Page 129 of Lovers' Dance: Vol. 2

“Because she’s pregnant, poppet. There’s the risk of listeria with certain foods and they must be avoided at all costs.”

“Oh. I didn’t know that.” I snuck a quick look at Matt’s profile as we walked through the crowds.

How did he know these things? I hoped to God he hadn’t researched it with me in mind. Matt enjoyed his research, I remembered the way he had researched black hair. Crap. He’d better not still be hung up on the baby issue. Nathan grinned when he saw us, and his gaze settled on Bella. I had never seen him look so tender-hearted. The mushy demeanour increased when she stood next to him and his hand automatically went to her expertly hidden baby bump. Her dress was princess cut and flowing.

“Tired?” he asked, leaning in to brush his lips across her temple.

“Not enough to go home,” she said and relaxed against him.

Matt was observing them with something close to envy on his face and my gaze fell to the floor. Motherfucker. He was still hung up on the baby issue.

It wasn’t long before a small group of people surrounded us. They all knew each other and I tried not to feel like the odd one out,focusing on Matt’s fingers laced with mine instead of their shared stories of past experiences. When our hosts joined our group I peered suspiciously at them. I was sure they’d been upstairs. They looked normal. No smell of sulphur or singes from the fires of hell on their clothes. What on earth went on up those curved double stairs?

Louisa Gilliford and a few of her friends joined our group. She was charming, nauseatingly charming, and my emotions fluctuated wildly in her presence. Ranging between deep jealousy whenever she tore an amused laugh from my husband and their mutual friends over some remembered jaunt they’d all been on; to…I was stuck on the jealousy. Hopefully I’d roll on into pity soon. Everyone was having a good time and I caught glimpses of Dougie with his own friends but they disappeared quite often. At least they looked like they were having fun.

Suddenly I heard a loud crack, or a boom, and I sayIbecause no one else seemed to notice it. Ok, maybe I imagined – there it was again! Another followed in quick succession. I peeked at Matt. He was mid-discussion with Franklin about the on-going bad rep investment bankers were tarred with. I had kept my opinions about that to myself. I mean, what was Franklin bitching about? Bankers did deserve the flack they’d been getting, they almost irreparably destroyed the banking system by their risky investments in sub-prime lending a few years ago. Hell, the UK government had to step in and bail out a few banks, all at a cost to the tax payer.

I jerked as the loud noise happened again.What the hell was that?I cast my gaze upwards. Twice more the sound seem to explode and no one reacted. Was it coming from upstairs? It came in a few more short bursts and I realized it was the sound of gunshots.

Gunshots? No, it couldn’t be.

I glanced at Matt, stepping closer to the safety of his side. He sent me an absent-minded smile and slipped an arm around my waist before continuing his conversation. Then it happened again and I was starting to freak. Why was everyone so placid? All the other guests seemed fine; laughing, drinking, and generally enjoying themselves. Was I hearing things?

I was certain it was gunshots. Once more I looked towards the ceiling. There was another round of shots and it sounded as if it came from outside not upstairs. I tried to remain calm, tried to reason with myself. This was Knightsbridge, a private mansion inKnightsbridge, not an inner-city council estate. There were no gunshots.

The noise started coming in steady bursts of sound now.

Oh God, oh my God. Either someone was getting shot upstairs or there were terrorists outside, getting ready to storm inside. Why was everyone so fucking calm? They had to hear it too.

“Matt?” I called in a tiny voice, scanning the visible exits. Were we under siege? I should check my cell, bring the news up and see if there were riots in this area.

Again and again the noise came and I could feel the sweat beading at the back of my neck under my loose curls. Sweet Jesus. What was that noise? Why wasn’t anyone else reacting to it? My eyes were stretched wide as I tried to see past the bunch of people by the double doors.

“Madi?” Bella was regarding me closely. “Are you ok?”

The loud bang that followed her words made me jump this time, my head darted side to side as my hand clutched the edge of Matt’s dinner jacket.

“What is that?” I cried. “What is that noise?”

Nathan took one look at my terrified face and gestured towards the doors that would take you down a hallway and out back. “That noise?”

“Yes,” I was gripping Matt now.

“The gunshots, poppet?” Matt asked as if it was unimportant. Nathan began to smile.

“Gunshots?” I looked around wildly. I had been right! “What’s happening? Who’s shooting? Why are we all juststandinghere?”

Nathan chuckled, exchanging a look with Franklin who was trying his best to maintain a stoic expression. Karen had a hand over her mouth, but her shoulders were shaking. The fuck was wrong with these people? Crazy ass white folks.

“Matt.” I was trembling.

Matt tightened his hold around me. “There’s nothing to be alarmed about, poppet. Bloody hell, you’re shaking like a leaf. It’s just pigeons. They’re shooting pigeons.”

My mouth fell open for a second. “At night?Why?Who would shoot birds at night?”

Nathan roared with laughter, literally bent over clutching his stomach and laughed.

“Hush, darling,” Bella choked out, giving me a sympathetic smile as she rapped Nathan across the back. The others were sniggering and staring at me.

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