The Hotwife Cruise: Cassandra: 9

This story is now complete, and I've submitted it to Amazon (just in time to meet my deadline). It comes out on Thursday, so because of this, I've shifted my Patreon schedule a bit. I'm posting today (obviously) and Thursday, so that you can all read the whole thing on the day that it publishes.

Preorder it on Amazon now if you'd like. I'll also have links to other retailers on Thursday (I'll be manually publishing to those). Thanks again everyone! Oh, and I added some fun images at the bottom of this chapter as a special thank you to my patrons.

Chapter 14

Day six. Austin had made it to day six. Funny how the trip had gone from a literal pleasure cruise to something more akin to a vacation with the inlaws. At least that was an upside: he wouldn’t have to suffer Faye’s father’s political evangelism.

It was funny. He felt both melancholy about the direction of his marriage, and also oddly at peace with it, too. His mother had died of cancer ten years before, and he remembered feeling like this when she’d finally passed on. He also remembered feeling guilty for feeling relieved. Same suite of emotions working through him now.

He spent his time doing the excursions that he’d wanted to do with Faye—the kinds of ones that she’d not been into at all. In St. Maarten, he’d gone snorkeling amongst sea turtles and stingrays. In Puerto Rico, he took the shuttle to El Yunque Rainforest and hiked out to a waterfall, where people were bathing in the basin.

And while he was on the ship, he decided not to hide. If he ran into Faye or Cassandra, so be it. Not that he participated in any of the hotwife festivities. He didn’t attend the Leather & Lace Ball. He avoided anything with a platinum sign. Closest thing he got to was when he went to the spa on the fifth night and was pretty sure some people were having sex in the sauna. Sounded a little too hot for his comfort.

He did yoga in the morning on the Horizon Deck, even flirted a little with the cute instructor. He ate breakfast with everyone else, and behaved like this was just a normal cruise, only he was all by himself.

That came to a head on the evening of the sixth day, though, when Austin was in the Explorer’s Lounge, where he spent most evenings. He got over the slightly chintzy feel to the place, and it was usually pretty chill.

Not tonight, though. Tonight it was packed. With men. With the bulls. He recognized many of them—Joe Greene; the “Stunt Cock” guy from the other night, whose name was AJ; the lifeguard Mike Johnson. The guest relations manager, Inez, was one of the few women there, although she didn’t seem to be present in any official capacity. She was there with the Thor look alike that he’d seen dancing with Cassandra so long ago, and they looked to be together.  

“Hello, Mr. Reed,” she greeted him, friendly, professional. He was impressed that she remembered his name. “How’s your new room?”

“It’s been peaceful. Thanks again.”

“Of course. I’m sorry that this trip hasn’t worked out for you. Hopefully it’ll be okay once you’re back on solid ground?”

“Thanks. And hopefully it will be.” He looked around. “So what’s going on here?”

“Tonight’s the Bull Auction,” she said, as if that explained it all. When he looked at her blankly, she explained. “Kind of a tradition at the end of these cruises. Couples—but mostly the husbands—will be able to bid on the ship’s bulls for 24-hours of no questions asked fun. Jack here is one of those bulls.”

The Viking-looking guy grinned and extended his hand.”Jack.”

Austin shook. The guy had a grip like a pair of tire tongs. “Austin.”

Jack fairly beamed at Inez as he said to Austin, “Inez isn’t one to exaggerate. These days do not disappoint.”

Austin took in the way Inez was holding Jack’s muscled bicep. “Are you two…”

“Yeah, we are,” Inez said with a smile. “But obviously can’t really be possessive when my boyfriend is an exotic dancer aboard a swinger cruise.”

“Fair enough.” This whole ship didn’t cease to surprise him. “Well, good luck to you.”

“You should come and watch,” Inez said. “It’s a fun spectacle, at the very least.”

Austin nodded. “So this is like the what? The waiting room?”

“We like to get together and have a few drinks before being paraded out like meat, yeah,” Jack said.

“Doesn’t that make you feel objectified?”

Inez laughed, covering her mouth. Jack clapped Austin on the back and grinned. “Buddy, that’s why I love my job so much. Objects have the best lives. No relationships. No hang ups. Just fun. And when it’s over and we disembark?”

“That’s where I come in,” Inez added. She slapped Jack on the butt. “Now go get your drink. I’ll take Austin in.”

Jack chuckled, looking between Inez and Austin. “Oh, I see what’s going on here.” Austin went hot under his collar. Jack thought Inez wanted to hook up with Austin, and while he had no intention of doing anything like that due to the complications in his life, it was flattering. “You have fun, you two. I know I will.”

