Lovers' Dance

Chapter 17.2

“Matt.” My eyes widened in surprise as I leaned against Marie-Sol in the hallway. They almost popped out their sockets as I noticed Nathan and Bella behind him. “Wha—why—what are you doing here?”

I jerked away from Marie-Sol and hurried towards my living room fuming, or trying to…I was high and drunk.

Matt gave me an incredulous stare before running an agitated hand across his handsome face. Wow. He looked good in a suit.

“You asked me to come, poppet. We spoke on the phone,” he prompted with an expectant look. “About an hour ago. Remember?”

“We didn’t,” I said with surety, then paused. “Did we?”

Matt nodded slowly, eyes darting from me and Marie-Sol to Dante and Bret. “Yes, we did.”

Marie-Sol came up behind me, wrapping her arms around my waist and saying in a not-so-quiet voice, “MSG, he’s hot.”

“Hey.” Bret’s head snapped around. “I heard that, Sol.”

She laughed and sauntered over to the couch where she ruffled Bret’s hair. “I know you did, sweetie. Just trying to keep you on your toes.”

I squirmed in embarrassment and ran a hand over my wild hair. Oh shit. I looked a fine mess, and Matt was here with Bella and Nathan, who were staring at me as if my body had been inhabited by an alien life form.

“Happy birthday, Madi,” Matt said softly as he closed the distance between us. I flinched, unable to meet his eyes when he stopped in front of me. Oh God. Had I really invited him over? Damned alcohol and happy brownies.

“Thanks,” I muttered, eyes downcast as I eased past him towards the couch and my friends. “Uh, guys, this is Matt.” I gestured in his direction, then pointed at my other unexpected guests. “And they’re his friends, Bella and Nathan. They’re engaged by the way.”

Nathan and Bella smiled a nervous hello at my friends.

I fiddled with the back of the couch. “You guys already know, Dante.”

Bella nodded her head and Dante sent a distracted wave in her direction. She waved back.

“And this is Sol.” I nudged my friend. “Marie-Sol and her boyfriend, Bret. They will be engaged soon.”

“Hey,” Bret piped up. “Stop sweating me, MSG.”

Everyone murmured hello to each other, and I fidgeted next to Marie-Sol. She picked up on my unease immediately and tapped Dante on his shoulder, who, in turn, nudged his knee against Bret’s.

“MSG, how’s the food coming along? A brother be starving out here,” he said. I laughed, knowing full well he was trying to distract me. They’d being doing that all day. Anytime the echo of a frown graced my lips, either Dante, Bret or Sol would say something to make me smile.

“About an hour left, Bret. Can you last until then?”

He snorted, then rose up to yank Sol over the back of the couch and into his lap. She let out a little yelp, and I laughed harder as Bret began to tickle her while chastising her for saying Matt was hot.

I gave not-quite-lucid eyes to the hot man in discussion. “Would you guys like something to drink?”

I could see Matt was about to decline when Nathan said, “Yes, please. Happy birthday, by the way.”

Nathan ushered Bella forward. I think he was unnerved by my friends’ antics and wanted to escape the confines of my living room. Bella came over to wish me happy birthday, while Matt observed me silently, clinical and searching grey eyes fixated on my face. I nervously ran a hand over my curls.

“Follow me,” I mumbled before heading back to the kitchen with the three of them on my heels. I could hear Sol’s shrieks as Dante seemed to join in on the tickle fest. I wished I was out there with them, instead of in my kitchen putting on the kettle to make tea for my guests.

“Why do they call you MSG?” Matt asked in the awkward silence building throughout my kitchen as he leaned against the counter.

I glanced at him before averting my eyes. Could he tell I was high right now?

“Because her name is Madison,” Bret supplied. Damn, he was quiet. I hadn’t heard him coming after us. “And she’s square like a garden,” he joked. It was a private joke that the others wouldn’t get.

Matt exchanged a blank look with Nathan, who had pulled out chairs for himself and Bella and was sitting at the table.

“It’s short for Madison Square Gardens, Matt. MSG,” I explained, taking mugs from the cupboards. Should I offer them something stronger than tea? I turned to give them a choice, and yelled at Bella, “Don’t eat that!”

