Freed: A Captive Roleplay // Part 2

Derrick follows her out, their guests soon joining them. He hands them a beer, taking his seat and drinking his own. Sophia, looks at him "Mel told us, you're a model...what's that like?"

He shrugs, "easy works pretty much" Camden looks at him,"What did you do before that?" Derricj thinks on how to answer that and says, "I did a couple bar tending jobs....wasn't big into school so, not a lot of options."

Camden nods, "I hear ya there mate, why spend 20 grand when I can make 20 grand." Derrick sits up "Exactly my reasoning. Mel pretty much is the brains, well she was working in a bank when we met but anyways, a lot smarter than me but I make up for it in other ways," he smirks at Mel.

Well, there went my water. My cheeks red, I dab at my chin with a napkin, my eyes glued to Derrick's. They narrow slightly. "He more than makes up for it in cockiness."

Derrick shoots me a look, and I soften the blow with a playful jab of the elbow against his bicep. Camden's deep laughter, joined by his wife's, floats back at us from across the table.

The Reids are all smiles, glancing from the kids back to us. Sophia, her arm slung around her husband's shoulders, speaks up. "So you met at the bank?"

That gives me pause. Derrick stops chewing on his steak and turns to me. "He walked into my bank one day to make a withdrawal," I reply, and technically I'm not lying. I can tell practically tell that Derrick is grinning from ear to ear, too, at the retelling of our story. "Let's just say it was one look and I was... captured."

Somehow, after an hour more of speaking of work and kids and day to day life, we hold in our laughter until the Reids have left with Emma in tow.

As soon as the door shuts behind them, Derrick advances on me, pulling me against him, his arms going around my waist while his lips rest against my temple. "Captured, huh?" he teases, his chuckle filling me with warmth.

I burrow deeper into his broad chest, inhaling the smell of his sweet, woodsy cologne. I peer up at him through my lashes and tuck my hands into his back pockets, getting a firm grasp of his backside. I can feel his response growing between our bodies. "Oh yeah," I whisper, rising to the tips of my toes to give him a kiss. "Totally and completely captured."

---

It's another long trip for Derrick. He's in Vegas now, doing modelling shoots right and left. He sends me photos of him standing in front of the Cosmopolitan and Luxor and all of the fancy hotel rooms he's been staying at.

Just now I'm staring at a picture of a beautiful marble floor, for some reason, that just came through in my messages. He thoughtfully included a caption:

Heated. Fucking. Floors.

I take a look around myself, seeing the stray Cheerios covering the kitchen floor, floating in a puddle of milk. James happily squeals from his playroom corner, banging blocks against toy cars. I shake my head.

Rubbing it in, model man?

I wait all of ten seconds before my phone chimes again.

Would you rather I rub it out?

I snort, because of course Derrick would say that, but refrain from replying. The three grey dots are dancing on the screen, indicating he's not finished. I laugh even harder at the next one.

Take off your shirt and snap a pic. That should help.

So much of myself has changed since I met Derrick. Had it been anyone else, at any other time, I would have scoffed. I'm sure he doesn't actually expect me to take him up on his offer, either. And that's precisely why I do it.

I scurry out of the kitchen toward the bedroom, where my outfit for the day sits untouched at the foot of the bed. I strip off my nightgown, letting the cold air prep me for a Pulitzer-Prize worthy photo, and snap a quick picture. Before I can think better of it, or think much of it at all, I send it his way. Though it pains me to not check my phone immediately, I rush to get dressed and presentable. The second I've stepped into my shoes, I dart back to my iPhone to see two unread messages waiting for me.

Holy shit, you actually did it!
Miss you babe.

I'm still chuckling when I make it downstairs, quickly cleaning up James' mess and slinging my gym bag over my shoulder. James toddles up to me, all smiles, and attacks my legs with hugs. I shoot back one last text with my free hand, the other rustling our boy's hair.

Ditto.