Inez rolled her eyes. “Come on. Let the men go about doing their manly things.” She sidled up to Austin, linking her arm into his. In her heels she was actually taller than he  and smelled fantastic. “You can get me a drink at the auction.”

***

Cassandra wore a tight, low-cut red dress that Marshall must have purchased for this very occasion. It was so short that it barely covered her ass, and she fairly poured out of the plunging neckline. Paired with sky-high heels and a delicate golden necklace that nestled between her breasts, she knew she looked flawless.

She was the woman that Marshall wanted to show off. With one arm wrapped around her from behind, and the other holding the bidding paddle, every bull who climbed up on that stage would be rooting for the couple to win. She was the perfect hotwife for her man.

“You look fucking incredible, honey,” he growled as they waited for the first of the bulls to be paraded out. “Every man in this room wants to fuck you.”

Cassandra blushed, feeling the rush of desire at his words. She looked around. The auction was in the Starlight Ballroom, where the rave had been held. It looked quite different without all the black lights and glow sticks. The ceiling glittered with hundreds of lights, giving the room its name. Round high top tables were set up out on the dance floors, and caterers served champagne instead of shots. Funny how different something could look in a different context.

She spotted Austin standing towards the back, hidden by so many of the couples who were rapidly filling the venue. He was with a pretty blonde who wasn’t his wife, and Cassandra’s chest tightened in an unsettling burst of unfair jealousy before she realized that the woman was the concierge.

She hadn’t seen him since the morning that he left her room. She wasn’t sure how she’d react when she did. Now that he was there, chatting with the beautiful Inez, smiling, she found herself smiling, too. He looked happy.

A woman with dark red hair and a shimmering, silver cocktail dress emerged onto the raised platform that would serve as the stage. She lifted a microphone to her red painted lips and greeted the crowd in a crisp, British accent. “Good evenings, ladies and husbands. Most of you know me by now, but in case my voice isn’t ringing any bells, I’m your cruise director, Felicity Jones, and I’m here to welcome you to our Bull Auction.”

A murmur of excitement coursed through the crowd as Felicity Jones laid out the general rules of the auction. Each bull would come out, Felicity would give a little introduction, and the bidding would start. Highest bidder gets to spend the next day with the man. “Yes, ladies, that’s a full twenty-four hours to do whatever you’d like with them.”

“Or have them do whatever to us!” a woman from the back shouted.

“We won’t ask, and you shouldn’t tell, darling,” Felicity said with a laugh of her own. “Now, let’s begin, shall we? We’ll start us off with Lucas, who hails all the way from Australia. Lucas, get on up here.”

A fit, sandy-haired man with a playful smile hopped up on stage. If his hair had been shorter and his scruff longer, he could have been like a younger Austin. Cassandra wondered if there had been a time when her ex had sported that look.

“What do you think? Tempting?” Marshall whispered in her ear.

“They’re all tempting,” she said. “But let’s see who else comes out.”

Lucas was won by a tall, broad shouldered man and a strikingly beautiful Mediterranean brunette. The bull’s easy-going grin only grew as he realized who he got to play with. Felicity moved on to the next bull, introducing a Spanish man who arrived in a slim suit… without a shirt on.

“This is Victor,” Felicity said. “Victor, say hello.”

“Hola.” He swept the room, his eyes landing right on Cassandra’s, and when they did, something inside of her stirred.

“Not him,” Marshall said as Felicity began the bidding. Cassandra recognized that tone. A man like Victor threatened her husband, which took him off the table.

The auction moved on. Cassandra recognized a number of the guys, including Paul from last night and Jack, a guy she’d danced with at some point. The couple from the hot tub won one of the bulls, a man older than Marshall, and she swore that she saw the woman whisper, “Daddy” to her partner.

All this possibility had Marshall nearly salivating. It was the kind of situation that normally would have gotten Cassandra going, too, and while the buzz and excitement of those around her was fun—as was watching each couple disappear with one—or sometimes two—guys to begin their night, she couldn’t help but feel like it was all just… performative.

A wave of empathy washed over her as she watched the bulls being auctioned off, one after another. These men were just sex toys, just like she was so often seen as nothing more than a sex toy. They were being bought and sold, their worth determined by how much pleasure they could provide to the wives they’d be servicing. That was the name of the game. That was why they came aboard, in the same way she had agreed to come aboard.

