aptain Garson held onto the handle of his door and stared straight ahead as he thought of what had to be done. It wasn't something he'd ever imagined was in him, but he had to protect her the only way they would accept.

 He slowly opened it, unsure of what to expect. Her cousin had lied to his face. He had no way of knowing if she was as frightened and innocent as she appeared or if she was just the better liar and was waiting to ambush him.

 When he looked in, he found her spinning in place with his prism held high. She was giggling and his eyes widened at her carefree spirit there of all places. His shoulders slumped at what he knew was about to happen.

 Evie heard a sound and quickly lowered the crystal. She looked toward the door and backed away until she hit the shelves.

 "I ... I'm sorry," she said softly.

 She carefully placed it where it belonged and held her flower again. Her eyes grew as he neared her, and she looked down in fear of what he planned.

 Without a word, he shoved her to the floor. She sat hard with a thump and watched him pull a chair close. She only looked upward enough to see him sit down and fold his arms.

 "Who are you?" he asked.

 His tone was calm, but she knew from earlier that it meant little in the form of revealing his true bearing.

 "Evie Sorensen," she said quietly.

 She realized he suspected Edgar of lying and wanted the truth from her. She wanted to be honest, but what would telling him mean? The best she could do was keep her answers short and precise.

 Captain Garson listened to her timid voice. It was unassuming and had the loveliness of a church choir. He gritted his teeth against the unwelcome stirring in his soul.

 "Is that bumbling idiot truly your cousin?" he pressed on.

 She nodded.

 "Speak," he ordered, his voice so commanding that she felt it in her stomach.

 She swallowed the bile that continued to rise up.

 "Yes," she whispered, then in a louder voice so he wouldn't lose his patience, "Yes, he is."

 "Why did he bring you to me?" he questioned. "Was his answer to me the truth?"

 He watched her lip tremble as fresh tears streamed down her cheeks.

 "It's true. Edgar and Uncle don't want me," she answered timidly. "Edgar has hated me since the day I arrived at his father's home. He says I interfered with having all that was his. It wasn't true, though. Uncle never took anything away from Edgar for me, and I never received anything nearly as good as Edgar.

 I never believed he hated me so much he would bring me here. I don't understand what I did so wrong to either of them."

 She began sobbing into her hands and he noticed the flower again. She was a pitiful little thing, and he knew if the crew got their hands on her, she would suffer horrific torment and pain.

 "Stand," he commanded, not wanting to waste any more time.

 Evie squeezed her eyes shut against more tears and stood before him.

 "Remove your clothes," he commanded.

 She stared down at him and breathed faster. He stared at her in expectation of her obedience, and she struggled to find a way to refuse.

☠️🌺 When she stood rigidly with no movement to obey, he reached up with his large hands and grabbed a hold of the low bodice of her dress. She screamed when he ripped the rosy pink satin down the center, exposing her white undergarments.

☠️🌺 "Please, don't," she cried as she stepped back.

☠️🌺 She sobbed and shook her head as he stood and closed the distance between them in one long stride. He ignored her pleas and ripped the rest from her arms, the delicate lace embellishing it shredding beneath the violent act.

☠️🌺 She struggled to stand as he continued pulling it from her.

☠️🌺 "Do you cry over your ruined gown or the precarious state of your virtue?" he muttered almost in a sneer, causing her to glare at him in shock.

☠️🌺 "It isn't mine," she sobbed, though it didn't matter.

 His suggestion that she care more about the dress than his violence shocked and angered her, but she had no time to feel anything more than fear and a desperate need to resist.

☠️🌺 He pushed the dress down past her waist, and she lost her balance. She reached for the shelf to hold her steady when she was about to fall. He caught her and tossed her onto the bed, the dress falling to the floor.

☠️🌺 "I could tell," he replied, thinking once again that there was more to her story than she or Edgar admitted.

☠️🌺 He pulled off the shoe that still dangled on her foot, the other having been lost with the dress.

☠️🌺 "Don't, please," she begged as he pulled away her bloomers.