---

Kai:


When I walk into the Reids' Krav Maga studio, I expect to see Camden's friendly face. Perhaps Sophia's engaging smile. Instead, I see a behemoth of a man standing dead center, his gaze fixed on me. If Camden is Thor, this man is the Hulk. He's got long hair that extends past his shoulders in dark brown waves, his complexion tanned, making me ponder where he's from. His eyebrows have that Dave Navarro arch, and there's a line straight through his left brow where not a single hair grows, almost as if he'd decided to shave a strip off. When he approaches me, though, I can see that it's a scar. If anything, it makes the man more attractive.

He flashes me a blinding smile, his teeth a perfect unbleached white, his full lips stretching to accommodate his grin in greeting. His left hand idly brushing against the stubble on his chin, his right stretches out toward me.

"Kai," he says, his deep voice filling the room. I could swear the air of testosterone around him is almost palpable. And god, he's tall. "You must be Melanie."

That gives me pause. He knows my name? How does he know my name?

He must sense my discomfort, because he laughs, deciding to elaborate more. "I train here. Camden's my buddy. He said you might be stopping by today."

Camden! Right. I hastily stick my hand out, and his practically swallows mine whole when he completes the shake. I sigh. "I'm so sorry. Of course. I had expected him to be here, I guess." My eyes roam around the building, but it's empty aside from the two of us.

Kai's eyebrow quirks. "Is there a problem with me training you, Melanie?" He grasps a fistful of his shirt, a figure-fitting charcoal gray, and brings it to his nose for a sniff. "I don't think I smell."

That's part of the deal. He smells fantastic, too. Few things, to me, are more attractive than a man with good cologne. I almost want to ask him what he's wearing so that I can get it for Derrick. That borders on creepy, though, so I keep it to myself. Besides, I'm taken. I love Derrick. I want to spend my life with him.

I'm just so goddamn lonely. And my eyesight is just fine.

"Not at all," I blurt out, feeling like a moron of the highest degree. "I'm sorry, it's just my first day."

How many times am I going to apologize?

Kai nods in understanding, though, because he's a normal human being who doesn't get tripped up in everyday conversations. "Well, Mel, you have nothing to worry about. Training is intense, but we'll ease you into it." He eyes my gym bag, then my arms and legs. I showed up in a tank top and yoga pants, because I wasn't sure what one wears to learn how to fight. "You look like you work out."

I look down at myself. "Oh, some. A little. I mostly teach ballet." For some reason, I'm stuck on wondering where Camden is. Camden is safe. Camden and Sophia are our friends. And he's not nearly as attractive as Kai. I hate bringing it up yet again, but I do, because I have no tact. "So, Camden has the day off?"

Kai laughs, then leans forward, catching me off guard when he grabs hold of the bag strapped over my shoulder. He lifts it off of me, my neck almost sighing with relief when the weight is gone. "He and Soph had to meet with one of Em's teachers." His grin is knowing when he unleashes it on me. "Don't be nervous. You'll be a lean, mean, killing machine when I'm finished with you."

With that, and without a word more, he turns his back on me, motioning for me to follow. Scolding myself for being such a giddy twelve-year-old, I remind myself to calm down and take off after him.

---

Take it easy, my ass. Kai tossed me around like a rag doll on that mat, pushing me to kick harder, punch faster, and flinch less. The one time I tackled him, I'm almost positive it was because he took pity on me and decided to let me get one in for once. I lay on him for precisely half a second before jumping up again, because even such minor contact had me thinking of Derrick. I've only ever been with Derrick, and I'll only ever want to be with Derrick, but I know I have a type. If he's alpha, mysterious, and harder than steel, my eyes take notice. During my sessions with Kai, I would prefer they didn't.

The doorbell rings as I'm eying a bruise that's beginning to take shape on my forearm. My finger traces the shade of blue, testing the soreness. I wince, then stand and stride across the house toward the front door, fixing my ponytail along the way. I risk a glance through the peephole, but I don't see much but a mess of short brown hair.

I swing open the door to find an unknown man staring back at me. He's handsome, older, his brown eyes kind as he regards me. "Can I help you?"

He merely smiles. He takes me in again, from the top of my head to the toes of my now bare feet, before meeting my gaze again. There's nothing sexual in his appraisal of me; it seems more like fascination. His smile is closer to one of relief than anything else. "I'll be damned."

His voice, smooth and rich, comes out in a whisper, almost reverent. I shift in the doorway, more confused by the minute. "Sir?"

