Dance of Seduction Ch. 01

As he continued to drive, she kept looking over at this gentle giant sitting next to her and wondered if he could really be her Savior, if he could barely protect her from Leonard. She thought back to all the things he said to her and the sincerity in his words, his strong yet gentle touch and kindness in his eyes and she began to feel warm all over. One word stuck with her and the cracks in the shell around her heart began to open wide, she had never been anyone's Baby before.

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Once they arrived at the medical center Mike guided her through the emergency room doors, quickly steering her towards the reception's desk. A glass separated the patients from the medical staff that littered the reception area. Looking out up at the reception lady that sat behind the glass, he spoke, "I'm bringing in a young lady who needs to see a doctor as soon as possible." The lady glanced up at him with a smile on her round face, "There's the paperwork. Have her take a seat and she will be called once her information is written down." Mike watched as the African American lady dismissed them as regular patients. Clearing his throat, Mike reached into his pocket and pulled out his badge, sliding it between the lady and the glass windows, he stated, "This is a matter of urgency and we're expected here." The lady glanced at his badge, and jumped up from her chair immediately. "I apologize officer, Mrs. Baughman will be seen immediately by a doctor, just take a seat as I alert the doctor on staff."

While they waited, an Oriental lady about 30 years old, dressed in black and carrying a gym bag came in through the emergency doors. She greeted Mike and then Mike introduced The lady to Jennifer.

"Jennifer, this is Mia and she's a crime scene technician. She will be photographing your injuries. We need to document your injuries while they're still fresh and afterward, Mia will take you to the doctor who will do additional exams, take x-rays and whatever else needs to be done to document what he's done to you."

Jennifer looked up and asked. "Are you going to stay here?"

Mike looked into those scared eyes and he wished that he could hold her and tell her everything was going to be all right, but instead he said. "I have to go to the precinct and fill out all the paperwork for what I witnessed but I'll be back to pick you up. In the meantime Mia will stay with you the whole time."

Jennifer looked up at him and he could see tears glistening in her eyes. He could see that she was close to losing it. This time he gave in to his impulse and pulled her into a compassionate embrace. As his big arms enveloped her, she felt her fear dissipate. For the first time in a long time she felt as if somebody cared about what happened to her and she felt safe. Mike kissed her on the top of the head and pulled her away from him so he could look into her eyes. "I promise I'll be back, now go with Mia."

She relented and allowed Mia to take her toward the entry for Doctors. As they were heading to the security doors, Mike whispered to Mia. "Some overall shots, but lots of close-ups."

As the doors were buzzed open and they were allowed to go into the confines of the hospital, Mike turned and left the ER. When he got to the precinct Leonard's lawyers were already there and while Mike filled out the paperwork and gave a statement to detectives. Leonard's lawyers succeeded in getting everyone very upset.

Mike didn't want Leonard turned loose and allowed back on the streets by the end of the day, so he needed to make sure that an injunction, also known as restraining order, would be filed on behalf of Jennifer Baughman before Leonard was released. Once Mike finished filling out the incident report, he went to the captain's office, knocking on Captain Anthony Greene's door. The Captain stated for him to come in. When he opened the door to the office, Captain Greene glanced over at him, his professionally trained eyes taking in Mike's demeanor and seeing the stress of the detectives current activities. "How is it posing with the fellows from Bayard Commercial Incorporated? "Mike let out a frustrated sigh, "Alright for now, but that's not what I'm here."

"Well Officer Rizzo please enlighten me."

"Leonard Baughman was just brought in on charges of assault and battery and I am asking permission to seek an injunction to protect his wife from him."

"This wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that you were over there uninvited would it?" The insinuation was clear.

"I assure you sir, that this has nothing to do with my involvement with Mrs. Baughman. I only just met her today and gave her a lift home to ensure her safety. You know how dangerous it is for a woman to be catching the bus at night."

Captain Greene gave Mike a sharp eye, "So I don't need to remind you detective Rizzo that a relationship with a victim is against the law when you are involved in her case."

