An Angel's Touch

by animesn

After losing her parents in a terrible accident, Kyler is taken in and raised by the Elder Kettle. Her life couldn't be better...until the day Cuphead and Mugman visit the Devil's Casino. In order to save them, Kyler must make a decision that changes not only her life, but also the life of King Dice

11. Ch 10 Swimming Lessons

"Here's a swimming class for beginners. It's got a lot of high reviews."

Kyler turned her head toward King Dice with a funny look on her face. "K-chan, that's a class for young children."

King Dice gave her a mischievous grin. "Yeah, so?"

"So, won't I look silly taking a children's swimming course?"

"Of course not sweetie. I think you'll look adorable." He wrapped his arms around her. "And you'll probably be the tallest one in the class."

Kyler rolled her eyes, but managed to laugh. "Very funny. You're such a riot."

King Dice laughed along with her and nuzzled her head. He and Kyler were in their living room searching for swimming classes on the Internet. They were both sitting along the length of the deep couch. King Dice had his legs crossed loosely, with Kyler nestled comfortably between them and the laptop resting on her lap. "I'm sorry for teasin' ya baby."

"It's all right. I know you're just trying to make this easy for me." Kyler gave him a small peck on the lips before continuing scrolling through the different courses. She and King Dice spent another ten minutes viewing and marking possible courses until one in particular caught her eye. "What about this instructor?"

King Dice followed her gaze and furrowed his eyebrows. The page that Kyler had pointed out sported a picture of a smiling man with dirty blonde hair. He was wearing the typical attire you would expect from a swimming instructor; red shorts and a white t-shirt with the company's logo. He appeared to be around the same age as King Dice, and he was equally as well-toned. "That one? Are you sure baby?"

Kyler nodded. "I think he would be a very good choice." She scanned the page some more. "Zane Burton, ten years experience, highly recommended by all those who've had lessons with him. Oh, and look! He's also worked with individuals who have suffered from aquaphobia. Just like me." She was getting more excited by the minute."

King Dice still wasn't too sure. "I don't know honey. It also says that he's trained olympic athletes and has high expectations for his students. Sounds kinda tough."

"Well, swimming is something I will not learn overnight. I probably could use some tough love." Kyler said. She gave a small squeak of surprise when King Dice tightened his arms around her.

"I just don't want him to push you too hard Snow Dove. This is a really huge step for you, and I want it to be a fun experience." He told her.

Kyler placed her hands comfortingly on his arms. "You're just too protective of me."

"It's my job." King Dice responded with a chuckle. "But, if ya think he's the guy for the job, then I will support ya." He checked the available classes. "Looks like we can arrange to have it done here, since I have a pool. How's about we schedule your classes on days when I can be here?"

"I would love that. Having you cheering for me will make the whole thing more enjoyable." Kyler nuzzled her cheek against his upper arm.

King Dice nodded. "That, and I wanna make sure he behaves himself. Treat you with respect, I mean. And that he knows there are...bounderies."

Kyler giggled. "K-chan, are you jealous?"

"No!" King Dice growled as he pursed his lips together, pulling a funny scowl and resting his chin on the top of Kyler's head with a distinct "Hmph!"

Kyler continued giggling as she kissed one of his hands. "There is nothing to worry about my love. You know that there is only one man for me."

Smiling, King Dice and Kyler shared a kiss, then turned their attention back to the laptop so that they could schedule her first private swimming class.

As it turned out, the instructor's earliest availabe private class was on a day that King Dice had to work. He protested, but eventually caved in to Kyler's insistance. So he decided to have Terrance sit in on the lesson, to which his butler said he'd be happy to do so. Kyler thought that having someone watch out for her during her lesson was a bit overkill.

"There is no need to provide me with a babysitter K-chan. I'm sure Mr. Burton is quite the gentlemen." She said as they both prepared for bed.

"It's not just that honey. I just thought it would be a good idea to have two people present durin' your lesson. He may be getting up there, but Terrance is a pretty good swimmer. Used to be part of team, in fact." King Dice pulled her close to him once they both settled under the covers.

Kyler looked thoughtful. "Well, when you put it that way, it does make sense. Just as long as Mr. Burton and I are not disturbed. I know he'll need to focus all of his attention on me."

King Dice smiled at her. "Don't worry. Terrance knows not to interfere unless it's a legit emergancy."

"Thank you love. I really appreciate your support." Kyler gave his nose a peck and was about to settle down for the night when, to her surprise, King Dice suddenly pushed himself up and straddled her. She rolled on her back so that she could face him, and a small giggle escaped from her throat. "What are you doing?"

A sly grin spread across his face as he placed a hand behind her head and leaned forward to nuzzle her neck. "I know you've gotta a big day tomorrow, but I thought we could, ya know, fool around a little before goin' to sleep."

Kyler giggled again as his mustache tickled her. "K-Chan, you know I need to have a certain amount of sleep."

He stopped nuzzling her so that he could look at her with pleading eyes. "Pretty please? With sugar on top?"

She smiled and gave him a kiss. "Oh, all right, since you asked so nicely." She said as she lightly tapped his nose with her finger, her other hand caressing his cheek.

His grin widened as he sat back on his heels so that he could take his night shirt off and tossed it to the side. Once again, Kyler was mesmerized by his toned figure. "I swear Snow Dove, your reaction is always so cute."

Still giggling, Kyler eyed him innocently. "I can't help it. You're just so handsome."

Chuckling, King Dice wrapped his arms around her and gave her a kiss. He could feel her soft hands against his rock hard abs. "And you're so beautiful." He sat up again so that he could start unbuttoning her night shirt, but stopped suddenly. "Ya okay with me doin' this baby girl?"

"Of course. You know that I trust you." Kyler told him.

He smiled warmly at her and continued. He did this slowly, kissing her bare shoulder first, then her collarbone. It wasn't until his lips came to her breasts that he saw it. "Heh, heh. Still got the bra on, huh?"

She scowled at him. "Don't make fun of me. You know I'm not yet comfortable taking it off when I'm with you."

"Not yet?" He raised an eyebrow, his devious smile never wavering.

"Oh, stop it! You know what I mean!" Kyler laughed as she grabbed one of the small decorative pillows and lightly wacked him with it.

He chuckled and gave her another kiss. "I'm not makin' fun of ya baby. I like it when you keep your bra on." He leaned forward and whispered in her ear. "It's sexy."

Again, Kyler wacked him with the pillow. "I'm not sexy. I'm cute."

"You can be cute and sexy at the same time." King Dice ran his tongue along her neck while he gave one of her breasts a gentle squeeze, causing her to let out a series of moans.

"Is- is that- ah- even possible?" She gasped. His touch made her feel as if her whole body had turned to jelly. "Wouldn't being sexy as well make me- ngh, ah-unapproachable?"

He stopped licking her and gave her a serious look. "Absolutely not. You have a very good heart. To me, that's one of the definitions of a sexy woman." He caressed her cheek with his thumb while he gently massaged the back of her neck with his other hand.

She smiled warmly at him and gave him a kiss, which he returned. "I never thought if it that way. Thank you love." she said softly when they broke apart.

He leaned over to kiss her again, this time coaxing her mouth open so they could transition to a french kiss. Their tongues swirled around one another before he pulled aways slightly and rolled to his side, pulling her close to him. "I love you so much Snow Dove."

Kyler laid her head against his chest so that she could hear his beating heart. It always lulled her to sleep. "I love you too K-Chan."

It was just before nine in the morning when the doorbell rang. Terrance went to answer it, knowing full well that it was probably the swimming instructor. From what Kyler and King Dice had told him, Mr. Burton was a professional looking man who always seemed to take pride in his appearance. This proved to not be the case when Terrance opened the door and found a well toned, but somewhat disheveled man standing in the entrance with a wide grin on his face. The swimming trunks he sported were in good condition, but the shirt he wore was rather dirty and faded. His tanned skin indicated that he spent a bit too much time out in the sun, his hair a bit messy, and he seemed to have a beard and mustache that was starting to grow. From what Terrance could see, the tote he was carrying held supplies that he guessed were for beginner swimmers.