But as Marshall began to bid more enthusiastically, running up the auction prices before eventually backing off, Cassandra just wasn’t feeling it. When she turned her attention back to the stage, beside Felicity was a confident looking black guy named Joe. He’d hit on her a few nights back, she remembered, and would have been the man of the night had Austin not shown up.

“$500,” Marshall said, raising his paddle. His arm tightened around Cassandra’s waist, and she could feel his enthusiasm in his touch. He was so excited, so eager to “win” this man for her. 

And yet it just didn’t feel right. These men were human beings, with thoughts and feelings and desires. They weren’t just playthings for rich couples to use and discard.

But when Joe looked down at her from that stage, she realized that far from feeling like no more than a piece of meat, the bull looked even more eager than Marshall. He was okay with it. All of this was consensual. Should have made it all better. All fine. But then she realized it wasn’t these guys that she was having mixed feelings about. It was herself.

Off to their left, a white-haired gentleman bid $750. Cassandra huffed a relieved breath.

“Marshall,” she said over her shoulder. “I’m not sure about this.”

“Sure you are,” he said. Then, raising the paddle, he announced, “One thousand.”

“One thousand to Mr. Cullen,” Felicity said. “Do I hear twelve hundred?”

“Twelve hundred,” someone announced from the back. Cassandra’s heart jumped at his voice. It was Austin.

“Twelve hundred to Mr. Reed. How about fifteen hund—”

“Fifteen hundred,” Marshall said before Felicity could finish. To Cassandra, Marshall said, “Looks like your ex is trying to steal away your plaything.”

She cast a glance in Austin’s direction, trying to figure out what his game was, and when their eyes met, she knew instinctively that he was doing this for her. Had he seen her distress? Or maybe he just didn’t like the guy Marshall was bidding on.

“Two thousand.” When Austin bid, he didn’t take his eyes away from her.

She breathed in deeply, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Marshall, still holding her against him, felt it. He followed her eyes. “Five thousand dollars,” he said.

A loud murmur washed over the room. Even Felicity Jones’s eyes went wide. “Well then, five thousand.” She glanced at Joe. “Think you won a bet back there,” she joked. “Five thousand to—”

“Six,” Austin said. Another collective gasp, punctuated by some approving hoots and catcalls, erupted from the crowd. To Marshall, he said, loud enough for the entire room to hear, “And I’ll keep going, if you want to play this game.”

Marshall stared over at Austin, intense, unreadable, and ultimately cowed. “Fine.” He put his paddle down. “Your boyfriend wins.”

“He’s not my boyfriend.” Even as she said the words, she realized that she wished that he was.

After the room calmed down with that exceedingly high auction, Felicity introduced an Asian man named Kenji, who had to be a CrossFit guy or something. Marshall was already raising his paddle before Felicity got to Kenji’s bio.

“Twenty-five grand for this one and the next two.” A ripple of excitement and shock went through the crowd. Marshall was staring at Austin, daring him to try anything. Even Austin looked stunned.

“Um, well, that’s not quite how we do things here, but… that’s very generous, Mr. Cullen. I think we can make an exception.”

“Call it my contribution to such a memorable cruise,” Marshall said.

Without protest from anyone in the audience, Marshall “won” the Japanese bull named Kenji, along with a black guy named Andre and a tattooed white guy named AJ.

Kenji came over, checking her out with an excited grin that once would have made her weak in the knees. Behind her, the other two followed. “I am honored,” he said. He spoke with a British accent, rather than a Japanese one, with a deep and calming voice, and he spoke directly to Cassandra. Marshall may have done the bidding, but it was clear that this is where things shifted to the wives. “Want to go up to the Horizon Deck? They usually clear it out for the winners to go up and celebrate.”

“That does sound nice,” Cassandra said. “But would you excuse us? I’d like to have a chat with my husband first.”

“Of course.”

Marshall pulled out his keycard and handed it to Kenji. “Here, why don’t you three go back to the cabin. We’ll be along shortly.” He gave them their room number.

Kenji glanced between the two of them, clearly sensing the underlying tension. Then, as if realizing that it wasn’t really his place, he simply shrugged, held up the keycard as if it were part of some sort of mock salute, and the three guys ambled off.

“What’s this all about, Cassie?”

Behind them, the auction droned on. “Okay, husbands, can I get five hundred? Bargain after that last round…”

“Let’s go outside,” Cassandra said. “I need some air.”

Clouds had been rolling in since late afternoon, and it had begun to drizzle by the time they got outside. All of which seemed strangely fitting in light of both Cassandra’s feelings and the conversation that she knew wouldn’t be easy, but could clearly no longer be put off. 

With a deep breath, she began.

“Marshall, I don’t want this.”

