Chapter 20 #3
We stared at each other for a charged moment, the air thick with unspoken things.
Then I raised myself off the sofa and took his hand.
Matt pulled me into the curve of his arm before starting us towards the stairs.
The trip up was filled with deep kisses and stumbling steps.
My bra came off somewhere in between, as did the heels, and my stockings were hanging off the banister.
“Matt,” Drawing to a stop, I tried to put some distance between our naked bodies.
He pulled me towards the open bedroom door.
“I don’t want to talk,” he said, gruff and heated as he kissed my neck and continued moving us forward.
I resisted.
He didn’t want to talk?
The words spilled out my mouth before I could stop them.
“So you just want to fuck?”
Matt raised his head from the crook of my neck.
The look he gave me, it put me on guard at once.
“When have we ever just fucked?” he asked angrily.
I bit my lip, knowing from the tightness of his jaw he was insulted and pissed off.
He glanced down at his semi-hard cock before saying, “Give me about twenty minutes,” Then practically dragging me over to the bed he continued.
“And I’ll bloody show you the difference, you daft woman.”
“Screw you, Matt.”
“Don’t worry,” he ground out, tipping me back on to the mattress then covering my body with his own, too quick for me to escape.
“You will.”
He smashed his mouth over mine, grinding my lips open.
Merciless and forceful, the kiss was meant to punish me, I knew that, but that darned stubble of his.
I matched his fervour with my own, eagerly allowing his tongue entrance even as my mind wailed in reproach.
Matt pulled back, surprised it seemed at my reaction.
He tensed, his features twisted into a pained expression, his eyes filled with shadows before he stroked a thumb gently over my cheek and lowered his lips once more.
He took his time, slowly exploring the contours of my mouth while moving us further up the bed.
I moaned against his lips, my hands willingly seeking out the lines of his body, reacquainting myself with his athletic frame.
I missed this.
I missed him .
Matt let out a grumble when I wriggled out from under him, but he stopped when I twisted us over so my naked body straddled his.
Yeah, he wasn’t complaining now.
It was my turn to drive him insane.
He didn’t want to talk?
Huh, when I got finished with him I would have him speaking in tongues.
Mmm, tongues.
Licking and nibbling a moist path down his chest, I felt satisfaction at his sharp intake of breath and the way he thrust his groin against me.
I’ll admit to becoming a bit crazed at this point.
Vacillating wildly between righteous anger and overwhelming lust, with a touch of jealousy in there.
The image of his hand on that woman’s back still pissed me off.
Who the fuck did he think he was?
Coming over here with my mail then sexing me up against the front door?
Refusing to believe what was right in front his eyes?
My innocence of any infidelity.
I was going to break him.
Yes.
He would be begging me to come home when I got through with his sexy ass.
My hand wrapped around his arousal, firm in its grip, and he bit his lips as I continued my downward journey.
The first swirl of my tongue around the head of his cock had him swearing softly.
When I took him in my mouth, he swore much louder.
One of his hands wound itself tightly in my hair, tight enough to make my eyes water and form a wince on my face.
With just an edge of teeth in warning across his aroused flesh, Matt’s grip eased up immediately.
Then tightened again moments later when I found a smooth rhythm which tore harsh gasps from him.
“Fuck.” he exclaimed, voice hoarse with pleasure and body rigidly prone on the mattress.
I rolled my eyes upwards to watch the varying changes in his features as I alternated my technique at my leisure.
Matt wasn’t about to come so soon after the sexing downstairs.
Hand and mouth combination, followed by some side-on tongue only action, some gentle nibbling here; I was thoroughly enjoying the feel and taste of him.
Eventually, after a long slurping while, I could feel the ache blossoming in my jaw and released Matt’s cock from my mouth.
“Poppet,” he pleaded huskily, his whole body was tense and his hand fisted in my hair as he guided my head back down.
My jaw ached something fierce, but he called me poppet; that deserved more mouth loving.
Determined to make him scream, to torment the shit out of him, I sucked the head of his cock and pulled back.
My plan of teasing him came to an abrupt end when Matt groaned loudly as his hand tightened almost painfully in my hair and he spurted a stream of jizz right at me.