"I understand that sir, this is strictly pertaining to what I witnessed and heard as I was exiting the crime scene. She's being photographed as we speak."

Captain Greene cleared his throat, "The injunction will be sought once Mrs. Baughman is released from the hospital."

"Thank you sir."

Captain Greene nodded his head, giving Mike a cue to exit. As he was leaving, Mike heard the Captain pick up the phone and dial a number. Knowing Captain Greene was a strong advocate against spousal abuse, Mike knew that he would have that restraining order before Jennifer was released and that Captain Greene would not hesitate to hold Leonard Baughman until he could ensure Jennifer's safety.

It was slightly after two in the morning when he got back to the ER and by a miracle Jennifer for was finishing her checkup with the doctor. While he was waiting for Jennifer to finish, Mia came over shaking her head sympathy etched in her features as she met him, she whispered. "It's bad, really, really bad and there are scars going back years! I'll get you copies of everything on your desk, tomorrow."

"How about I come and pick them up as soon as they're done?"

You're welcome to do that, but Mike, I think you should be careful with this one." She whispered.

"Not you too, Mia." Mike sighed.

"I've known you since you were a newbie on the force Mike, you've never been one to get too involved, and it's so obvious that you like her."

"That doesn't mean I'll act on it, Mia. I am a professional."

"Good because I'd hate to see this get out into the mainstream, especially with her being the wife of Leonard Baughman."

Mike cleared his throat and stared his longtime friend in the eyes, "I'll be on my best behavior."

Mia nodded with a knowing smile, "Take care."

"Don't I always?"

She nodded her head. If there was anything she knew about Mike, it was his competency as a detective. She said, "Alright, I'll see you tomorrow at the lab then." With those being her last words, she left.

Mike went over to wait by the examination room for Jennifer, when she came out she looked defeated and when she looked up Mike could see tears threatening to spill from her eyes and she looked ashamed. Mike's heart went out to her. He went over to her and embraced her, already forgetting the captain's and Mia's words as he gathered her in his arms and held her tightly to his chest. As she buried her face in his chest and wrapped her arms tightly around him, her tears let loose and her body heaved as years of pent up emotion from the abuse she'd suffered poured out of her eyes.

"None of this is your fault." He whispered. " You have nothing to be ashamed of It's that bastard you're married to that should be ashamed. I'm here and I'm not going to let him hurt you anymore. Charges against your husband are filed and a restraining order will be in place before he is let out."

Jennifer gasped, her heart desperately broken, the tears speaking her anguish, "What happens if the restraining order don't work? For how long will it be in place?"

"Until we're able to go trial on this."

"Trial?" Jennifer pulled away from him. "Mike, I'm not sure I want this to be made public, I don't want to be a spectacle. You know Leonard is the most famous director this side of California."

"Sweetheart, that may be so, but he needs to be held accountable for his actions."

"Do you know what he'll do to me once he's brought up on charges?" Quickly, thoughts began to run through her mind of all the ways he'd torture her. If there was one thing Leonard was good at, it was torture. She knew that if this happened, if she went through with this and it didn't stick, he would beat the skin off her back." Shivers went down her spine as she imagined all of the past beatings she'd gotten and all of the pain she'd endured, first in the name of love, second in the name of fear. As the tears racked her cheeks, the trembling made her legs give way and she sagged against him, "I can't do it." She cried, grasping the sleeve of his shirt, her throat aching with pain, "He's going to kill me, Mike, he's..."

Mike felt the anger from her words boil up in him. It made no sense for any man to strike this much fear into a woman as serene and beautiful as Jennifer. She was the woman both inside and out that men wished they could have. As he stared down at her hair, he began to stroke her hair. "Sweetheart, I promise, as God as my witness, Leonard Baughman will never put his hands on you again, he will never be able to hurt you, nor take your life as long as I'm here. I'm here Jennifer. Don't let what he's done to you make you suffer any more than you have. You have to fight and as you fight, I'm going to be right alongside you. Just based on what Mia was telling me and my testimony alone we will have a good case. "

"Wh..what if it doesn't work?" She whispered, her face buried in his chest, still unable to stand on her own.