He looked at her, not quite surprised, but more than a little annoyed. “What are you talking about? This is what we want. What we came here for. To have fun. To have adventures. To have crazy sex.”

Cassandra shook her head. “No, Marshall. That’s what you want.”

“Okay. So what is it that you want?” He was asking the right question, but not in the right way.

“I want to be loved and respected, not used and controlled.”

Marshall's face darkened. “Oh, come on, Cassie. Don’t rewrite history here. We both know you enjoy the fuck out of being used and controlled.”

“Sure I do, but I still need the love and the respect. I once had that from you, but lately… lately I’m not so sure.”

Marshall stepped up to her, running his hands up and down along her upper arms. “Honey, babydoll, I do love you. How could you even think that I don’t? And of course I respect you. You’re my princess.”

“And that’s just it. I don’t want to be your ‘princess’. Do you have any idea how condescending that is?”

“I don’t get it.”

And that was it. That was the heart of the matter. Marshall didn’t get it. He could never get it. When he looked at his wife, he always seemed to see her as just another entry in his portfolio. When his company went public and they could afford nicer things, he made sure to dress her up, to get her the best personal trainers, the best stylists. As their wealth grew and his portfolio got stronger, so did his expectations for his sexy wife.

Cassandra had no doubt that Marshall loved her. But lately it sure seemed as if her husband loved her the way he loved his classic Superleggera, acquired shortly after his IPO took flight, or that new Buggati he’d had delivered just before they left for this cruise. 

Yes, to him she was a treasured possession, which meant he sure as hell didn’t look at her the way that she wanted to be looked at. The way Austin had looked at her the other night, or the way Heather looked at Paul, or any of those couples gazed at each other tonight. Those wives weren’t possessions. With someone like Austin, she never would be a possession, nor a princess… but maybe, just maybe, she could be his queen.

“You don’t get it, no,” she said sadly. “But I think that finally, finally, I do.”

“Okay.” The rain poured down around them, warm and tropical and cleansing. “Can we go back to the cabin now? I’ve got $25,000 ready to show you how much I love you.”

“I’m not going there or anywhere with you.”

Marshall blinked. “Don’t be silly, of course you are.”

“No.” Cassandra shook her head, her hair wet and sticking to her neck now. “I’m not.”

“Then what the fuck am I going to do with three well-hung guys?”

She shrugged. “You’re a clever guy. I’m sure you’ll figure something out.”

“Cute. You’ve had your fun. Now, come on.” He reached for her arm, no longer content with just verbal commands. Cassandra wasn’t sure who was more surprised, her husband or herself, when she jerked her arm free of his grip and took several steps back from him.

“Cassandra,” Marshall hissed, his eyes narrowed to slits, his tone menacing in a way she had never before heard from him. “How dare you defy me?!”

She felt that in the pit of her stomach. Swallowing hard and drawing herself up to her full height, she lifted her chin, and said, “Don’t talk to me that way, Marshall. You’re not a king, and I’m not your dress-up doll. Have you forgotten that when I met you, you drove a Corolla?”

“Enough of these games,” he spat. “You’re coming back—”

“No she’s not.” A man’s voice cut through the night and the rain and the sound of the ocean. Footsteps along the wooden decking preceded Austin, stepping into the scene.

“Oh, sure. The boyfriend,” Marshall rolled his eyes and directed his next words at Austin. “You stay out of this.”

“Like hell I will.”

”This is none of your business!” Marshall barked.

“You know the rules,” Austin replied calmly. Cassandra recalled his manner, how diffident he had been, even just a few short days before, when they had reconnected at the beginning of this cruise. The intervening week sure seemed to have worked some magic on her ex-boyfriend. “I believe Felicity said something along the lines of consent being mandatory?”

“She is my wife.” Marshall took a step in Cassandra’s direction, but Austin was there, a hand on his chest, his face close to Marshall’s. Cassandra usually never went in for the white knight thing, but in that moment, she could practically see the moonlight glinting off of Austin’s shining armor, and she was grateful.

“You seem to think that word has permanence,” Austin said. “But it’s just a word, utterly meaningless unless you put the work in. Trust me, I should know.”

Marshall backed away, but didn’t leave. Not yet. A crowd had begun to gather at both ends of the deck. Felicity Jones was there, as was the captain. Marshall gave them a wary look before focusing back on Cassandra, eyes wide, brows raised. Come, that look said. He might as well have been commanding a dog to heel.

“I’m not going with you,” Cassandra said. “You can stop waiting.”