After a few seconds of the two men just staring at each other, Terrance finally cleared his throat. "Ahem...Mr. Burton, I presume?"

Still grinning, the man gave a gruff laugh and grabbed a hold of Terrance's hand, giving it a few rough shakes. "That's me bro! Zane Burton, swimming instructor extrodinair! Ten years experience and trainer of a few successful olympians!"

Terrance managed to regain his balance after having his hand shook so forcefully, maintaining a cool composure. "Forgive me sir, but you do not resemble the photo I had been shown-"

Zane immediately held his hand up. "Say no more cuz. That was taken a few years back, so I'm used to that question." He rummaged in his tote and pulled out a handful of papers. "My credentials and certificates, as well as a confirmation letter from the company I work with."

Eyebrows raised at the rather unorthodox greeting, Terrance took the papers and studied them closely. "Mmm-hmm...everything appears to be in order." He handed the papers back and gave a slight bow. "Very well Mr. Burton. Please come on in."

Zane eagerly picked up his tote and walked through the door. "Much appreciated bro! So, where's my student?"

"Miss Sharmain is presently awaiting your arrival in the pool area." Terrance said as he closed the door. "If you will please follow me."

Zane nodded and followed Terrance through the mansion, whistling as he took in his surroundings. "Damn, will you look at the size of this place? You must be real loaded my friend."

Terrance ignored the instrusive remark. "This is the home of Master Dice and Miss Sharmain. I just happen to be one of their employees."

"Heh! So you're probably the butler, since you answered the door and all. Guess that means I can call you Jeeves. Ha, ha! Just kidding!"

Terrance was not amused in the slightest. At the present moment, he did not care for Mr. Burton that much. He found his brash mannerisms quite annoying. But he decided to keep his feelings to himself, for Kyler's sake.

Kyler was sitting on one of the pool chairs having a cheery conversation with Bumblette when the two men entered through the glass door. She smiled and stood up.

"May I present Mr. Zane Burton." Terrance said to her.

Kyler nodded and walked toward both of them, Bumblette buzzing close behind her. "Nice to meet you Mr. Burton."

"Pleasure's all mine." Zane said as he and Kyler shook hands.

Kyler gave him a warm smile. "Thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to teach me how to swim. You have no idea how much I appreciate this."

Zane chuckled. "Hey, when I heard that I would be teaching the famous Midnight Star,I was really stocked. I try to see your your shows as often as I can."

"That's so kind of you. I'm happy to hear that you really enjoy my performances."

"Yeah." Zane responded with a laugh. "Also, I think you're the cutest performer at the casino, if not on the whole island." He added with a wink.

Kyler blushed while Bumblette and Terrance exchanged a look. They were both wondering if Zane was flirting with Kyler. But that didn't seem to be the case when Zane gestered toward the pool. "So, ya ready to get started?"

"Yes! Absolutely!" Kyler eyes were twinkling, and Terrance and Bumblette couldn't help but smile at how excited she was. Bumblette excused herself so she could get back to her duties, and Kyler waved goodbye to her. Terrance walked toward the pool entrance and stood at attention at the door.

Zane put down the tote next to the pool chair that Kyler was sitting on and pulled out all the items (except his papers). They were a yellow styrofoam board, a vest, and five colorful weighted rings.

"Are we going to use all of these today?" Kyler asked.

Zane shook his head. "No, not yet. I just wanted to give you an idea of what I plan for you to accomplish during the next few months. You'll wear the vest so you can strengthen your arms and legs. Once you're strong enough, you'll use the styrofoam board so you have something to hang on to while you kick your legs in the water. It'll also help you get more comfortable with floating on your own. Once you get the hang of floating and swimming on your own, we'll use the weighted rings to help you practice diving underwater."

Kyler looked up at him in wonder. It was a lot to take in. "Do you really think I can accomplish all that in just two months?" She seemed uncertain.

With an encouraging smile, Zane placed his hand on her shoulder. "I know you can. As long as you really put your mind to it and practice as much as possible, you'll be swimming in no time."

Kyler returned the smile and gave Zane a nod. "I'm glad you really belive in me. I will make sure to give it my all."

"I'm confident you will." Zane gave her shoulder a pat and picked up the vest. "Now, before we go any further, I want to make sure this vest fits you properly. Do you know how to put it on? Or do you want me to do it for you?"

"That's all right. I know how to do it." Kyler took a hold of the vest and slipped it on, clipping the buckles and tightening the straps as much as she could. She hadn't worn one since the day she and her parents went out on their yacht.

Zane studied her and frowned a bit. "Hmmm..." he gripped each side of the vest and gave it a tug, muttering to himself.

"Is...something wrong?" Kyler looked at him worryingly.

"Well, it's just that you're smaller thant I originally thought." Zane told her. "I knew you were tiny, but this vest is a freakin' extra small adult, and it's still a little too big." He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Hey...would you be offended if I brought ya a child's extra large instead?"

Kyler smiled and shook her head. "Not at all. I trust your judgement."

Zane breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. I'm glad to hear that." He had Kyler take off the vest and put everything back into his tote. "All righty then. Ready to get into the water?"

Nodding enthusiastically, Kyler followed Zane into the shallow end of the pool. King Dice had taken her into the pool a few times so that she could get used to being in it, so the slightly cold water did not bother her at all.

"By the way, good job on the bathing suit that you're wearing. Most of my female students always wear bikinis." Zane complimented her when they entered the water.

Kyler grinned at him. "Thank you. I thought it would be smart to wear one that you would normally see on athletes. I read somewhere that bikinis can actually be too distracting for the student. As in...it can slip off if you're not careful."

Zane couldn't help but chuckle at how her cheeks turned pink at that last statement. "Well, that's no lie. They're good for liesurly swimming, but not when your competing or learning how to swim. Incidently..." He glanced at Terrance, who was watching his and Kyler's every move. "Is Sabastian there just gonna stare at us the entire time? It's kind of giving me the creeps."

"Oh, Terrance promised my boyfriend that he would keep on eye on us during the lesson. Just in case something happens and we both end up in trouble." She glanced up at him. "I hope that doesn't offend you."

Chuckling again, Zane shook his head. "No, I'm not. Now that I think about it, that's actually a very good idea. Can't be too careful."

"No, you can not." Kyler laughed with him.

"Okay, first's thing's first. Can you guess what's the vey first thing every beginner swimmer needs to learn?" Zane asked her.

Kyler put her finger in her mouth as she thought over her response. "Um... float, right?"

Zane shook his head. "Nope."

"Put their face in the water and blow bubbles?" Kyler knew that answer sounded silly, but she heard that's how some student gots used to being in the water.

"Close, but no cigar." Zane told her. "The very first thing every beginner needs to learn is trust."

"Trust? Could you elaborate?" Kyler was a little confused.

Zane nodded. "Sure. Basically, a student can only be successful when their instructor earns their trust."

Kyler tilted her head in curiosity. "But I do trust you Mr. Burton..."

Zane stopped her midsentance. "Please, just call me Zane. I don't believe in being too formal. And I know you say that, but I have to be absolutely sure that I have your full trust. Especially in your case. You're not only learning how to swim; you're also recovering from aqua phobia. I need to make sure that you understand that I will do everything in my power to make you a strong swimmer and keep you safe at the same time."

"Ah, I see what you're saying. All right then. How do we do that?"

Zane grinned at her. "i'll show you. Follow me." He started moving toward the deeper end of the pool, but stopped when Kyler didn't move.

"W-we're going deeper?" There was a slight hint of fear in her eyes.

"Just a little bit." He went as far as the four foot mark and stopped, looking back at her. "This is as far as I want you to go. But don't feel you have to rush over here. Go at your own pace. I believe in you Kyler."

Kyler took a few shaky breaths. I can do this. I can do this. She took a hesitant step toward Zane. After a few moments of just standing in one spot, she took another step. Then another. And another. All the while, Zane was extremely patient with her, saying words of encouragement in a gentle voice as she got closer to him. Eventually, she caught up to him. Because of her short height, the water was nearly up to her shoulders, while it was up to Zane's elbows.

