Claimed by My Husband's Enemy

An intruder

The first good thing happens tonight when I find that there is no one else in the holding cell with me.

The gates shut behind me, and I look around the empty holding cell. Then I crawl to a corner to curl up in a ball, feeling painfully exposed.

All my personal belongings were impounded to be held in custody of the court should my case get to that stage.

But this feeling of exposure is deeper than that. Dany has stripped me of self-esteem and pride where the world can see. Where my competitors can point their hands and laugh.

I stiffen suddenly. Am I really the only criminal in town tonight?

Not only is the cell empty, the office outside the cell is too.

There’s not an officer in sight in any of the dozen cubicles. Even the officers who had been at the front desks earlier are gone.

It is almost as if someone pulled some strings to make sure no one is here to bear witness to my ultimate humiliation. Only one person comes to mind.

Sounds of muffled voices reach me then. I hurry towards the gate, and curl my hands around the bar, which turned out to be… sticky.

I stumble backward, jarred by the texture that makes my stomach turn.

“These places are not famous for their hygiene,” a deep voice threads through the room.

My head jerks up, ”Malcolm,”

He holds a hand out, I frown but move closer.

Through the bars, he takes my hand in his, and starts to run a silk handkerchief over my palm, “Never thought I'd ever see you in a place like this.”

I scowl, my mouth poised to say something snarky as I lift my head.

But then I pause. His head is still bent, as he moves the silk with the reverent care of a jeweler cleaning a gemstone.

I take two steps back, my other sticky hand hanging by my side. When I turn, Dany is standing by the door, watching us.

“Uncle Malcolm is here,” he says, finally moving into the room.

My eyes narrow as the hairs on my skin stand on end. Why would he call Malcolm that, and in that tone.

He stops a few feet from my cell, staring at me. Then he says, “I’m willing to drop the charges.”

Malcolm finally shifts from the bar, and tucks the silk into his Armani suit pockets. “Let’s get to it then,” he says calmly. “I need to get the mother back to her kids before midnight.”

Warmth spread through my heart, but there’s something in Dany’s eyes that ices it over. “Our kids are our business.” he bristles.

The men have never pretended to like each other, but it’s clear now that both intend to hate each other openly now that my marriage is heading for the rocks.

Malcolm turns that dark gaze that has been said to make congressmen run out of a room in the past towards him. Dany squares his shoulders. And Malcolm chuckles.

A real chuckle.

I wince. In the past, I would never let him be so disrespectful to my husband. But now…

“Come,” he turns away from my cell, “The prosecutor will see me, we can go to her house, and be back to get Mel out before midnight.” He turns his wrist and the single diamond crest in his watch winks.

Dany watches all this with building frustration, and my cheeks burn with shame.

The fact that between these two men, Dany is the one I call husband embarrasses me for the first time. I am mortified that Malcolm is now bearing witness to the painful end of my marriage after I chose Dany over him.

Dany moves now, eating the distance between him and Malcolm with long strides. And then he draws up to his full height to stare in his eyes.

“How are you so friendly with the prosecutor that she would see you so late at night? Is she one of your w****s?"

“Jesus Christ, Dany.”

Malcolm smirks, looking even more amused. “Some of us actually have self-respect, Mr Spencer.”

“Dany, say what you came here for, and leave.” I half run toward the jail door. I know Malcolm well. This cool attitude is a trap. One wrong step, and he would be scrubbing Dany’s face on these sticky jail floors.

I do not care for Dany in the least, but I don't want Malcolm fighting in a police station because of me. Even though it seems he came prepared, emptying the cell and all…

“Why Mel?” Dany turns to me, “Can’t stand to hear that your precious Malcolm is not so perfect. That it’s not the thought of you that has kept his bed warm for the last ten years?”

“My friend’s private life is none of your bloody business.” I curse, feeling a painful ache at his words that I will not try to probe.

“Friend,” Dany barks out a harsh laugh.

I feel that prickle of unease again.

“You are pathetic.” I spit and turn away, “Please leave.” Goosebumps feather my arms now at the intense awareness that Malcolm is here and watching us fight.

“Leave? Are you that desperate for more alone time with your friend?” His voice returns poisoned with bitterness. “Whose mother just so happens to have the same blue eyes as your children?”

I gasp, whirling around with wide eyes. “What did you just say?”

“I am done with you acting all righteous and assuming moral superiority over me. You are not fooling anyone Mel. We are both guilty of the same sin, so we might as well move past this.”

“You’re a monster!” I scream, livid that he will go so low to find an excuse he can use in court. That he will dare to question our children’s paternity when he very well knows that I have always been a faithful wife.

Malcolm and I have never acted inappropriately in public or private.

He has acted respectfully from the moment I got married. And I have been known to be extra harsh with him to avoid making Dany uncomfortable in any way because of our history.

Malcolm clears his throat noisily, and Dany’s head swivels towards him.

“You’re skirting danger attacking Mel’s virtue like this in my presence. There’s only one philanderer in this room, and it’s the one who threw his perfect life away for a girl who could be his daughter if he'd had his misspent teenage life.”

Dany’s jaw ticks, “If she was so perfect, why would I go seeking warmth elsewhere?”

I don’t see Malcolm move.

It’s a blur, a flash of grey suit and white shirt and then there is a heavy thud against the floor. I shriek at the crushing sound of bone as Malcolm’s fist falls, pulls away and falls again.

The door burst open then, and uniformed men barrel towards them. It’s a struggle to tear Malcolm away from him.

Dany starts cursing, yelling threats as the officers help him to his feet. Blood drains from my face when I see him properly. There’s an ugly split on his lip, a line of blood zigzags down the front of his shirt, one eye is already closing, and his legs are unsteady under him.

I turn to Malcolm in horror as he shakes the officers' hand lose from him. It’s no surprise when the officers let him go instead of leading him to jail.

He stops before my cell gate, breathing heavily, eyes bright with unsated rage.

“Let’s cut this charade,” he says, “You do not have to entertain that clown any second longer than you want. I will get the prosecutor here, and you can stay at my beachfront property while you sort out the divorce. The press cannot get to you there.”

I shake my head, my eyes stinging even as commotion contine in the background.

“I know you’re scared, Mel,” Malcolm moves closer, his voice softer. “But I’ll be here the whole way. I will handle the board, and we will make this as easy for you as possible. Jeff and Vivi…”

And at the mention of my children’s names, I freeze.

I frown up at him, “What are you suggesting? That’s their father. What do you expect me to tell them when they get older, that I let an intruder take over our home?”

Malcolm stops, “What are you saying?”

“No, that’s what I am saying. If Dany is already insinuating that we’re adulterers, what do you think the public would say when they…”

“f**k the public.” He growls.

“And my children? What about my children and how all this would affect them?”

“Mel.”

“You want to help me? Fine. Get me out of here, so I can go toss that intruder out of my home.”