"It will work. If it takes my last breath, Leonard Baughman will not be putting his hands on you ever again."

Mike's heart was aching for this beautiful woman in his arms. He soothingly kissed her head as he stroked her face and hair with his hands. Inside he was seething, barely able to control his rage. He wanted nothing more than to take Mr. Baughman out into the woods and beat on him until every bone in his body was broken, but even that wouldn't make things right or fix the damage done to Jennifer.

As a cop, Mike had his large share of fights with criminals and scum in general, but never in his life had he struck a woman or caused damage to anyone just to be hurting them. That's what Leonard Baughman had been doing, hurting someone just because he could and not just anyone, but one of the most beautiful, sensuous and elegant women Mike had ever seen, who just happened to be his own wife. In Mike's book Mr. Baughman didn't even rate as human. How could a man marry and then torture that woman for years? How could he not care of the psychological and emotional impact he'd leave in his wake? Her frail state was almost enough to force tears to his eyes. She should be enjoying her life, not having it stolen.

Once outside the parking lot, Mike guided Jennifer to his car where he told her he was going to take her to one of the battered women shelters. He'd called ahead to the shelter A better tomorrow, they were one of the partnered shelters with the police station, who were allowed to reserve ten beds for emergency cases and it was just his luck that they had the only bed left in a long list of resources he'd checked on his way from the station; so they were expecting Jennifer. Since men weren't allowed in the shelter, he dropped her off outside and Ms. Peterson, the shelter's night manager met Jennifer outside. Mike watched as they walked towards the front entrance and just when they were about to cross into the shelter, Jennifer stopped and turned around and ran back to Mike, flinging her arms around him.

She pulled her head back up to him and for the first time since he'd met her she smiled brightly at him. "Thank you for being my night and shining armor, coming to rescue me." She stretched on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on his neck. She then turned and ran back to Ms. Peterson.

That night Mike slept fitfully and for the first time in a long time his erotic dreams did not involve Erica, but instead Jennifer pervaded his dreams. Erica was the woman he had, at the request of her husband, publicly fucked as part of her big cock fantasy. When he had first seen Erica, he had obsessed about and wanted her in the worst way, but when he had been given the chance to make love to her, he lost control and wildly fucked her with his big cock ultimately causing her pain.

Now it seemed he was finally past that. He sighed, still being able to feel Jennifer's sweet lips, her tiny delicious body nestled in his arms and he desperately wanted to make love to her. He wanted to let her know what desire, love and passion really felt like. He woke twice that night with massive erections dreaming of Jennifer writhing on his cock and in his arms. In his dreams he saw her beautiful face contorted with passionate need and then release as he made love to her over and over.

By the time morning came he hadn't slept that much and Jennifer still occupied his thoughts and his libido. After spending all night having erotic fantasies about Jennifer, Mike woke with a bad case of blue balls and had to masturbate to relieve the pressure. He was also afraid of what would happen when he saw Jennifer on the set. The photographer had issues with the lump in his trousers yesterday, the way he was feeling about Jennifer now, he would have to do a lot of photo shopping to fix the huge lump in his pants.

Mike showered, shaved, dressed casually, then went to pick up Jennifer. They had breakfast at a little hole in the wall family-owned Mexican restaurant just a few blocks from his house. They arrived to the set of the photo-shoot about 8:45 and most of the people of were already there. Jennifer ran into the changing room to borrow clothes from the other girls. He wandered over, got another cup of coffee and as it got closer to nine o'clock he started to worry about Jennifer. At nine o'clock precisely, she came out of the bathroom and walked tentatively to the set. Instead of the revealing tights she had worn yesterday, today they completely covered her torso and arms. The elegant gliding so prevalent in her movements yesterday was missing and today she seemed stiff and sore.

Mike felt like he knew the cause for her soreness and stiffness today and he felt his anger creeping up his face and once again he clenched his fists. He really wanted to give Mr. Baughman some of his own medicine. As he walked over to Jennifer she was talking to one of the other dancers and when he reached her, he tightly caressed her lower back and she drew away from him wincing in pain.