"How're you doing right now? You okay?" Zane noticed she was trembling a bit.

Kyler inhaled and exhaled slowly. "I'm...I'm nervous. I haven't been this deep in water before."

Zane smiled at her warmly. "But ya did it. And that's what really matters."

"Yes...yes, I really did do it." She looked excitedly at Terrance, who gave her an encouraging smile and a nod. She was now more determined than ever to progress the lesson. "What do I need to do next?"

Zane bent down a bit so that he was at Kyler's level. "Next, I need you to wrap your arms around my neck."

Kyler's determination disappeared as quickly as it had come. "P-pardon?" She wasn't expecting something like this. Even Terrance had raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Wrap your arms around my neck and hang on." Zane repeated with a chuckle. When Kyler still hesitated, he gave her another encouraging smile. "Remember, we have to establish trust."

"Yes, but that seems rather...inapproriate." Kyler muttered softly. "Are you sure this is beneficial for me?"

Zane nodded. "Positive. I do this for all my aqua phobic students. It really helped them get more comfortable with learning how to swim. I promise, it doesn't mean anything."

Kyler looked down for a moment, then eventually looked back up so that her eyes locked on Zane's grey ones. "Well...okay." She reluctantly put her arms around Zane's neck and gave a small squeak of surprise when he wrapped his around her waist and straightened up so that she was hovering above the floor of the pool. She was relieved when Zane told her to just allow her legs to dangle. Things felt awkward enough without her having to wrap them around his torso

"Okay, the next part is very crucial. I need you to promise me that no matter what, you will not let go of me or kick your legs. Do I have your word?" He told her.

Kyler stared at him with very wide eyes. She was getting a little nervous. "Zane, what're you- auugh!" She gave a frightened shriek as Zane suddenly started swimming at lightening speed toward the deep end with her in tow, one arm wrapped firmly around her waist while he used the other to propel himself. "Oh my god! What're you doing?!"

"Just trust me on this Kyler. I know what I'm doing." Zane said in the same calm voice as he got closer to the eight foot mark. He was not planning to stop until he got to the deepest part of the pool, which was fourteen feet.

Kyler continiued shrieking and tightened her grip around Zane's neck, digging her nails into his shoulders. "Zane! Please take me back to the shallow end! Please!"

Zane shook his head as he continued swimming. "It's important that we do this Kyler. You'll thank me later, I promise."

"Zane, please! I'm really scared! Please, please take me back!" Kyler's shrieks gave way to whimpers as tears started to roll down her cheeks.

Her dispair galvanized Terrance, He immediately started running toward the other end of the pool and got there just as Zane did. He rested his free arm on the edge while still hanging on to Kyler, who had not loosened her grip around him and had burrowed her face in his neck. "Miss Sharmain! Are you all right?" He felt his stomach twist in a knot when Zane shot him a look of disapproval.

"I'm sorry, but I'm gonna have to ask you not to interfere. I'm trying to earn her trust." Zane's voice remained calm, but it wasn't as gentle as it was with Kyler.

Terrance refused to leave. "My apologies sir, but Miss Sharmain-"

"She's gonna be fine. Just give her time." Zane interrupted him.

The butler was not having any of it. "Forgive me sir, but I must implore you to take her back to the shallow end. Can you not see how frightened she is?"

For the first time since his arrival, Zane's eyes darkened. "Excuse me, but are you a certified swimming instructor? Just who you do ya think you are?"

Now, Terrance was normally a very civil gentleman, but when he felt Kyler's safety was at risk, he felt some form of anger that he didn't think ever existed. "Apparently, I am someone who is far more concerned about her safety than you are..." His sentance trailed off when Kyler started speaking in a shaky voice.

"Please...please stop." She managed to stop crying and looked pleadingly at Terrance and Zane. There were sparks jumping between the two men. "I know I was terrified, but I don't want you guys to fight because of me. Zane, Terrance once told me that I'm like a daughter to him, so he was probably just acting out of fatherly protection." She turned to Terrance. "And Terrance, Zane has been doing this for a while. Therefore, I trust that he knows what he's doing. He hung on to me the entire time. See? He's still holding on to me. So please, for me, can you two get along?"

A moment of silence fell between the squabbling duo as they mulled over what Kyler had just said. It was Zane who spoke up first. "She's right." He sighed. "I'm real sorry for snapping at ya buddy. I guess I just don't like it when people try to tell me how to do my job. It's still no excuse though."

Terrance nodded in agreement. "I apologize as well Mr. Burton. It is not my place to instruct you on how to perform your duties. I was just very concerned for Miss Sharmain's safety. But as you have stated, it is not an excuse for my behavior." He resumed his professional stance and gave a polite bow. "I shall resume my position at the front entrance."

Zane chuckled. "You don't have to do that. If ya want, you can keep watching from where you are right now. Kyler and I are gonna stay in the deep end for a while. Not too long." He added when Kyler gave him an apprehensive look. "And I'll call ya if I need any help. How does that sound buddy?"

"I will gladly accept those terms sir. As you were." Terrance turned on his heel and resumed his stance next to one of the lounge chairs, where he could still clearly see Zane and Kyler.

After giving her a few more moments to calm down, Zane realized that Kyler was still clinging tightly to him. "You gotta loosen your grip a bit. I'm not gonna let you go. I know you're aware of that."

Kyler shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I justI can't. Not when I'm in water this deep."

"I understand. You still don't trust me enough. Hey, that's not a bad thing." He assured her. "You need to go at your own pace. It takes as long as it takes. Even if we have to spend the whole lesson doing it, okay?" When she nodded in response, he continued. "All right then. So what we're gonna to do now is swim the width of the deep end. Like before, I just want you to hang on and let your legs dangle. Don't try to kick. And I won't go as fast this time."

"Thank you." Kyler said in a small voice, She let out a small gasp as she felt Zane push away from the ledge and start swimming to one side of the deep end. They did this for about ten minutes, and when Zane noticed that Kyler still had not loosened her grip, he decided to take another approach.

"Let's try this." He said when he stopped at the ledge. "I want you to close your eyes and think of what brings you the most happiness. Then, while I'm swimming with you, you can hang on to that happy thought. How does that sound? You wanna give it a go?"

Kyler smiled at him. "I think I would like that, yes."

"Good." He smiled back. "Now I want you to take a moment to think about what that happy thought is going to be. Make sure to concentrate on it the entire time. Let me know when you're ready."

Kyler chewed her bottom lip in thought as she thought about what made her the happiest. Cuphead, Mugman and Elder Kettle, of course. And her friends and job. Butterflies always cheered her up. But what brought her the most happiness...? King Dice, of course! No one made her happier than him. She looked up at Zane and gave a nod. "I know what it is." She closed her eyes.

"Perfect! Okay, you ready?" He asked her.

She nodded, and Zane took off with her in tow again, swimming at the same, steady pace. As they continued to move through the water, King Dice's face started to materialize in front of her. She could see his comforting smile and warm eyes, and let out a contended sigh. Before long, it wasn't Zane who was holding her. It was King Dice. She could feel his strong arms holding on to her tightly. She felt immediate comfort when she could feel his beating heart against her chest. Then he started to speak to her.

"You're doing real good Snow Dove."

"Mm-hmm." Kyler nuzzled her nose against his broad neck, his familiar sent flooding her olfactory system. Neither of them said a word as they moved through the water, completely lost in each other's embrace.

"I'm real proud of you, ya know that? You're a very brave young woman.

"And it's all because I have you by my side." Kyler murmered.

"I love you very much Snow Dove."

"I love you too K-Chan."

"K-Chan? Who's that?"

"Huh, what?" Zane's voice shattered Kyler's fantasy as she was brought back to reality. A blush creeped across her face when she realized that she had been talking to herself the entire time. "Oh. He's my boyrfriend."

