Page 206 of Lovers' Dance: Vol. 2

“I’ll leave you to take that,” William said softly when he caught a glimpse of his daughter-in-law’s picture flashing on the screen. “Do try and stay calm.”

Matt watched his father hurry out the room and quietly close the door before answering the call. “Yes?”

“Hi, it’s me,” she greeted.

Matt remained silent, eyes narrowing as he moved to pour himself another drink.

“I’m just about to head on stage, but uh, well I wanted to speak to you, to thank you for sending Collins,” she rushed her words. “I would have called earlier but the police interview took so long, then we had to get prepared for tonight’s show, and-” She took a deep breath. “How did you know? I mean, you knew, right? That’s why your lawyer turned up here today.”

“I suspected something,” Matt confirmed as his regret over answering the call in the first place increased.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she sounded upset now. “How could you keep this from me, Matt? You always had a go atmefor keeping secrets. Why would keep something like this from me? How long have you known? I don’t – why didn’t you tell me?”

“I’ve had my suspicions since the initial background check at thevery beginning of our relationship, and I didn’t tell you because I quite like my freedom.” Matt snorted. “Tipping off is a criminal offence, one which is punishable by up to two years imprisonment and or a fine. Knowing the type of person you are, humph, I couldn’t risk you inadvertently blabbing to that unsavoury solicitor of yours.”

He heard her sharp intake of breath, knew she was deeply hurt by his barbed insult, and he hardened his resolve.

“You knew for that long? Wow. It all makes sense now. The way you acted…you only sent Collins to protect yourself, didn’t you?” she asked with trembling words. “Because we’re still married and I still have Bradley on my surname.”

“You can be quite clever sometimes, not often, but sometimes.” Matt delivered the nasty jab with some measure of satisfaction. Never mind it was a lie. Never mind the real reason he had sent Collins was because he wanted to protect her. Never mind he felt – viciously stopping that train of thought, Matt continued with cold determination. “I hear congratulations are in order.”

There was an uncomfortable pause on her end. He could hear the faint background noises, pick out a few strident voices yelling instructions. Matt wondered about her new performance. He had spotted a harsh review in the Arts and Culture section of Nathan’s newspaper yesterday. The bugger had probably deliberately left it open on that page.

“Collins told you,” she finally said.

“He did.” Matt couldn’t be any colder. “Thank you for making it much easier to facilitate a favourable outcome for me in our impending divorce. By the way, how long were we separated before you and Dante started fucking?”

“Matt, I,” she stopped, then started again. “I need to tell you something. There’s something you should know,”

Matt ignored her faltering words and forged on. “Does he know you were fucking around on me before? That you’re incapable of true loyalty? But if we’re honest, you’ve always been far more loyal to him than me.”

“Matt, please, justlisten,” her voice was thick with tears. He could hear that quite clearly.

“Listen to what?” he hissed down the line. “Your oh-so-sad explanation of how you ended up sleeping with him? I don’t care. Ican’t wait until you’re out of my life for good. You are, without doubt, the biggest mistake I have ever made. Truly, you are.”

There were little sniffles coming from her side, then, “About what Collins told you, I – they’re, well, I may not have been clear – I mean, I didn’t mean to be so unclear, or maybe I did - I was scared and – look, you’re the, what I’m trying to say is that Dante-”

“Do you think I have nothing better to do than listen to your nonsensical babble? I don’t give a fuck,poppet.” His scathing interruption caused her shocked gasp to whisper down the line between them. “Theonlyreason I sent Collins was to ensure my family name didn’t get dragged through the muck by association with you and that criminal character! Whatever we had is over. I don’t love you, and you obviously feel the same; the fact you’re pregnant with Dante’s – I always knew you and that wanker-” He took a ragged breath to calm himself. “You know what? Good luck with whatever you do in your life, it no longer concerns me.”

“Ok,” she replied in such a small voice it made him cringe. “Thank you, for getting Collins to sort it out. I’m eternally grateful for that, he’s a great lawyer, I’d probably be in jail right now if he hadn’t been there. Thank you. A-and I’m really sorry for everything else. I tried, just know that I did try. I do love you, even if you don’t believe me and I hate you for what you did to us, but I love you all the same. Goodbye.”

The sudden dial tone in his ear signified she’d ended the call, stealing the malicious and wholly childish opportunity away from him. The cheeky little thing!

Matt glared at the mobile in his hand before tossing back the drink he’d poured while speaking to her. His eyes burned. He staunchly assured himself it was the effects of the strong whiskey. It had to be. It had nothing to do with the growing ache and jealousy inside him. It had nothing to do with the fact he desperately lamented that his poppet’s unborn child should have been his. That baby should have been his, but it wasn’t. Matt’s eyes watered and he hastily poured himself another shot of whiskey which he promptly downed. The alcohol, it was the alcohol which made his eyes burn. She didn’t love him. Her words were lies. She was a proven liar and he could have any woman he wanted. The life he’d imagined with her was over. The dream now lying in the ruins of a living nightmare. He would move on with his life. Money and success, he didn’t need anything more.

CHAPTER 25

“This one isactually quite funny,” Eddie started cutting out the review from the newspaper.

Print newspaper was a failing industry, everyone more or less got their news online nowadays, methinks. But newspapers were good for more than putting down to protect your floor when painting. There was nothing quite like cutting out reviews from the papers and placing them in the official scrap book. I’d been doing it since our start up. Of course, prior to last year we only got a few lines in the local newspaper. After The Ice Queen and Princess shows we had gotten major attention and mega-reviews. I mentally blocked out any acknowledged assistance from outside forces i.e. anyone whose surname started with a ‘B’ and rhymed with ass-dley? Jackass-adley, perhaps? Whatever. Sinners and Saints hadn’t had as warm a reception as that. Lisa suddenly gasped in outrage then began methodically ripping the newspaper in her hands into neat strips.

“Bad?” I asked, already knowing the answer.

“What? No, uh, no. I saw an article which was anti-feminist. Nothing to do with our show.” She kept ripping the paper in strips, her fingertips stained grimy grey-black, as were all of ours. “Damned men.”

“Here, here,” Gerrard mocked while frowning at the section he was reading in his papers. He looked over at me, smiled brightly, then waited until I’d partially turned my head away before tearing out the page and crumpling it into a wad. Gerrard had no spy skills. Couldn’t he see me watching out the corner of my eyes?

“Fackinghell,” Liam growled, he elbowed Bri and she leaned over his shoulder to read where he was currently stabbing his index finger.

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