Risking It All: London Calling Book Three (8 page)

After the other car drove through, Dominic turned to Frank. “Just keep close. I’m going to check it out on foot.”

“A place like that probably has cameras.”
 

“Yeah, I see them. I’ll be careful to stay out of range.”

Pulling the collar up on his jacket, Dominic noiselessly left the car, quietly pushing his door closed with barely a click. He skirted the bonnet, stuck his hands in his pockets, and crossed straight to the other side of the street near the outer boundaries of the estate. Careful to keep his head down, he walked as any average passerby would until reaching the security panel. Glancing up through his lashes, he faltered to a stop when he saw the estate name etched into the limestone arching over the gates.
 

Payne Manor

The air whooshed from his lungs as if someone violently beat it from him. Gasping, he looked up, trying to see the house over the brick walls that closed off the mansion from the rest of the neighborhood. Faintly, he saw lights twinkle on upstairs somewhere.

Sebastian Payne lived here.
 

Natalie had gone home with him.
 

His heart thundered and he doubled over to brace his hands on his knees, struggling to breathe. Faintly, he heard shuffling footsteps but couldn’t move if his life depended on it. His hands fisted and a muscle clenched in his jaw.

A hand came down to rest on his back. It remained, still and nearly weightless, offering silent support. Tilting his head, his eyes traced over serviceable shoes, black trousers, and a white shirt. He straightened.
 

Frank was staring at him. Kindness and something else, worry maybe, creased his forehead. Tentatively, he moved his hand to lightly circle Dominic’s bicep. “C’mon now, Mr. Dominic. Follow me.”

He led him back across the street as if Dominic weren’t capable of doing it himself.

He wasn’t.

Unconsciously, he rubbed the place over his heart, trying without success to ease the pounding ache. Guilt, anguish, and defeat crashed around in his head, vying for supremacy. He was gutted, unable to function.

He loved her.

As he’d never loved another woman, he was helplessly, hopelessly in love with Natalie.
 

And he’d only realized it after it was far too late.
 

His phone buzzed, and he fumbled it out of his pocket. A fool, he allowed a latent hope to convince him it might be Nat.

Dominic absently unlocked the screen. With three words, he realized the evening was not finished with its surprises.

Answer. It’s Madeleine.

***

Madeleine Price, also known as MP, also known as Moneypenny, patiently counted the seconds after sending her message, determined to ignore the nerves fluttering inside her stomach.

She made it to twelve.

Her phone, the one rarely used, buzzed insistently. Of course, it was Dominic. She texted him twelve seconds ago, signing off with a name she never used with him. She hadn’t realized how shaky it would make her. She quickly smoothed her hands down her thighs and took the call.

“Yes?”

“MP.”
 

She released the breath she’d been unaware she was holding. “Dom.” Two names, both shortened but for very different reasons. “Thank you for calling me back.”

He didn’t answer, but she clearly heard his unsteady breathing. “What’s wrong? What’s happened?”

Silence. Then he cleared his throat. “Nothing,” his voice was raspy. He started again. “Nothing for you to worry about.”

“Something’s
wrong
. I can hear it through the line. Tell me you’re okay.” Growing panic made her irrational. “Are you hurt? Tell me what’s wrong,” she pleaded. Her eyes darted around his penthouse, taking in the minimal, stark design. Suddenly aware that nothing of her surroundings was hers, she shifted from the low profile leather couch to the floor.

He was quick to answer, obviously catching on to her distress. “Moneypenny, it’s okay.” His voice was firmer, and he sounded more like the man she knew. “I got a bit of a shock right before you called. I—I haven’t processed it yet.”

She’d never heard Dominic Martin less than sure of himself. “Do you want to talk about it?” Restlessly, she sifted her fingers through the shaggy pile of the area rug. Warmth from the heated floors seeped into her, chasing away the chills.

“No.” Unequivocal. “Tell me why you’re calling and texting.”

She abruptly focused. Taken aback, she pulled the phone away from her ear to stare at it. She brought it close again and answered with slow deliberation. “Dominic. You deeded me your
penthouse
.” She rose to pace over to the gas fireplace, flicking a switch to bring it to life.

“Oh, that.”

“Yes! Yes, that! What were you thinking?” Picking up a remote control, she pressed a button that closed the blinds on the floor to ceiling windows.
 

A heavy sigh. “I wanted you to have it, MP. I don’t need it anymore, and I sure as hell don’t need the money.”

“Is this because—”
 

He interrupted. “No.”

An awkward silence ensued where all the things she’d planned to say escaped her. Countless people had offered her their condolences, sympathy, and comfort in the past seven years. She’d suffered through all of it with patient stoicism. Turning back to the fireplace, she lowered herself in front of it.

Damn, she hated pity.
 

And charity was nearly unbearable.

She knew, in her heart, that guilt and a degree of horror at his findings probably motivated Dominic to make amends the only way he knew how. She’d had several days to consider his gift and as outrageously extravagant as it was, she had to accept. Pride was a luxury she could no longer afford.

It really wasn’t about her anyway.
 

With equal parts humility and gratitude, she swallowed past the painful lump in her throat to say the only thing she could.

“Thank you.” Loneliness and an acute vulnerability made her press the key to end their call.
 

Sitting on the living room floor of Dom’s darkened penthouse, Madeleine pulled her knees up to rock in tormented grief. Giving in, she wept with the sorrow and fury of all her life had become.

CHAPTER FOUR

B
ENNETT
’
S
GLOVED
FIST
smashed into Dominic’s face, whipping his head around and splitting his lip. Blood dripped from his chin as he drove his own clenched hand into Bennett’s bare abdomen, doubling him over.