Zane's eyebrows furrowed in cofusion. "I thought you were going out with King Dice." And then it dawned on him. "Wait...is that your pet name for him?" Kyler nodded, and he chortled. "Well, that explains a lot. Does he have one for you?"

"Yes. He calls me Snow Dove."

"Snow Dove. I like that. It really suits you." He glanced at one of her arms, and his smile widened. "Hey, would ya look at that? Looks like your boyfriend makes you a lot happier than ya think. You've loosened your grip around my neck."

Kyler started to smile as well. "Did I really? I haven't even noticed."

Zane chuckled in response. "Ya sure did. And ya know somethin' else? That convinces me that I earned your full trust."

"Oh, that's wonderful. I'm so happy." Kyler looked back toward the other end of the pool. "Don't get me wrong, I really am happy that I'm more comfortable in deep water, but...does this mean we can go back to the shallow end now?"

He nodded. "Yes, we can go back now. Hang on." He swam with her in tow back to the shallow end, and Kyler felt an immediate wave of relief when she was able to stand on the pool bottom again. Because she wasn't able to swim around in the vest like he had planned, Zane decided to use the opportunity to ger her comfortable with bending down low enough in the water so she could blow bubbles. This technique helped her get used to anticapte having to eventually put her face in the water withough having to completely submerge herself. Later, he had her hang on to the ledge and held her up by the stomach so that she could practice kicking. This proved to be a bit more challenging. She was fine when he was supporting her with his hands, but the minute he let go, she would start kicking so violently that she ended up just splashing water in his face. But the excited smile on her face told him that she was having the time of her life.

"Wait a moment, wait a moment! It..it's possible to be able to kick your legs withought having a splashing contest." He was trying not to laugh. He thought she looked really cute while she was blissfully splashing around in the water.

Kyler looked down in shame. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get out of control."

"Don't be." Zane placed his hand comfortingly on her shoulder. "It's normal for beginner swimmers to kick like that. You just have to have confidance that your body will float naturally on it's own."

She nodded. "You're right. After all, water is the strongest element in the world. It would have no problem supporting the human body."

"Especially a body as tiny as yours." Zane added.

She smirked at him. "I may be tiny, but I'm tough when I want to be." She leaned toward the pool ledge. "May I try again?"

Zane nodded as he placed his hands on her stomach again. "Of course. You do it as many times as you want." He continued to coach her on how to properly kick her legs, and after a few attempts, she was able to control her movements without his support. "Are you having fun?" He asked her as he continued to monitor her progress.

Kyler gave a nod. "I am. I never thought I would be this comfortable in the water. Just a few months ago, I would have a heart attack at the thought of stepping into it."

"From what King Dice said when I spoke to him on the phone, you've come a really long way. Sounds like it's been a pretty tough road for you." Zane told her.

"It had been." Kyler said with a sigh. "But I have K-Chan to support me all the way. And I know he will until the very end. After all, he was the one who helped me get over my fear."

Zane gave her a warm smile. "You're very lucky to have him." And he's real lucky to have her. He thought to himself. Maybe it was because he and his friends saw her performances all the time, or it could be because he had been single since his breakup five years ago, but out of all the lessons he had given, Zane was looking forward to this one the most. And that's because he wanted the opportunity to spend time with Kyler. Since the moment he first saw her on stage, he was immediately entranced by her beauty and angelic voice. He often practiced plucking up the courage to ask her out, but that proved to be a waste when word got out that she had started dating another guy. And not just any guy. It was the famous King Dice. He knew there was no way in hell he compared with the casino's general manager. But now he finally had a chance to be with Kyler. He knew what he was feeling was wrong, but he honestly didn't give a fuck. Zane wasn't going to lie to himself. He had the biggest crush on Kyler.

King Dice was happy to hear that Kyler enjoyed her first swimming lesson, but at the same time upset when she told him about the method Zane used to earn her trust. "He's pretty damn lucky I wasn't there."

"Oh? I don't think it would reflect well on your character if you had sent him to the hospital." Kyler teased with a small smirk.

King Dice grunted as he took a sip of his coffee. "No, no baby girl. I'd never do anything like that. Just knock out a couple of his teeth, that's all."

Kyler rolled her eyes while she finished her own cup of coffee. She set the empty mug on the table and swung her legs up on the couch so she could snuggle against King Dice's chest. "It's no wonder everyone is saying that you're a bit overprotective of me."

"Can't help it." King Dice set down his mug next to Kyler's and wrapped his arms around her. "I just love you too damn much. Also, Terrance and Bumblette said it looked like he was flirtin' with ya at one point. But I quickly got over my jealous streak when they said ya didn't flirt back."

She gave him a serious look. "I would never, ever do anything like that K-Chan." She placed a hand on his cheek. "I will always remain faithful to you."

King Dice smiled and gave her a kiss. "I know you will sweetie. And I never thought I'd say this, but..." He paused as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I promise to remain faithful to you too."

"I've trained you well." Kyler said with a sly smile.

"Well then." He started giving her neck butterfly kisses. "How's about we put that training to the test?" They both laid down on the couch to make out and ended up falling asleep there, locked in each other's embrace.

It had only been two weeks since she first started her swimming lessons, and Kyler had managed to exceed Zane's expectations. With the help of the life preserver, she was able to get comfortable swimming around a bit on her own and was able to start floating on her own within the first week. With the aid of the styrofoam board, she was able to propel herself from one side of the shallow end to the other, and she was even able to put her face in the water and push her self toward the ledge without panicing. She had even mastered the breast stroke as well.

"Holy crap Kyler. You'll be swimming in the deep end without any help by the end of the week." Zane complimented her while he held on to her arms so she could do her kicking exercises.

"Ah well, I don't know about that." Even though she was perfectly capable of floating on her own now, Kyler was stil reluctant to swim in the deep end without wearing the life preserver. The thought of not being able to rest her feet on anything still scared her a little.

Zane gave her an encouraging smile. "Don't sell yourself short now. You don't know what you're capable of until you actually do it."

Kyler could barely manage to look up at him as she was concentrating fully on keeping her body afloat. "I'm not insuating that I'll never do it. It will probably take me a little longer than a week to feel comfortable accomplishing something like that."

"And when that day comes, you'll enjoy yourself so much that you'll never want to get out of this pool. I can promise you that. Three...two...one... and break!" Zane released his hold on Kyler's arms and she allowed her feet to come to rest on the pool bottom so she could catch her breath. "Nice job. You're definetly getting stronger in the water. So, there is something I've been meaning to ask you. On scale of one to ten, how comfortable are you putting your face in the water, with one being very uncomfortable and ten with extremely comfortable?"

"Hmm...I'd say a nine and a half." Kyler told him after giving it some thought.

Zane's face lit up. "I'm really glad to hear that. Since you're very comfortable, why don't we try to completely submerge ourselves today?"

"Go underwater completely?" Kyler was a bit uncertain. "But I can't hold my breath for very long. You once told me that I need to practice expanding my lungs. Also, the last time I tried sitting down underwater as a child, I could not hold myself down. The water just kept pushing me back up."

"Don't worry. I'll hang on to ya so you won't float back up. I just figured since it's real sunny out, you can see just how beautiful water can be when there is light reflecting in it." He gave her another warm smile when she still appeared hesitant. "I promise I won't let anything bad happen to you. When you feel the need to come up for air, just give me a nudge and I will make sure you'll be able to breathe in no time."

Kyler knew there was one thing she could depend on, and it was that Zane would keep her safe. So far, he had not let her down. And there was something else she knew. The sooner she was able to go underwater, the sooner she could become a stronger swimmer. The lessons she had the past few weeks proved that. She was always scared at first to try something new, but once she did she would always question why she was afraid to begin with. This would definetly be another one of those moments. She gave Zane a determined nod. "All right then. Let's do this."