His sudden laughter surprises me. "Right, I apologize," he says. "I was a little stunned." His hand stretches between us. "I guess I was expecting to see my son."

Although I'm not entirely sure he has the right house, I return the shake anyway. It would be rude not to. "I'm sorry, who's your son?"

When his gaze meets mine, he takes a step closer, still mindful of the threshold and the lack of an invitation. "Derrick," he says, and my heart drops, my eyes going wide. No way. "Derrick Sommers."

Derrick makes his way back to Chicago, the only place that has ever truly felt like home. Being a model had its moments and some times it was hard. Their was temptation everywhere but none of the women he would meet came close to Melani.

He was driven home from the airport by limo, grabbing his bag and grinning. He was so excited to see Melanie, he had plans to take her out to dinner. He stepped into the house and threw his keys to the side table, "Mel..."

He walks into the kitchen and just then, stops dead in his tracks and sees his father. He appeared to be having a coffee with Melanie. Derrick was speechless and didn't speak, his Dad got up and went over to him.

"Hello, Derrick....probably wondering why I'm here?" He said, Derrick still said nothing. His dad spoke again, "come on, say something?"

"How about get the hell out?" Derrick snaps, his dad goes to touch him and Derrick backs off "Don't f*ucking touch me! I don't care or want to know why you're here. I wanted nothing to do with you while I was there and want nothing to do with you now...."

Derrick is furious. Panicked, I dart out of my seat and wedge myself between the men, my eyes locked on Derricks imploringly. His, gaze, however, remains locked on his father's. He could turn a man to stone with that glare, and I hadn't seen anything even close to it since he'd killed Joe. "Derrick, please. I'm sorry. I thought you might-"

"Don't be mad at her," his father cuts in, completely unruffled. He's far too calm right now. It'll only anger Derrick even more. "I stopped by unannounced."

I turn back to Derrick and place my hand on his chest. It's heaving beneath my touch. I feel as if I've betrayed him, as if I've let the enemy into our home to sit on our furniture and sip from our coffee cups. In a way, I guess I have. My own selfish need to know more about Derrick's past, his family, had me letting his father in here. Now I'm questioning how smart that choice had been. "I thought you might want, I don't know, an explanation," I blurt out. "That maybe you'd want to hear him out."

Derrick doesn't reply to Melanie at first and still looks at his father, "You saw me, my life..that's all you're getting. I want you out of my house."

His father approaches him and lays a card on the kitchen counter, "my contact information. Derrick, I know you have every right to hate me but I want to make things right with you. If you want to..ever...get together, just call me. Thank you, Melaie for the coffee......that's quite a gal you've got son."

Derrick by now is grabbing a beer from the fridge and his father walks out of the room, you soon hear hpthe front door open and close. He finally looks at Melanie, "You grew up..with both your parents there for you, I didnt. I stopped the shit I did, having James. He didn't. Don't ask me to hear him out...ever again."

He finished his beer, and started to turn to leave. Melanie went up to him and put her arms around him. "You're right, I'm sorry"

He could hear how upset she was and he moves off her, "I know he probably talked his way in here, I can't blame you entirely.....I just, you and James are my family. That's it. Now, I was looking forward to..possibly..,going somewhere with you for a week?" He pulls her close and the baby upstairs starts to cry, he looks at her "We need time alone..."

She just has time to smile and then goes to get James.

-------------------
They were making plans for a trip away and getting things organized. One day, Derrick was on his way to pick up James from preschool and knew Melanie needed to also be picked up from her fitnes class or self defence, whatever she liked to call it he thought.

He kept hearing her go on about this Kai guy, her instructor. He wouldn't lie and say h wasn't curious, finally he pulls up in the parking lot and just in time as Mel is leaving and next to her must be the instructor. The guy was huge and they both were laughing about something.

Derrick quickly got out of the car and headed over, "Hey, great timing....I just got here." He kisses her, passionately, claiming her just so this guy understood that. He breaks off and looks at Kai, "You must be Kai....? Derrick" with his hand extended to shake the giant.

