. Well… I do like it. But that’s the problem. I want to hate it here. And I want to hate Luka for claiming me as his wife. But try as I might, I’m not able to summon very much dislike for Luka and the rest of the Zasforran soldiers at this moment.
Learning they’ve taken in elderly Americans and war orphans comes as a bit of a shock. It means the news reports about the Zasforran soldiers’ savagery toward regular American citizens were probably never true.
“Is something wrong?” His voice is a deep rumble at my ear.
“No. Not exactly,” I say. “I-I was just thinking about the news reports about the war. Most of them painted Zasforran soldiers as cruel barbarians. It was reported that your soldiers were killing all Americans they came across, including women and children. That’s one of the reasons I stayed put in my apartment. I should’ve known better and not believed everything that was reported on the news. I should’ve known it was all propaganda.”
His visage softens. “I can assure you that Zasforran forces have taken every precaution not to harm regular citizens since we’ve invaded your land. We’ve targeted the American military and captured many of your politicians, but not regular citizens.”
“You captured me,” I say, feeling suddenly breathless. “You won’t let me go.”
His jaw tightens. “That’s different. You’re my wife.”
“But I didn’t want to marry you, and I still wish you would release me.” I almost gasp, because the words taste bitter, and I don’t know what’s fucking happening between me and Luka anymore. But I can’t allow myself to be lulled into a sense of security just because this place is safe, just because they have plenty of food and clean water and medical supplies.
He sets his wine down and cups my face. My heart beats so fast, I worry it might spasm straight out of my chest. Heated pulses clench in my womanly core and my head prickles with sensation, as though I can still feel him playing with my hair.
“Your people destroyed my home. Over a hundred thousand Zasforran soldiers lost wives, children, parents, friends, and other family members that day. All of them gone in a flash of unspeakable violence.” His voice is hard and his grip on my face tightens. “We’re stranded in your country now and we’re claiming the eastern states as ours. Considering that your people killed millions of mine, I would say that’s more than fair.”
“I had nothing to do with the goddamn war,” I reply in a sharp tone. “How is itfairthat I have to be your fucking wife? How is itfairthat other women like me are being claimed by Zasforran soldiers against their will?” I latch onto my rising anger and beckon it to spread through me. I’m that desperate to find fault with Luka and his fellow soldiers. Because I can’t let my guard down and start to think of this place as home. I can’t spend the rest of my days as an enemy soldier’s perfect little housewife.
Luka’s expression darkens. “War is never fair, princess. But you’ll never reclaim the life you had in Baltimore. That city will be in ruins for some time. Traveling west would be dangerous, and even if you made it all the way to California, guess what? You’ll be one refugee out of millions. It’s not as if you can travel to another part of your country and easily find a job and a place to live and carry on as though a war never happened. It will take decades for your country to recover from this war. Perhaps even longer. As far as I’m concerned, the women who are claimed by Zasforran soldiers are lucky—they will have better lives than those who fled west.” He grasps my upper arms and gives me a quick but harsh shake. “I found you and I’m keeping you, even if I must keep you locked in this house forever. You. Are. My. Wife.”
Chapter12
LUKA
