Michelle is sitting at Company, with a silly grin on her face. Of course she's thinking of Danny and the wonderful time they spent together the night before. It's been 3 weeks since her "run in" with Theresa. Danny was so wonderful with her that night, he left her with no doubt about who he loved and wanted, and it sure as hell isn't Theresa. Last night was just as wonderful, Ray, has been helping them so they can have more and more time together. Danny is using the excuse that Ray is "counseling" him, trying to help him get over his hatred for Theresa, and accept her as his wife.

Theresa is so stupid that she actually believes him. Danny had a "session" last night, but it marriage counseling had nothing to do with it. Michelle was waiting for Danny in Ray's office, Michelle giggles as she remembers how decadent and slightly bad she felt making passionate love to her husband on the desk, couch and floor of a priests office, but man was it fun! The ringing of her cell phone brings her back to reality. "Hello"

"Hey Baby, what are you doing?"

Michelle's face lights up she knew it was Danny calling, but just hearing his voice makes her feel warm all over. "Oh, I'm just thinking about the gorgeous man, who made me be a very, very, bad girl last night." 

"Mmmmm, so who is this mystery man? I just be he had to "force" you to be a bad girl."

Michelle can hardly contain her giggles. "Oh he's amazing, so handsome, with a voice that oozes sex, and eyes you can get lost in. Yes, he had to force me, twisted my arm sooo hard."

"I don't think so Missy, I seem to recall a very willing participant in being bad."

Oh, OK, I confess, I loved it. You are the amazing man, and it was wonderful and decadent and oh so bad last night�." 

"Baby, your driving me crazy, I think we better change the subject before I embarrass myself, and have to change my clothes , if you get my meaning." 

"Oh, I think I completely understand, Sir, because the same thing is happening to me. On that note, how are things going?"

"Good, we are so close, I'm betting a couple more weeks and we will have everything we need to get this fiasco over with."

"I can't wait, phone sex, and stolen moments just aren't cutting it anymore."

"I know Baby, I know, but it will be worth it, I promise."

"I, know, I just can't wait to see you, I've been thinking up new ways to show you how bad I can be. This is interesting�."

"What?"

"Well, Danny, have you been a bad boy, because Theresa just walked in and she is crying. Now, what did you do to her?"

"Got me, but if she's crying, to me that's a good thing. I better go, don't want her to overhear anything, but the next time we are together, I will so you just how "bad" I can be. I love you, Baby."

"Love you too, take care."

Michelle decides to have a little fun and strolls over to Theresa's table.

"Oh, Theresa, what's wrong, trouble in paradise?"

"Shut Up Michelle, I don't need you giving me a hard time. Haven't you done enough to ruin my life."

"Why, whatever do you mean?"

"You know what I mean, Danny doesn't love me, he only wants you."

"Nooo, your kidding. He tried to tell you that, but you wouldn't listen."

"I really hate you Michelle. If I had know that Danny would marry Mick's killer to protect her, I never would have�." Theresa cuts herself off before she finishes her thought.

"What, Theresa, you would have what?"

+++

"THERESA! What are you talking about?", Michelle asks impatiently

Theresa lets out a strangled laugh, "What the, hell, even if I do tell you there is nothing you can do, it just might make your life even more miserable, and that would make me feel better."

Michelle is shocked, she has no idea what Theresa is talking about, but she thinks "just in case", as she slips her hand inside her backpack. Thank God, she has her tape recorder with her, she turns it on. Thinking Theresa just may give her some valuable information, little did she know the story she was about to hear would change so many things.

Theresa's voice takes on an eerie quality, like she's gone of into her own world. "I had it all planned, I was going to have everything, power, money, a great looking husband, who was OK in bed, and love and amazing sex with my true love, it was even better that my lover was my husband's brother, and we would all be living in the same house, how convenient is that? Mick and I always had it planned, we both knew Danny would be the head of the family, so I would marry him, make him believe I loved him, but in truth I was really just using him so Mick and I could get what we wanted."

"Everything was fine until Mick met you, Michelle. Sweet, innocent, pure Michelle Bauer." Theresa's voice was filled with such venom and hatred, Michelle visibly shuttered.

"What do I have to do with it?"

"You, Michelle, you know, Mick told me how interested you were in him, you wanted him, and he figured if someone as good as you could want him, then he should be the rightful head of the family, and marry me."

"I was never interested in Mick, he was an animal and very delusional."

"Well, that doesn't matter, you see I was there that night at the beach, I saw it all. You know Michelle you have to hit someone much harder than that to kill them."

Michelle is in shock, "What do you mean, you were there?"

"Oh, yes, I saw it all. Then after you left Mick was coming to and I went to talk to him, I had to convince him not to change our plan. But he refused to listen, he wanted it all, the power, to be the head of the family, and me as his wife. I knew it would never happen, and he was totally unreasonable, so when he turned his back, I picked up the rock you used, and I did the job right."

"You mean��"

"Yes, Michelle, I killed Mick. Then I took off for LA, I was already supposed to be there so I had a perfect alibi. Then when I found out Danny had married you to save you because he thought you killed Mick, you little bitch, you ruined everything. Then you both had to go fall in "love", how disgusting! If I had known Danny would turn soft and marry Mick's killer instead of doing his job, I would have told the truth in the beginning, instead of wasting all this time to get what is rightfully mine!" 

"Theresa, you are unbelievable, Danny wouldn't have married just anyone who killed Mick, he married me because even then he knew we were meant to be. Wait until he finds this out, he will kill you or at the very least use this information to get you and your father out of our lives, so we can be together."

"Think again Michelle, you have no proof! It's just your word, even if you do tell Danny, he can't act on it without getting both you and he killed, and you know my father would never believe you. So, looks like you loose again."

With that said Theresa saunters out the door feeling ever the victor.

"Oh, Theresa, you are soooo wrong." Michelle says pulling the tape recorder out of her bag. Her feeling of victory is short lived, because, now she has to figure out the best way to break this news to Danny. She thinks its so ironic, the reason that brought them together has been a lie all along, what will this do to Danny, what will it do to them?

Parts 9-11

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