Risking It All: London Calling Book Three (20 page)

Dominic shook his head, walking off in the opposite direction. He grabbed several old towels that had been repurposed for cleaning along with a bottle of disinfectant agent. After wrapping a towel around the cut on his hand, he tied it off in a knot. That would do the trick until he could bandage it properly. He liberally sprayed the bag and mat with solvent. The strong smell of bleach burned his nasal cavity and throat. He set to work, holding his breath as he scrubbed the surfaces until the blood was gone and no smears remained.

Glancing over at the beverage counter, he decided Bennett could wait while he cleaned up. The other man hadn’t broken a sweat, so he could sit over there looking pristine and cool. Dominic wanted a shower.

He walked into the locker room and found an empty stall. Shucking off his clothes, he unlaced his boxing shoes and left all of his things on a bench. Flipping on the water, he adjusted the dial until it was as hot as he could stand. For long minutes, he let the water spray over him, working out the knots and pain of his workout. He unknotted the towel tied to his hand and allowed it to drop. The water stung the open wound, making him hiss in pain.
 

Served him right.
 

Steam rose around him, fogging the cubicle until he could barely see. He soaped his body and shampooed then rinsed his hair. His muscles no longer ached, but even though it was days past, his back was still sore from having sex with Natalie against her office door.

He groaned, turning the water to icy cold.

It had been some of the best sex of his life. But he hated the idea they’d both been so angry. He didn’t want to fight with Nat. He loved her. He’d be a fool, though, if he didn’t realize she still saw him as the enemy. Someone to oppose; someone to win against.

There hadn’t been any winners on Saturday. If anything, he felt like the biggest loser of all.

He shut off the water and stepped out of the stall. Tucking a towel around his waist, he found his locker and put on the clothes he’d arrived in. He shoved his gym wear into a duffel and went to meet up with Bennett.

He slid onto a stool and pointed at the other man’s nearly empty glass of dark green sludge. “Hitting it pretty hard aren’t you?”

Bennett made a pained face. “It’s so bad it has to be healthy. I’m starting to agree with my grandfather. What’s the point of living longer if it means sucking kale through a straw?” Despite his words, he lifted the glass and slurped up the remaining chunks. “They need a better blender.”
 

Dominic chuckled. “I think I’ll stick with water.” He motioned to the man behind the counter. Instinctively, he caught the bottled water the other man tossed his way. As he felt the skin on his knuckles pull and tear, he winced, nearly dropping it.

Because he was an ass, Bennett laughed.

He pushed the bottle over. “Shut up and open this for me. It’ll make you feel tough.”

“I am tough. Kindly remember who whipped you all over that ring a few weeks back.” He nudged his chin toward the roped off square.

“How could I forget? You remind me all the time.”

Bennett twisted off the cap and pushed Dominic’s water over to him. With the same motion Dominic used, he signaled the counter staff. Another bottle came sailing over, this time fielded by Bennett.

“Why don’t you tell me whose face you were punching over there.” Bennett, as usual, cut to the chase.

“You’ll think I’m crazy.”

“Already there. Come on. You’ll feel better if you talk through it.”

“I’m pretty sure I was fighting myself. Things haven’t gone so well since I came back to London.”

Bennett opened his water and took a long swallow. “Is it Natalie?”

Talking to Bennett Sterling about his relationship with Natalie seemed wrong on too many levels to count.
 

The other man practically read his mind. “We were never involved, you know. Partners at a few social events, but platonic.” Obviously, Bennett was unbothered.

“Maybe on your part.” Dominic was surprised at his own forwardness. Maybe he was more insecure about Natalie than he realized.

“No, hers too.”
 

Dominic stared, silent.

“Really.” Bennett took another quick swallow then swiveled to better face Dominic. “Let me tell you something about Natalie Enfeld.”

Intrigued, Dominic said, “Go on.”

“She might have pretended interest in me. She might even have convinced herself she
was
attracted. But the truth is if I’d shown the slightest sexual interest in her, she’d have run for the hills.”