Well, that was quite the kiss. My lips tingling, still, I watch as Kai shakes Derrick's hand. "Ah, you're the one Melanie's been going on about," Kai says enthusiastically, giving Derrick an easy smile. "You've got yourself a tough woman. She took me down twice today." He proudly lifts his thick forearm, tanned and beginning to bruise just like my own. "Look at that bad boy."

I laugh, my cheeks flushed from the workout and from the feeling that I'm finally learning something useful, his praise much needed after the hard work we put in together. "I'm still not convinced you're not letting me win."

Kai scoffs. "Mel, I don't take it easy on my students. Rest assured I'm not lying down and letting anyone kick my ass." He flashes me another smile, then pats Derrick on the shoulder. "Good to meet you, man. It's nice to put a face to the name." He takes off backward, jogging toward his Jeep, his eyes still focused on Derrick. "Camden's offer still stands. Hit me up if you wanna spar, Sommers."

Derrick looks at Kai, "I can handle myself..thanks though" he looks back to Mel and simply smiles. They get in e the car and he drives off, "You didn't mention the guy was the Hulk...."

Is Derrick... jealous? I smirk and elbow his arm as he navigates the streets back toward home. "He's a good teacher. It caught me off guard when I first met him, though. I was expecting Camden to be my trainer."

Derrick casts me a quick glance before looking out the windshield again. I fidget with my nails, picking off pieces of teal nail polish and gathering them in my palm. "You don't have a problem with this, do you?" I ask uneasily, hoping he's not too bothered by the whole thing. "It's just that you're all strong and you can handle yourself in a fight. It's not that I'm anticipating having to defend myself or anything, but I like knowing I'm capable. Like, just today, he taught me how to disarm an attacker. That would have come in handy once upon a time."

Derrick looks at her and away, his past and how she was invovled with it is hard for him to hear some times. "You wont ever be in situations like that again..., of course I do have enemies out there." He stops the car at the house.

"i still have to go get James, it's still sinking in...this life we have. I really don't know what else to say but to answer your question. It does not bother me what you're learning." He looks at her, kisses her and breaks off "Just remember, this bad guy is the one who made you get all flushed first."

He smiles and sits back.

I smile back at him, my damned cheeks going red again, and lean in closer toward him, shifting onto my knees in the passenger seat. I stop when my face is mere inches away from his, my eyes locked on his. "You're the only man I want, Derrick," I whisper, meaning it with all my heart. My hand grasps his, our fingers intertwining. "No one holds a candle to how I feel for you. No one ever will."

The next week they left James behind with Melanie's sister and jet set off to Wisconsin of all places. Mel wasnt sure why but as they pulled up to a quaint hotel just outside the city of Madison, he looks at her "I am from here, born here to be more specific. I know I'm mysterious and tough but I wanted to show you...."

I grin back at him, spinning my body to take in the sights around me. It's nice. Quiet. Cars rushing by, I turn back toward Derrick and link my arm through his. I'm glad he's letting me in. I know his past isn't exactly something he enjoys talking about. "Take me to your lair, tough, mysterious man."

Derrick smirks and goes to park the car, they make their way into the room and as Mel goes to freshen up, he goes over to his suitcase.

When she comes out, she sees him laying on th bed in nothing but boxers, as he reads a naughty part of 50 shades of grey. As he reads, he watches her face go from embarrassed to slightly interested. She goes over and yanks the book from him, getting on top of him.

He moves his hands to her hips and holds her backside through her jeans. He looks up at her,"I am very much already your submissive but if you want to try some of this...I'm here to help you live the fantasy."

He gives her butt a spank, smiles at her.

I gasp at the light sting, my eyes wide as I stare down at Derrick. He grins, and I laugh in return, rearing back against his touch, feeling his hand caress my ass. I grind my hips on top of him and toss the book across the room. It thuds against the bathroom door.

I lean down and kiss him. "You looking to be my Dom?" I ask him naughtily, snaking my hands between our bodies and feeling his abs, taut and defined.

When he does nothing but smirk, I mentally conjure up scenes from every BDSM book I've ever read and slink away from him, off of the bed, and down to the floor. I kneel, my weight on the heels of my feet, my knees apart, my palms resting on my thighs. I bow my head, but gaze up at him through my eyelashes, so turned on already that I can feel my wetness for him spreading through the cotton of my panties.