Marshall started to say something, glanced again at Austin, at the crowd one more time, and stalked away. Immediately, Cassandra sagged, and Austin was there to catch her.

“That was brave,” he murmured into her hair.

“Thank you,” she said back. “You didn’t need to do that.”

“No, but I wanted to. There was no way I could stand by and let him talk to you like that.”

Without thought, she took him into her arms and kissed him. Their clothes were soaked. The rain had picked up. Neither of them even noticed. All that mattered was this kiss, this embrace, this stop on their long and winding journey.

“Want to get out of here?” Austin asked. He was back to being the shy guy she remembered.

“Well,” she said with a smile that she couldn’t shake even if she wanted to, “all the eligible bulls on this ship are now literally taken, so I guess I’m stuck with you.”

Chapter 15

Cassandra’s kiss was so energetic, and so surprising, that she nearly knocked Austin down. He planted his feet and braced himself against her body, wrapping his arms around her narrow waist and flaring hips. It did knock the adrenaline out of him. Had he really stepped up into another man’s face? He’d never done that before.

She didn’t step away when the kiss broke, but merely pulled back enough to meet his gaze and smile. It was raining. He hadn’t even noticed that until he saw how wet her hair was, curling in the dampness.

He looked into her eyes, smiling and filled with light. Eyes that he felt he could come back to again and again for the rest of his life. “Want to get out of here?”

Okay, so maybe the adrenaline wasn’t entirely gone.

“Well, all the eligible bulls on this ship are now literally taken, so I guess I’m stuck with you.”

Austin laughed. “I don’t ever want you to feel stuck with me.”

“God, you’re making me want to kiss you again.” She squeezed his arms.

“I won’t stop you.”

So they kissed again, deeper this time, hands roaming their wet bodies, even as the rain seemed to only get heavier and heavier around them.

A woman cleared her throat, and they broke their kiss. There stood Inez, holding an umbrella to keep the rain off of her dress, and beside her stood Joe Greene. “Mr. Reed, Mrs. Cullen,” she said in that sexy, accented voice of hers. She didn’t say anything specifically about their pairing, but she seemed to approve of it. “I believe that you’ve paid for the services of this man.”

When Joe saw who his highest bidder was, he seemed surprised. “I know you.” He looked at Cassandra, and further recognition crossed his face. “You stole her away from me the other night. You two together?”

“No—” Austin began, at the same time Cassandra said, “Yes.”

They turned and laughed together. Austin said, “You don’t remember the first night, when you told me to wait at the bar as you fucked my wife back in our cabin?”

Joe looked Cassandra up and down, rubbing his chin as he did so. “I would have remembered fucking her, believe me.”

The man didn’t even remember the cuckold exchange that had kicked this whole thing off for Austin. That was funny to him, another reminder that the world definitely didn’t revolve around him. It didn’t revolve around any of them.

“So I have twenty-four hours and you have to do whatever I tell you to do?” Austin asked.

“Within reason,” Inez responded. “This is still a consensual cruise, but Joe here doesn’t have many limits.”

The way those two exchanged a smile gave Austin the impression that there was something there. He glanced at Cassandra, his brows up. What do you want to do?

She hadn’t broken contact with him since their kiss, still pressed against his body, still snuggling into his arms. She was looking towards him to make the decision, Austin realized. It was a foreign concept for him. Faye would already be halfway back to their cabin.

Without saying a word aloud, he changed his expression ever so slightly. You’d be okay with this? 

He caught the way her chest drew in and her eyes dilated just so. He definitely caught her subtle nod. Two epiphanies hit him: she cared enough to really see him, and she really was a hotwife. She may have done a lot for her husband’s pleasure, but it wasn’t for him alone.

“Okay, Joe,” Austin said, never releasing Cassandra from his arms. “You think you can make Cass here scream your name as you make her come over and over again?”

“I’ve been known to do that,” Joe said, completely unironically. Austin almost laughed. Sometimes it was good to be the nondescript guy.

“Good, because I’d really like to watch that.”

Cassandra shivered against him, and he knew that he’d made the right decision.

***

“Oh... Fuck... I feel so... Uh! So full…” Cassandra rode Joe cowgirl-style, bouncing her round ass up and down on his massive, black cock as her DD tits jiggled. She leaned forward, planting her hands on his shoulders, her nails biting into his flesh, as she continued to rut her hips. “Fuck me… harder!”

Austin watched from a chair beside the bed, his dick in his hand, his heart in his throat. But he didn’t feel like an outsider. He didn’t feel like a third wheel. Not with Cassandra and the way she kept looking over at him and smiling, as if confirming to herself that he was still there.