"I was going to ask how you felt, but I guess now I know. How bad is it Baby?" Mike asked.

Jennifer was hurt on the outside but beaming joyfully on the inside, he called her Baby again and that one word made her feel warm inside. She gave him a soft caring look like she wanted to tell him but before she could say anything the photographer started calling everybody to set for the first practice session. Mike stripped off his shirt and went to stand in the middle of the set. The entire morning was going to be nothing but practicing their dance routines and getting them just the way the photographer wanted them. For close to an hour Mike stood in the middle of the set with eight beautiful women dancing and fawning around him.

After almost an hour the photographer was starting to be happy with some of the routines and he called for a 30 minute break. Mike cornered Jennifer and ask her how everything was. She said she was still kind of stiff from where Leonard hit her yesterday, but she said the ladies at the shelter were very nice and even though her room was kind of Spartan she felt safe there.

In a gesture she had come to love, Mike cupped her face with his large masculine hand and this time Jennifer rubbed her face into his hand and then brought her own hand up to hold his hand against her face. As she caressed her face with his hand she gave him a loving look. As Mike stared back, he saw passion starting to lurk in those brilliant eyes and once again he felt the electricity between them. This caused him to be reminded of the captain's words yesterday, but as he stared into the piercing green orbs in front of him, he couldn't help but give himself over to the feelings she invoked in him. There was something provocatively innocent about Jennifer that made him throw caution to the wind.

As Jennifer held his hand against her face she started to feel pieces of the shell around her heart breaking off and then she felt something she thought she would never feel again; desire. She twisted her face into his hand and sensuously kissed his palm. Mike closed his eyes and shook his head, the Captain's voice ringing loud in his ears, but his heart was taking a different route than the one he would have obeyed with tenacity before.

The photographer was yelling for everyone to come back to practice and Mike reluctantly turned preparing to move to the set, but Jennifer wrapped her arms around him and held on tight. She looked up at him pleading with her eyes and whispered. "I can't do this without your help and strength. Please don't let me go."

Mike wrapped his arms around Jennifer and said. "Whatever you need baby, you've got it." He swallowed the lump in his throat and his tone firm, stated, " I will take you to the shelter every night and pick you up every morning if that's what you want...And if you need anything in between you call and I'll be there."

Jennifer squeezed him tightly. While she appreciated everything he said, every time he called her baby she felt a quiver inside and a little more of the shell around her heart disintegrated. She didn't know what it was about that one little word that affected her so, but she hoped he kept using it because it generated feelings deep inside her, and she wanted to feel again.

They went back to practice and continued to practice the routines through the rest of the morning and close to noon the photographer called it quits and told everyone to go have a good lunch and be back at 2 p.m. -which during this time they would begin final shoots. Mike put on his shirt and grabbed Jennifer's hand, telling her he was going to take her to the best fish restaurant in town. He drove for almost 45 minutes before he came to an access road that led them to the beach. he pulled over and put the gear shift in park.

Jennifer was looking around for this fabulous restaurant. As Mike opened the door, he grabbed her hand and wove her tiny fingers through his massive paw and then they walked along the beach until they came to this broken down shack with some fabulous smells drifting through the air from it. She had never been to a place like this but once inside, the food was spectacular and the company was even better.

They spent the whole lunch gazing into each other eyes, which was where most of their communication was spoken. Occasionally a gust of wind would blow, bringing sand into their food, but even that couldn't dampen their spirits. Jennifer didn't think this could get any better than good food, sand, surf, sun and the big old teddy bear named Mike. She gave a soft smile as it dawned on her for the umpteenth time that she was feeling things she never thought she would feel again. Mike made it even better when he gave her a cell phone and it had two numbers in it; his and the detective in charge of her case. During one of the fifteen minute breaks at the photo shoot, he'd called the captain and requested a change of case. The captain had laughed and told him that was the smartest thing he could do and then told him who he'd already assigned as a secondary detective in case he'd change his mind.