Lovers' Dance (9 page)

Nathan smiled. Never had truer words been spoken. His smile wavered at the talk of marriage. “What about you? Your parents are eager to see you wedded to Louisa. Portia called me last week, said it was my responsibility as your friend to make sure you did the right thing, the expected thing.” Nathan shuddered. “Your mother scares the living daylights out of me. Always has.”

Matt squashed the immediate spurt of resentment as he thought about his parents. They were getting overbearingly insistent, to the point where he’d deliberately missed the last two family functions. He knew what was expected of him. Both his father and grandfather had ambushed him at the twins’ birthday party a few months ago, droning on about their family heritage and the responsibility each male Bradley had to ensuring their family prospered. Then they had started talking about the next generation of Bradleys and Matt had stopped paying attention. He was thirty-six, not ninety-six; he had time before settling down.

“Screen her calls,” he replied dryly. Nathan gave him a dirty look and Matt shrugged. “Change your mobile number then.”

“Why don’t you talk to them? Tell them you’re not sure Louisa is the one for you.”

It was Matt’s turn to shoot Nathan a dirty stare. “And risk being ostracized? They’ve only started speaking to Adam this past year. Look, Louisa and I are going to happen, though I’m loathe to have Jack Gilliford as my father-in-law. She’s the most suitable woman to carry the Bradley name and give my parents the next grandchild they’re so eager for. Plus, I’m certain merging our fortunes will make her so happy she’ll be more than willing to overlook any of my future indiscretions.”

Nathan rubbed his chin, a reflective look on his face. “It sounds like you’ve already made peace with it.”

Matt nodded slowly, eyes falling once again to Madi’s picture. “I have but, until I propose, I’m planning to enjoy myself immensely.” He flashed Nathan a lecherous grin. “You know how much I relish new challenges.”

“You’re sick,” Nathan joked. “I feel sorry for that poor girl. Make sure you get her something nice when you’re finished with her and, for God’s sake, don’t let anyone find out about it.”

“Woman, not girl, and stop worrying. No one’s going to know.” Matt stood up and walked his friend out.

He hurried back to his study, wanting to go over the file in a more detailed fashion. He understood why Nathan was deeply concerned about him pursuing Madison, but once Matt saw something he wanted. He always got what he wanted. That wasn’t about to change any time soon. He held her picture in his hand, staring at it intently. He would shag her, a lot. Then, he would be able to get over this unusual fixation he had about her. Sex. That was all it was. She was deliciously hot and he wanted her.

Why then did he feel a fraud for letting Nathan assume sexual conquest was the main factor pushing him? Yes, he wanted her desperately, but he remembered how she’d felt in his arms, making those weird snoring noises as she slept. He remembered the way his heart had twisted when she had cried in his arms. He’d never felt that way before, never experienced the urge to protect someone so completely. Her petite frame didn’t help. It only served to make him feel manlier, like he should use his brawn to keep her safe. What in the bloody hell was wrong with him?

He put the photo down and picked up the file, starting from the beginning. He couldn’t help but approach this as he would any business deal. He needed to be fully informed. The file wouldn’t give a complete picture of the woman he was unable to push out of his mind, but it was a start. He hadn’t planned on looking for her but now, because of Nathan’s interference, Matt decided it was fate’s way of telling him to go for it. Fate was never something he put much stock into before but, in this instance, he was willing to believe. The promise he had made to himself not to find her was negligible now. He felt another unexpected spurt of sympathy as he read in detail about her parents, imagining a terrified little girl coming to term with the loss of the world as she knew it. To have survived and then grown up into a determined young woman capable of accomplishing her goals…his intrigue mounted. The file, in his opinion, lacked the layers of her character that he wanted to peel back to reveal the very centre of what made her who she was. But there was only one way to learn those details. Madison DuMont intrigued him. He couldn’t remember the last time he had felt an interest in anything outside of work. He wouldn’t stop until his desire to know everything about her was sated. Matt grinned. With his good looks and vast wealth, she didn’t stand a chance. No woman could resist his charms. He pushed aside the niggling voice in his head reminding him of all the conceptions he had over black women. Did it matter the colour of her skin? Women were all the same; white, black and all the varying shades in between. He simply needed to ensure this strange preoccupation he had with her remained secret.