She froze, hand paused mid-air, with a sizeable piece of brownie between her well-manicured fingers. She looked uncertain, as did Matt and Nathan. The plate of chocolate brownies sat innocently in the middle of the table and smelling of a natural high heaven.

Shit. How to explain?

“It’s—um—those brownies are—”

Bret was chuckling as he opened my fridge. I shot him a glare and scuffed my sock-covered toes over the floor. “They’re not fit for consumption.”

“Why not, poppet?” Matt asked in confusion.

Bret shut my fridge, not finding whatever he was looking for, and sauntered over to the table where he plucked up a brownie and popped it into his mouth with an obvious wink in my direction. Oh, man.

Bella still had the brownie between her fingers and, when she’d observed Bret scoffing one down, it resumed its journey to her lips. Oh no.

“They’re pot brownies,” I cried in dismay, then smacked a hand over my mouth in shame as Matt gave me a thunderous look and Nathan snatched the goodie out of Bella’s grip.

Bret popped one more in his mouth and wandered back over to the fridge as I chewed my lower lip under Matt’s observation.

“Damned good ones, too,” Bret said, opening the fridge again.

I turned away from Matt’s stare. Was that disgust on his face? Disappointment? Embarrassment?

Then, thwack. I yelped, jumping out my skin as the leather belt wielded by Bret connected nicely.

“Jesus Christ, Bret!” I spun around, ass pressed against the lower cupboards. The sneaky bastard had hidden the belt in the fridge?

“Twenty-two,” he shouted towards the kitchen door, and a cheer went up in the living room.

In the ten seconds it had taken for that to transpire, Matt had closed the small distance between him and Bret. Before I could blink, he had Bret around the neck and looked like he was about to throttle him.

“Are you out of your bloody mind?” he dragged out in a menacing tone. “Hit her again and I’ll kill you.”

“Matt,” I shouted, grabbing his arm and trying to yank him away from my friend, who was staring at him from goggled eyes, while his face started turning pink from lack of air. “It’s a game. It’s just a game. Matt. Let him go.”

I don’t think Matt heard me. I had never seen him look so angry. Forget the thousands of pounds suit he wore and his slicked-back hair, Matt looked like he was about to throw down. And poor Bret was the person marked for an ass whopping.

“Matt.” I slipped my hand in his hair and tugged. Hard. That finally got his attention. “Let him the fuck go.”

Matt inhaled deeply, grey eyes flashing with barely contained rage, danger about ready to spill out and unleash a fury that I’d never witnessed before. Then I remembered the night we’d met. Shit. I shoved him away and slipped between them, back pressed against Bret’s heaving chest as I went into protective mode. Well, drunk protective mode.

“Are you insane? You can’t jack my friend up like that. Why are you here? I said Friday, Matt. Friday, not Monday.”

Sol walked into the kitchen with Dante right behind her. “Que paso?”

“El loco novio de MSG, trato de matarme,” Bret explained.

Matt’s eyebrows lowered. “I did not try to kill you. I threatened to kill you if you ever hit Madison again.”

My mouth fell open. “You speak Spanish, too?”

Matt shot me an unhappy scowl. “Yes.”

“I don’t like him, MSG,” Bret groused as he encircled my bare stomach with his arms.

Matt’s expression darkened, gaze lowering to Bret’s arms around me. When he raised his eyes to look at Bret, I heard my friend gulp.

“I’m not fond of you either, mate,” Matt said coldly. He held a hand out towards me. “Come here. Now.”

I was drunk. High. And pissed off Matt was here. I hadn’t asked him to come, had I? I vaguely remembered speaking to him earlier…briefly.

“Stop bossing me around.” The air between us was tense, hell the whole atmosphere in my kitchen was loaded with tension.

Until Bella said lightly, “Mmm, these brownies are good, Madi.”

“Bella.” Nathan spun around. He’d jumped up from his seat when Matt had jacked Bret up against the fridge. “You didn’t.”

She swallowed and dabbed at the crumbs around her lips. “Didn’t what, darling? I meant to say they smell nice. Really nice.”

I burst out laughing, couldn’t help it. Her innocent face, Nathan’s disapproving frown. It was funny.

I patted Bret’s clasped hands and he released me. A drop of relief eased into Matt’s face. It disappeared when I walked towards the counter instead of his arms. My bottle of whiskey was where I left it before Matt’s untimely arrival. With my back to everyone, I took a long swig, enjoying the burn immensely. God. Today couldn’t get any worse.