☠️🌺 She tried to back away against the pillows, but he pulled her beneath him. She wanted to push him away, but she remembered pushing Edgar away when he tried to kiss her. He had hit her so hard, she fell to the floor. If she fought this beast of a man, he would do much worse.

☠️🌺 She wondered if she could kick him away and run, but to where? That cabin was frighteningly the safest place on that ship.

☠️🌺 As he spread her legs open, she thought of the water just outside the window. She didn't know how to swim, but drowning had to be better than what he was about to do and what would happen if the rest of the men were allowed to have her.  

☠️🌺 "I'm afraid," she cried as he moved between her legs. "Please, don't. Please, don't hurt me," she sobbed.

 He watched her clasp her hands together in front of her breasts covered by the sheer white chemise. In her hand was the purple flower. It was crumpled and the petals torn, but somehow, it was in one piece.

 He huffed at the resemblance to her and how nothing that only existed to bring joy and beauty to the rest of the world could ever survive in his. He would let her keep it if that's what she needed to make it through what was about to happen.

☠️🌺 He loosened the buttons and laces of his trousers and undergarment as she continued to beg for his mercy. 

 He began to wonder if letting her go and locking her in his cabin until he could get the ship back to port was possible. He wanted nothing more at that moment than to let her keep her dignity and set her on shore, but the crew would never allow it.

 What power did a captain truly hold over a ship of nearly eighty angry men, particularly a captain who took pity on the first beautiful girl they'd seen in months?

☠️🌺 She watched fearfully as he licked his fingers before moving his hand downward. She gave a sharp scream when she felt his fingers against her delicate flesh. She cried harder and louder as she tried in vain to close her legs. He was firmly in position and blocking her way. She gripped his coat he hadn't bothered to remove and cried over the intrusion of two fingers into her body.

☠️🌺 "It hurts," she shrieked.

 Captain Garson looked down into her terrified eyes as she looked up with tears pouring like a river into her hair. In that moment, his heart grew cold again. He couldn't stand the look of disgust on her face as she pushed against him. It was the same with every woman, though he'd paid them well to be with a one-eyed demon.

☠️🌺 Evie screamed as his manhood entered her. She cried as he moved himself deeper before pulling himself away. When he did, she believed it was already over. She had no way of knowing it was only the beginning.

☠️🌺 As it lasted longer than she had hoped, she held onto him and sobbed in defeat. All she could do was try to bear the pain.

☠️🌺 Captain Garson watched her expression as she shut her eyes tightly and cried through clenched teeth, her painfilled moans rising each time he entered. He slowed his thrusts in an effort to make it easier on her, but he knew the damage was already done. 

 He wondered if he should try to comfort her as he continued. He wanted to explain why he did what he did, but he needed the harrowing ordeal to be real for those listening. He gripped the bed beside her in anger and regret.

 It wasn't her fault her cousin dragged her from her life of sheltered comfort and threw her to the sharks to be rid of her. It wasn't her fault the men outside of that cabin would have raped her to death if he didn't claim her this way. It wasn't her fault she was afraid of him and this new experience. It wasn't her fault he looked the way he did. It was only natural for a lady to fear such ugliness.

 She had every right to be upset over having her virginity stolen, her chances at becoming the spoiled wife of a fine, upstanding gentleman ripped away as he continued to assault her. She had every right to hate him for such unforgiveable brutality. He hated himself more at that moment than at any other time in his wretched existence.

☠️🌺 He found his end, but he didn't enjoy it. The guilt ripped through him, and he pulled away as soon as it was done.

☠️🌺 Evie screamed at the quick movement that ripped through her sore and bloodied opening. She didn't open her eyes as she felt him move around her. She was too afraid of what would happen next. She couldn't endure more pain, and she cried loudly into the pillow that she held close to muffle her sounds.

☠️🌺 Captain Garson pulled together his trousers and stared at the bed between her legs. She closed them against the pain and slowly, fearfully turned to her side. He saw the blood on the sheets spread to her white stockings and swallowed the burning lump in his throat. 

 It wasn't right. What he had done to her wasn't right, but it was better than the alternative.

 Without a word, he left the room.