"Whatever you want, it's yours," I tell him, my voice dropping an octave, taking on a sultry tone that shocks even me. I smile. "Sir."

He smiles back, gets up and goes over to her "You are definitely not the same girl I first met, who flinched when she saw me in a porno movie." He goes over to her, strokes a hand up her back and to her hair and then insanely grips her hair into a pony tail grasp.

He forces her up and bends her over the desk that is in the room, he pulls her pants down and quickly her panties, he stands closer to her and pulls her shirt off, "I want you to keep looking at the wall baby"

He kisses her bag back, as he moves his hand over her right butt cheek and then slowly moves his finger along the the inside and moves a finger inside her vagina. He hears her gasp, "I don't need that book, to teach me things..but I will say I support your reading material."

She then hears a noise, then feels a sensation along the lips now of her vagina and she knows it's her vibrator. He holds it as he moves it around on her clit, "make more noise..and I'll turn up the speed..." She makes a loud moan and he smirks, he tosses the vibrator "I lied...just take me instead"
She feels him enter her and he grips her ass again with both hands, as he drives himself deeper an deeper into her. She holds on to the desk as he moves more and more into her.

A week after Derrick had taken my virginity, I had implored him to put his gentleness aside. He'd bent me over the arm of the couch and had taken me fast, hard. I had thought that was hot, and it was. This, though? That was nothing compared to this.

He fucks me now as if he hates me.

I love it.

I cry out, feeling him stretch me, taking every inch of his hard cock as it drives into me with a force that makes me knees quake. I keep myself steady for him, my legs open for him, my ass high, and he rewards me with thrusts that have me screaming his name. He shifts, his hands grasping my hips roughly, and slams against my G-spot.

"God!" Sweat beads on my forehead, my skin feeling aflame, Derrick pounding into me relentlessly, burying himself to the hilt inside my walls. I hook my nails around the edge of the desk, holding on for dear life, my body ready to explode from the pleasure he's giving me. The sweet, sweet pain, the fullness, it's building up inside of me, and I know I'll be a goner without a moment's notice.

I clench my pussy tightly around his driving cock, hearing him suck in air through his teeth from behind me. He enjoys the added friction. "Derrick," I whimper, pushing back against his thrusts, wanting him deeper, harder, faster, more. "Please, god, fuck me. Just like this."

Derrick gives her ass another hard slap, this time it's on her actual flesh. He moves out of her, "Why am I doing all the work....?"

She moves his hands up his chest and then pushing him back onto the bed. She gets on top, he lays back and hands above his head, she takes his cock herself and guides it in. She starts to rock her hips, he leans his head back and eyes closed "fuck...."

I had been waiting for this position. I'd been watching some videos, myself. I twist my hips above him until he's deeply seated within me, and then I bend my knees until I'm in a crouch, bent back with my arms as straight as rods behind me. My palms on the bed near his thighs, I lift myself up, my legs spread wide, and keep my weight on my arms as I move my hips. I buck toward him, mimicking moves I'd seen online when Derrick was away and I had nothing but my toys to keep me company, and grin when Derrick's eyes take in the sight of himself disappearing inside me. I'd never tried such a revealing position before, and this one allows him a nice view of exactly how our bodies are connecting.

He slides in and out of me easily, and I take him balls deep each time I shift closer. I tilt my head back, hoping to god I can keep this position because it feels incredible, and then I go faster, harder, moving myself into a blur as I ride him.

Derrick stops her by grabbing her ass, holds it still as she leans forward. He pumps himself inti her as he holds her up. Her breasts dangle near his lips and he gladly takes a nipple into his mouth and he feels himself making more noise.

He releases her nipple from his mouth and yells out, he explodes into her. His cum filing up inside her and he falls back, dead almost and he feels her get off him and lays next to him. He looks at her,"You are amazing...."

She smiles and gets up, getting cleaned up once again. She comes out and he is now sitting up and looks over at her,"Can you hand me my jeans, they are right over that red chair..." She does so and goes over, handing them to him.

