Michelle struggled to stay asleep as the warm sunlight poured into the room.

She tried to turn over to shield the light from her eyes, but she soon realized it was hopeless. There was no way she would be able to fall back asleep.

Stretching, she slowly opened her eyes and glanced next to her.

She was alone.

She knew last night hadn't been a dream. She was still lying in his bed, covered up with nothing but a sheet.

'Wade must be downstairs' she thought to herself, as she sat up and placed her feet on the floor.

Yawning, she stretched her arms high above her head.

That had been the best sleep she had got in a long time. 

Slowly, she stood up and walked over to the chair next to the bed.

She bent over and grabbed the shirt that Wade had on last night.

It still smelled liked his cologne and her mind instantly flooded with memories of last night. 

She definetly needed to find him.

She threw the shirt on and headed downstairs.

As she got to the bottom of the stairs, she heard Justin's music coming from the studio.

She laughed at the fact that even this early, he was in his studio working. He was definetly a work-a-holic.

She walked down the hall and peeked around the door.

There he was looking hotter than ever. She just couldn't help but stare at him.

When the song ended, she tip-toed into the studio and snuck up behind him.

"Mmmm.....you feel good." she said, as she wrapped her arms around him.

Startled, Wade spun around.

"Good morning." he said, as he bent down and gave her a kiss. "How was your sleep?"

"Good, but it would have been better if I woke up in your arms."

"Sorry. I knew if I stayed in bed with you like that, I wouldn't be able to restrain myself. Plus, I figured after last night, you wouldn't want me to ever touch you again."

"Actually, it's just the opposite." she said, as she traced a path down his chest with her finger.

"Oh.....really!" he chuckled.

"Uh...huh."

"Well, I need to take a shower first." 

"Can I join you?" she asked, as she started to unbutton the shirt she was wearing.

Wade was speechless. 

"Uh..............yeah........but.......... I have a feeling we won't make it back to the bedroom." 

"That's ok." she said, as she took a step closer and started to unbutton his shorts.

"That's it. Let's go." he said, as he removed her hand from his shorts and pulled her up the stairs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Three weeks had past and their co-workers still were unaware of their relationship. They tried to keep their contact inside MC to a minimum. The last thing either of them wanted was to have it be the topic of discussion at work. 

Unfortunetly, their success was short lived.

A few staff members had arrived early one day when Wade was teaching a master class.

They were hanging out in the lobby when they saw Wade in the parking lot.

"Oh my god.....look!" one of the female staff members yelled, as she pointed into the parking lot. "Wade has a girlfriend!"

'What!?!" the other yelled. "I didn't even know he was seeing anybody. How do you know it's his girlfriend?"

"Because of that." she said, as she pulled the other girl to the door.

Wade had Michelle in his arms and was kissing her.

"What are you two up to?" Stephanie asked, as she walked up behind them.

"Look. Wade has a girlfriend."

Stephanie peeked around the two and glanced out the door. 

"Awww. They look so cute together. I knew they would hook up."

"You know who she is!?!" the one girl yelled, as she turned around to face Stephanie.

"Yeah....so do you. Now move away from the door, they're coming."

She pulled the two girls away from the door and over to the registration desk.

Wade opened the door and walked in hand-in-hand with Michelle.

"Morning guys." Steph casually said, as the other two girls stood there with their jaws on the floor.

"Good morning." they replied, as they walked toward the lounge.

Wade knew that they were being watched. That was easy to figure out. After all, MDC's gossip enthusiasts were standing right next to Stephanie.

He decided rather than to let them make a mess of things, he was going to set the record straight concerning their relationship.

"Michelle, go ahead into the lounge. I need to take care of something before the gossip patrol gets started." Wade told her.

She walked into the lounge and he quickly headed for the three of them.

