Unspoken: A story of secrets, love and revenge T. Belshaw (good books to read for beginners txt) 📖

brushed against each other and before I knew it a beer-soaked tongue was sloshing around inside my mouth. I nearly gagged and tried to pull away but he was too strong. Eventually he came up for air.

‘Let’s just get off the road for a moment, Alice,’ he said. ‘I’ve got something I’d like to give you for your birthday.’

I allowed him to lead me into the field and we sat down on the still-dry grass. The autumn dew hadn’t yet settled. He put his arm around my shoulders and began to undo the buttons at the back of my dress.

‘Hey,’ I said, turning towards him. ‘What’s your game?’

‘Snakes and ladders,’ he replied and we both laughed.

I don’t remember my brassiere being unhooked but it must have been because a couple of minutes later I was on my back with my breasts exposed to the world. Frank was ever complimentary, telling me they were the loveliest things he had ever seen. He ran his hands over them and squeezed them and I must admit I found the experience very pleasurable. When he sucked on my nipples I moaned, lay my head to the side and began to fall asleep.

The next thing I remember my knickers were being pulled over my ankles. I kicked out a bit and asked him what he thought he was doing, but seconds later, my legs were spread and his hand was between my thighs, stroking and exploring. I tilted my head back and enjoyed the feeling. I had never felt anything quite like it before. Then he rolled on top and entered me. I tried to sit up and shove him off but he was too heavy. As he began to push, I gave in, lay back and just let it happen.

And that was my first experience of sex. It was short, rough and ugly. Afterwards, even in my drunken state, I felt used and ashamed.

Frank rolled off. Pulled up his trousers, walked back to the footpath and lit up a cigarette.

‘You’d better get yourself home,’ he said. Then he turned and walked back the way we had come leaving me half naked and crying.

Chapter 11

Jess

‘Oh my God, Nana. What a terrible thing to happen. He should have been ashamed of himself, the brute.’

‘It was my own stupid fault,’ said Alice. ‘I shouldn’t have got so drunk and I should have put up a struggle. I just let it happen really.’

‘Nana, you were only just eighteen and totally inexperienced, he was a fully grown man of how old, thirty, thirty-one?’

‘He was twenty-nine when it happened, but he was almost thirty by the time I clapped eyes on him again.’

Jess wouldn’t be mollified. ‘It’s disgusting. If that happened now, he’d be outed by the feminists in the town.’

‘There was no feminism then, Jessica. Women were second class citizens, even in law. We couldn’t do half the things men could do; we’d only been able to vote for nine years. It was a different world. Men were the breadwinners; women were supposed to stay at home and bring up the babies. What was the saying, women were supposed to be maids in the living room, chefs in the kitchen and whores in the bedroom. There was no justice for women. Men hit them with impunity. If the dinner wasn’t up to their high standards, they got a thump. When they came back from the pub, drunk as lords and couldn’t perform in the bedroom, it was the woman’s fault and they got a thump. If they did perform and the sex wasn’t as good as expected, they got a thump for that too. Life was one long rollercoaster of black eyes and busted lips.’

‘Something should have been done about it,’ said Jess angrily.

‘Well, nothing was done,’ said Alice calmly. She glanced at the hated clock. ‘It’s four o’clock, shouldn’t you be somewhere else?’

‘I’m okay this afternoon, Nana, Calvin’s at a lecture off-campus. I don’t know what else he can learn about computers; he’s been working from home as an advisor on them for four years. You’d think he knew it all by now.’

The mention of Calvin’s name made her automatically reach for her phone. There were two text messages from eleven-thirty that morning. She opened the first with growing anxiety.

‘Hi, Jess, are you still at your Nana’s? What time are you home?’

Nervously, she opened the second.

Don’t rush to get back, this bloody lecture will go on until seven at least. The whole computer system went down. See you later. XX Calv.

Jess re-read the texts with a puzzled look on her face. This was the Calvin of old. The caring Calvin. The Calvin who let her know what he was doing without demanding to know what she was up to all the time.

She texted back. Sorry, Calvin. I was engrossed in Nana’s story; I’ve only just read your texts. I’m really sorry. Honestly, so sorry.

Thirty seconds later another text arrived.

No worries, Jess. Look after your Nana, things are hectic here.

She heaved a sigh of relief, slipped the phone back into her bag and got to her feet.

‘I’m just nipping to the loo then I’ll make us another cuppa, Nana. There’s no rush to get home today so I’ll stay until six-ish. I’ll talk to Calvin about staying over a night or two. It will be fine.’ She hesitated. ‘I’m sure it will.’

Chapter 12

Calvin

Calvin propped himself up on one elbow and watched the naked Tania get out of bed. With her back still facing him she took a white satin blouse from the back of a chair and slipped it on. Calvin took in the long legs, the curve of her bottom beneath the white satin and he became aroused again.

‘Come back to bed,’ he said huskily.

Tania turned around; she had fastened just one button over her navel. Calvin blew a wolf whistle and patted the bed.

‘Come on, I’m ready for more.’

‘You’ve had more than enough for one day, we’ve been in that bed for over