Stripped Bare (40 page)

He heard a clatter as Matthew finished whatever he was busy with. His boyfriend hurried out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped down his waist and the traces of shaving cream still on his face. He looked anxious.

“Why are they interviewing him? Have I missed anything?”

Shane shook his head. “It’s just started. Listen.”

He picked up the remote and turned up the volume. The young red-headed reporter was standing outside the Debussy offices as she delivered her news.

“Earlier this morning, Walter Debussy was arrested on alleged charges of tax evasion, money laundering and fraud. He has been taken into custody for questioning. It’s not quite known how this has all come to light, but sources say that an ex-employee of Mr. Debussy’s has come forward to give privileged information regarding Mr. Debussy’s business affairs. It is not known for sure who this might be, but rumours are circulating that the person assisting police with their enquiries is Mr. Roy Parsons. Mr. Parsons is currently in custody awaiting trial for attempted murder and various other GBH-related offences. We haven’t been given any other information at this time but as we get the news, you can be sure we will let you, the public, know. This is Morgan Wentworth reporting for UBN News.”

Shane and Matthew gazed at each other in wonder.

“Unbelievable.” Shane’s voice was awed. “That arsehole Roy spilt the beans about Debussy? I didn’t see that one coming.” He looked at his lover who was standing stock still, his jaw still dropped open. Shane chuckled and moved to nudge it shut with his hand. He cleaned the shaving cream off Matthew’s face with his finger.

“Earth to Matty. It seems like you got your wish, lover. Walter is going to prison. And I had nothing to do with it.” He smirked. “Maybe there is justice in this world after all.”

Matthew huffed as he tightened his towel which was threatening to fall off. Shane watched with interest. Matthew saw the direction of his eyes and grabbed the towel tighter. “Maybe Roy didn’t like what Walter said about him on television. It might have pissed him off to see that after all he’d done for him, Walter didn’t give a crap about him.” He frowned. “I wonder what they promised Roy to get the information? Maybe he’s going to get a reduced sentence or something. God, that means he might not spend all that much time behind bars.” His face tightened. “What if he gets out soon and comes after you again? I couldn’t bear anything happening to you—”

Shane leaned in and shut his lover up with a fierce kiss. When he pulled away he brushed Matthew’s face gently with his fingers.

“You’re overthinking things. We don’t even know yet how long the man’s going to prison for. The trial is still looming.” He grimaced. “And I’m not looking forward to it. But let’s see what happens before you start worrying.”

He pulled Matthew to him for a hug, feeling his boyfriend relax into him, his breath tickling his neck as Shane kissed his cheek.

“David’s going to be devastated about his dad. We’ll go see him tomorrow. But I for one am glad that smarmy wanker has got his comeuppance. Now come on, babe. Dress that sexy arse of yours and let’s go to dinner.”

It was almost midnight when Shane and Matthew left the restaurant. Shane’s flat wasn’t far, so they’d decided to walk. It was still a crisp, January night and the air was frosty and cold. Matthew held Shane close as they walked together down the darkened street. They were comfortable in their silence, making the occasional comment but happy to simply enjoy each other’s nearness. When they got into the flat, Shane shrugged off his trendy lambs-wool jacket, and turned to Matthew.

“Do you want a drink?” Matthew nodded his assent and Shane poured two large whiskies from the lounge minibar. He handed one to Matthew, who had subsided gratefully onto the couch.

“That was a good evening. I like wining and dining you.”

Shane grinned as he sat cross-legged next to the other man. “I like being a kept man. Feel free to continue.”

Matthew chuckled. “That makes me sound like your sugar daddy.” He saw the twinkle in Shane’s eyes and him open his mouth to say something. Matthew laid a quick finger against his lover’s lips. “Don’t you dare call me ‘Daddy.’ That’s one endearment I won’t take to.” He sipped his drink. He stood up suddenly as he remembered something.

“I have been meaning to give you something since you came out of hospital. Let me go get it.”

“You’ve been giving me something quite regularly since I came out of hospital, Matty,” Shane called after him. “I can hardly bloody sit down.”

Matthew shook his head in amusement as he walked back into the room carrying an A4-sized brightly wrapped package. It was gold Christmas paper, with red and green reindeers emblazoned across it. Shane raised an eyebrow.

“Reindeers? What am I, ten? You couldn’t find a nice, tasteful adult paper, like naked buff Santa Claus guys?”

“Open it.” Matthew’s voice sounded slightly unsure of itself and Shane glanced at him in surprise. He ripped the paper off and sat there, staring down at what he held in his hands. Matthew swallowed.

“Do you like it?” he asked. “I wasn’t sure whether it was your sort of thing, but you liked the other ones I did, so I thought maybe one of your very own would be—umph.”

His words were muffled by the sudden leap of his boyfriend into his arms, latching his mouth onto Matthew’s with a fierceness that told Matthew that Shane did indeed like his belated Christmas present. He wrapped his arms around his lover as he was thoroughly kissed. When he finally let him go, gasping for breath, Shane’s eyes were shining with tears.

“It’s beautiful, Matty. I love it. When did you find the time to do this?” He reached over and picked up the watercolour-rendered picture of him and Matthew standing hand-in-hand on the South Bank, windswept hair, laughing at each other. An old lady had been asked to take the picture. She’d said they were the most beautifully romantic couple she’d ever seen.

Matthew shrugged. “I did the one of just you for my bedroom at home—” he stopped as he realised Shane hadn’t been to his house yet since coming out of hospital. They’d been so comfortable at his apartment it hadn’t seemed necessary. Shane’s eyes were wide.

“Then I did this one. I was going to give you the other one for a Christmas present but I decided I wanted that for myself. So I did this one for you instead.”