"Ok. I'm going to say this once and only once. Yes, Michelle and I are dating. It has no effect on our working relationship at MC and therefore, I feel, there is no reason to have it discussed by anyone. Is that clear?" Wade sternly said, as he glanced at the two girls next to Stephanie.

"Yeah, yeah." they said as they walked away whispering to each other.

"Just ignore them Wade. They're a lost cause." Steph said.

"Yeah, well they better learn to keep their mouths shut."

"Yeah, like that will ever happen." Stephanie said, as she shook her head and walked away.

Wade took a deep breath and headed back to the lounge. 

"So, what did they say?" she asked, as he walked through the door and sat down.

"Nothing. I didn't give them a chance. I just straight out told them the truth and told them to mind their own fuckin' business."

"Wade! That's so ignorant."

"Tough! I'm tired of their shit! They're nothing but a bunch of trouble making bitches. You weren't here last time they ran their mouths off, were you? No. I didn't think so." Wade said, as he practically scolded her for her remark.

"I.....I......just meant that.." she started to say, but Wade just stood up and walked out the door.

She just sat there in shock, as tears began to fill her eyes. She didn't know whether to get up and go appologize or let him cool down. She had obviously said or did something wrong, she just didn't know what.

The thought of him being mad at her was more than she could bear. 

She wiped away the tears and headed down to hall to where Wade was teaching his class. 

When she got there she opened the door and walked in. 

"Wade?" 

When she received no response, she walked closer and again called to him. 

"Wade?"

This time, she got a response.

"What!?!" he yelled, from the corner of the room.

"What did I do?" she asked, half in tears again.

"Look. I'll talk to you at home. I have to get ready for class."

"At home? I thought you wanted me to sit in on your class today?" she asked.

"I don't think that is a good idea right now. Why don't you just go back to my place and we'll talk later."

The tone in his voice cut right through her heart. It took everything she had to hold back the tears that were now burning her eyes.

It was obvious she was no longer wanted there. 

She turned around and walked out the door, tears streaming down her face.

All she wanted to do was grab her stuff and disappear.

When she walked into the lounge, she realized that she wasn't alone. 

Marty was in there making coffee and immeadiately turned around when he heard her.

"What's wrong?" he asked, as he sat his cup down and walked toward her.

"I need to go home." she said, as her voice was shaking.

"Are you ok?" 

"No. Can you give me a ride home?"

"Yeah, sure. Let me grab my keys."

She bent down and grabbed her bag off the floor as Marty grabbed his keys out of his coat pocket.

"Ok. Let's go." he said, as he placed his arm around her and walked out the door.

CHAPTER 12

When they arrived at Michelle's apartment, he put the car in park and looked over at her.

"Wanna talk about it?" he asked.

"No." she replied. "I just need some time alone."

"Ok. Well if you need me, you have my number."

"Thanks." she said, as she opened the door and got out. 

Marty waited to make sure she got safely inside and then pulled away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As she sat in the livingroom sipping tea, she wondered if Wade was still angry. 

She had done something to upset him, and it killed her.

She just wished she knew what it was.

As she gazed around the room, her mind drifted off to the time that Wade had first kissed her. She could remember it like it was yesterday. The softness of his touch, permanetly embedded in her mind.

She let out a soft sigh, as she finished the last sip of her tea.

She walked over to the sink and placed her cup inside before turning to head upstairs.

All she wanted to do was go upstairs and crawl in bed. 

As soon as she got to her room, she collapsed onto the bed. 

She held her pillow tight and closed her eyes, trying to shut out all the thoughts that flooded her mind from earlier in the day.

After shedding a few tears, she fell asleep

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at the studio, Wade had just finished up his master class.

He packed up his bag and headed to look for Michelle. 

She still had to bethere waiting for him.

He realized shortly after she walked out that she had no way to leave. She came to work with him and HER car was back at the apartment.

Even though he felt bad for upsetting her, he knew that he needed to stand up for himself. 

He needed the one thing that had escaped him in every relationship prior to her.