The kettle began to whistle and I remembered I had offered them drinks. I sighed and turned around to face my people-filled kitchen.

“Someone else has to make the tea. I’m going to help Sol pack,” I said, needing time to think. Sol’s mouth parted, then she saw my face and nodded immediately.

“Yes, MSG and I are going to pack,” she confirmed, as I gripped my bottle and hurried over to her.

I paused by the door, conscious of Matt’s burning gaze on me, and suddenly feeling guilty for leaving Bella out. I would hate being the only woman in a room with four men.

“Bella, you can come if you want,” I offered with a weak smile. She’d probably think I was mental after today. Ah, well.

Bella glanced at Nathan, then nodded as she got up from the chair. She smiled sweetly at her fiancé before sneakily nabbing two brownies without him noticing.

I smiled. Maybe she wouldn’t think I was mental. We left the guys in the kitchen and made our way upstairs to my bedroom. Bella and Sol hit it off immediately. I figured they would. Hey, we were all creative beings. Sol, a musician. Bella, an architect. And, me, unhappy little ballerina me.

I took a deep swig from my bottle; maybe not so unhappy when the bottle became empty.

“Loaded,” I answered for Bella when Sol asked if she was as wealthy as Matt. “And it’s rude to discuss someone’s personal finances, Sol.”

Sol shrugged and continued painting her fingernails on my bedspread. If I saw one drop of baby pink on my bed I would thump her.

Bella suddenly reached over and took the bottle from my hand. She put it to her lips and took a dainty sip, before taking a larger one. My eyebrow shot up.

“Slow down there, Bella,” I warned, wanting my damned whiskey back. This was my last bottle, I needed to ration it.

Bella giggled, then burped. “Oh my. I think I’m high. How absolutely delightful. I feel as if I’m back at Uni.”

Sol and I exchanged a jaded stare. Bella hadn’t shared the two brownies she brought upstairs. Three good-sized pieces in total. Yeah, she’d be feeling buzzed.

Sol put down the nail polish and eased the whiskey from Bella’s hand. She took a swig, then passed it back to me. I cradled the bottle against my chest, vowing silently to keep everyone else away from it. We were probably in the bedroom for half an hour before someone knocked loudly on the door. I stared at it with nervous eyes. It was Matt. I knew it was him outside my room. I could feel his stern presence pulsating through the wood, ready to tell me off for being an irresponsible adult.

The door opened slowly and, sure enough, Matt’s irritated face popped around it.

“If you ladies don’t mind,” he started with a tight smile on his lips. “I’d like a word with Madi in private.”

Bella struggled off the bed. Matt eyed her suspiciously and, when she giggled at absolutely nothing, he shot me an accusing look.

“I didn’t make her eat it,” I grumbled in self-defence. “She’s grown, Matt.”

Matt cleared his throat softly and Sol slid off the bed. How did he do it? Make people follow his orders with just a look, a word, or even a sound. Matthew Bradley was some sort of Houdini. And Houdini had been mad.

Giggling, Bella let Sol lead her toward the door Matt held open.

“Thank you,” he said politely as Sol eased past him. Bella patted his cheek lightly as she passed by.

“You’ll be okay, right MSG?” Sol queried, shooting uncertain glances between me and Matt.

I nodded and Matt stepped into the room, shutting the door firmly. Sitting on my bed made me feel vulnerable, so I scooted around until my feet touched the floor and stood up on the other side of it, whiskey clutched to my chest and mentally preparing myself for another one of Matt’s lectures. The twin eyebrows of doom were at lecture level. I’d sussed out the varying degrees of arching now.

“What are you doing, Madison?” he asked in a calm voice.

“Trying to get through my birthday the only way I know how,” I replied as calmly, even though my palms were becoming a touch sweaty.

Matt’s features hardened with disapproval as he took a few steps further into the bedroom. I clutched the bottle tighter.

“By getting sloshed? By taking drugs? You’re twenty-seven years old. Act like a bloody adult, not some Uni student whose sole intent is to party.” His words ended in a shout and it startled me, immensely.