"Thats what I like to hear." Zane put one arm around her shoulder and another around her waist. He felt his heart skip a beat when she placed her hands against his chest. She still hadn't figured out his feelings for her, and he was fine with that. The less she realized it, the better. Doing exercises like this were a great a excuse to get closer to her. And she wasn't uncomfortable with him any more. As far as she was concerned, these types of exercises were imperative toward her success. And they were...in a way. "Okay, let's do some quick breathing exercises. Inhale...and exhale...inhale...exhale...slowly now. Good job. Now, on the count of three, we're gonna take a deep breath and hold it, nice and easy. Ya ready?"

Kyler inhaled and exhaled slowly again before answering. "Okay. I'm ready." She was a little nervous, but excited nonetheless.

Zane nodded. "All right then. Here we go. One...two...three!" He and Kyler took a deep breath at the same time and plunged under. He sat down cross legged on the pool bottom and held Kyler tightly so she wouldn't float away. He could hold his breath for a very long time, so he had no problem being under water for as long as she was comfortable with. He looked at Kyler, and noticed she had her eyes shut tightly.

And that was because for a very brief moment, the memory of being trapped underwater with her parents had flooded her mind. Kyler was afraid that if she opened her eyes, she would be in the wreckage again trying to swim to the broken port window. Thankfully, her curiousity finally got the better of her and she finally openerd her eyes. She was so glad she did. As Zane had promised, rays of sunlight were dancing along the water. The surface seemed to sparkle like diamonds, and it was so blue that it looked unreal. It really was very beautiful and peaceful. Oh how she wished she could stay under and gaze at the site forever. Of course, that was not the case, as she felt her lungs start to hurt. She placed one hand over her mouth as some bubbles escaped from it and gave Zane a tap, letting him know that she needed oxygen. She was expecting him to bring her back to the surface. Instead, to her immense shock, he placed his hand on her cheek and pulled her face toward him, pressing his lips against hers. She felt her whole body freeze as the realization of what he was doing dawned on her. Yes, he was clearing giving her oxygen, but that was only part of it. He was kissing her! It wasn't her imagination! She desperately started pounding her fists against his chest, indicating that she wanted him to let her go. He held on tightly with no intention of ending his oxygen kiss. However, she did manage to break away from him. In her desperation, she accidently swallowed some water as she burst through the surface, coughing and sputtering as Zane almost immediately followed suit. He looked slightly diappointed.

"Kyler, why'd you do that?" He asked her as innocently as possible.

"Cough!- I should be asking you-cough! Hack!-the same!" Kyler managed to snap between her coughing fits. Once she was done, she gave him a very angry look. "What on earth were you thinking?! How dare you try something like that!"

Zane raised his eyebrows. He genuiely seemed to not know what she was talking about. "What are you insuating Kyler? I was only giving you oxygen. You're making this out to be something that it's not."

If looks could kill, Zane would be dead right now. "That is bullshit and you know it! You clearly were attemping to kiss me! Admit it!" Kyler rarely cursed. She was that angry.

"It wasn't a kiss. I promise Kyler. I would never take advantage of you like that. You know that. Now, why don't we try aga-" He stopped mid-sentance when Kyler turned around to march out of the pool and up the stairs. "Kyler, where are you going? We still got another hour." He was about to follow her out of the pool when he stopped as she turned around and looked down at him with her hands on her hips and a stern look on her face. He didn't think it was possilbe for someone like her to look so intimidating.

"Mr. Burton, I am only going to say this once, so it would be in your best interest to listen very closely. If you think that I am just going to lay down and let you do whatever you want with me, you are sadly mistaken. I may be naive when it comes to hormonal behavior, but I am not stupid. That little exercise you planned was clearly a ruse so that you could find an excuse to kiss me. Despite what you may think, I've always had a feeling that you've had a crush on me. And I was fine with that. But I've made it very clear to you that I am in a romantic relationship with King Dice. I expected you to respect that. And you chose not to." She picked up her towel and wrapped it tightly around her body. "I am very, very disappointed in you Mr. Burton. I was under the impression that you were better than that. This lesson is over."

Zane felt a wave of panic. He couldn't lose Kyler as a student! He just couldn't! It was his only chance to get this close to her. If he didn't come up with something fast, she would find another instructor to take his place and always have a bad impression of him. The last thing he wanted was for the woman of his dreams to report him to his company for inappropriate behavior. He quickly scrambled out of the pool as she started drying herself off. "Kyler! Wait a minute!"

Kyler didn't respond. She just stood up from the chair she was sitting on and proceeded to leave. Just as she reached the glass door, she felt Zane grab a hold of her upper arm. "Take your hands off of me!" She wirled around and shook her arm free, glaring daggers at him.

"I-I'm sorry! I shouldn't have done that. It's just...er...I'm not gonna stop you from leaving. I just want us to talk real quick." He nervously rubbed the back of his neck.

Still glaring at him, Kyler folded her arms. "You have five minutes before I ask you to leave."

He nodded. "I understand. See, the thing is..." he sighed as he looked down. "You're right. I do like you. A lot. I've liked you from the first moment I saw you on stage. And I don't think I'll ever stop liking you for as long as I live. And you're also right about what I did back there in the pool. I was looking for an excuse to kiss you. But it was wrong, and I should've known better. Haing feelings for you will never, ever be an excuse for what I did. I didn't just overstep my bounderies. I also disrespected you and King Dice. So, I guess what I'm gettin' at is..." he glanced at her, still rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm really, really sorry."

Kyler was still mad at him, but her gaze did soften a little. "Hm...your apology does seem very sincere. It seems you really do understand why I am angry."

A glint of hope appeared in Zane's eyes. "Does that mean you'll forgive me? Everything okay between us?"

She sighed. "I don't know Zane. Right now, I am too angry to make any decisions. I'm going to have to think about that."

It wasn't the answer Zane was hoping for, but it could have definetly been worse. "I understand. If you wanna find another instructor, just let me know. I'll give you some recommendations."

"I appreciate that." Kyler said with a nod.

"Well.." Zane packed up his tote and slung it over his shoulder. "I agree with you that we should be cutting this lesson short. You've made a lot of progress today, so I'm not too concerned. "

"Shall I call Terrance to escort you out?" Kyler asked him.

Zane shook his head. "Nah. I'll show myself out. I'm pretty sure I won't get lost like I did the last few times." He gave her a small smile, which she did not return. He swallowed a little and started walking toward the pool entrance. He placed his hand on the handle, then turned toward her. "Hey, Kyler. Is my five minutes up?"

Arms still folded, she shrugged. "I guess you've earned a few more seconds."

"If anything, I'd really like for us to be friends... if that's okay with you." He shook his head. "Sorry. You said you're too angry to think right now. I shouldn't have asked you that...not yet anyway."

Kyler nodded. "I appreciate your consideration Zane. That much I can tell you."

Zane chuckled. "It's no problem. You enjoy the rest of your day."

"Goodbye Zane." Kyler's disappointed tone remained the same.

"Bye Kyler." He opened the door, and Kyler watched as he disappeared down the hallway.

"I'M GONNA KILL THAT GODDAMN BASTARD!"

"K-Chan! Please don't do anything foolish! I told you I was able to rectify the situation!" All the servants came running out in the main entryway and watched as a very livid King Dice came storming out of the dining room, not seeming to care that both Kyler and Terrance had their arms wrapped firmly around his waist and was therefore dragging them across the floor. Their combined weight slowed him down a little, so it did look a bit comical.

"Master Dice, Miss Sharmain is quite right! You mustn't do anything rash while you're in such an emotional state!" Terrance begged as he jumped in front of his employer and pushed his hands against his chest, trying to prevent him from leaving the mansion.

King Dice's eyes continued to snap angry green sparks. "I'm not gonna do anythin' rash! I'm just gonna find that good for nothin' swimmin' instructor, twist him into pretzel, break him into crumbs and feed him...to... the fuckin'...pigeons!" He managed to push past Terrance and reached for the door, but failed to to grab the handle when something made him trip, causing him to fall flat on his face. Kyler still had her arms wrapped around him and fell right on top of him. He rolled on his back and was about to sit up, but Kyler straddled his stomach and grabbed his wrists, pinning his arms to the floor. He could've easily pushed her off of him, but he didn't want to hurt her. Instead, he turned his head toward Terrance and was a bit puzzled to see his butler rubbing his ankle. Then he figured out why. "Terrance...did you just trip me?"

