The day had been a strange one for Matt. First, the sight of pretty little Sarah in that sexy little peach number had set his libido raging, filling him with all sorts of carnal thoughts. Her face, her shapely legs in those titillating stilettos, the tantalizing perfume she wore, all of it combined to arouse him in a way that no other woman had in all these years. He responded automatically to Olivia's attempts to get his attention, barely even noticing her while his mind remained on Josh's sexy little nanny.
Matt had not been pleased to see Sarah sit between Dylan and Guy at the club. Then Olivia had sat on his lap, irritating him all the more because he disliked all forms of PDA. He had continued to observe Sarah covertly, his irritation mounting as the men on either side of her chatted and laughed with her. Not that she seemed to be objecting, he thought, watching her smile softly at something Guy said. It was a new and not very welcome sensation for Matt, something he was not sure he was even comfortable with.
He had spent the last three years in a sort of vacuum, never allowing his emotions to engage with anything or anyone beyond a point. Not only had he felt safer that way, but the truth was that he wasn't even sure if he was capable of feeling any extreme emotion any more. It was only with Joshua that he had ever felt actual happiness, or anything approaching love. For some reason, the little orphan boy with his big, blue eyes tugged at his heartstrings in a way no one else had since he had lost his memory. Maybe it was because he felt a sort of kinship, an identification that they had both lost so much and yet did not even know what it was that they had lost, he mused. And now, for some reason, Josh's quiet, pretty nanny was pushing him onto a rollercoaster of emotions that he couldn't understand, and wasn't prepared for.
Matt gritted his teeth as he saw Guy openly ogling Sarah's breasts. "Motherfucker! Keep your eyes to yourself!" he ranted silently, clenching his fists.
"Baby…" Olivia toyed with his hair, distracting him momentarily. When he looked back at Sarah again, he saw her holding hands with Dylan. Matt's rage spiked, his eyes like lasers as he glared at their interlocked hands. Sarah's face flushed guiltily when she saw him looking and she quickly disengaged her hand from Dylan's.
"Fine, Ms. Kent, two can play this game," he thought grimly, giving Sarah one last contemptuous look before allowing Olivia to turn his head towards her.
"Baby," he drawled, drawing her close to him. His lips descended on hers, kissing her with a show of passion he did not feel.
"Mmm…" Olivia sighed, snuggling closer to him. Matt wrapped his arms around her, kissing her deeply, hoping Sarah was watching. Olivia moaned, pressing herself into his body. Matt waited to feel that familiar tightening of his body that happened when Sarah was close, waited to feel the arousal that Sarah's proximity invariably caused, but his body remained unresponsive.
He raised his head at last, looking across at Sarah with glittering eyes. He caught the look of despair on her face before she lowered her eyes, but surprisingly, he felt no satisfaction, no triumph at her sorrow. Instead, his fury turned inward now, directed at himself.
Joe and Beth went off to the dance floor and a few minutes later, Olivia held her hand out to him. "Come on, darling, I want to dance too."
Matt hesitated, frowning as his gaze automatically went to Sarah. She looked so small and helpless, he thought suddenly, sitting between the two big men. Some instinct inside him was screaming to him that the scene was all wrong, that he should do SOMETHING, but just then Olivia diverted his attention by pressing herself intimately to him.
"Baby, come ON."
Matt paused for a brief second before letting her lead him onto the dance floor. They swayed together, his hands on her waist, bodies close together while his mind tried to sort through the emotional changes it was experiencing ever since he had met Sarah. He had lived for so long without feeling anything that this sudden onslaught of extreme emotions ranging from fury, to lust, to protectiveness, and if he was completely honest, jealousy, had caught him off guard. He was totally unprepared to expose himself to love, and possible loss, he admitted in his mind.
Sometime later, they returned to their table to find that Joe and Beth were back but the other three were missing.
"Maybe they're dancing," Olivia said dismissively. "I'm tired, baby – let's go back now."
"Yeah, we're leaving too," Joe said.
Matt shook his head as the other couple left. "We brought Sarah here, it's our responsibility to get her home safely," he said.
"Baby, that's so old-fashioned, like you're her father or something!" Olivia laughed. "Let her have her fun with whoever she is with, darling, don't go raining on her parade now! Poor little nanny mustn't get lucky very often!"
Matt frowned, unwelcome images of Sarah getting cozy with Dylan or Guy filling his mind. "I'm not looking to spoil her fun," he replied stiffly. "I just need to know that she is okay with – whoever, and then we can leave."