FIVE

WE WERE ALMOST ready for the snap dance. I was not so sure about this event. Instead of Hyde Park, which we’d originally planned for, the location had been changed to outside Buckingham Palace. Dante was crazy. The flag was up, signifying the queen was in residence. We would get into trouble. He said no, we wouldn’t, thousands of tourists flocked outside those regal gates every day. I agreed with that, but those tourists didn’t set off small fireworks. They weren’t really pyrotechnics, just confetti-loaded compressed canisters. I was anxious, the others weren’t. We numbered twelve in total, excluding Dante’s two friends, one who would film the whole thing and the other on music/confetti duty.
Shit.

“Stop worrying about it, Madi.” Dante loosened his long coat. We had earned curious glances from the people milling about. It was mid-July and unseasonably hot for a British summer. I was sure a couple of coppers were following us. Who would wear coats on a sunny day like this? Bomb-strapped terrorists, that’s who. Oh, God. I was going to get arrested. My black tutu itched against my thighs under my coat. Lisa was grinning like a loon. She loved our snap dances. The girl got off on danger. We had once done an event at Tate Modern and security hadn’t been pleased.

“Madi’s going to cry,” Gerrard teased, stretching his muscular thighs. We wore leotards and ballet shoes, another thing that brought attention to us.

“I’m not, you idiot. I’m sweating like a pig, that’s all.”

“We all are,” Eddie groaned, wiping beads of perspiration off his forehead. “I would’ve preferred doing this at Hyde Park to be honest.”

“I like Dante’s change of venue,” said Brianna. Her Irish accent sounded like musical bells to my ears.

“Masks, everyone,” Dante ordered.

I pulled out my mask from under the coat, complaining as I put it on like the others. “We should’ve had these masks on before. Do you know how many CCTV cameras we passed to get here from the station? The cops will be on us in minutes. I can feel it. For the record, I am not putting up bail for anyone.”

We fixed our masks and shrugged off our coats as Dante gave the signal. The piece of music we had chosen for our dance blasted out, startling people. I stopped worrying and fell into position, going through our choreographed moves without a second thought. Dance was my life. When I danced, it was the only time I felt at peace. Complete and utter peace. There was a small crowd gathering around, progressively getting larger. People were taking pictures and laughing at our impromptu performance. The noise of the crowd fell away as I danced, revelling in Dante’s hands around my waist as he lifted me up high, then brought me down before I
jete’d
into Gerrard’s waiting hands. The choreography was one which Dante and I had worked on together for the past three weeks. Our latest baby. The twelve of us danced with wild abandon, egged on by the applause. We were bringing dance to the people, creating a moment of beauty in these strangers’ lives. It was the best buzz ever.

<><><>

“Where are you going? We have that meeting with Carl from accounting.”

Matt grimaced at Nathan. Not only was he his closest friend, but also his right-hand man. After graduating from university, Nathan had been under pressure to join his father’s business. The Walthamstows made their coin in media. Nathan despised the thought of working at his family’s company. As the only child, not only was it expected that he assumed his executive position, but also that he excelled in expanding their hold on the British media. When Matt had offered him a position at his side in the oil business all those years ago, Nathan had grabbed it with two hands. 

“I’m leaving early today,” Matt answered, eyeing his watch. He was late, delayed because of that issue with HR, which his elder brother should have dealt with but hadn’t. Adam would be getting an irate email from him soon.

“You never leave before nine on a Friday, it’s barely gone five thirty,” Nathan quipped, falling into step with Matt as he hurried towards his office.

“I am today,” Matt replied. His secretary spotted him and was coming over with papers in her hand. “Whatever it is, Rachel, it can wait until Monday. I’m going home.”

