Page 20 of Lovers' Dance: Vol. 2

“Why are you smiling like that?” Dante asked.

I shrugged and glanced at the clock on the wall. “Merry Christmas.”

He nudged me with his hip and I nudged him back as he said, “Merry Christmas.”

We fell into a comfortable silence that was only broken when we’d finished cooking and were sat at the table.

“You know I’m happy for you, right?” Dante wiped his mouth with a paper towel. “I know I haven’t really given you that impression, but we’ve been so busy and-”

“I know, Dante.” I replied warmly. “I know.”

“Just make sure he doesn’t knock you up anytime soon.” Dante warned.

I grimaced. Ugh. Babies. “Not a chance. Besides, I doubt Matt wants kids. We’re compatible like that.”

“And he’s like what? Forty? Fifty?”

“Shut up. He’s thirty seven and you know that already. Asshole.”

Dante grinned and kept quiet as he resumed eating. This Christmas was going into the top ten file. No bah humbug this year…

Matt rolled on his side, groggily waking up due to the peel of his mobile. He glanced at the bedside clock and groaned as his hand fumbled on the bedside table to find the offending piece of technology. 4am on Christmas morning. Whoever it was would get an earful. When he saw the caller id a tired smile curled his lips up.

“Merry Christmas, poppet.” he greeted huskily. Then he jerked in surprise at the male voice that responded with a, “Matthew Bradley?”

“Who in the bloody hell is this?” Matt struggled into an upright position, already calculating the time difference and wondering why some man was calling from his poppet’s mobile at this time on Christmas morning.

“It’s Dante Palmer.”

“Oh.” Relief filled Matt’s body but it was short-lived. Why was Dante calling from Madi’s mobile. “Is Madi ok?”

“Yeah, yeah. Look, I’m only calling because Madi won’t tell you what’s been going on and I think you should know. You’ve got connections so you should be able to sort it,”

“Sort what?” Matt asked at the pause in Dante’s words. “Why are you using Madi’s mobile? Where is she?”

“She’s sleeping, and this was the only way I could get your number. Look, some asshole has been sending her some emails. Real messed up shit. She thinks it’ll blow over but it’s getting worse.”

Matt leaned over to turn the bedside lamp on. “Pardon? What emails?”

“Stupid stuff, racist shit,” Dante exhaled loudly. “Bad stuff. I can forward them to you if you give me your email address. Look, the only reason she’s getting these emails is because she’s with you. She doesn’t want to worry you because she doesn’t think it’s serious but some of the things in these emails…You need to make it stop. If you can’t, just let me know and I’ll take it to the cops or something because I don’t feel comfortable with what this asshole’s sending her.”

Matt inhaled and exhaled slowly before answering. “Do you have a pen handy? I’ll give you my email address, forward them to me at once.”

“Are you going to sort it?” Dante asked curtly.

“Yes.” Matt replied coldly. “There’s no need to involve the police, to do so would only risk further media attention. Are you ready to take down my email address?”

Matt gave Dante one of his private email addresses and stayed on the line while Dante forwarded the information. Matt himself was now wide awake and currently turning on his own laptop which he had retrieved from the table where he worked last night.

“Have you got them?” Dante asked impatiently.

Matt held the mobile away from his ear and scowled at it for a second before responding. “I’m logging on now.”

It was slightly amusing to Matt the way they both avoided addressing each other by name. They were not friends and wouldnever be friends, yet they both shared one very special common ground: Madi.

Thinking of her made Matt query, “How was last night’s performance?”

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