Control. 

He had bent over backwards for his former girlfriends and they walked all over him. Every single one of them, cheated on him behind his back. 

He vowed to himself, that if he ever got in another relationship......he would be the one in control.

As he walked into the lounge, he realized that her bag was gone and she was nowhere in sight.

"She has to be here. Where could she go." he said to himself, out loud.

"Who?" Stephanie said from behind him, as she walked into the lounge.

"Michelle. Have you seen her?"

"Yeah, she left shortly after you guys got here. Why, is something wrong?"

"No. Wait......what do you mean she left?" Wade asked, obviously upset.

"I mean she left. I saw Marty with his arm around her walking to his car. She got in and they left."

"What!?! Where were they going?" he asked, becoming more pissed off with every second that passed.

"Jesus christ Wade! I'm not their babysitter. I have no idea where they went."

"Whatever." he said, as he pulled his keys out of his bag and headed to the parking lot. 

If she was messing around on him, he was going to lose it. 

He threw his bag on the passenger seat and got in his truck. 

As he took off out the parking lot, his cell phone rang. 

Glancing down, he saw that the call was coming from an inside line at MC. 

He grabbed it off the seat and answered it.

"Hello." 

"Hey Wade, it's Steph. Listen, Michelle just called here looking for you."

"Did she say where she was at?" he asked, as his fists clenched the steering wheel.

"She said she was at home."

"Ok. Thanks." he said, as he hung up the phone and headed to her apartment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Michelle woke up, she glanced over at the clock on her nightstand.

It's was just before noon and Wade class would be wrapping up any minute.

She decide to call down MC and try to catch him, but when she called, Stephanie had told her that Wade had just left. 

After she hung up with Stephanie she debated on whether to call his cell or not, but decided against it.

She would just have to wait things out.

She sat the phone down on her night stand and headed downstairs.

As soon as she reached the bottom, she heard a knock at the door.

She ran down and looked through the peep hole. 

It was Wade.

She took a deep breath and opened the door.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Wade asked, as he pushed his way past her and into her apartment.

"What?" she asked, as she shut the door and turned around to face him.

"Are you fuckin Marty behind my back?" he asked, as her got up in her face.

"No!" she said, as she started to cry. "Why would you say that?"

"Why did you leave with him then?" he said, as he glared down at her.

She looked up at him and saw a look in his eyes she never saw before. A look that sent fear through every part of her and she froze, unable to move or speak. 

"Well?" he asked ,as his breathing became heavier.

She just stood there like a deer caught in headlights. The look of rage on his face had her completely paralized with fear.

"Yeah.....That's what I thought."

He looked her straight in the eyes and back-handed her across the face, knocking her to the floor. 

She held her hand to her cheek as she turned to look up at him, tears streaming down her face.

"Get up!" he yelled, as he stood over her.

When she didn't do as he instructed, he reached down and pulled her up by her arm.

She cried out in pain as he dragged her over to the couch and threw her down.

"I see how it is.......first I had a virgin, now I have a whore." 

"Wade, I swear! All he did was give me a ride home." she said, as looked up at him, the mark clearly visible across her cheek.

"I gotta get out of here." he said, as he quickly turned away from her and headed to the door.

"Where are you....." she started to say, but before she could finish, he walked out the door.

As quickly as the nightmare had started.......it stopped.

CHAPTER 13

After Wade left, Michelle broke down. She couldn't understand what had just happened.

She was in shock.

She placed her hand back to her cheek to try and stop the stinging sensation that was quickly increasing.

It didn't work. She needed to take something for the pain.

Placing her hands on the cushions next to her, she pushed down and tried to stand up.

She couldn't.

He had hit her with such force, that he slightest movement made her feel like she was going to blackout. 

She was scared.

She knew something was wrong, but she didn't know what.

Glancing over at the table next to her, she spotted her cell phone sticking out of her purse.