“But, Mr Bradley,” she began. Matt narrowed his eyes at her and she nodded before returning to her desk and picking up the phone. Probably to cancel meetings. Matt entered his office with Nathan on his heels. He didn’t care about any bloody meeting. His whole week had been spent in conference rooms, on private planes and in cars being driven from one meeting to the next. He was tired and annoyed he hadn’t had a chance to contact Madi all week. Monday morning, he and Adam had been called into their father’s office and ordered to fly to Germany, then Stockholm, to find out why their normally steady stocks were fluctuating on those markets. He’d flown back into London last night and, today, he’d been behind closed doors with the executive board briefing them on everything they had learned.

“I’m going with you,” Nathan said firmly, as Matt shoved paperwork into his briefcase. He would find time this weekend to read up on the next potential takeover target.

Matt’s head snapped up. “Going where with me?”

“Don’t be coy, Matt. It’s Friday.”

“I know it’s Friday, Nathan. What I don’t understand is why you feel the need to accompany me home. Don’t you have that charity function tonight?”

Nathan shook his head at Matt, a patronizing smirk on his face. “You’re not going home. You’re going to Hyde Park. Snap dance at six. Ring any bells?”

Matt didn’t bother denying it. He closed his briefcase and shrugged. “You only have yourself to blame. Bringing me that file only served to pique my interest.”

“Therein lies the reason I’m going with you. I feel somewhat responsible for fuelling your current swirling behaviour.”

Matt paused in his movements to arch an eyebrow at Nathan. “Swirling?”

Nathan nodded. “I looked it up. The Americans call it swirling. Interracial mingling of the sexes. It’s a rather juvenile description, but you know what the Yanks are like.”

Matt waved it away as he grabbed his jacket and shrugged it on. “There’s no need for you to accompany me. In fact, I insist you don’t.”

Nathan let out a short bark of laughter. “I’m coming. Deal with it.”

Matt tried to stare down his friend. People usually ran away with their tails quivering between their legs when he used that stare. Nathan simply snorted and folded his arms.

“Is there nothing I can say or do to convince you otherwise?” Matt asked, resigned to his friend sticking his nose into his personal life.

“Nothing at all, Matt.”

“Fine,” he grated out. Briefcase in hand, he strode towards the door. “But if you do anything to ruin this, I will personally find a way to bankrupt you and your family.”

Nathan laughed as they both exited the room. “Honestly, I’m looking forward to this. I’ve not previously had any form of casual interaction with a bl—”

Matt cleared his throat loudly to stave off Nathan’s words, then said goodbye to his secretary as they walked down the hallway to the waiting elevators. Nathan tried to make small talk on the way down, but Matt ignored his attempts.

He was nervous. Embarrassingly nervous at seeing her again. How would she react? Had she forgotten about him? He pushed the thought aside. It was highly unlikely she had forgotten him. He’d rescued her in that alley. He was her knight. A little smile ghosted over his mouth as he remembered her letter, tucked away in his desk at home. Underneath his nervousness, a glimmer of excitement took root.

“What if she has a boyfriend?” Nathan suddenly asked. “I hadn’t thought to include a relationship check on the background search.” He shrugged. “It doesn’t matter, you’ll find a way around that.”

“Why are you coming again?” Matt asked tartly, not liking the possibility of another man holding her attention. He shook his head absent-mindedly. No, chances were she was single.

“Because I feel responsible,” Nathan reminded him. “I’ve been your wingman since the age of sixteen. It’s amusing watching you get women, quite similar to taking candy from a baby or a hostile takeover of a new company. On that note, have you spoken to your father about his newest target?”

Matt tapped his briefcase. “I’ll be going over the figures this weekend. Look, you don’t need to come with me.”

Nathan grinned, fixing his tie unnecessarily. “I’m going to assume your obvious reluctance for me to accompany you stems from your understandably inferiority complex where it concerns a man of my stature. She’ll take one look at me and swoon.”

