Flinging open her front door quite unhappily, Jan demanded, "What the hell do you want?"

Jason Masters pushed past his former love and muttered, "Not you, that's for sure."

Jan slammed the front door before turning to watch Jason flop his athletic body onto the sofa. Placing her hands on her hips, Jan asked, "Do you have some reason to be here? Wait! Don't tell me! This is about that little whore Mimi."

Though he didn't move a single limb, the cold glare that Jason sent Jan was enough to chill even her cold heart. She made a mental note to be careful what she said about Mimi when she was alone with Jason. Sometimes, Jan wondered just what her ex was capable of doing if pushed to the limit.

"At the bar, you said that you knew about me and Mimi."

"And, you and Chloe," Jan added with a smirk.

Ignoring Jan's last comment, Jason said, "Well, I'm just here to tell you that it would be in your best interest to forget that you ever even believed that Mimi and I had something going on."

Purring up against Jason, Jan ran her hand over his chest and questioned slyly, "Is that a threat?"

Jason pushed Jan away with one swift movement and answered, "You can call it whatever you want. Just know that there will be consequences if you open your mouth to anyone."

"Oh, for God's sake, Jason. This is Mimi Lockhart you're getting all worked up over. She was always a loser and always will be. She couldn't have been that good in the sack."

Slamming his fists down upon the coffee table, Jason growled, "I didn't just want to be with Mimi for the sex. I care about her, Jan. What she and I share is real - not cheap and dirty like what I had with you."

That familiar smirk surfacing on her lips, Jan questioned, "What about Chloe? Was it more than sex with her, too? Do you care about that freak also?"

Merely shaking his head, Jason quietly responded, "You know, there was a time when I didn't really hate you - I may even have liked you. But, now, I would like to do nothing more than attend your funeral just so I could spit on your grave. In fact, I think I actually hate you more than I do Brady Black."

Jan crossed her arms over chest and remarked sarcastically, "Ouch, Jase, that hurt. Really, it did. Now, why don't you just leave?"

"Oh, I'll leave - after you assure me that you'll keep your mouth shut."

"Fine, I swear that I won't tell anyone about you and Mimi," Jan lied. "Now, will you please leave me alone?"

Rising from the couch, Jason slowly walked toward the door. As he turned the knob, he turned back to Jan and vowed, "If you don't keep your mouth shut, you'll be sorry."

His final threat made, Jason left Jan alone. After tossing a pointless glare in the direction of the door, Jan spun on her heels with the intent to go to the kitchen. However, as she turned, she felt her breath catch.

In a whisper, Jan asked, "How did you get in here?"

"I have my ways," answered the intruder. "Now, have a seat. You and I need to have a little talk."

"I've talked enough for one morning, so I'll tell you like I told Jason - leave!"

Adjusting his glasses, Kevin replied, "No, I don't believe I will. You see, we really do need to have a serious discussion concerning a few of our . . . mutual secrets."

"I don't even want to know what you're talking about, okay? I just want you to disappear - for good."

A smirk appearing on his face, Kevin remarked, "If you don't start watching your step around Jason, you just might be the one who disappears for good."

"Gee, Kev, it's nice to know you were eavesdropping on my private conversation."

"Well, to be honest, it really didn't provide me with information that I had not already acquired quite some time ago with my own resources. However, I was rather amused when Jason referred to his relationship with you as dirty. Then, there was the remark he made about hating you as much as he hates Brady. You and I both know how bad that is."

Plopping down on the sofa, Jan asked with apparent annoyance, "So, why exactly are you here?"

"To show you this," answered Kevin as he tossed a heavy set of bound papers onto Jan's lap.

Picking up the pages, Jan questioned, "And, this is?"

"My manuscript. You see, after years of merely observing the unique people here is Salem, I realized that I needed an outlet for my frustration. It was almost unbearable for me to continuously be an outcast watching others live these dark yet fascinating lives. Of course, you of all people should know what I'm talking about."

Jan stared at Kevin in her most accusing manner. Considering herself above someone such as Kevin, she resented the idea of sympathizing with anything related to him. Her eyes narrowing into thin slits, Jan demanded, "And, just what is that suppose to mean? You and I have nothing in common."