She took every bit of strength she had and reached over to grab it.

Her eyes were starting to blur, as she fumbled to press the number on her phone that was a direct dial to Jenna.

Once she pressed the number, she put the phone up to her ear.

She listened as the phone rang once, then twice. 

Before it rang a third time, everything went black and she dropped the phone to the floor.

"Hello?" the voice said from the phone, but it wasn't Jenna. It was Wade.

She had hit the wrong number.

"Hello?" he said again, but the line was silent.

He was about to hang up when he heard a faint noise in the background. 

Quickly, he put it back up to his ear.

"Michelle?"

She had regained consciousness, and was struggling to grab the phone as it layed next to her feet on the floor.

Finally, she managed to pick it up. 

Looking down at the screen, she saw the phone was in use.

She immeadiately put it to her ear.

"Jenna.....Something is wrong. I..... need help."

"Michelle. It's Wade. What's wrong?" he asked, worried by the sound of her voice, but more about the condition he knew he left her in.

"Wade?" 

"Yeah, are you ok?"

She didn't answer. 

All he heard was her crying, as she hung up the phone.

He turned his truck around and sped back to her apartment.

He knew something wasn't right. He just knew it. 

He should have never left her there like that. 

He didn't even realized how hard he had hit her, until she looked up at him. 

Her cheek had instantly bruised and she had a cut below her eye from where his ring must have made contact. He had completely forgot it was on when he hit her.

Within minutes, he was back at her apartment.

He threw his truck in park and jumped out running up the stairs to her apartment.

Frantically, he knocked on the door for her to open it up.

"Michelle, it's Wade. Let me in."

When she didn't come to the door after a few seconds, he started to worry.

Fearing that something was horribly wrong, he reached in his pocket and pulled out his keys.

She had given him a key to her apartment last week in case he needed it, and right now he couldn't imagine needing it more. 

When he finally found the right key, he put it in and unlocked the door.

Slowly, he opened it and yelled inside.. "Michelle?"

She didn't answer him, but he quickly caught sight of her sitting on the floor in front of the couch.

He sat his keys down on the table next to the door and slowly walked up to her.

The last thing he wanted was to run up to her and have her feel threatened.

He had already done THAT.

As he walked up to her he expected her to protest, but she didn't. 

In fact, she didn't move at all and that worried him even more.

Slowly he walked around the table and crouched down in front her.

"Michelle." 

His voice was soft and caring, like it used to be. 

"Come here." he said, as he held out his hand for her.

Slowly, she looked up at him.

The look that had sent fear through her body earlier was gone. 

The hand that he held out to her was inviting, not punishing, like it had been earlier. 

She took a deep breath and hesitantly placed her hand in his.

"That's it." he said, as helped her to her feet. 

She had only been on her feet for a second, when her legs started to buckle beneath her.

"Whoa." Wade said, as he placed his arm around her to steady her. "What's wrong?"

"I.....I.....think I am going to pass out again."

"Again. What do you mean again?" he asked, concerned by her statement.

"Wade." she said, with fear in her voice, as she started to loose her balance. 

"It's ok. I got you." he said, as he wrapped her arms around his neck and picked her up.

Her head fell against his shoulder and she shut her eyes.

"Hey, don't go to sleep on me." he told her, as he carried her upstairs. 

"I can't help it. I'm so tired." 

"I know. Just stick with me, ok?"

He carried her upstairs and laid her down her on her bed.

The last thing he wanted to do was tell her that she most likely had a concussion.

He wasn't absolutely positive, but he was pretty damn sure.

He knew how much force he had used when he hit her and it could very easily caused a concussion. In fact, he would be surprised if it didn't.

Just thinking about it made him sick to his stomach.

He never meant for this to happen.

The second he got to her apartment, something just took over.

Physically, it was him inflicting the damage, but emotionally, he stood on the sidelines watching, unable to stop it.

It wasn't until he saw the mark on her face, that he had snapped out of it.