Matt and I had arguments, as all normal couples do, but he rarely shouted at me the way he was shouting now. I blinked slowly, trying to shrug free from the fog of alcohol and pot so I could clearly articulate the many ways he should get fucked.

“Look at you,” he continued yelling. “Practically half naked without a bra, parading around in front of your friends who, by the way, are complete arses for letting you get in this state.”

“Don’t talk about my friends that way,” I yelled back. “I am an adult and, if I choose to get wasted, it’s my damn prerogative. And what’s wrong with my clothes? I’m in my house. If I want to walk about naked, I’ll damn well walk about naked.”

Things descended pretty quickly after that. Levels of maturity, of stupidity, were the common thread of our shouts. Lack of respect featured, too. His overbearing dominance. My inability to deal with my problems in a logical manner. But I lost it when he yelled, “For God’s sake, speak proper English. You’re in England, not the hood.” No one cracked on my adopted hometown or the way we spoke. I called him all levels of snob. He called me petulant and combative…and a drunk. I took a swig from my bottle, for spite. The clear grey of Matt’s piercing eyes darkened to a virulent silver. He was past mad, and I was speeding down that same highway of rage with him. My birthdays usually sucked. This one was no better.

>>>

Nathan glanced up at the ceiling and winced. The muffled shouts were getting louder. His sweet Bella was high, but upset over the argument taking place above their heads.

Madi’s friends also cast a few upward glances, but they seemed less concerned than he was.

“Should someone go up there?” he finally asked. They were watching football, or soccer as her friends referred to it. He’d spent the last fifteen minutes trying to explain the offside rule to Bret and Marie-Sol.

“No,” Dante said. “It’s good that she’s arguing.”

“I beg your pardon?” Nathan asked in confusion. What sort of friend was this Dante?

The three of them, Dante, Marie-Sol, and Bret, looked at each other and nodded in agreement. Whatever their secret look meant, Nathan didn’t care. Bella was upset and he would do anything to ensure she wasn’t. Matt and Madi needed to stop this nonsense at once.

“Well,” he said, getting up in a huff. “I’ll go then.”

They turned to regard him with varying degrees of irritation on their faces. Nathan felt his ire raise. Did they not know who he was?

“Look, man,” Dante said. “It’s better if Madi’s arguing.”

“If she’s fighting, then she’s not crying,” Bret continued.

“Judgemental asshole!” came from above.

Nathan shook his head and started towards the stairs. He’d had enough. With determined strides, he found himself outside the bedroom they were in. He forwent knocking. They were shouting so loudly they probably wouldn’t hear it anyway. When he opened the door, the sight that met his eyes filled him with surprise. Matt had discarded his jacket and his tie had been tugged into a haphazard way around his collar. His hair was no longer neatly brushed back, instead standing on end around the sides, an obvious indication of him running his hands frequently through it, with a whiskey bottle held behind his back.

Madi was glaring up at him, hands on hip, showing no signs of backing down, her face twisted into a sneer, and the look she was giving Matt made Nathan pause. People didn’t argue with Matthew Bradley. They tried their utmost not to displease him. Yet, here she was, this slip of a woman, yelling defiantly into his best friend’s chest. Bloody hell, she was tiny in comparison to Matt.

But it was Matt’s behaviour that made Nathan realize how much she’d truly changed him. His friend didn’t rage like this. He didn’t create scenes. Matt was a private man who conducted his business, both personal and professional, behind an aloofness that was inbred in him. He didn’t have quarrels within the earshot of others. In fact, Nathan had never seen Matt so incensed with a woman before. He never cared enough about them to react in this way. Usually, he’d simply ignore any unwelcome behaviour and move on. Now he was going at it like a raging bull. He was not acting like a Bradley. He was not acting like his usual detached self.

Nathan slammed the door shut, startling them both and finally drawing their attention to him.

“Stop this foolishness at once,” he stated without humour.

“What in the bloody hell are you doing in here, Nathan?” Matt growled at him. “Get out.”

“Get a hold of yourself, Matt,” Nathan retorted. “Both of you actually. This behaviour is unacceptable and downright unpleasant. You’ve upset my fiancée, and I’m not having that.”

Nathan watched as Madi tried to reach for the bottle Matt was holding out of her reach and responded curtly, “And I’m trying to take care of mine.”