Terrance nodded. "Forgive me sir. Bringing harm to you is the very last thing that I want to do. But I must ask you to believe me when I say it was in your best interest."

Sighing, King Dice turned his attention back to Kyler, who was looking at him with pleading eyes. "You okay baby girl? Ya hurtin anywhere?" She shook her head. "Good. Listen sweetie. You're not gonna stop me from going over to that guy's place. I've told you before. As your boyfrined, it's my duty to defend-" He was cut off when Kyler leaned forward and pressed her lips against his. He knew what she was up to, but that didn't mean he couldn't resist kissing her back.

Feeling this was a private moment, Terrance turned to the other servants and instructed them all to get back to their duties. Then he closed the doors to the dining room, leaving King Dice and Kyler completely alone in the main entrance.

When they broke away from the kiss, they gazed intently at each other before King Dice broke the silence. "I know what you're tryin' to do baby, but it's not gonna work. I need to set that motherfucker straight."

She kissed him again, this time with a bit more passion.

"Nope. Not gonna convince me to change my mind." She was giving him one kiss after another. It had gotten to the point where he could only speak when she pulled away from him. "Not...gonna...mmmm..." He let out a moan when he felt her toungue pushing against his lips, begging to allow her entrance. Ah, hell. He closed his eyes and opened his mouth slightly. He could feel her toungue tangling with his. She had released her grip on his wrists and brought her hands to his chest, giving him the opportunity to place one hand against her cheek and the other on her back so that he could pull her closer to him.

They made out for a little bit before breaking apart for air. For a moment, they just gazed at each other in silence, not saying a word. A small smile crept across Kyler's face as King Dice caressed her cheek with his thumb. "There really is no need for you to confront him K-Chan. I am more than grateful for what you want to do. But as I have already stated, I gave him a firm lecture. That caused him to back down."

For the first time since his explosive reaction to the news, King Dice was able to smile back at her. "Sounds like you really put him in his place. I'm not surprised though. You can be pretty scary when you're mad. No one knows that better than me."

Kyler giggled. "That is true. You have been on the recieving end of one or two of my lectures." She gave him another small kiss before continuing. "There's something else you need to know."

King Dice raised an eyebrow. "What's that honey?"

"After Zane had left and I had some time to calm down, I thought it over and gave him a call. I told him that I forgave him and would like for him to continue to give me swimming lessons."

The gentleness in King Dice's eyes disappeared and was once again replaced by the same angry look. "Ah, hell no! Ain't no way that fuckin' perv is comin anywhere near ya again Kyler! First thing tomorrow, we're gettin' ya a new instructor and-" he stopped talking when Kyler placed a finger on his lips.

"K-Chan, will you please let me continue?" She asked.

He nodded and remained silent as Kyler removed her finger from his mouth.

"Thank you. What I didn't tell him is that you're going to be present for all of my lessons."

"I am?" He was genuinely surprised.

Kyler nodded. "Yes. I made sure to schedule the rest of my lessons on the days that I know you will be available. I trust Zane enough to help me become a stronger swimmer, but I don't want to be alone with him." She gave him another small smile. "I know Terrance can be present at any time, but I think Zane is more likely to behave himself when you are around. I know that as long as you are there, I will have nothing to worry about."

King Dice grinned up at her and started stroking her hair. "Darlin, you are just too damn smart...and sneaky." He added with a smirk.

Kyler nuzzled his nose. "I learned it from you." She teased. They both laughed as they shared another kiss. "Now, why don't we get up off the floor and finish our dinner before it gets cold? Chubbs made us key lime pie for dessert."

"Mmm! My favorite!" King Dice helped Kyler to her feet. They dusted themselves off and headed into the dining room.

Zane was a bit surprised when he showed up for Kyler's next lesson and discovered her and King Dice both waiting for him in the pool area. He was sure Kyler had told him what had happened between them a few days ago, so he knew he needed to really be on his best behavior today. He had never met the man before, but he heard that he had a bit of powerful presence. "Wow. Never thought I'd be able to meet the most famous man on the island."

Kyler gave Zane a wide smile as she hugged King Dice's arm. "I thought it was about time you met my wonderful and handsome boyrfriend. K-chan, this is Zane Burton. He's the one who's been kind enough to give me private swimming lessons."

Grinning a bit nervously, Zane reached out to shake King Dice's hand."It's really an honor to meet you Mr-YEOWWWWW!" Zane let out a pained yelp as King Dice clamped his hand in a vice-like grip.

King Dice smirked. "Nice to meet you as well pal. Kyler's told me a lot about you. You treatin' my gal really well?"

"Y-yeah. Only the best for her." Zane managed to squeak out. King Dice was squeazing his hand so tightly, he was starting to lose feeling in his fingers.

"Good." King Dice said, trying to sound as friendly as possible. He felt Kyler give his arm a couple of taps, indicating that she felt that Zane had gotten the point. He nodded in her direction and released his grip on Zane's hand.

Zane shook his hand a couple times to get the blood flowing again. "Damn, you got quite a grip there. Can't say I'm surprised though. You look like a pretty strong guy." He let out a few more nervous laughs before turning his attention to Kyler. "So, ready to get going Kyler?"

She nodded and looked up a King Dice. "Are you ready too my love?"

"Sure am baby girl."

Zane raised an eyebrow in confusion. "I'm sorry, but am I missing something here? Don't tell me Mr. Dice needs swimming lessons too." Until now, he didn't notice that King Dice was wearing a pair of swimming trunks and a t-shirt.

Kyler laughed. "Of course not. K-Chan is an excellent swimmer. We both figured that since he's going to be here today, he could help you continue to teach me. Will that be all right with you?"

"Oh...yeah, of course. I'm cool with that." Zane was not an idiot. He knew Kyler and King Dice had planned this because she didn't want to be alone with him. He was kind of pissed, mostly at himself. Shouldn't have pulled that underwater kissing stunt with her last time. He thought to himself. He jumped a little when King Dice reached over and gave him a very hard pat on the back, almost knocking him into the pool.

"I appreciate it pal! I really wanna see how my little snow dove has improved." He guffawed.

Zane forced a smile. "No problem sir. Anything to make Kyler's experience more enjoyable." He and the couple took off their shoes and got into the shallow end. "Okay Kyler. Let's start with your kicking exercises.

"Can I help?" The wide grin on King Dice's face never left.

Again, Zane managed to force a smile. "Sure. Just lean over and hold Kyler by her elbows. She knows what to do from there."

King Dice nodded and followed Zane's instructions. His face lit up when he saw Kyler allow herself to float on her stomach and start kicking her legs with little to no struggle. "Goddamn baby girl! Look at ya go!"

Kyler grinned up at him. "I know K-chan! I'm actually doing it! I can float in the water without anything helping me!" She felt more excited than ever now that King Dice was here with her.

Neither one of them noticed Zane scowling. Kyler had never expressed that much excitement when he was teaching her how to swim. He understood that King Dice was her boyfriend, but he couldn't help but feel a little jealous. These lessons are supposed to be our time together. Just us two. He shook his head of the invading thoughts. He had nothing to worry about. He would come up with something. He just needed to wait for the right moment.

After some time, Zane waded over to one side of the pool and picked up the floatation styrofoam board that was sitting on the ledge. "All right Kyler. You've gotten pretty comfortable doing things on your own in the shallow end. But today I want you to come out of that comfort zone a little." He looked toward the deep end.

Kyler followed his gaze and shuddered. "With-with just the styrofoam board?" He nodded and she shook her head. "I can't do it Zane. I'm not strong enough."

"If you don't at least try it now, you'll never become a good swimmer." Zane told her. "Remember what I told you before. You never know what you're capable of unless you do it."