Dumbfounded, Dominic pursed his lips.
 

“She never wanted me, Dominic. I believe she wanted the status and prestige associated with a man
like
me. But I only saw Natalie truly stirred by one man the whole time I knew her.”

“Who was he?” The words were out before Dominic could stop them. He really didn’t want to know. Before he could say so, Bennett spoke again.

“You.”

***

Ultimately, the only person Natalie could go to for comfort and understanding was the one man she shouldn’t.
 

Dominic.

It was nice outside and the evening still early, so she sat on a park bench near his hotel, waiting. She’d already been inside, but the concierge informed her Mr. Martin had not returned yet. And no, even though he recognized her from previous visits, he couldn’t allow her to wait in Mr. Martin’s room.

Sometimes, she wished for a little less reserve and a little more romance from Britain’s service personnel.

So off she went, declining his offer of a seat in the bar or restaurant. Now, an hour later, she wondered if she should just take out her phone and call.

She’d really rather not. After their last turbulent encounter, she preferred seeing him face to face. She hoped he wouldn’t make things too hard on her, since the last thing she needed after seeing her mother that morning was another emotional confrontation.

She shifted on the hard metal seat. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a black luxury sedan pull up to the hotel.

Dominic. And Frank, of course. His driver, though unfailingly polite, didn’t seem to like her. For some reason that bothered her. Dominic was clearly fond of the older man. She found it was important that his friends be her friends. And vice versa, although that would be difficult since she never allowed anyone to meet Dominic.
 

She winced.

As he alit from the car, Natalie stood. He hadn’t noticed her yet, but she drank him in like a tall glass of water. She never tired of looking at his flawless face and perfect proportions. Lean and muscled, she admitted he was a perfect male specimen. But that wasn’t the reason she sought him.

It was his character. Getting to know Dominic the second time around made her realize she only scratched the surface before. He was strong yet tender. Funny yet sentimental. Charming but sincere.

And she needed him.

She intersected his path before he reached the door. “Hello Dominic.”

He stopped in his tracks, obviously surprised to see her. One hand clutched his room keycard. The other held his phone.
 

“Can I come up?”

He hesitated so long she was afraid he’d reject her. She simply wouldn’t be able to handle it if he did, not on top of everything else that day. So she stepped in front of him, forcing him to see her. “Please.”

He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. That was when she noticed the bloody knuckles with purple bruising that extended up to his wrist. Reaching for him, she brought his hand to her breast, cradling it within her lightly cupped palms.

“What’s happened? How did you do this?”

He smiled crookedly. “I got into a fight with a punching bag.” Pulling his hand free, he said, “Nat, it’s fine. Come with me.”

Relieved, she followed him through the door and into the hotel’s lobby. Gesturing toward the bar area set off to one side, he raised his brows. “Anything to drink?”

“No, I’m good.” She swallowed. “Thank you.”

They sounded like polite strangers, and she hated it. Determined to break through the ice encasing them, she turned to him in the elevator and tried to kiss him. Her heart nearly stopped when he turned his head to the side, leaving her to buss his cheek instead.
 

She stepped back, crossing her arms over her midsection. Her mouth felt dry, dehydrated. Stupidly, she wished she could go back downstairs to get a water.

He reached for her, his hand hovering between them for a nanosecond before it dropped back to his side.
 

The elevator felt like it was taking forever to reach the fifth floor. The air was suffocating, the silence deafening. She rocked back and forth, nervous in his presence.

The doors swished open, releasing the fresh scent of flowers and lemon polish from the hotel hallway. They stepped out onto the thickly padded carpet, soundlessly walking to his door.

He slid the keycard into the door’s mechanism then looked back at her. Her eyes darted to a spot over his shoulder, unable to look into his eyes if it meant seeing rejection. Or worse, repulsion.

He touched her arm. “Come. We’ll talk inside.”

She’d never seen Dominic so grave. Her stomach sank like a stone, but she followed him regardless.
 