In less than fifteen minutes, bruises darkened the two men’s faces and ribs. Small cuts spattered blood onto the mat beneath them. A small crowd of men gathered outside the ring, watching them as they traded punch for punch, ruthlessly pummeling each other.
 

A hit to the gut followed by a strong uppercut sent Dominic reeling to the ground. He pushed an elbow underneath himself and tried to get up, but collapsed again, unable to catch his breath.

Shit.

Bennett took the two steps necessary to stand over Dominic, gloved hand extended. On the pretense of considering Bennett’s outstretched arm, Dominic greedily gulped air. Finally, Bennett saw his act for what it was and scooped Dominic to a sitting position.

Dominic blinked hard, trying to clear the bloodstained sweat from his eyes. Everything hurt.

But damned if he didn’t feel better.

He grinned then winced at the sting. Gingerly, he touched the tip of his tongue to the split before blotting the blood away with his forearm. Bennett squatted at his side, clearly fighting back amusement.

“Done? Or do you want more?”

Dominic shook his head then lightly bumped his glove against Bennett’s jaw. “No, I’m good.” He turned serious. “The question is, are you?”

The two men had seemingly put their differences aside months before. In the beginning, it had been for Devon, someone they both unquestionably loved. Later, as Dominic worked within Sterling International to set up better security measures, they established a strange but strong synergy in the way they worked and thought. That led to the sideline business idea of investigating and protecting their clients’ international assets and offshore investments. As business partners, they couldn’t be better matched.

As men, though, they’d needed to thrash each other.

Bennett unlaced his gloves then tossed them aside. “I’ve been good for awhile. I told you all was forgiven.” He raised his chin at Dominic. “You’re the one still beating yourself up. I finally decided to take mercy on you and do it myself.”

Dominic laughed, ignoring the pain in his ribs. “That you did.”

The group of men around the ring dispersed with good-natured grumbling, seeing that the fight was over. Bennett rolled to the balls of his feet and grabbed Dominic by one arm, hoisting him up. Dominic groaned at the sudden movement.
 

“Stop helping me. You’ll kill me yet.”

Undeterred, Bennett chucked him in the shoulder. “You’ll live, Martin. Let’s hurry and get cleaned up. Devon wants to meet for lunch.”

They set off for the locker rooms, Bennett laughing and Dominic clutching his sides in good-natured defeat.

***

Freshly showered and dressed, Dominic waited outside the boxing club for Bennett to rejoin him. Down the block, he saw Devvie striding his way. Gingerly, he rose to meet her partway.

As soon as she was close enough to see him properly, she gasped. “Dom, what happened to your face?”

“Your fiancé’s fist, that’s what.”

Horrified, she looked accusingly over his shoulder where Bennett was coming their way. “Bennett! I thought you two worked things out ages ago.”

“I did, but Dom still needed me to kick his ass. So I obliged.”

Dominic chimed in, “That he did. And I don’t need anymore, thank you very much.”

She shook her head, looking at both of them with mild disgust mixed with reluctant amusement. “You’re such
boys
.”

“Hey, don’t knock it. If you’d given all of us a good wallop last year, you’d have saved us a lot of grief.”
 

“Don’t give her ideas, man.” Bennett laughed, kissing Devon lightly on the forehead.

Looking up through her lashes, she glared. “Don’t think it’s still not a possibility.”

Dominic tossed an arm around her shoulders in a rough hug. “Lighten up, Devvie. It was long overdue. God knows I feel better, and I think Bennett does too.”
 

The other man nodded. “Affirmative.”

She sighed. “All right. Just don’t make a habit of it, okay? I love you both, and I’m also pretty fond of these.” She laid her palm lightly on Dominic’s cheek then moved away to kiss Bennett.

Dominic felt a rare stab of jealousy. Not for Devon, but for the love she and Bennett shared. They were so open with their feelings. Although he pretended to tease them, their relationship brought out a yearning in him, a buried desire for the same.

If he tried, he could remember his parents sharing that kind of love. But all too soon after Devvie’s mom left, his mother fell ill with cancer. She’d fought hard, but hadn’t been able to win the war.

He still missed her.

She’d have liked Natalie, he knew. She’d have seen straight through Toff’s tough outer shell to the woman inside. Someone who was sensitive, even fragile in some ways.

He’d gotten through to that part of Natalie before. But he’d thrown it away, not maliciously, but carelessly all the same. Too focused on his plans, he’d lost sight of what really mattered.

He cursed himself, along with his father and John Sinclair. In their ambition and need to prove themselves, they lost sight of other priorities. For the first time, Dominic wondered if John and his father were always running away from something rather than striving for more. Dominic always looked up to both of them for being fearless and bold. Determined to go after what they wanted and willing to create opportunities where there seemed to be none.

As single fathers, they’d provided well for each of their children. He and Devon were educated in the best schools, and their home lives had seemed like one long exciting adventure.

Growing older, Devon balked at learning her father was guilty of taking advantage of people. Unlike Dominic, she’d been unable to sort out the man who loved her from the sly and cunning shark.

She’d left, moved on to forge her own way in the world. Dominic knew they’d been perilously close to losing her forever when they decided to interfere in her life. Using her connections and accomplishments, they’d furthered their own ends with nearly disastrous consequences for Devon.

Shame with himself and gratitude for her churned uneasily in his stomach. Boxing with Bennett, and literally getting knocked down a peg, helped clear his mind. He no longer doubted that Bennett, a happily engaged man, welcomed Dominic as an important part of his expanding family. Partnering in business had nothing to do with Devon. Rather, they established a relationship based on similarities and camaraderie.
 

In short, he and Bennett were friends.