“Ah! Ah! AH! He feels good, baby. He feels so fucking big… in… inside me…”

“Make her come,” Austin said. “Make her scream your name.”

Joe grabbed Cassandra's hips and thrust up into her, fucking her harder, faster, taking control of her body in the way that Austin realized she would always need.

“Oh my god! Yes! Austin! Watch me! Watch me take this big black cock!”

Austin stroked himself faster as Cassandra writhed on top of Joe. She arched back. Her hair had never dried from the rain, and now was dappled with sweat. She cupped her full tits in her hands, pinching her nipples, and screamed. Joe helped things along, rubbing her pussy and grunting with exertion as he brought Cassandra closer and closer to orgasm. 

“Say it,” Joe groaned. “Say my name.”

“Fuck me! Fuck me, Joe! Joe! AGGGHHH! YESSSSSSS!!! JOE!”

Cassandra threw her head back and came hard, her pussy spasming and gushing around Joe's throbbing cock. “Don’t come, Joe. Not yet,” Austin said. “We’re not done yet.”

“I’m good to go all night, boss man.”

Cassandra collapsed onto him, panting hard, fighting to catch her breath as her bull looked to Austin for orders. This was all new to Austin, but he didn’t hate it. A part of him actually wanted to send the bull away with blue balls.

“Mmm…” Cassandra pushed her damp hair from her face and looked over at Austin, her head resting on another man’s chest. “Did you like watching that, baby?”

Austin nodded. He released his rock-hard cock and crawled over to her on the bed. She lifted up off of Joe enough to meet him for a wet, playful kiss. It was funny, but he’d bid on Joe Greene so that the man wouldn’t fuck Cassandra, and yet here they were. “I loved watching you.”

“I loved you watching, too. More than you know.”

Austin tipped his head back and forth. “I may have a pretty good idea.”

“Thank you, Austin,” she said, smiling at him, her eyes shining with warmth and tenderness. His heart swelled. “Thank you for being here for me, for seeing me for who I really am.”

“I do like looking at you,” he said.

“Oh, you.” She giggled. Leaning in as if sharing a secret, she whispered, “He’s still hard.”

“I heard that he’s good to go all night.”

She gently stroked Austin’s cheek. “Think we should test it out?”

“I’m up for trying,” he said.

“Me too,” Joe added.

“Well, boys, let’s get back to it!”

***

Hours later Cassandra had finally collapsed onto her back, completely, utterly, profoundly fucked out. She’d had a lot of sex over the years, but it had never been like this. Joe Greene, the now-tamed bull, really was a good lay. That was part of it. Most of it, however, was Austin.

She wasn’t performing for Austin. She wasn’t just playing a role for him, the way she realized she’d been doing for Marshall. Maybe it hadn’t started that way with him , so long ago, but that was certainly where things were now.

With Austin, their connection felt genuine. The bull may have been there between them, fucking her, making her come, making her scream so hard that her throat was raw, but the real connection was what she had for Austin.

“Thank you for tonight,” she murmured. They’d sent Joe away, back to his room, just so that they could snuggle. This was the part of the night when Marshall would climb onto her and “reclaim” her as if she was a book recently returned. Neither of them had the energy for that, yet lying there, listening to Austin’s heartbeat, she felt like she’d finally been successfully returned to her rightful place.

“I should be the one thanking you.” He kissed the top of her head.

“How about we just thank each other equally.”

Austin chuckled. “I like that.” He brushed his fingers through her hair. “You know that when I ‘won’ Joe, I was doing it because I hated the idea of that guy cucking me twice.”

“You’re not a cuck,” she said.

“Maybe I’m not. I don’t know. There are aspects of it that I like. I… I like watching. I really liked watching you.”

“Same. One thing that Marshall got right about me, it’s that I like being used. I like to give up control.”

“Sounds like the opposite of Faye. She hates giving that up.”

Cassandra nodded. “Our spouses sound pretty similar. Not that they are. It’s how we got here that defines us.”

“I like being here,” Austin said, hugging her to him. “And I even like how we got here, as weird and winding as it was.”

“Certainly has helped put things in perspective.” She formulated her thoughts in the quiet of the room. When she spoke, her voice was soft. “You know, I can admit that there’s something exciting about being wanted—about feeling so desirable and sexy. But at the same time, it can be... overwhelming. Exhausting, even. Always being on display, always performing for Marshall's benefit.”

Austin was quiet, and for a moment, Cassandra was pretty sure that he’d fallen asleep. That was fine. The revelation was meant as much for herself as it was to be shared. But when he did respond, her heart sang with joy. To be heard.