"Please, Janice. You and I are more alike than either of us cares to admit. You see, whether you like it or not, you were never really one of them in high school - just like I wasn't. I was the nerd that they picked on, and you were the tramp that they looked down upon. We were both excluded, just in different ways. And, that is the reason that we both seem to almost collect the dirty secrets of those we resented as teenagers. We can't really let go of the bitterness and enjoy the power we have over them if we know who they are below the pretty surface and superficial exterior."

Knowing that there was no true argument against Kevin's summarization, Jan changed the topic of discussion just slightly. Gesturing to the manuscript, Jan questioned, "What exactly am I expected to do with this?"

Kevin glared at Jan as though she were a mindless child and said, "Hmm, I suppose most people would read it."

Glaring at the large collection of papers, Jan scowled at Kevin and asked, "How about you just give me the Reader's Digest version, huh?"

"I assumed that you would respond in such a way. So, I took the liberty of marking the pages I felt would be of the most interest to you. That, my dear, is why all those post-it notes are sticking out of the top."

Using her slender fingers to carefully flip to the page marked by the first yellow piece of paper, Jan kept her uncaring gaze focused on Kevin. There was something about his cool and pretentious manner that made Jan just slightly uncomfortable.

Quickly skimming the page that had been marked, Jan allowed herself to smile just a little. "Ah, you're including Brady and Mimi's marriage in your little novel?"

Kevin slowly moved to sit down beside Jan on the couch and answered, "Of course. Brady Black and Miriam Lockhart are two people who, by the believed standards of fate, should never have been married. That union is the ultimate irony."

Reading from the pages she held, Jan quoted, "Deedee stared into blue eyes so mesmerizing that they could only belong to one person - Douglas White. Her breasts heaved lightly as she took a fortifying breath. Having fallen under the dark influence . . ."

Jan stopped reading from the manuscript and glared at Kevin. "Dark influence? Mimi was under my dark influence? Just how much do you really know, Kevin?"

A carefree smile appeared on Kevin's face as he said, "Oh, just keep reading. I'm willing to bet that I know a lot of things that you wish I didn't." The smile dropping from his face completely, Kevin leaned close to Jan and stated, "You see, all those secrets that you know, I know as well. But, I've also discovered one or two evil acts of yours, Jan. In other words, read on and find out why I'm the one that's in control now."

"You are not in control," hissed Jan. "Do you hear me? So what if you know that I was the one who convinced Mimi to lie and tell Brady that she was pregnant after their little Christmas Eve bash? You're not exactly innocent either. You, Kev, were the sicko that just sat by and let the poor bastard marry her. You knew the truth and didn't say a word."

Despite the youthful look of his wide-rimmed glasses, Kevin Lambert still appeared to be every bit as cold as Jan knew he could be. No amount of accessories could take away from Kevin's innate impassiveness.

Keeping his voice frightfully neutral, Kevin replied, "I was merely a spectator. You were the one who was trying to be a player in a game that you didn't belong in."

Jan had no response. Instead, she merely ordered vehemently, "Get out of here now! I mean it. I want you gone!"

After retrieving his manuscript, Kevin slowly made his way toward the door. Upon reaching it, he turned and stated, "Fine, I'll leave. But, I will be back, Jan. And, when I return, I won't be so easily dissuaded from staying."

~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~

Reaching into his pocket for the key to his apartment, Jason replayed his argument with Jan in his mind. He couldn't recall the last time he had been so angry with his ex-fiancee, perhaps he never had. In his relationship with Jan, Jason had always taken a rather passive position. He had been an almost indifferent party.

Walking around the corner and down the hallway that led to his apartment, Jason found himself more than a little shocked to see that he had a visitor waiting for him.

"What are you doing here?" Jason softly questioned as his eyes locked with those of a woman who filled his every dream.

"Gee, do you think I could be here to see you?" Mimi sarcastically replied. "We need to discuss a few things."

Not moving an inch, Jason questioned, "Such as?"

"Such as the fact that you and I should stay away from each other. In fact, I think that it would be best for everyone if you just left town."

With a wry grin, Jason asked, "You just can't resist me can you?"

"I don't want anything to do with you, Jason."

Ignoring Mimi's hostility, Jason smiled at her as he made his approach. All the stress he had been feeling slowly seeped out of his body as he walked closer to Mimi. He barely kept from groaning as he watched her tongue dart out to her lips to quickly moisten them. At that moment, Jason knew that no amount of protests could hide the fact that Mimi would always want him just as much as he wanted her.