Nathan was sure neither one of them realized what Matt had said. They were too embroiled in their anger for the importance of Matt’s words to sink through the haze of fury that surrounded them.

“Stop that,” Matt grumbled at her, catching her wrists with one hand and holding the bottle well out of her reach above his head. “You’ve had quite enough to drink these past few days.”

“Stop telling me what I can and cannot do. You—you mutated giant. Give me that bottle.”

If Nathan hadn’t been irritated at their behaviour, he would have laughed at the sight of Madi’s determined attempts to get the bottle that Matt was not relinquishing. This had to stop.

“Bloody hell, Matt. Give her the damn bottle already,” Nathan grated out coldly. “It’s her birthday and she can drink if she wants to. We got up to a lot worse at her age.”

Madi glared at Matt and yanked her hands free before smacking one against his chest. “Hypocrite.”

Matt sent Nathan an evil glower before he turned back to Madi. “Grow the hell up, Madison. Act your age, not your bloody shoe size.”

Nathan saw the flash of hurt across her face, and his annoyance increased at his friend. “Matthew. Leave the poor girl alone. She’s right. You are a hypocrite. And a mean bastard, too.” Nathan beckoned to Madi, lowering his voice to a gentler tone. “Why don’t you go on downstairs, Madison? I think Bella wants to speak to you.”

Matt turned his angry gaze back to Nathan. “Get the hell out of here, Nathan, and stop meddling in my business. Madi and I are having a discussion that doesn’t concern you. Now leave.”

Nathan ignored Matt and smiled at Madi. “Go on. I’ll sort this.” He didn’t know why, but his pride had been pricked earlier on at the restaurant. Madi obviously felt more at ease with Bella than him. The fact an invitation had been extended to his fiancée and not him spoke volumes. Did she not like him? Everyone liked him, he was Nathan Walthamstow. He found her to be charming, a tad over-exuberant and feisty, but generally a lovely, young woman. Why did she not feel friendly overtures towards him? Nathan inhaled sharply, realizing that he was about to fall under the spell she seemed to have woven around those that met her. What was it with Madison DuMont?

He shook his head to clear his thoughts and beckoned to her again. With an uncertain face, she gave up on trying to reclaim her whiskey and slowly moved towards him.

“Where do you think you’re going, Madison?” Matt bellowed. “We’re not finished talking.”

“Stop shouting at her,” Nathan said.

Matt looked at him in surprise. Then, cold fury filled his face as he said, “Mind your own bloody business, Nathan, and leave me to mine.”

Nathan saw Madi hesitate, glancing back at Matt to gauge his reaction. Nathan strode over to her and touched her arm lightly. “Bella’s waiting and your friend Marie-Sol mentioned something about food ten minutes ago.”

“Damn,” she muttered, eyes widening. “I forgot about that.”

“Madison,” Matt growled as she hurried to the door. “We’re not finished.”

She exhaled noisily and showed him her expressive middle finger. “Eat shit, Matthew. It’s my birthday today.”

The door slammed shut behind her and Matt glared fiercely at Nathan, who returned his look with one of reproach.

“What is your problem, Matt?” Nathan started in on him. Better to be on the offensive than defensive with Matt. That way you had a better chance of winning. “Carrying on like this. Shouting at Madison—”

“It doesn’t concern you, Nathan,” he replied frigidly.

Nathan scoffed as he let his eyes wander around the bedroom. There were items of Madison’s career strewn throughout the room. Ballet shoes hanging of the back of the chair, in the corner close to the window, and peeking out from under the bed. Leotards over one open door of the wardrobe, tights on its handle. He saw bits of Matt, too, in the room. The aftershave he used on the dresser, a few suits hanging in the wardrobe.

“You’re being an arse. A hypocritical one at that. So what if she’s had a bit to drink and funny brownies? That’s nothing in comparison to what we’ve done. Oh, don’t give me that look. I was right next to you doing blow in Denmark.”

“That was years ago. I was younger and foolish then,” Matt groused, cheeks tinged pink with barely restrained anger and embarrassment.

“Last time we partied like that, we were thirty, mate. That’s older than she is. Why are your knickers in a twist? Let her live a little.”

Matt narrowed his eyes at him. “Have you been in those brownies? Because it seems to me your brain is addled at the moment.”