It got everywhere, my face, my neck, my left ear; even my recently washed hair.
Of course, my first instinct had been to pull back screaming: my eye, my eye, you jizzed my eye!
Unfortunately for me, his grip had been unrelenting on my head so I couldn’t have escaped the eruption even if I tried, and it hadn’t really gone in my eye, just very close, too damned close.
I blinked at him in shock as he took laboured breaths and finally released his hold on my hair.
Matt relaxed against the pillows, eyelids still fluttering with orgasmic bliss, then he gave me a sheepish look with an accompanying shrug and said, “Took me by surprise that.”
I sat back on my knees, glanced at his twitching cock then back at his face with his come dripping off mine.
He didn’t smile, but amusement shone from his hooded eyes as he regarded his handiwork.
Matt crooked a finger at me.
“By surprise?” I asked, reaching for the bottom edge of the sheets to wipe myself.
Matt beckoned me over again and I crawled up to his waiting arms.
It felt so good being held by him, it felt like home.
I twisted my head up in order to look at his face and tried once more to protest my innocence.
“Please believe me.”
He didn’t reply, instead he lowered his lips to mine, claiming my mouth in a passionate kiss that went on for ages before settling me against his chest.
I closed my eyes to stop the warm rush of tears and inhaled his scent, hoping his silence meant he was considering my words.
Matt shifted his arms around me, stroking my back with languid familiarity which had me snuggling even closer to him.
I must have fallen asleep because when my eyes opened there was early morning light shining through the curtains and ticklish kisses being pressed across my breasts.
Matt.
My knight was here.
“Need a shower,” I murmured sleepily as my fingers ran through his hair.
A shower and a brush of teeth to be precise.
“In a moment,” he replied roughly, going to his knees and positioning himself between my legs.
Morning loving, who could say no to that?
Matt rubbed his fingers over me, staring intently at my eyes as he got me wet.
I fought the moans of delight, there was the morning breath issue to consider so my mouth stayed closed.
When he decided I was wet enough, he stroked himself a couple of times before easing into me.
A smothered grunt escaped my lips and he pulled my legs over his thighs to get a better angle.
Matt didn’t start slow.
The blistering thrusts had me wincing, but the pace didn’t change.
I could feel the pressure in my groin building up to an exquisite gahh moment, and I forgot about morning breath, gasping wildly as I writhed on the bed.
Matt continued pounding; yes, it was pounding, me into the mattress and got a grip on my ass.
Everywhere seemed slippery, and warm, and my gahh scream was imminent.
So when I felt him pull out and press against my bum hole I assumed it was accidental slippage.
Hey, these things happen, sex is messy.
But he stopped for a second, the smallest of pauses before he did it again.
His gaze landed on my face, wary yet determined; and this time with the combined lubrication of my body and his thrust, there was slight penetration.
All good feelings disappeared.
The impending gahh changed to a terrified argh and my brain immediately went: oh hell no!
I couldn’t be blamed for what occurred next, it was instinctive.
My right leg pulled back to my breast with an ease all ballerinas have, my foot planted against his chest, and I shoved with all my strength.
Matt grunted in surprise, unbalanced and flying backwards off the bed, which had been my intent, but he automatically grabbed my legs to steady himself and took me with him.
We fell to the floor with a heavy thud, a tangle of naked legs and arms.
I glared at him and when his unrepentant expression failed to morph into expected remorse for breaching the purity of my ass, well, it was understandable my fists began to fly.
“Pervert.” I yelled, eyes wide while trying to pummel him as he blocked my blows.
“You filthy man.”
He had the nerve to grin at me, with the stubble and the gleam in his eyes he rocked a thoroughly rakish appearance.
I popped him in the eye and scrambled away.
Not sparing him a glance, I hurried out my bedroom, hand pressed in a protective manner over my ass and made my escape to the bathroom.
Ten minutes later my bladder had been relieved, my teeth had been brushed, and I was currently under the hot spray of water from the shower.
The door opened and Matt sauntered in with his erection still standing proud.
From the corner of my eyes I watched him use my toothbrush before he pulled back the glass shower screen and proceeded to get in with me.
