Page 139 of Lovers' Dance: Vol. 2

Matt maintained his emotionless stare. I glanced at his hands. I loved his hands; the size of them, the way mine felt in his, the way his fingers would lazily trace patterns over my skin. I loved his hands, under normal circumstances. Right now I was picturing them choking me to death.

“I mean,” I forged on with false courage. “It’s polite to let someone know when you’re planning on killing them. Give them a chance to get right with God before their death.” I licked my dry lips as he took a few steps towards me. “You know you’ll get caught, right? Aunt Cleo won’t stop until she has all the answers. No amount of money will save you from her, Matt. Stop right there. Give me a bloody second. I hope you can live with yourself afterwards,” I bit my lower lip. His continued silence was torture. “I’ll haunt you too.”

The corners of his mouth quivered as he closed the distance between us in a leisurely pace.

“H-how are you going to do it?” I asked. “And I just want it on record this isn’t my fault. Ok, maybe I should have listened to you about Dougie,”

Matt’s jaw clenched, as did his large hands.

“But I had no idea he felt anything more than friendship towards me.” I fidgeted under Matt’s steely gaze. The intense scrutiny of those grey orbs could break the toughest spy. “I-I may have suspected maybe once or twice,” My voice trailed off at the abrupt change in him. He was furious once more. When would I ever learn to just shut my damned mouth?

“I’ll help you undress so you don’t hurt your shoulder any further.” Each word was clipped, and when he motioned me towards the walk-in closet I freaked.

“Please don’t kill me,” I blurted out as he took my left elbow and moved us forward. “I didn’t kiss him back.”

“Stop babbling,” Matt flicked on the closet lights and I blinkedagainst the bright glare.

“Well stop looking at me as if you want to kill me.” I yelled. “This has been a hard night for me, you know. And you still haven’t told me what happens upstairs at Franklin’s house. My shoulder is probably going to fall off when I’m asleep. Dante is going to kill me-”

“I thought I was doing the killing tonight?” Matt asked casually as he began undressing himself.

“Y-you are?” I stammered. “Oh this isn’t funny anymore.”

“Am I laughing?” he shot back, already shrugging off his shirt to reveal his impressive chest. “I’m disappointed in your complete disregard for my feelings concerning you and that tosser. Since the get-go I warned you about his desire for you.”

I rolled my eyes then froze when Matt caught me doing it. “You said that in the car.”

“Hmph,” Matt grunted, hands angrily undoing his belt as he toed his shoes off. “But did you listen? No, heavens forbid you listen to me. I’m only yourhusband.”

“Ah,” I held a hand up.Why the heck did I do that?I wasn’t in the classroom. Matt and his stern demeanour. That crap always tripped me up, made me feel like a child. “Technically when we discussed this you weren’t my husband,”

“I swear one of these days I’m going to paddle that arse of yours, poppet.” Matt’s frustration was obvious. “Stop being so pedantic, or that day will be today.”

I couldn’t stop the wide grin on my face. Matt glowered at me, his belt was undone and he paused in releasing the button for his trousers.

“Why in the bloody hell are you grinning? Do you think this is a laughing matter? Do you think I’m not bothered over the fact some wanker had his mouth on yours? His hands on your body?”

I tried to smooth my mouth out but the grin was one of relief and refused to go away. He called me poppet. There would be no killing tonight.

“I’m not grinning.” My denial earned another hard glare as Matt’s undid his trousers before slipping them off. He yanked off his socks, tossed them on the pile of discarded clothes, then slid his silk boxers off.

If it had been any other time, I would’ve jumped him; but I still needed to exercise caution. A furious Matt was not someone to messwith. A naked, furious, and blatantly aroused Matt, equated major trouble in my eyes. I took two steps backwards. Matt stalked towards me, slow and measured.

“I think I can undress myself.”

“Nonsense,” Matt drawled, the predatory gleam in his eyes made me nervous for a whole lot of different reasons. Whenever he got that gleam in his eyes it always ended with us both exhausted and covered in sex sweat. My shoulder hurt too much for that shit tonight.

“I’ve got it, Matt.” I said firmly.

Matt reached for my right wrist. “The clasp is fiddly.”

Eyebrows lowered in suspicion, I watched him undo the bracelet. Then he undid my necklace before taking out the earrings. The ridiculously expensive jewellery got tossed carelessly on a smooth surface. I winced at the clinking sound off it sliding across the counter.

“I can handle it, Matt.” I repeated as his fingers searched for the zip on the side of my dress. “You could probably help me undo the straps of my shoes,”

The zip came down nonetheless. Carefully, Matt slipped the dress down my arms, letting it fall to pool around my heels. I stepped out of the satiny mass of material and was now left solely in panties and heels. Instinctively I shielded my boobs with my left arm. Matt’s tilted his head as he regarded me for a split second, then he moved away, completely at ease with his nudity. At first I thought he intended to get us some clothes, but when he dragged the ornate chair from the corner and set it in front the mirrors I began to feel nervous again. He crooked a finger, beckoning me over. I remained rooted to the spot.

“Madison,” he called in a tone which brooked no argument. “Come here.”

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