He looks at her, "I want your check the right side pocket..." She slides her hand in it curious and pulls out a box. He watches her, she looks up at him and he takes the box, opens it and inside is a ring,"Not how I pictured doing it, I wanted some big romantic display...but you are so perfect to me right now and I want you to be my wife, I love you....Will you marry me?" He takes the ring out and looks at her, if he can slide it on her finger.

The shock hits me before anything else does. I had been waiting for his moment, waiting to become his wife, to be the stepmother to his beautiful son, and now it's happening. He's asking me to marry him.

I can't help but laugh when I look between us, both of us as naked as the day we were born, our bodies worn and sated from the afternoon of sex. Maybe it isn't how either of us had pictured this proposal happening, but for me, it's perfect.

Tears spring to my eyes as I step closer, my eyes going from the ring to his. "Derrick, it doesn't matter where or how," I tell him, my heart swelling in my chest. "Just that it's you."

I hold out my hand, my smile nearly breaking my face, and nod. And nod again. I can't seem to stop. "Yes, Derrick. A million times, yes."

Before he can slide it on my finger, I pounce, straddling him, and knock him back onto the bed. We're skin to skin, laughing like children, when he takes my palm into his hand and pushes the ring onto my finger. It fits perfectly - we fit perfectly - and I decide then and there that I'm never taking it off. I'll live out the rest of my days loving him, holding him, supporting him, and the ring will be buried with me when the day comes that I can't do those things anymore. It's beautiful, too, the diamonds glistening beneath the lamplight from the bedside table.

I'm high on my love for this man, this flawed, amazing man. Before he can get a word out, I lean down to kiss him.

---

I wake up the next morning, a dull but recognizable soreness between my thighs. I smile to myself, remembering everything we had done the day before. I look down at my hand, at the shining diamond ring adorning my finger. God, it's beautiful. I haven't been this happy, this carefree, in ages. I miss James, naturally, but it's good being away for once without a care in the world. It doesn't hurt that the man who's made me this happy, the man I couldn't have dreamed up to be so perfect if I'd tried, is lying next to me.

He's got a case of morning wood that's pressing against my ass, stirring that familiar lust inside me yet again. A quick glance at the clock tells me it's time to get up, anyway. We'd planned to do some sightseeing.

Luckily, we have more than enough time do what I have in mind first.

I turn over to face him, his body giving off heat that has me instinctively drawing near. He's like a human furnace, and because I'm a pale-skinned woman who's always close to freezing, I enjoy that fact even more. I cuddle up to him and reach between the sheets, my hand drifting lower, until it wraps around his erection. I fist his length, caressing the velvety skin, and give him a tug, my hand working up, down, and back up again. His eyelids flutter for a moment, and then they open to fix on me.

"Good morning, fiancé," I murmur softly, leaning forward to kiss him, my hand still working beneath the sheets.

He groans and kisses me back, then grabs hold of my hips and pulls me on top of him. I don't stay there for long. I kiss him from his lips to his chin, to his sculpted jawline to the lobes of his ears. I leave not an inch untouched, my lips and tongue greeting his nipples, his abs, his happy trail, with gusto.

His eyes stare down at me hungrily, knowing what comes next. I oblige him swiftly, licking the underside of his head, and then the entire length of his cock before taking all of him into my mouth.

They spent the following day and week barley leaving the hotel, they did do some sight seeing but considering Derrick woukd be jet setting to another location for work, he waged to spend as much alone time with his fiancé as he could,

He couldn't believe,meh of all people were getting married. He knew it was right, Mel www an amazing woman and she treated his son like her own. Derrick couldn't ask for anything more.

Still, deep down, he woried about their future. He had slip ups and living this legal lifestyle eventually would get boring. It always did. Till then, he was going to enjoy it and not think of what could happen.

Robert Sommers:


I'm standing at the center of my studio, surveying my students as they pack away their dance shoes and leotards, and I smile to myself. These girls, aged eight through thirteen, are talented beyond belief, and I was the one who got to teach them all they knew. One of my oldest, Jessica, strides by me, and I stop her with a hand on her shoulder. She looks up at me with bright blue eyes, her ponytail swaying. "Excellent brisé," I praise her. "I can see you heading straight to Juilliard one day if you so choose."