“Piss off,” I grumbled.
Matt let out a low chuckle and slid up behind me, hands encircling my waist.
“It’s not funny, Matt,” I complained, building up some more lather.
“That was completely unnecessary and uncalled for. Those things have to be discussed in minute details before any frigging attempt-”
He pressed his hardness against my ass and I spun around in a flash.
I was not playing that shit.
“Let’s not talk,” he murmured, leaning in to kiss my temple.
Great.
He was back to this ‘no talking’ crap.
Hiding my frown I stepped away from him.
With the size of my bath it wasn’t far enough.
How could he not want to talk about this?
Was I just a body for him to use in order to satisfy his sexual needs?
So we were still married, and I guess if you were going to have sex with anyone it should be your spouse.
And the sexing had been good…
ok, it was more than good.
Chewing my lips to halt the necessary sigh of frustration, I resumed soaping myself.
“I didn’t cheat.” I muttered, morose and defeated.
Why wouldn’t he believe me?
Matt refrained from commenting, instead he reached over for the bottle of soap while the water bounced off me onto him.
There was a tiny frown across his forehead though, and his eyebrows were gearing up.
His clinical observation had me squirming, both mentally and physically.
“I don’t want to discuss it, Madison.” he reiterated as he began to soap himself up.
I gave him my back and grabbed the shampoo.
Fine.
We wouldn’t discuss it, but as soon as this shower was over I planned on kicking him out.
Operation on the pull had taken a strange twist.
Matt locked his car then made his way up to the front door of his Kensington home.
It was almost 11pm and he needed sleep, but first he would get something to eat, definitely something to drink.
His energy had been well and truly spent earlier.
Kicking off his trainers in the dimly lit foyer, Matt tossed his keys and mobile on the small table before tugging off his sweat-stained t-shirt and heading for the kitchen.
He chugged back a bottle of chilled water as he stood in front the open door of the fridge-freezer and peered uninterestedly at its contents.
“Where in the bloody hell have you been?”
The terse and completely unexpected question had Matt choking on the water and spinning around in shock.
“Adam?” He squinted at the outline of his brother in the doorway.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
Adam flicked the lights on and sauntered further into the kitchen, his features twisted in annoyance.
“Did you forget we were supposed to meet Dad this morning? I was this close to calling the Met police two hours ago and reporting you missing. You haven’t been answering your mobile and George said you went to Nathan’s last night, but when I spoke to him he said he hadn’t seen you.” Adam glared fiercely at him as he walked over.
“Where have you been?”
Matt wiped his mouth, arched an unamused eyebrow at Adam then said, “I want my blasted keys back.”
Adam observed him for a moment and sniffed in disgust as he closed the distance between them.
“Christ, Matty. You smell like the used bed sheets in a brothel. Are those bite marks?”
Matt slammed the fridge-freezer close and moved away from his nosy sibling.
“Yes and before you ask, it’s none of your damn business.”
Adam snorted something under his breath, causing Matt to narrow his eyes in irritation.
He was tired, hungry, and unfortunately missing his estranged wife.
An image of how he left her popped into his head.
Sprawled naked over the rumpled sex-stained sheets, her dark skin covered with his dried come as she snored lightly.
It was thoroughly satisfying seeing his own marks upon her body and knowing she would probably be sore from their intense lovemaking.
After their shared morning shower she had half-heartedly tried to kick him out, but he was having none of it.
He wanted more and he got it.
A grim smile tugged up the corner of his lips as he remembered their shower together and the things he had done to her, things he had gently coaxed her into doing.
It had also been extremely hard leaving her bed as she slept.
In fact he had spent close to 30 minutes just standing there, staring at her and willing his feet to move.
“Well, I hope they were worth it,” Adam mused.
“You look as if you’ve shagged yourself into a stupor.”
“Not they,” Matt mumbled, putting the half-drunk bottle of water on the counter.
“Just one.”
“Pardon?”
Matt shook his head.
“Nothing. Look, sorry about this morning. I forgot about meeting up with you and Dad. How is he?”
“Brassed off you failed to show.” Adam advised succinctly.