"But..." Kyler continued staring at the deep end, then burrowed her head in King Dice's chest, who wrapped his arms tightly around her. He was probably just as nervous as Kyler was, but in a way, he agreed with Zane. She said from the very beginning that she wanted to be a strong swimmer. Eventually, she would have to be able to swim in deep water.

"I think you can do it honey. You've come really far." He leaned over to kiss her on the forehead.

She looked up at him with sparkling eyes. "Do you really K-Chan? Well...if you believe that I can do, then I am willing to give it my all. Okay. Today, right now, I will swim in the deep end with the board."

Zane felt an urge to wack King Dice in the back of the head with the board. Again, Kyler was willing to push her boundaries for her boyfriend, not for him. Goddammit! Why did that smug bastard have to get in the way?

"I know you can do it baby girl." King Dice smiled widely at her. "And you won't be alone. Zane and I can swim on either side of you-"

"No, we are not."

Kyler and King Dice both turned to look at Zane. A bit annoyed that Zane interrupted him, King Dice raised an eyebrow. "What do ya mean we're not?"

"I mean we're not gonna be swimmin' along side her. She's gotta do it on her own." Zane said.

King Dice didn't like the idea, but he was willing to compromise with Zane. "Okay, fine. One of us can stay here in the shallow end while the other goes into the deep end. That way, we'll both be available if she needs help."

Zane shook his head. "That's not gonna help her. She knows she can't expect someone to always be holdin' her hand when she's swimming."

He gaped at the swimming instructor. "You're not implying she goes into the deep end by herself?"

"That's exactly what I'm implying." Zane's firm gaze never faltered.

That was an idea that King Dice was not okay with. He tightened his arms around Kyler. "Are you out of your goddamn mind? She ain't ready for somethin' like that. Somethin' really bad could happen to her."

Zane let out an annoyed sigh. "Well, she's always gonna be afraid if she doesn't at least try. You keep sheltering her like this, and she'll never overcome her fears."

King Dice was starting to get pissed. "Now wait just a minute pal! She told you that if it hadn't been for my support, she wouldn't be in this pool right now! I helped her conquer her aqua phobia!"

"And it only took you three months to help her get over it. Give yourself a pat on the back." Zane retorted in a sarcastic tone. "I've helped many others get over it in a week."

Now King Dice was ready to slug Zane. "Excuse me? Ya really think that was somethin' she could've just gotten over in a week? You don't even know what she's been through!"

Zane took a few steps closer toward King Dice, his angry eyes locking with his. "Well, she's been doin' a lot better since I started teachin' her how to swim! And unlike you, I don't plan on babying her! If you think I'm gonna let you ruin everything I've taught her so far-"

"Stop it! That is enough you two!" Both men stopped arguing and turned to look at Kyler, who was glaring at the both of them with her hands on her hips. "Both of you had been arguing this whole time about what is best for me, and not once did you ask me what my feelings were in regards to this matter. If anyone has a say in how this exercise is going to pan out, it's going to be me!" She folded her arms. "First of all, I want you both to cooperate with each other. If that's too hard, then we can just end this lesson right now. I can't progress if you two are just going to end up fighting the entire time."

King Dice and Zane remained silent. They both felt like they had just been scolded by their own mother. The looks they exchanged told each of them they had the same thought. Them fighting wasn't going to help Kyler in any way. They may not be particularly fond of each other, but they were not going to let that sabotage Kyler's success.

"You're right snow dove. I'm sorry that we put you in that position. You're the one learnin' how to swim, so you should be able to have a voice in this." King Dice said, and Zane nodded in agreement.

"I'm sorry too Kyler. I agree with what you're sayin'. This is your lesson, and you should have a say it what happens." He turned to King Dice. "I'm also sorry for what I said buddy. About how you helped Kyler get over her phobia, I mean. You did a pretty good job helping her. Honestly, I probably couldn't have done it better." He held out his hand. "What do ya say we put our differences aside right now? For Kyler."

King Dice gave a small smile and shook Zane's hand. "Sure pal. I'm willin' to do that for my little snow dove."

"I'm glad." Satisfied with the truce, he turned his attention back to Kyler. "Okay Kyler. This is your decision. How do you wanna approach swimmin' in the deep end? Do you want me and your boyfriend with you, or do you want to do it on your own?"

"Hmmm..." Kyler chewed her bottom lip in thought. "I think...I think I would like to try and swim over there on my own. Yes, I definetely want to do that. I'll have the board, so I should be fine."

King Dice raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Baby, are you sure that's what you wanna do? I mean..." He recanted when Zane shot him a look that clearly said Remember what we promised Kyler. "If that's what you really want, then I'm behind you all the way.

Kyler stood on her toes to give him a kiss. "I'm so happy you're here to support me." Zane held out the board for her, and she took a hold of it. "Oh, what is this?" She and King Dice noticed that there was what appeared to be a long piece of rope hooked to the back of it.

Zane grinned. "Even though I'm confident you can do this on your own, you'll still probably need some help. So I thought it would be a good idea to hang onto this rope while you swim toward the deep end. If you run into any trouble along the way or decide to change your mind, just give the rope a tug, and I'll reel you back in.

"Hey, that's not a bad idea. Good thinkin'." King Dice complimented him.

Kyler nodded in agreement. "That is a very good idea. I appreciate your consideration Zane." She leaned over and held the board in front of her, taking a few deep breaths to help herself remain calm. "All right. I'm ready to do this."

King Dice and Zane stood on each side of her. " Okay. What I want you to do is swim all the way to the other end of the pool, then turn around and come swimming back to us. And remember, if you need any help, give the rope a tug, okay?" Zane told her.

Kyler nodded. "'Okay."

King Dice knelt down so he could kiss her on the cheek. "You've got this baby girl. I know you can do it."

Taking another deep breath, Kyler used her feet to push herself forward and started swimming toward the deep end, holding the board out in front of her. She was floating better than she expected, and as she approached the four foot mark, she started to feel herself relax. It wasn't as horrible as she anticiapted. In fact, it was kind of fun. And it was also a very good workout. I'm doing it. I'm actually doing it! I'm going to swim in the deep end on my own! Her confidence soared even higher when she heard King Dice cheering her on.

"That's my little snow dove! You're doing really well! I'm so, so proud of you!" He turned excitedly to Zane, who smiled in return. "You were right all along. As long as she's got that board, she can swim in the deep end by herself. And the rope was a really genius idea."

Zane chuckled in response. Little did King Dice and Kyler know about his true motives behind that rope. Regardless what happened, he was going to make sure that Kyler would need his help. Once she discovered that he was able to protect her and not her precious boyfriend, Zane was confident that she will see him in a different light. Their friendship would grow, and eventually, she will realize that he is the guy for her, instead of that pompus, overconfident asshole. I will make her mine. Just need to give it time. He glanced at King Dice and was pleased to see that the casino manager was completely focused on Kyler, continuously cheering her on. Perfect. Now, a little further... He watched as she neared the fourteen foot mark. Now! While King Dice wasn't looking, Zane gave the rope a tug, causing the board to slip out of Kyler's grasp.

Kyler shrieked in horror as she desperately tried to grab a hold of the board, but it floated away from her. She continued shrieking as she felt her legs begin to sink and she started thrashing wildly in the water. "No! No, no, no! Zane, K-chan! Help me!"

"SHIT! I'm comin' sweetie!" King Dice prepared to swim toward her but felt himself jerk back when Zane grabbed his arm. "Wha-the fuck ya doin'?! Let go of me!"

"Woah, woah, woah. Let's give her a chance to figure this out." Zane called out to Kyler, who was still thrashing in the deep end. "Kyler, you need to relax. Remember what we practiced. Trust your body to float."

King Dice was beyond stunned. "Are you fucking shitting me?! She's in trouble! We have to go get her!" He tried to swim to Kyler again, but amazingly, Zane was able to hold him back.

But it didn't matter what she had learned. All that was going through Kyler's mind is that she was in deep water without anything to hang on to, the floor of the pool far below her. She had forgotten everything and continued to thrash around, trying to find something, anything to help her stay afloat. She wasn't even swimming at this point; just trying to keep her head above the water. She spat out some water that got in her mouth before calling out again. "Ahhh! K-chan...Zane... please, help m-" She was unable to finish as her head finally went beneath the water and she began to sink.