Matt surveyed his friend. Not one strand of golden blonde hair out of place, blue eyes twinkling with mischief, straight nose tilted up as if he was constantly looking down upon some lesser being. Nathan was the same build as Matt, both obsessively athletic and maintaining their impressive physique, though they were closer to forty than thirty. Nathan’s dark grey business suit was frighteningly similar to Matt’s own. Expected, as both sported the Saville Row label. They could be brothers if it wasn’t for Matt’s raven black hair and icy grey eyes. Back before Nathan had settled down with Bella, they enjoyed playing the proverbial field. Women were one of the many vices they shared. It had earned them a reputation as formidable womanizers who left a trail of broken hearts in their wake. Then Nathan had met Bella and she had put an end to his friend’s debauchery. A smile curled up Matt’s mouth, remembering the night Bella had barged into a fancy soiree Matt had thrown and dragged an inebriated Nathan out, threatening physical harm to Matt’s person if he ever tried to lead her man astray. Nathan’s wild behaviour became tamed after that, and Matt was certain Bella had done worse than threaten Nathan once she’d gotten his drunk arse into her car.

“You were always delusional, Nathan. It is becoming more apparent the older you get,” Matt drawled.

Nathan rubbed his chin at that comment, a reflective look on his face. “Have you thought about what you’re doing? I mean, really thought about it?”

Matt avoided his friend’s frank appraisal as the elevator doors slid open. They strode out, unaware of the striking image they posed as they walked through the tastefully done lobby. The security opened the doors and they walked into the bright afternoon sunshine. Matt’s car was waiting. Rachel would have called down to let reception know he was on his way out.

“Here are your keys, sir.” The attendant who always brought his vehicle around from the private underground car park smiled politely at Matt as he opened the driver’s door of the Rolls-Royce. Matt gave him a distracted nod and slid behind the wheel of his latest luxury purchase. He tossed his briefcase onto the backseat and waited for Nathan to get in. There was a second when the urge to drive off without his friend seemed overwhelming, but it passed, and Nathan got in, then they were off. Traffic was murder, stop-start, stop-start, and Matt was losing his patience. He wanted to see her dance, not on a computer, but in front his eyes.

“Damn it,” he swore, hand hitting the horn. The driver in front responded with an extra-long blare from her car.

“Um, Matt.” Nathan finally lifted his head. He’d been immersed on his phone the past ten minutes.

“What?” Matt bit out bad-temperedly, tugging at his tie.

“The snap dance…why call it that? Couldn’t they have arrived at a better name?” Nathan mused, then saw Matt’s face and hurried over his words. “It’s in front of the palace. Not in the park. I checked the website.”

Matt groaned, then stretched his neck. God, he was tired. “The palace is close to Hyde Park. I’ll have to find somewhere else to park. Bloody hell, it’s a nightmare finding parking anywhere close to the palace.”

There was an unexpected opening up front and Matt put his foot down, cutting off two cars in the process, eager to make the next lights. If lady luck was on his side, he would make it. He would see her dance, then he would charm his way into her bed. Matt’s mind was made up, had been ever since that file had been in his possession. Madison would be his.

<><><>

We were almost finished with our dance, a few more lifts and—

BOOM.

The explosion of confetti sounded like some sort of light artillery ejecting a small cannon. Confetti rained down on us and people cheered as more of the canisters went off. We bowed and curtsied to the applause, laughing in delight.

“Bollocks,” Lisa yelled. I jerked around, gaze going to where she pointed. And my stomach fell to my feet.

“Leg it,” Liam shouted. I turned around, eyes wide with apprehension, as Dante leaped over to the pile of our stuff and started tossing our bags over.

Frigging cops were coming. I knew this was a bad idea. I caught my bag, screaming at Dante I’d see him at the meet point. Then I was off, with Lisa and Brianna right behind me. We still had our masks on, bags banging on our backs as we raced towards the Mall. Lisa was laughing loudly, so was Brianna as our feet flew over the ground. We must have made quite a sight, from our high buns down to our ballet shoes. The black tutus with sparkling rhinestones we wore over our leotards was icing on the cake.

I twisted around and, yes, there was a copper giving chase. “Run. He’s gaining on us.”