TRIGGER WARNING: Mentions/implications of rape. Nothing explicit.
She buttoned her cardigan and locked the front door of the shop before walking home. It was her turn to clean after closing, which never excited her, but it was even more difficult given how exhausted she was from staying up the night before. As she was walking, a young soldier suddenly exited the drivers side of a black vehicle parked by the curb near the shop and began walking towards her. She froze momentarily and wondered if she should run or keep calm. She chose the latter and prepared for whatever the boy had to say.
"Madam Tremblay?"
"Oui?"
"Come with me." He said in French and opened the car door and gestured for her to sit. "Please."
"Have I done something wrong?"
"Madam." The soldier gestured once more. "Now."
She couldn't believe she was taking orders from a young Gestapo brat, but she complied nonetheless. Wherever she was going she could handle it. They eventually pulled up to an apartment complex further into the city. The young soldier opened her door and escorted her all the way up to one of the top floors. Once the elevator doors opened the boy gestured forward and she stepped inside the apartment. She wasn't at all prepared for what happened once the elevator doors closed, but at the same time in her heart she wasn't surprised at all. Major Dieter Hellstrom came out in his smoking jacket with a drink in his hand. She gave a slight sigh of relief, even though she could still sense the danger she was in.
"Was that charade your way of inviting me over?" She laughed. "If you wanted me to come tonight, you could have simply asked."
"I was worried you would not accept my invitation otherwise." He smiled. "But now that you're here, can I make you a drink?"
"I would, but…honestly I really should get home."
"Nonsense, you've just arrived." He set his drink down and pulled her by the hand further into the apartment.
"What – what's going on?" She began hesitantly. "I don't understand."
Suddenly he turned and pulled her closer to him. Her breath caught in her throat as her face was mere centimeters away from his.
"You don't understand?" He smirked. "You're smarter than that, Marie. At least I hoped you were."
She laughed nervously and looked at the ground.
"I know what you want from me," She began avoiding eye contact at all cost. "But I'm not willing to risk everything. I love my husband."
"I don't believe you." He said quietly.
She looked up at him in disbelief. To see the major go to these lengths just for a casual fuck disgusted her to her core, even more so than before.
"It doesn't matter if you believe me or not." She said, getting bolder each passing second. "I love him, and he loves me."
Love. For the first time she allowed herself to believe it. A tremendous weight rolled off of her shoulders as she spoke. This had the opposite effect on the major, however. He thought once he planted those thoughts of Gilbert's infidelity, there would be no stopping her from coming to him for everything. Yet after all of that, she was still completely loyal. If she'd been born to a German family, she would've made him the perfect wife. But now his hopes remained dashed by another's prior claim. The bitterness of resentment choked him as her declaration rolled effortlessly off her lips.
"How sweet," He said, letting go of her hand and walking over to the bar to refill his drink. "You're sure you don't want anything?"
"Quite sure." She said shortly.
She wanted to punch him square in the jaw and run away, but they both knew there was no leaving until the major allowed her to. She was essentially his prisoner, and he was going to take full advantage of that.
"It's really a shame." He took a long sip.
"Shame?" He turned to face her and began walking towards her, not saying a word, just predatorily eyeing her. "You're making me nervous, Dieter."
"Good," He said tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "It's nice to know you can feel something other than prudence and obligation."
"Well," She fought to maintain composure, "There's nothing worse than betrayal."
"Indeed." He smiled as if she'd just fallen into a trap. "For example, it would be a shame if your husband proved to be a less than desirable citizen of the German state."
Her heart sunk, and for a moment she worried that the major had discovered their aliases.
"That's highly unlikely." She said, trying to muster whatever confidence she had left.
"I'm not so sure," He smiled and took another drink. "Unless he has German blood, I can't see him being of much use. Especially not for one of the most important things." She braced herself as he leaned in and kissed her once more. "You can't pretend you don't understand that."
"I'm sorry. I really must go."
As she turned to leave he suddenly grabbed her shoulders and pushed her against the wall, lips on her neck, tearing at her clothes.
"Stop!" She screamed and pushed against him. "Stop, please! I can't!"
"You're still worried about what that arrogant bastard will think?"
She breathed out heavily as she grasped the sleeves of his jacket.
"I'm sorry for the way my husband behaved the other day," She said, desperately trying to appease him. "If that's what this is about, just know I was mortified."
"You've known very well what this has all been about." His hand moved up her thigh. "Have you told him about our arrangement?"
"Your proposition, yes." She looked down. "You forget I haven't made my decision."
"To hell with your decision." He replied, spitting the words with a foreboding air of a man scorned and she felt her heart sink into her stomach. "I told you I'm not a man who can be satisfied with your friendship, nor do I want it." The smug smile spread across his lips. "I'm glad he knows. He should know what kind of man he's up against, but sadly for him I can see he does not. Men have given their wives to officers before. Whether by choice or under threat, they comply." He grabbed her chin and tilted her face up so that she was forced to look into his unforgiving eyes. "You are no exception. Besides, you don't want to betray the Reich, do you?"