“It’s stunning, Matty. I really love it. It’s so…us.” Shane caressed the picture. He looked uncomfortable. Matthew frowned.

“What’s wrong, babe? You seem out of sorts.”

Shane took a deep breath and scooted out of the room. Matthew heard him in the bedroom, the sound of drawers being opened and low muttering as Shane hunted for what he wanted. Matthew grinned. The man wasn’t the neatest tool in the store. Finally he appeared, brandishing a small, silver-wrapped present, the size of an A5 picture frame.

“I did this for you for Christmas, before I ended up in hospital,” he whispered softly. “I wasn’t sure whether I should give it to you, if you’d be mad with me again. I didn’t want to chance it, because I couldn’t bear it if you were.” He took a deep breath. “I’m still not sure I should give this to you.”

Matthew could see his boyfriend’s hands shaking. He reached over and took the gift.

“Shay, honey, I promise no matter what it is, I won’t get mad. Those days of us being pissed off at each other are gone.” He saw Shane’s amused smile. “Okay, the days of
me
being pissed off with
you
are over.” He unwrapped the present and when it was open, he took a deep breath. It was the picture of a little girl, about two years old, with dark eyes, a crop of beautiful brown hair and a smile that could have melted the heart of a stone queen.

Shane said quietly, “You said you never knew what happened to Emily. I could see that it tore you up inside. Well, she’s fine, Matty. She’s with a couple who love the hell out of her, who give her everything she needs, and she’s happy, Matty. That smile tells you that. You needed closure on that chapter of your life. I thought maybe if you could see what she looks like and see how happy she is you might get that.”

His voice tailed off. Matthew’s shoulders were shaking and the steady drop of his tears onto the picture frame made small sounds as they fell. Matthew thought his heart would break. He thought wryly that it seemed to be becoming a regular thing. He’d wondered so long what had happened to the little baby he and Sam would have adopted. He’d wondered whether she was safe, whether she was with people who loved her as much as he and Sam would have loved her. He’d lain awake at night wondering what she looked like, whether she was happy. And now the proof of it sat in his hands. Proof given to him by a man who had delved deep into his soul and found out his most unanswered question. He didn’t care how Shane had found this all out, only that he cared enough to have done so. He must have done it when he found out about the adoption, before Matthew had asked him to leave. It made Matthew’s action all the more reprehensible and he wanted to beg Shane’s forgiveness once more. But that ship had sailed, and he had to move on rather than rehash his past mistakes. He was learning.

Shane sat down next to him, his face anxious. “Christ, Matty, I didn’t mean to upset you so much. I’m sorry, babe, I thought it might help.”

Matthew looked up, his face streaked with tears, and gazed into the deep blue eyes that stared at him with such love and misery in equal part that he wanted to hold him and never let him go. Matthew ran one loving hand down the front of the frame, raised it to his lips and kissed it, then put it down on the table. The little girl stared out across the living room, that joyous smile never waning.

“Shay, you incorrigible, wonderful and loving man, if you don’t take me to bed right now and let me thank you, I’m going to have to do it for you.” His voice was husky and he saw the relief in Shane’s eyes as he realised Matthew was fine with it. More than fine. “I have this overwhelming desire to get up close and personal and show you just how much I appreciate your Christmas present.” He stood up and reached for Shane, pulling him into his arms and wrapping them around his lover tightly.

“
Ich liebe dich
,” he breathed into Shane’s ear. He knew he didn’t even have to translate the words for Shane. He saw the tenderness in his lover’s eyes as the other man stood up and held out his hand. Matthew took it. His lover smiled as he led the way to the bedroom. Matthew turned back briefly to see the picture and the smile again. That chapter of his life was over. Sam and Emily were the past. The man who held his heart and everything else that was important, the man who was leading the way out of this last darkness—he was Matthew’s future.

The End

Author’s Notes

I really enjoyed the research for this book. Despite the fact that this is a romance novel, I still think authors have a responsibility to make sure what they write about has factual substance. I can assure you I know nothing about hacking; Shane certainly knows more than I do. But a mysterious presence on the other side of Twitter gave me a little background. As for the sex research, this was one of the more pleasurable parts of the job. A certain gentleman I know warned me I was in danger of going blind if I watched any more. So I hope I managed to make the sessions between Shane and Matthew realistic. *grins*

About the Author

Sue Mac Nicol was born in Leeds, Yorkshire, in the United Kingdom. At the age of eight, her family moved to Johannesburg, South Africa, where she stayed for nearly thirty years before arriving back in the UK in December 2000.

Sue works full time in the field of regulatory compliance for a company in the financial services industry in Cambridge, but she still finds time to work until the small hours of the night doing what she loves best: writing. Since her first novel,
Cassandra by Starlight,
was penned, introducing the debonair Bennett Saville and his lovely lady, Cassie Wallace, Sue has since written the other two books in her
Starlight
trilogy.

She currently has five further novels completed, and at various stages of publication, ranging from two rather sexy gay male romances, her current passion, plus a paranormal suspense series and an erotic crime thriller. She enjoys the element of gay male romance in her books and this thread runs many of them, including her
Starlight
series. Her passion is keeping herself busy creating worlds and characters for her readers to enjoy.

Sue is a member of Romance Writers of America and Romantic Novelists Association in the UK. She is also a member of a rather unique writing group called the Talliston Writers Circle, which in itself has a story all of its own to tell.

She lives in the rural village of Bocking, in Essex, with her family. Her plan is to keep writing as long as her muse sits upon her shoulder. Her dream is to one day be able to give up the day job and get that big old house in the English countryside overlooking a river, where she can write all day and continue to indulge her passion for telling stories.

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