Nick's gaze lingers on Madison.

She looks utterly glorious in her classic red dress, a pure vision sitting across from him. The soft gold light casts against her features, making her diamond necklace gleam briefly, and limns her in such perfect, dewy gold that his mouth goes dry. When her mother clears her throat, Nick's head snaps up and Madison smirks to herself, a perfect little crooked tilt pressing against the corner of her mouth.

"Now... Nick," Mrs Sutton begins. "I hear from Bastien that you were having some trouble at first. Trying to get the steps all in order."

"Uh, yeah," Nick says heavily, reaching for the plate of bread, before offering it to both mother and daughter.

Madison makes to take the plate from him, but Mrs Sutton puts a hand on Madison's wrist. To his surprise, Madison shrinks back, and Mrs Sutton takes the plate, giving him an easy, elegant smile as though nothing happened. Nick holds his tongue, though he burns with curiosity.

"You must have worked very hard. Oh, and before I forget, Madison," Mrs Sutton adds, spearing a spiced vegetable elegantly, "I'm flying off again."

The smile on Madison's face falters very slightly.

Nick's gaze lingers on Madison, feeling something like a beast roar up within him protectively at the flicker of pain crossing her face. He looks away just as quickly, knowing that Madison doesn't like others to see her vulnerable, his gaze dropping to his own plate. The plate is steamed so clean that he can see his dark eyes staring back at him in the white. There is protective annoyance within those eyes.

"Flying?" Madison says, her voice quiet in that way she does, to make herself seem nonchalant. "Where to, Mother?"

"Morocco," Mrs Sutton says pleasantly. "I've some business there, tonight. Darling, do be sure to fax me the papers on the Moroccan shares."

There is the lightest sprinkle of disappointment against Madison's face and wanting to do anything that might get rid of it, before he can stop himself, Nick finds that he has reached across, under the table. His foot scrapes lightly against Madison's ankle and across the table, he watches as Madison stiffens, a smirk gracing the corners of his lips.

"Of course, Mother," Madison says, her voice turning slightly breathy.

She shoots him a glare, but Nick only arches a challenging eyebrow at her. Madison's glare changes smoothly, to the slightest whisper of a smug smirk, and he knows that she's ready to play his game. Her foot drags slowly, tantalisingly, against the ball of his ankle and Nick's mouth goes dry. He reaches for some water quickly.

"Of course," Mrs Sutton is saying, "there is no question of my missing the charity ball. How are your studies going, then? I hear the exams are finally here."

"Yes, Mrs Sutton. We've only got a handful left," Nick says, just as he rubs his foot against Madison's and watches her shiver deliciously. "I've heard the teachers talking about Madison too. They say she's coming along excellently."

There is a glorious impish look gracing the light of Madison's eyes and as she reaches to calmly drink some water, her foot rakes deliberately across his own. He's weakening, Nick can tell, but before he can retaliate, Madison slowly kicks off her heel and her bare foot lingers all the way up to his thigh, before she rests it there. Nick's trousers are uncomfortably tight, and he clears his throat, drawing Mrs Sutton's confused attention, shifting awkwardly in his seat.

Across the table, Madison looks as though butter wouldn't melt in her mouth.

"Honey, what are you doing?" Mrs Sutton says, her voice sharp, as Madison reaches for a bowl of glistening caviar. Madison is so startled that her foot drops from Nick's thigh and he stiffens. "I told you to stick to your diet."

Rage completely overwhelms him, then.

Nick finds that he is shaking in sheer anger, leaning forwards, his fingers balling into clenched fists. Madison's gaze turns to him quickly and she looks slightly panicked, in that way that she had done, when he had found out about Kyle.

"That diet had –," Nick begins hotly, blazing.

"Me really slimming down, Mother," Madison says quickly, turning her face to shoot him a glare. She smiles at her mother sweetly and puts down the bowl of caviar heavily. "It's very beneficial."

Mrs Sutton hums, as Nick forces himself to calm down slowly.

"Well, that's why I chose it, darling," Mrs Sutton tells her daughter genially, her smile sweet and loving.

*

Madison is horrified to find that she's glad when her mother is gone.

She stares at her mother's car, as it speeds off into the distance. Her heart lifts slightly, as though some huge weight has been lifted off it. Her stomach grumbles in protest and Madison clutches at it briefly, a flicker of pain crossing her features, as she almost doubles up. Dinner had been awful, for not only had her mother barely spoken to her about her successes with everything she had been doing for the business, the dancing lessons, and in school, too, Mother had taken more care to describe some new businessman she was hoping to bring into the fold.

And Nick?

God, she doesn't know what to think.

She knows Nick doesn't like her mother, that's for sure.

The sheer fury crossing his face had been enough to convince Madison. It had looked almost exactly like the protective anger that had overwhelmed him, when he had guessed about Kyle. His anger had scared her, throwing her completely. Because Madison knows, deep down, that it's because of her, and she's conflicted completely.

"Are you alright?"

Madison turns around quickly.

Nick is staring at her, with some concern on his features, and she doesn't like it. She doesn't like the feeling that comes along with that look he gives her, the way her heart lightens considerably even looking back at him. She doesn't like even the way she seems to relax with him, in a way she's never been able to do, beside anyone else, ever.

"You idiot," she bites out at him angrily instead, because anger is the only thing she can think of. "What is wrong with you? You were going to tell her!"

"I thought it should be something she should know," Nick shoots back at her, angrily. "Her only daughter, fainting and almost dying because of that stupid diet –,"

"It's not something that I want her to know!" Madison says hotly, her cheeks flushed.

"Why not? You fainted, Madison –,"

"I don't care – my mother has enough to worry about –,"

"You should be the only thing she worries about, truly –,"

"Well, clearly, she doesn't!" Madison says, and her voice breaks horribly.

She sounds like she might cry, and Madison turns her face away quickly, biting her lip to stop herself from crying. Nick doesn't say anything, for a moment, and when she looks back at him, she realises that he's staring at her, with that look again. He breathes out carefully and turns his own face away, to compose himself, before he looks at her again.

"I'm sorry," Nick says, and Madison blinks, surprised. "I know it's your business and I shouldn't have even tried to say anything. But that doesn't mean that – you fainted, Madison. I saw you fall – you were – you –," He breaks himself off and Madison wants to cry, at the look on his face. His own eyes are bright and watery. "I know we're just messing around and everything, but I don't want to hurt you. I – I'm sorry."

Something comes out of her throat, a slight choking sound.

"Stop it," Madison manages to get out, her voice cracked and awful. "You just need to – to stop being so good to me."

She'll get used to it, and then he'll leave, and everything will fall apart within her, again.

Nick is staring at her.

"When's the last time you cried, Madison?" he asks her, his brows furrowed.

"When my grandfather died," Madison says, holding herself taut. She shakes back her hair. "Look, I'm fine. We – we're fine."

A beat of a second passes between them, in which they just stare at each other, hopelessly. Nick finally nods to her and something like relief crumples within her chest.

"You want to come inside?" he asks, his voice a soft murmur. "I can make you food."

When she goes inside his house, Madison curls herself up on the chair, as though she has always belonged there, and she rests her head against the seat tiredly. Nick is singing something in the kitchen and she watches him, her lips quirking upwards at his goofiness, her heart fluttering slightly. When he gives her the plate of steaming rice and curried chicken, Madison's heart starts to calm and she reaches for the fork.

Nick seats himself on the table, beside her plate, as they talk, and Madison finds herself resting her head against his legs. In this soft moment, there is something that feels like home and she doesn't want this night to end.

*