She blushes. "Really?"

I'm just about to answer when I hear Meghan, a ten-year-old blonde, shouting loud enough to break the glass walls around us. "A ring!"

I spin around to face her. Suddenly the girls are racing toward me, yanking on my arm. "She's wearing a ring!" "It's diamonds, too!"

Now I'm the one blushing. They crowd around me, 'ooh'ing and 'aah'ing over my engagement ring. Jessica is beside herself with excitement, almost as much as I had been when he'd slipped it on my finger. "Mr. Sommers proposed!"

The girls aren't blind; they've all met Derrick. He's dropped by a few times to visit me, and each time it was hell for him to try to escape. The minute they see his chiseled face, they pounce. Not that I can blame them. "He did," I confirm, twisting my hand left and right, showing them the sparkles the diamonds are putting out.

"Tell us how it happened!" Jenna. "Yeah, did he get on one knee?" Ellie. "I bet he took you to a super fancy place, right?" Amber.

"We spent a week in Wisconsin," I answer, not wanting to give too many details. I'd be fired. "And yes, it was everything I'd ever wanted."

The girls collectively sigh. They groan even louder when the line of cars appears outside, their parents ready to drive them home. "Okay, girls. I'll see you all first thing tomorrow morning. We'll be working on the fouetté."

After a few moments more of fending off inquiring kids, I finally have the ballet studio to myself. I reach for the mop from my office and get to work cleaning the floors when I hear a knock at the door. Derrick's still working and he won't be back for a couple more days, so I know it's not him. When I see who it is, I shake my head.

Robert enters anyway, his hands up by his sides as if to tell me he means no harm. I drop the mop and cross my arms.

"I can't be speaking with you."

Robert takes a step closer. "I understand that-"

"You really don't, sir," I cut in, exasperated. "I'm sorry about Derrick, I am. But he's my fiancé. Do you get that? He's going to be my husband. I'm not lying to him, going behind his back, betraying him. If you want to get to him, don't try doing it through me."

He falls silent for a moment. I'm nervous just having him here. "You'll make an excellent wife, that's for sure." I say nothing. "I haven't been out of prison for long," he adds, shifting his weight from foot to foot. "All I thought about when I was locked up was the wrong I'd done. It kills me that my own son hates me, and he has every right to, I know that. But I've tried talking to him, sweetheart. I want so badly to explain things to him, to appeal to him, and he wants nothing of it. There are things he needs to know. Things about his mother, about our past. I want to come clean."

I bite my lip. God, I hate this.

"Melanie, all I'm asking is for a moment of your time. Please."

He looks pitiful standing there, begging me for help. I was never great at saying no to anyone.

I relent, hating myself for it. "Let's go out for coffee. If you say anything of importance, I'll consider passing it along to Derrick."

The light returns to his eyes, his deep-set frown morphing into a wide smile, his breath escaping him in one elated whoosh.

"Thank you."

This modelling shoot had been fun, the idea of marriage was on his mind and he wanted to let loose a little. He usually never went to the parties he as invited too, to help stay out of trouble but this time he went.

Had a couple drinks, smoked a few cigarettes and flirted with a coupled women.nnevr anything more but it made him feel like his old self. This new guy, the committed boyfriend and father, he just knew someway he was going to mess it up.

He walked into his house, finally home and went straight to the kitchen to grab a beer. He comes out to the living room where he finds Mel watching tv. He sits next to her, exhausted and takes gold of her hand and eyes the ring he got her "Still looks good..." He took a swig of his drink and then looked at her face, he knew something was up "babe, spill."

I had been dreading this conversation. Was it the look on my face or the clammy hand that gave me away? Probably both.

I turn toward Derrick, his questioning gaze penetrating me, those ice-blue eyes like truth serum. One look and he knows all my secrets. He's fully aware of that, too.

"Derrick." I clasp my hands in my lap and gnaw on the edge of my lip. "I... Well, I..." Spit it out. "Please don't hate me, but I talked to your father."

Derrick looks away for a second and has to drink his beer, "Was he in this house again?" He asked, she shook her head. He sighs and sits back, "Tell me what he said...."