“And worried about you, as are Mum and Hannah. Come on, Matt. It’s mid-September now and you still haven’t explained what the hell happened between you and Madison. Mum is terrified you’re going to do something silly. Hannah has been pestering me, constantly let me add, about your well-being; and don’t even get me started on Grumps.”
Matt grimaced while avoiding Adam’s increasingly irritated glances.
“I’m right fed up off it,” he continued.
“I’m your brother not your damned keeper.”
Rubbing a hand over his face, Matt did feel a touch of guilt.
He knew his family were all concerned about him, he also knew Adam would bear the brunt of their questions due to his unwillingness to explain why he and Madi were separated.
His relationship with his older brother was a close one, and everyone would automatically assume Adam was in the know.
With a heavy sigh, Matt pulled out one of the stools by the centre island and sat down.
“She cheated on me, Adam,” he said, voice hoarse with anger and shame.
It pained him to admit her infidelity out loud.
“She cheated on me and I’m such a fucking, pathetic twat that I spent the last 24 hours in bed with her even though she’s a lying, deceitful little witch.” The silence that followed his words was deafening.
Matt looked over to his brother’s shocked face.
“Say something.”
Adam swallowed and ran both hands through his hair.
“I –are you - she isn’t-” he cleared his throat and took a deep breath.
“Are you sure? I mean, she’s absolutely smitten with you and Madi doesn’t strike me as the type to-”
“Fuck off.” Matt exploded.
“Am I bloody sure? Of course, I am.”
“Alright, calm down,” Adam rushed to say.
“Bloody hell, I’m just shocked is all.”
Matt glowered at him before pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration.
His tone was low as he said, “I’m sure. I wish I wasn’t, but I am.”
Adam chewed his lower lip, his greyish-blue eyes filled with sympathy.
“How did you find out? Did she tell you?”
Matt let out a harsh laugh.
“No, and she continues to deny it even though I have proof.” Another bitter chuckle left his lips.
“That’s the worse bit, the lying. She just won’t admit it and it’s driving me mad.”
Making his way over to the centre island, Adam propped his elbows over the surface, confusion leaked into his sympathetic expression.
“Well if she didn’t admit it, how do you know for certain?”
Matt sent him another scowl.
“Seriously, Matt,” Adam pressed on.
“This doesn’t sound like something she would do. Did you catch them together? Do you know who this man is? What proof are you talking about?”
“Photos,” Matt confessed, sick to his stomach as he remembered the glossy prints.
“All verified, and why the hell are you defending her?”
Adam himself looked ill at the mention of photos, but he forged on.
“I’m not defending anyone! I’m just trying to understand-”
“There’s nothing to understand,” Matt was beginning to regret confiding in his brother.
“She fucked someone else and made a fool of me, Adam.”
“Where did you get these photos? How were they taken? Goddamn it. Can they be leaked to the media?” Adam seemed flustered, and rightly so, at the possibility of the press finding the photos.
Matt shook his head.
“They print outs are safe, I took the pictures from Louisa’s mob-”
“Wait, what?” Adam cut him off sharply.
He straightened up and folded his arms across his chest.
“Louisa? Louisa Gilliford? Fuck sakes, Matt. She’s your ex and completely obsessed with you. Don’t tell me you believed her ? That’s bollocks. And you know she’s not fond of Madi. Are you having a laugh? Louisa would do anything to break up your marriage.”
The stool screeched across the tiled floor as Matt stood up, face tight with anger.
“I’m not that much of an idiot, Adam. Do you think I hadn’t considered it was some devious ploy of hers to split me and Madi up? Did you not just hear me say I had the pictures verified?”
“By whom?” Adam shot back.
Matt couldn’t believe it.
His own brother didn’t want to accept Madi’s infidelity.
“My P.I, the same one you use.”
It was similar to the way air escapes a balloon, Adam’s whole body slumped down and his face fell in dismay.
“Damn it,” he muttered.
“James never gets it wrong. Damn it, Matty. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. How did Louisa get the pictures? Do you know who the chap is?” Adam asked suddenly as if holding on to the last thread of hope it was all a mistake.
Matt rubbed his temples in exasperation.
“She caught them together at some function while we were on that business trip to Egypt, said she couldn’t get a glimpse of the bastard’s face,” he swallowed hard.