“You shouldn’t need to perform for any man, Cass. You should be able to be your genuine self.”

“I’m not even sure what my genuine self is anymore. I’ve molded myself into Marshall’s plaything.”

Austin shifted so that they could lie side-by-side in bed, facing one another, seeing one another in the dark. “Maybe. I used to think that, too. Like, Faye made me a cuckold. I’m really just doing it for her. But watching you tonight with Joe made me realize that while Faye may have forced me to confront that aspect of myself, he has always been there.”

“So you’re saying that deep down, I really am a bimbo fuckslut?”

It was a joke, but she saw how bad it made Austin feel. “No, that’s not—”

“It’s okay, I know, I know. You’re just saying that we’re more complex than labels.”

“Yes. And I like watching you fuck other men.”

Cassandra shifted in and rubbed her nose against his. “And I like fucking other men…” She kissed him softly. “...while you watch.”

“This was not the way I thought this cruise would go,” Austin said. “But I am so glad that I came aboard.”

Chapter 16

Day seven of the cruise aboard the Princess of Adventure dawned as a fresh start for both Austin and Cassandra. Things were no more certain than they were the day before—if anything, the future was even more blurry. A marriage built over years doesn’t end after a few days aboard a hotwife cruise, and there would be many hard conversations to be had in the future.

But they did have one more day at sea, and one more night, before they got back to Miami and reality and all the consequences of this trip. And neither of them could avoid their spouses entirely.

Cassandra confronted hers head on, returning to her suite mid-morning and wondering what she’d find. There was no sign of the three guys that Marshall had purchased, although her husband was there, sitting on the balcony, staring out at the horizon.

“You’re back,” he said without looking at her.

“I’m here to get my things.”

“You staying with him now?”

“I am.”

Marshall finally turned to her. He looked exhausted, with bags under his eyes and unshaved whiskers on his face. “You know you’re mine, right? You made a commitment. We’re married.”

“I did make a commitment. But so did you. I think we’ve lost sight of that over the years. Marriage isn’t supposed to feel like a straight jacket. It’s not a suicide pact—”

“‘Til death do us part.’”

“We also promised to be true to one another in good times and bad. I’m being true to you now, Marsh. I can’t do this anymore.”

“So that’s it? You’re just going to run off with your ex-boyfriend and ride off into the sunset or whatever? What about the life we have? The lifestyle? He cannot support you the way I can—”

“I don’t want to be supported. I want to support myself, Marshall. That’s what you’re not getting.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “I don’t know if I’ll end up with Austin. You’re completely missing the point.”

“So tell me, my bimbo fuckdoll, what am I missing?”

Cassandra knew those words so well. Always designed to undermine her and remind her of her secondary place in their narcissistic sham of a marriage. It was a good reminder that she was making the right choice.

“You know the sad thing? Deep down, you and I both know I’m neither of those things. Not really.”

“You were always so thin-skinned.”

She shook her head. “My reaction is actually irrelevant. After all, the wonderful thing about a ‘fuckdoll’ for someone with your outlook is that a fuckdoll is a possession, first and foremost. Nothing about me: not my smarts, soul, inventiveness, compassion, feelings, desires, not one thing requires the tiniest scintilla of respect from you.”

Marshall tried to respond, but she kept going, finishing her thought. “And by playing along, by not rocking the boat, I have let you down as a wife and partner. By indulging you in this I feel I may have helped stunt your growth.”

“Seems like a lot of words to justify giving up the life that I’ve given you.”

Cassandra took a deep breath and shrugged. This wouldn’t be their last conversation but it was going to have to be their last on this trip. “Sure, if that’s your takeaway. I’m just saying that I’m ready to try something new. Something entirely for myself.”

***

Austin found Faye eating alone in the cafeteria. She looked lost in thought, and for a moment he saw the woman that he’d fallen for—a woman constantly at war with the world.

“Hey,” he said, sitting down across from her.

She blinked, refocusing, and that melancholy expression fell away. “Well look who it is, my long lost husband.”

“Faye…”

“You know that this cruise is focused on couples, right? And this specific voyage is for couples in the hotwife and swinging lifestyle?”

“That’s my understanding, too.”

“Then what the fuck happened, Austin? I wanted to make some memories, you and me.”

“Well, we certainly made some of those. Just not the kind you were probably hoping for.”

“Oh, my memories will be particularly spicy.”

Austin chuckled. “Even now, you can’t help yourself, can you?”

“You've changed. Is that because of her?” Faye practically spat the word “her.”