And at that moment, everything became very real. 

His brutality. Her injuries. Everything.

He just couldn't deal with what he had done, so he ran away, leaving her alone and hurt.

But that wasn't important now. What was important, is that he came back. 

He was back to help her. 

Question was.........would she let him.

CHAPTER 14

For hours, Wade sat by her side desperately fighting to keep her awake.

Most of the time spent appologizing to her for what he had done.

"Michelle, I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me."

Tears started to form in her eyes again, as she briefly flashed back to earlier that night.

It almost seemed like it wasn't real.

Wade had always been so gentle and caring toward her.

She just didn't understand how the hands that tenderly held her as they made love could turn into the hands that had caused her so much pain.

Pain that she knew, she didn't deserve.

The question was, did Wade believe she deserved it.

She couldn't see how he could. She hadn't done anything wrong.

Instantly, her train of thought broke as she felt his hand grab her chin.

Fear set in once again and she froze.

"Hey...I'm not going to hurt you. Relax. I just want to see your face."

Gently, he tilted her head so that he could get a good look at her cheek.

"We need to get this taken care of. Do you have a first aid kit in the apartment?"

"Yeah. Under the bathroom sink." she said softly.

"Ok. I'll be right back."

Wade got up and walked out of the room to get the kit.

Her mind instantly began grilling her on whether or not she was going to stay with him after what happened.

He had laid a hand on her. Something she swore she would never tolorate.

Yet, he had appologized and she truly believed he meant it. 

She knew she needed to make a decision, and she needed to make it soon.

Moments later, Wade walked back into the room carrying the first aid kit.

"Ok. Come here." he said, as he tapped the edge of the bed directly in front of him.

Slowly, she scooted down to where he was standing.

He grabbed the antibiotic ointment and opened it up, placing a small amount on his finger tip.

Wade placed his hand under her chin and turned her face away from him so he could see the cut.

Gently, he applied the ointment to her cheek.

When he finished, he placed his hands on either side of her legs and rested his forehead against hers. 

"Are things going to be ok between us?" he asked, as he gazed into her eyes.

The moment had come.

She needed to decide.

Was she willing to forgive him and continue the relationship, or would she tell him that he had ended it all the second he laid a hand on her.

Her brain told her to get out of it now, but her heart wouldn't let her walk away.

She took a deep breath, and softly answered "Yeah. We're ok."

He stood up straight and pulled her up to him.

"I'm glad. I don't know what I'd do if you ever left me."

She gazed up at him, unsure what to make of the comment.

Was he threatening her, or had he just meant that he loved having her his his life.

Before she could figure it out, he bent down and kissed her. 

When she didn't return the gesture, he pulled back.

"I thought you said everything was ok with us?"

She did tell him that, but she was starting to have second thoughts.

Something about his comment just didn't sit right with her.

"I know I did." 

"Well then, what's the problem?" 

She knew it wasn't fair to assume the comment had some underlying meaning, so she decided to just shake it off and put it out of her mind.

"Nothing." 

"Ok then. Come here." he said, as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

Again, he leaned down and kissed her, but this time she kissed him back.

"This is it." he thought to himself, as backed her against the bed.

"If she gives herself to me after everything I did to her, I own her."

He knew from the beginning, that he would have to do something to test her vulnerability.

If she was strong willed, he would never be able to gain control of her or the relationship.

It was only by accident that the opportunity presented itself.

He had never set out to hit her, but his temper just got the best of him and it happened.

It was like he was making her pay for everyone who had ever wronged him.

When he finally realized what he did, he freaked out and left.

It wasn't until he got back to his truck that he figured out the opportunity had surfaced.

As he headed back home, he went over everything in his head.

He thought he knew exactly what he needed to do, and when to do it.

That was, until he recieved the call from her.

The call that almost screwed everything up.

His plan didn't have him seeing or talking to her until tomorrow, but when she called, he knew he had to go back.