"FUCKING CHRIST ON A CROSS! NO!" King Dice fought desperately to get out of Zane's wrestler hold on him. He had to get to Kyler, and fast! If he didn't...

"Just give it a moment. Her survival instincts will kick in, and she'll be able to swim back up." Zane's plan was to let Kyler struggle to the point where she would start getting tired. Then he would make his move, dive under and rescue her, maybe even give her CPR if she lost consiousness. He would be the one to rescue her, not King Dice. He would be the one she could always count on.

A second past, then two. And still Kyler did not resurface. "She's not comin' back up! She's gonna drown!" King Dice yelled.

"Just a few more moments, okay? i know what I'm doing." Zane said in an unusually calm voice.

"Get off me, ya fuckin' psycho! I have to save her!"

CRASH!

The sound of breaking glass caught both King Dice's and Zane's attention. During the whole commotion, neither one of them noticed Terrance had entered the pool area. When he saw Kyler struggling underwater, he had immediately dropped the tray he was holding and began running toward the deep end. They both watched in astonishment as the butler cannon-balled into the pool and started swimming toward Kyler, who was almost at the bottom.

"Urgh!" Zane doubled over in pain as King Dice elbowed him hard in the gut.

Once he was released, King Dice immediately climbed out of the pool and made a dash for the deep end. He got there just as Terrance resurfaced- with Kyler, one arm wrapped tightly around her chest and using the other to swim toward King Dice. He was very relieved to see that she was coughing and taking greatful swigs of air. It meant she was still conscious.

"It's all right Miss Sharmain! You're safe now!" Terrance managed to gasp. "Master Dice, are you able to reach her?"

King Dice nodded as he laid on his stomach and reached for Kyler. "Yeah, I've got her!" He grabbed her hand, and with Terrance's help, managed to pull her out of the pool. He wasted no time gathering her in his arms and quickly carried her to one of the couches, where he sat down and held her close to him. "Kyler! Oh fuckin' god! Are ya okay baby? Ya hurt anywhere?"

Kyler couldn't speak. She was so scared that all she could do was cry against King Dice's chest. Although he was sopping wet, Terrance's main concern was Kyler. He pulled out a large, fluffy towel from one of the hampers and walked over to where King Dice and Kyler were so he could wrap it around her. Because of her size, it completely engulfed her. Both he and King Dice congratulated each other on their quick thinking and began to comfort her.

"Well, I hope you two are proud of yourselves." Terrance and King Dice both looked up and saw that Zane was standing in front of them with his arms crossed and a disgusted look on his face. "You just went and undid everything that I have taught her. A month's work down the drain."

King Dice gave Zane a murderous look. "If you value your life, you will get the fuck out of my home right now." His voice was soft and dangerous.

Zane rolled his eyes. "Hey, I'm not the one who went and ruined her chance to become a strong swimmer."

"Ruined her...she almost died because of you!" King Dice snarled.

"Don't be so dramatic. I would've rescued her. Believe me, I know when my students are in trouble. I know she would've been okay. You two just didn't give her the chance. Obviously, you don't believe in her as much as I do." Zane sneered.

"You better shut yer fuckin' mouth right now before I do it for you!" If King Dice wasn't holding Kyler, he'd be beating the shit out of Zane right now.

But Zane refused to back down. "You're always babying her, treating her like she's some delicate doll or something. And I know why you're doing that. It's so she'll always be a little weakling who will always need to depend on you. A little weakling who is only good for one thing, and that's being your little sex slave-"

What happened next would be a hot topic throughout Inkwell Isle for years. Terrance always considered himself a calm and collected gentleman who never lost his temper. But when he heard Zane speak such horrible things about Kyler while she was recovering from her traumatic experience, something snapped within him. Balling his hands into fists, he stepped forward and punched Zane with a wicked right-cross. The swimming instructor's head reeled to the side as he fell to the ground, his nose gushing blood. Terrance toward over him, breathing deeply like a winded bull. "How dare you speak of Miss Sharmain in such a vile manner, you uncouth creature?"

Zane managed to stagger to his feet, glaring daggers at Terrance while he continued to try to stop his nose from bleeding. "Fuckin' bathtard! You broke by nose!"

Terrance continued to stand his ground, determined to protect both Kyler and his employer from Zane. "And I can gurantee I will break other parts of your body if you do not leave the premises at once."

King Dice and Kyler were in complete awe. Neither one of them knew that Terrance was capable of something like that. It was definetely the first time King Dice had seen his butler act like that.

Zane's eyes darted toward King Dice. "You heard dat! You're embloyee threatened be!" He pointed a threatening finger at the casino manager. "I'm gonna sue you!"

"Go ahead. I can afford any lawyer around here. Just you try it." King Dice's voice remained soft.

Grabbing his towel and holding it against his nose, Zane prepared to leave. "Just you wait. I'll get back at ya. You'll see." His eyes fell on Kyler. "Just remember Kyler. King Dice can't protect you like I can. He'll break your heart. Always remember dat you can always debend on be."

"Out! I never, ever want to see you again!" Kyler screamed at him.

Zane had no more to say. He grabbed his tote and marched out of the pool area, slamming the door behind him with such ferocity, it was a wonder the glass did not crack.

Letting out a long sigh, Terrance sunk into a nearby chair, one elbow resting on the arm and his head resting in his hand.

Kyler coaxed King Dice to let her stand up, and they both walked over to Terrance. "You all right there gramps?" King Dice asked jokingly.

"I'm quite all right Master Dice. Just not as young as I used to be." Terrance looked up at him with an apologetic look. "I must ask for your forgiveness. I was quite out of line for what I just did."

King Dice let out a loud laugh. "Hah! Are ya kiddin'? That asshole deserved it. I'm really proud of ya, standin' up for Kyler like that. Didn't know you were capable of somethin' like that."

Terrance gave his employer a meek smile. "I was not joking when I once told you and Master Aiden that I was a one time golden globe champion boxer in my youth." He turned his attention to Kyler. "How are you feeling Miss Sharmain? Is there anything I can bring for you and Master Dice."

Kyler, who hadn't said much since she was rescued, felt her bottom lip start to quiver. Then she lunged forward and threw her arms around Terrance. "Oh, Terrance! I'm so, so sorry! This was all my fault!"

"Honey, don't say that. None of this is your fault." King Dice soothingly started rubbing her back.

"Yes, it is." Kyler whimpered. "I insisted that Zane should come back to teach me. Even after what he tried to do with me. I should've known better. Because of him, two people that I love almost got hurt."

Terrance was able to smile warmly at her stroked the back of her head. "There now my dear. Master Dice is quite right. You mustn't blame yourself. The only one at fault was Mr. Burton. He overstepped his bounderies, and as a result created quite the mess." He gently pushed her away so that he could take both her hands in his. "All that matters to me is that you are safe now. I was quite terrified when I saw the trouble you were in. Remember I have told you that you are like a daughter to me. A father will do anything to protect his daughter." He gave King Dice a mischevious look. "And he will also ensure that the gentleman who courts her will always treat her well."

King Dice laughed as he put his arm around Kyler. "Don't worry sir. You have my word that I will respect her." He gave her a kiss and pulled her into a hug. "But seriously. Thank you for what you did back there. You saved the love of my life."

Kyler managed to smile and nodded. "Yes, thank you so much Terrance." She gave his hands a small squeeze. "Because of you, I can continue to live." She let go of his hands so she could hug King Dice back. "And I can continue to love K-chan.

Terrance nodded and stood up. "I will always be there for you and Master Dice. However, I must take a momentary leave. Wet clothing is not very comfortable."

Kyler giggled. "Yes, you should change into dry clothing."

Giving a polite bow, Terrance turned to leave. He smiled to himself when he heard Kyler and King Dice laughing softly. He must look quite comical trying to remain regal while walking in water filled shoes.