With innate courtesy, he saw her to a chair then, taking out a bottle of chilled sparkling water, filled a goblet. Blankly, she stared at the used glasses cluttering a sideboard near the door, obviously waiting for housekeeping.

A low rocks glass coupled with the type of coupe popular in bars for serving martinis and other showy drinks.
 

Fancy cocktails for fancy females.

Dimly, she heard her own voice ask, “Has another woman been here tonight?”

Dominic stared back dumbly then followed her gaze to the used glassware. “Oh, that. It was just Moneypenny.”

Her eyes narrowed to slits. “I thought your assistant was
virtual
. As in, she barely left her house, let alone Chicago.”

The humor she missed in him earlier made an unfortunate appearance. “Nat, you sound ridiculous. Are you
jealous
?”

She slammed her goblet down, sloshing water over the side. “Why don’t you answer the question? Or are you avoiding the truth again, Dominic?”

She could practically hear his teeth grinding.
 

“No, I am not. Listen, Moneypenny was here earlier.”
 

She stared him down, her mouth twisting as if tasting something bitter.

“Much earlier, Nat. Around noon. She’s staying the night in another room.”
 

She smirked, skeptical.

“On an entirely different floor.”

He flopped into the chair beside her, pouring mineral water into a matching goblet. “Think whatever you want, Natalie. I’m tired.”

She continued to watch him for long moments before deciding he was telling the truth. Besides, a detached part of her didn’t have the foggiest idea why she was picking a fight with him. She’d come for his company, knowing it was the only thing that settled her. She looked around, absorbing the muted cool grays and blues of the room to calm herself.
 

Taking a deep breath, she tried again. “I’m sorry. I have no right to question who you spend your time with.”

His eyebrows shot up. “Sure you do. I’m only saying you have nothing to worry about on that front.” A reluctant chuckle burst out. “Honestly, Moneypenny? No.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because she’s fragile. The last thing she needs is a man complicating her life. And I’m not just saying that. She’d agree, wholeheartedly.”

“No, Dominic. Why do you say I have the right to question you?”

He cocked his head. “Because you do, Nat. No matter how badly we screw up, we’re in a relationship.”

“No we’re not.” The protest was out, blunt and brutal, before she could stop it.

“Yes we are. Hell, I’ve told you a hundred times. I love you.”

She flicked her hand, as if swatting him away. “Why are you making this so difficult?” she cried. “I came because I missed you. I needed you, Dom. Why can’t that be enough?”

“Because it’s not. It wasn’t before and it never could be again. Not for me.”

“Stop. Just stop talking like that.” Panicked, she scooted to the edge of her seat, imploring him. “What we have is good, Dom. But I can’t allow you to try to make it into something it’s not.”

“Really? That’s funny because I refuse to allow you to lessen what we have. Diminish who we are together. I’ll hand it to you. You nearly succeeded at the club. But I had every intention of contacting you when I felt less raw.”

She leaned back, astonished. “That’s rich, coming from you. You used me for sex then left me like a discarded piece of trash when you got what you wanted.”

“
In your office
?”

“No, Dominic. A year ago. And now you expect me to fall at your feet, eager for whatever scraps you toss my way before you decide to leave all over again.”

He popped up to stride across the room. He braced his hand against the bar cabinet, breathing deep, before turning back to her. “I’m
not
leaving again, Nat. I made a mess of things, hurting you badly in the process. I’ll regret that to the day I die and will tell you I’m sorry for just as long. But make no mistake, I’m sticking this time.”

“You are beyond the pale. I never realized how tedious you could be.” Her voice dipped, and a detached part of her couldn’t believe the bitterness pouring out. She decided to call his bluff. “If you’re going to insist on being boring, I’ll go.” She stood. “If you change your mind and can promise to stop this overemotional complaining, call me.”

She nearly made it to the door before he swung her around by the nape of her coat. He never touched anything but the collar of her jacket, yet managed to frog march her back to her chair. Finally, with one finger, he pushed against her shoulder, toppling her backwards to sit.

Incredulously, she gasped then made a production out of straightening her clothing. “How dare—”