The fact that she was injured more than he thought, could have put a hold on the whole plan.

Luckily, it ended up working out in his favor.

Now, here he was.

He was about to discover if she could be conquered as easy as he thought.......and he was going to love every minute of it.

CHAPTER 15

He pulled her tightly against him and whispered in her ear.

"Get undressed."

She stood there for a moment, unsure if she had heard him right.

"Now." he said. His voice firm, but not threatening. 

She hesitantly started to undress, as he pulled his own shirt over his head. 

While she was finishing, he removed his belt and unzipped his pants.

He wanted her so bad that he could hardly stand it.

The second she was completely undressed, he turned her around and pushed her back against the wall.

She let out a soft whimper as he pressed himself against her, pinning her to the wall.

This is what he had wanted since the first time they were together.

He wanted to be able to enjoy her, without constantly checking to see if she was ok.

Tonight, there would be no checking. No stopping to see if he was going to fast or too deep for her. 

Tonight, would be for him.

Just the thought of it, made him ache to be inside her. 

He wanted her and he wanted her now.

He took a step back and slid his hands around her waist.

A lustful moan escaped his mouth as he grabbed her by her hips and picked her up.

Before she could protest, he had her pinned against the wall with her legs wrapped around him.

When she looked down and saw the look on his face, she knew she was in trouble.

"Wade..." she started to say, but was quickly cut off.

"Uh uh. Not this time." he said, as he shook his head.

She let out a sigh as she looked up at the ceiling. 

She knew she was at his mercy, once again.

Wade lifted her enough to get himself positioned correctly, and then he pulled her back down onto him.

Softly, she let out a cry as he slid inside her.

That only excited him more and he quickly thrusted into her, forcing her to gasp for air.

Her nails dug into his shoulders as she tried desperately to keep him from going deeper inside her.

But the second he felt her pushing off, he just pressed into her harder, making her scream. 

"Stop fighting me." he told her, as pulled her away from the wall and carried her to the bed. 

"You know, if you would just relax, you might enjoy it." he said, as he laid her down on the bed.

Quickly , he pushed her legs apart with his kness and crawled back on top of her.

He kissed the side of her neck, biting her softly as he slid back inside her.

This time, she allowed him to go deeper.

"Yeah, that's my girl." he said, as he quickly picked up his pace.

After a few harder thrusts, she placed her hands to his chest in an effort to slow him down.

He looked down at where her hands were, then looked at her questioningly.

Immeadiately she removed them and placed them back at her sides.

She could tell by the look on his face, that he wasn't pleased..

"Don't keep pushing me away. Your only making it harder on yourself by tensing up. Relax!" 

As much as she was trying to convince him that she disliked what was happening, her body was giving her away.

She took a deep breath and let her body relax.

"That's much better" he said, as he lifted her hips to gain more access to her.

Again, he resumed his pace quickly thrusting inside her

Her hands clutched the sheets beneath her as he brought her to climax.

"Wade!" she yelled, wrapping her legs around him.

"That's it. Come on. Don't hold back."

Quickly, he thrusted inside her a few more times before finally releasing into her.

He looked down and saw her panting heavily.

He couldn't help but laugh. He knew he had her.....and he had her completely.

Gently smacking his hand against her thigh, he backed off her and turned to get his clothes.

"Ok. Why don't you get some sleep and if you feel up to it tomorrow, come over. We only have a week to finish up the choreography for Justin's tour."

Still in a state of shock, she simply nodded her head yes.

Wade bent down and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Don't get up." he laughed. "I'll see myself out." 

He walked out of her room and headed downstairs. 

It had been easier than he thought.

He knew he had her, the moment she removed her hands from his chest with just a look. 

All he needed to do, was show his displeasure, and she quickly corrected herself.

That was what he wanted.

That was control.

Pleased with himself, he grabbed his keys off the table and headed home.