“I’ll have you know, I’m perfectly fine,” Nathan said, in an attempt to maintain control of the conversation.

Matt peered at him. “You’ve had one, haven’t you?”

Nathan shrugged nonchalantly as he avoided Matt’s knowing gaze. “It would be rude not to indulge in the treats laid out by our hostess. Bella wanted me to try—look, that’s beside the point. Why are you behaving like this? It’s unbecoming of you. It’s her birthday and you’ve upset her, and everyone else, let me add. Plus, you’ve left me downstairs with her friends. There’s only so much Americanisms I can take, Matt. That Bret fellow can’t seem to grasp the offside rule. It’s irritating having to explain it over and over.”

Matt sent him another glare, arms folded stiffly across his chest.

Nathan rubbed his temples for a moment. “Her friends seem to think it’s better for her to be angry, mentioned something along the lines that if she’s arguing with you then she wouldn’t be crying. Is that because of her parents’ death? If I remember correctly, that’s around now, isn’t it?”

A range of emotions flew across Matt’s face, finally settling on shameful resignation, and Nathan knew he’d touched a nerve.

“I—” Matt paused, unfolding his arms and rubbing a hand vigorously over his face. “I left her to it, Nathan. I knew this time would be difficult for her, and I allowed her to convince me she would be fine. She’s not fine. Drinking for four days straight is not fine.” He finished on a frustrated note.

Nathan chewed his lower lip silently, then said blandly, “So you feel partially responsible for her current state, and your guilt is causing you to fight with the very person you’re worried about. Is my deduction correct?”

“Don’t psychoanalyze me, you tosser,” Matt groused, before stalking over to the window. Silence descended between them. Nathan waited. He knew his friend, and he knew he would talk when he was ready. Hopefully, Matt didn’t take too long to speak his mind; Bella was downstairs and Nathan wanted to get back to her as quickly as possible.

“I don’t know what to do, Nathan,” Matt finally said, facing the window and staring out bleakly. “The women I’ve been with…my past relationships, they’ve all tried their hardest to insert themselves in my life. Confided their secrets in hopes of deepening the relationship. You know all of this, you’ve seen it for yourself.” Matt turned to face him with that bleak expression on his face. “But Madi won’t. She keeps me at arm’s length, doubts us. It’s bloody perplexing, not to mention annoying. How the hell do you deal with Bella? How do you make a committed relationship work? This is a first for me.”

Nathan hid his dawning astonishment at Matt’s heartfelt outpouring with a light chuckle. “You’re absolutely smitten.”

“Is that all the advice you have to offer?” Matt said bad-temperedly.

Nathan sighed, then shrugged. “Just love her, Matt. Faults and all. It’s what I do with Bella, and I’m sure she does the same with me, although I have more faults than her.” Nathan sighed again, holding Matt’s gaze with his own. “I’m sorry.”

Matt’s face became guarded. “Sorry? About what?”

Nathan tugged his tie loose and scowled before taking a large bite of humble pie. “You love her, and I’ve been a complete arse about it. I’m sorry, mate. Truly I am.”

“Thank you,” Matt said sombrely. “Now tell me what the fuck I should do.”

“Let her cool off for a bit, then apologize.”

Matt arched a sceptical eyebrow at him, and Nathan chuckled before adding, “I bloody hope you’ve gotten her something smashing for her birthday.”

Matt cracked a small smile. “I have.”

“Good,” Nathan said with a nod. “Let’s go downstairs and sort your love life out.”

Matt’s smile wavered and he turned back towards the window. “You go ahead. I’ll be down in a minute.”

Nathan held his tongue and walked out the bedroom. He understood. Being in love was hard for men like themselves. He’d experienced it with Bella. The gnawing fear that made you second guess yourself, made you wonder if the shine was real or a fa?ade of something that didn’t exist. Trust was something men like him didn’t give easily. Not with their money or their time. Trusting someone with your heart was the greatest risk of all but, if you found the right person…the gamble was worth it. So worth it. Nathan smiled softly as he quietly closed the door behind him, leaving Matt to his thoughts. Bella was worth it, and it seemed Matt had finally found someone worthy of giving his heart to. All Nathan had to do now was put the fear of God into Madison DuMont, because if she broke his best friend’s heart, he would make her regret it.