Olivia pouted, recognizing that Matt had dug his heels in and wouldn't budge now. "I'll call Dylan and find out where they are," she said in a bored voice. "Though I really can't see…" She dug out her phone and made a show of calling her friend. "He's not answering – they must be busy," she giggled snidely. "Can we leave, please, Matt? The guys will drop her off when they're done. I'm getting really tired of fussing over that nanny."
Matt ignored her, striding off through the packed floor. He could not shake off the feeling that something was off. His eyes scanned the crowd, seeking Sarah, but he could not see her – or the two men – anywhere. He looked around for the exits. There was the main entrance to the club but they had been dancing in full view of it so he would definitely have noticed if Sarah had left that way. That left – he spotted an innocuous-looking door to one side.
Matt rushed over and threw the door open to find himself in a deserted, dark alleyway. Then he saw them. Sarah was pushed up against the wall, Dylan pressed against her while Guy stood right behind them. Matt felt a red film of rage cover his vision as he leaped on Dylan with a roar, hauling him off of Sarah. He turned him around and slammed his fist into his jaw. Guy jumped him from behind, hitting him in the back but Matt barely felt it. He grabbed the other man by the collar, punching him hard in the stomach. Guy grunted and doubled over just as Dylan pounced on him. Matt jerked his knee upward, hitting him hard in the crotch.
"Fuck!" Dylan clutched his family jewels in agony, swearing and cursing.
"Matt! What are you DOING??" Olivia rushed out, her horrified eyes taking in the carnage.
Matt shook his head, trying to clear it enough to get a grip on himself. Sarah! He looked around wildly, his heart jerking in his chest as he saw her sitting slumped against the wall.
"Sarah! Are you okay?" Matt rushed to her side, but she did not stir.
"Matt! For Heaven's sake, what do you think you're doing?" Olivia shrieked. "What have you DONE to my friends?"
"Damn!" Guy straightened, giving Matt a wary look. "Just when we were gonna have some fun, too. Olivia, your boyfriend's timing really sucks!"
"Yeah, what's his problem?" Dylan glared at Matt, still clutching his injured part.
"What have you done to her, you bastards?" Matt shook Sarah's shoulder in alarm, but there was no response.
"We – we haven't done anything to her. She – she was wasted and feeling horny so we just – just came out here to have some fun."
"You mean you were planning to – bloody hell, she's unconscious!" Matt rose, his hands fisted at his sides, a look of utter fury on his face.
"Hey, hey, hey!" Guy raised his hands in a placatory gesture. "She's just had a lot to drink, and she was the one coming on to us, honest!"
"Matt, are we really going to stand here and accuse my friends of trying to get into a servant's pants?" Olivia demanded shrilly. "If Guy says so, then SHE must have seduced THEM!"
Dylan nodded hurriedly. "Yeah, that's the way it was!"
"You've found that little slut so can we go home now at least?" Olivia asked waspishly. "Let her have her fun whichever way she wants, Matt – you're not her keeper!"
"Whatever happened, I can't leave Sarah here like this." Matt's tone brooked no argument.
"Matt! That little bitch has drunk herself senseless, don't you understand?" Olivia threw her hands up in frustration. "Guy and Dylan will drop her off. Don't let this ruin our evening!"
Matt glared at the two men. "Do you really think I'd trust any woman to these assholes, Olivia?" he asked incredulously. "They were going to have sex with an unconscious girl, and you think -" He broke off, shaking his head.
"Okay, fine." Olivia huffed in frustration. "Let's take her with us, if you insist."
Matt scooped Sarah up in his strong arms and strode off in the direction of his car with a disgruntled Olivia following him. He was about to deposit Sarah in the car when a thought struck him.
"Listen, Olivia," he said. "I don't think it's a good idea to take Sarah home like this – Mom and Dad will be really worried if they see her in this condition."
"Dead drunk, you mean." Olivia sniffed contemptuously. "So, what do you want to do with her then?"
"I think it's best I drop you off at your place and then take her to my apartment for the night," Matt replied thoughtfully. "I can take her back home tomorrow."
"Are you seriously telling me you're taking her to your APARTMENT? Have you lost your mind, Matt Kane?"
Matt looked at her, his jaw set in an obstinate line. "I can't have Mom and Dad – or JOSH – see her like this. Now, come on."
Olivia pursed her lips but said nothing more, recognizing the futility of arguing with Matt when he was in this mood. Matt's face was grim as he laid Sarah gently in the backseat and started the car.