“Not just because of her. You played a part, too.” Looking around at all the other couples enjoying one another on their last day at sea, he added, “So did this cruise. But honestly? I think we both know that this has been coming for a long time.”

Faye didn’t look happy, but if he thought about it, Austin wasn’t sure he could honestly recall the last time she did look truly happy.

Unlike before, she’d had a few days to sit with it, and seemed resigned to their fate. “It’s going to be weird back home. And I’m keeping the house.”

“That’s fine. You picked it anyway.”

“This is really happening?” She looked sad, but also, like him, unburdened.

“Yeah. But I do have a parting gift.”

“Austin…”

“Just a little something I picked up last night.” He nodded, and Joe walked over from where he’d been waiting by the stairs. Looking at his watch, he said, “You get him until about 9 tonight. After that, it’s up to you to keep him.”

Austin walked away with a smile.

***

Cassandra and Austin had dinner together at the Nautical Nook Bar on the evening of their last day on the cruise. Unlike the first night, by day seven, it was almost empty. Everyone on the ship seemed worn out, like travelers suffering from jetlag.

Cassandra looked wiped, too, but she was still smiling. That was her thing. She was always smiling.

“How did your conversation go?” he asked her.

“About as well as I expected it would. Yours?”

“Surprisingly okay, actually. I think Faye’s going to be happier this way.”

Cassandra chuckled. “Marshall would have been fine continuing with our dynamic forever.”

“But not you.”

“No, not me. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a pleaser and a submissive, and get joy from that. Marshall figured that out about me early on, and used it to…”

“Exploit you?”

She didn’t immediately agree with the assessment. “That may be too harsh a word, but yeah, he took advantage. I’m also an exhibitionist, right? It’s fun to perform. It’s fun to be looked at. I didn’t get my tits done just for Marshall, although he was a driving force behind it, and his Dom kink definitely scratched an itch for me.”

Austin nodded, absorbing it.

“I liked parts of what we had, enough so that I was willing to work with it. I liked the relationship—most of it—just not the man. And I’ve never been one for confrontation.”

“Guess you got over that.”

“With your help.” She took his hand into hers. They still wore their rings, and Austin could almost imagine they were a couple.

“You know I can’t be a Dom for you, right? I may have changed, and we’re all capable of it, but that would be pretty extreme.”

“And you don’t need to be. You’re something better.” They laced their fingers together. “You’re my equal, and I have a good feeling that you’d be open to me finding my sub mode in other places.”

Austin’s cock thickened at the idea. Joe last night was just a taste of what they could have. “Yes, I’m a very open person.” He leaned across the table and kissed her. “So are we going to try and make this thing happen?”

She looked at him, her brow furrowed. “Isn’t that what we’re currently doing?”

They spent the rest of dinner catching up on the years that they’d spent apart. And there was so much to catch up on. Austin talked about how he hiked the Pacific Crest Trail. She told him about what it was like right after Marshall’s IPO, when they realized they had more money than they ever thought possible. Or about Marshall’s health scare, the thing that made them both realize how short life could be, and how important it was to live it to its fullest.

“Maybe not fullest, I’m realizing. It’s easy to get caught up in it all and take things too far.”

“I’ll drink to that.”

As they were leaving, they happened to run into one of the three bulls from the auction last night, the Japanese guy with the British accent. “You two enjoying your last night?” Kenji said.

Cassandra squeezed Austin’s arm. “We are,” she said.

Austin nodded. “Sorry for stealing our entertainment last night.”

Kenji dismissed the apology. “You’ve got it backwards. We were the entertainment. And in any case, don’t worry. Plenty of hotwives out there whose husbands didn’t participate in the auction.”

“You do these often?”

“The cruises? A few times. There are other events, but this one’s probably the most elaborate.” He chuckled. “I just like banging hot chicks, man.”

“Seems like a good fit then,” Austin chuckled.

To Cassandra, Kenji said, “It looks like you’ve got your own thing, but just so you’re aware, you’ve still got a couple hours left.” He gestured towards the central, circular bar, where the other two bulls were sitting, having a beer. Austin was surprised to see that one of them—the other white guy—was the same man who’d fucked Faye back on day two—the “Stunt Cock.”. What a small world. “And we’re bought and paid for.”

Austin and Cassandra shared a glance that said, Last night in paradise. And they nodded together. “Hopefully one of you has a bigger room.”

“Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered.”

Final part releases on Thursday (same day the book releases to the public).

Cassandra taking the day, relaxing on the beach.

Cassandra at the Bull Auction.