“The pictures were – let’s just say they left no doubt in my mind. Louisa was distraught at having to bring me the news.”
Adam remained silent.
“I keep thinking,” Matt continued.
“Wondering how long it’d been going on for. Or whether she cheated with more than one men. God. If I ever find out who he is, I swear I’ll be detained at Her Majesty’s pleasure because I’ll certainly kill him. In fact, I don’t even want to try and find out. It might be difficult but I’m certain I could - but knowing some smarmy bastard is probably laughing over - fuck.”
Still Adam said nothing, instead choosing to walk over to the wine rack and pluck a bottle of red out.
“I’m partly to blame,” Matt added with resignation.
“Don’t be a ridiculous,” Adam groused as he went about opening the bottle.
“She’s a tart. Her behaviour has nothing to do with you and everything to do with her nature. She bloody hid it well, I’ll tell you that. Fooled us all.” Adam was getting angrier each passing second.
His loyalty came pouring out now Matt had removed his initial doubts.
“And if she thinks she’ll get one penny from you, she’s sorely mistaken. Have you started divorce proceedings? Please tell me you have.”
“Legally we have to wait until 12 months of marriage have passed before I can apply for a divorce, but my solicitors are fully abreast of the situation and steps are being put into place.”
Adam got two wine glasses out of the cupboards and filled them to the brim.
Ignoring the need to let the wine air, he handed a glass to Matt then took a deep gulp of his own.
“Why the hell did you shag her today then? Knowing what a little whore she’s turned out to be.” Adam burst out.
Matt winced at Adam’s crude words and stared at the red liquid in his glass for a moment before shrugging his shoulders.
“It just happened. I went to drop some mail off, and we argued,” He snorted in disgust at his own behaviour as he raised his gaze to Adam.
“She had these heels on, and her curls were loose, and this sexy dress that…it just happened.”
“Stay away from her,” Adam cautioned him.
“God. If I ever see that bitch-”
“Adam,” Matt wearily cut him off.
“What?” Adam spat out.
“How dare she cheat on you? You’re a bloody Bradley and she’s nothing more than a low class mercenary slut. I knew I should have never let my guard down with her.”
Matt realized Adam’s anger wasn’t simply due to sibling solidarity.
He too felt betrayed by Madi’s actions, and it was clear Adam didn’t like feeling a fool.
“I’m still married to her,” Matt reminded him.
“For the time being,” Adam retorted, taking a moment to gulp some more wine.
“When Dad finds out-”
“Don’t,” Matt blurted out.
“Don’t say anything to Mum or Dad, or anyone else, it’s bad enough Louisa was the one who brought this to my attention. I can’t stomach the thought of everyone giving me pitying looks and knowing how much of a fool I was.”
Adam grumbled unhappily as he regarded Matt, then said with cold conviction.
“We’re going to destroy her. Mark my words, Matt. Everything she has, we’ll take it from her. No one crosses us and gets away with it.”
Matt placed his wine glass down on the counter.
Yes, she had broken his heart, and yes, he had wanted her to hurt; but their time apart had mellowed his desire for revenge.
All he could think of now was the way he’d left her in bed.
She had automatically rolled into the space he vacated, murmuring his name and snuggling into the pillow.
God.
He fucking missed her.
“I didn’t put her first,” Matt said softly.
“I promised I would, but I didn’t.”
“What?” Adam growled.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“She’s younger than me, Adam-”
“That’s not an excuse.” Adam’s incensed voice filled the space.
“And I work all the time, travel all the time, her only family lives far away and she gets so sad sometimes. She thinks I can’t see it but,” Matt’s words tapered off.
He’d been dwelling on it these past weeks.
Thinking over everything.
Of course, Madi’s infidelity was the ultimate cause of the breakdown of their marriage, but he feared deep down he had pushed her to it.
“You’re still in love with her.” Adam stated without emotion.
Matt shrugged, turning away from his brother’s searching gaze.
“I’m tired and need a shower. Good night.” He walked out the kitchen with Adam’s parting words of warning reaching his ears.
“You’d better stay away from her, and I’m telling Nathan!”