Placing one of his arms to the left of Mimi and the other to the right, Jason successfully pinned her against the wall outside his apartment. With eyes frightfully similar those of a predator that had trapped its prey, Jason growled, "We're just a little too old to keep playing these games. I want you, and you want me. Let's just accept it."

Before Mimi could give her predictable protests, Jason covered her parted lips with his. The instant Jason's skin met hers, Mimi could feel the hunger that he was barely controlling. And, as Jason easily guided his tongue past her lips, Mimi knew that he could feel her hunger for him.

Continuing his primal journey into Mimi's mouth, Jason dropped his left hand from the wall and wrapped it around Mimi's waist. Pulling her closer to him, dropped his other arm as well.

His keys still grasped by his right hand, Jason seductively guided Mimi's body to his door. After pulling away for air, Jason once more returned to kissing Mimi while skillfully unlocking his door and kicking it open.

Almost possessively, Jason kept Mimi close to him and refused to remove his arm from its place at her waist. He hurriedly used one of his feet to shut the door before leading Mimi in the direction of the bedroom - all the while using his lips to deepen whatever emotion it was that he was able to stir within Mimi.

Just as Jason slipped his hand under her shirt, Mimi pulled away. Struggling to catch her breath, she said, "I'm sorry. I can't do this."

"The hell you can't," countered Jason before quickly pulling Mimi back to him. There were so many things in life that Jason Masters knew he could live without - Miriam Lockhart-Black was not one of them.

Jason kept control of Mimi's lips as he once again moved his hand under her shirt. While stealing the young woman of her very breath, Jason began to rob her of her clothing. Moving the shirt up over Mimi's curves ever so slowly, Jason ripped himself away from her just long enough to slip the shirt off her body.

After forcing himself to separate from Mimi's lips, Jason looked down at her heaving chest and smirked. Referring to her black satin bra, Jason said, "I do believe that has to go."

Mimi's breaths became almost labored and her eyelids all but fluttered shut as Jason led a trail of kisses down her neck and all the way to her bra strap. While doing so, he skillfully unclasped the bra before moving his hand down to massage the small of his lover's back.

Mimi moved her hands onto Jason's broad shoulders. She instinctively dug her nails into him as he strategically placed his teeth on her bra strap and moved it off her right shoulder before doing the same to her left bra strap.

Removing her hands from their place on Jason's shoulders, Mimi wiggled out of her bra. All the while, her eyes never left Jason's. And, though she knew even at that moment she would have a lifetime of regrets for once more giving into a temptation that she knew she was not allowed to have, Mimi let herself reach out and begin undressing Jason.

As she finished unbuttoning his shirt, Jason slowly slipped it over his shoulders and let it drop to the floor. Continuing to keep that intense eye contact with Mimi, Jason moved his hands to his belt, unbuckling the restraining article of clothing. Flinging the strap of brown leather across the room, Jason could no longer resist bringing his lips to Mimi's uncovered chest.

As his lips met her bare skin, Jason was rewarded by his beloved rolling her head back and releasing a beautiful sound that was a mixture of sweet laughter and pleasurable moaning.

Moving her nearly trembling hands to Jason's well-muscled chest, Mimi slowly worked her way down to the top of Jason's pants. Willing herself to throw caution and all thoughts of consequences to the wind, Mimi carefully unbuttoned Jason's pants. Then, she lowered the zipper - followed by Jason's pants as a whole.

With a sense of reluctance, Jason moved his lips away from their new home upon Mimi's skin and backed away just enough to remove his shoes and socks. Looking down into Mimi's eyes, Jason was relieved to see that she was looking at him with more than just lust-filled eyes - so very much more.

Huskily, Jason questioned, "Now, where were we?"

Reaching out and pulling Jason's boxers all the way down to his ankles, Mimi slyly responded, "Right about here."

Allowing himself to release his first genuine laugh in far too long, Jason kicked his boxers off his ankles, scooped Mimi into his arms, and made his way toward the bedroom. Reaching the bed, he gently lowered Mimi's body onto his soft comforter. Wordlessly, he removed Mimi's pants. Next, her thong found its way to the bedroom floor.

Looking down into Mimi's eyes as he pressed his body against hers, Jason whispered, "I honestly love you more than life itself."