She felt like she was caught in a riptide, pulled out to sea further and further. Drowning. There was no escaping him. She could try to fight him, but not as Marie Tremblay. Anna Thomas could have and would have slit his throat. It would be surprising to say the least if the helpless girl in the flower shop was suddenly capable of overpowering and assassinating an SS officer. No. If she compromised her identity, they would find her body swinging in a courtyard before the next day was out. And worse, the suffering in the world would continue to grow with each passing day that Hitler still drew breath. She attempted to steady her breath and stifle her tears as he led her to his bed.
…
She felt numb to everything around as she lay in the scattered bed sheets. The feeling of being tossed by the riptide was gone, but now it felt like she'd been chewed up and spat back out. The palm of her left hand rested against her temple as her right clenched the bed sheet. The throbbing between her legs made hate surge through her, yet she couldn't muster anything more than tears. She was trying to make sense of what just happened to her, but she couldn't. There were no words on earth to justify her suffering. So she lay silent.
The major laid next to her with a cigarette, staring down at her nakedness. He smiled as he admired her beauty, but more so for the fact that he won. She put up a good fight, but in the end he always knew he would win. He'd never had a woman who was this hard to get before, but he decided the practice was good for him, no matter how reluctant she might have been. Now he could have her any time he wanted. He smiled, took another drag of his cigarette, and ran his finger down her forearm. His face fell slightly as she shuddered at his touch. She would eventually learn to respect him, maybe even love him as she slowly discovered what a powerful man could do. He could give her the life she always dreamed of, no more working in the flower shop, no more humble housewife on the arm of an ungrateful bastard. He truly meant it when he said she would want for nothing.
"Marie," he said quietly.
Her eyes were open, but she made no effort to look at him. Without another word he wrapped his arms around her and held her to his chest, kissing her tear stained cheek.
The intimate way he held her now was a stark contrast to the events of the night before. She was dead weight in his arms. Up until last night she'd only dreamt of doing this with Archie. She knew this was the major's plan all along. Hell anyone with eyes knew what he wanted to do to her when they saw the two of them together. But she always thought if she ever got into a predicament like this she'd be able to find a way out of it. Now she felt used up like a wad of tissue paper, thrown in the bin like trash. The love she had to give so savagely taken from her.
"Are you really that unhappy?"
The question made her want to laugh. Unhappy didn't begin to describe what she was feeling. She wanted to cuss him out, to scream, to kill him. Instead she just sighed and rolled over.
"What do you want from me?"
At this she scoffed.
"Nothing." She muttered.
"Have it your way then." He stamped out his cigarette and began to dress. "When you're done pouting you can join me for breakfast."
She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth to keep from sobbing. He could never see her in such a weak position. Only a few tears escaped. Then she knew it was time to move on. A spy is always calculated. Always moving and changing with the course of her mission. She couldn't change the events of the night before no matter how badly she wished to. If anything, the events of last night woke her up to the sad reality that love and attachment only interfere with the mission at hand. If she hadn't broken her number one rule, hadn't fallen for Archie like she swore she never would, perhaps she could've gotten more information from the major last night. She was ashamed that she let her emotions get the better of her, but she would be damned if it kept them from winning the war.
Room service left a spread on the table with as much food as anyone could ask for. She had no appetite though. His wealth disgusted her almost as much as his cruelty. How many men, women, and children died to put on this feast? How much sweat from the work camps did it take to fill the major's bank account? The thought was unbearable. She forced it out of her mind.
"I must get home." She said quietly, walking to the coat closet.
He stopped her before she could open the door, but she couldn't bring herself to make eye contact with him.
"Most women would consider it an honor to be so favored by an SS officer," He tilted her chin up so their eyes met. "But you are not most women."
His smug smile was back.
"Let me pass please, I have to get to work."
"Not anymore."
"What are you talking about?"
He walked back to the table and poured himself some coffee.
"Would you like some?" He offered.
"No. Thank you." She felt herself getting nervous once again, this time thinking of ways to get out of any slippery situation he could put her in. "What do you mean I don't have to get to work?"
"You officially resigned from the position," He smiled once more as he stirred in his sugar. "Some of my men informed the owner this morning."
"What have you done to her?"
"Nothing." He took a sip. "There's nothing to fear for those who fear the Reich."
"I need that job." She protested.
"Not anymore, Marie. Don't you see?" He walked over and took her hands in his. "You won't want for anything anymore."
Tears welled up in her eyes. Surprisingly, it wasn't that difficult to play the damsel in distress, but if she was going to be held under the major's authority she might as well use it to her advantage.
"Well, then I might as well join you for breakfast."
"Wonderful." He smiled victoriously.