Without thinking twice, Nelson headed straight for the center of the dance floor.
On the other side, Adrian also shot up from the booth the moment he saw it, face looking like thunder, and stomped forward.
But the next second, both of them ground to a halt.
With a loud thud, just as Dominic brushed against the hem of Claire’s dress onstage, he was thrown straight to the ground with a heavy over-the-shoulder flip!
The whole crowd froze in shock.
The music kept playing—some mellow sax tune—but the silence was deafening.
The whole scene looked straight out of a slapstick comedy.
Claire didn’t even look down.
Her eyes swept across the room and locked with Nelson’s from the stage.
Then she blinked, gave the guy on the floor a cold side glance from above, and tilted her head just a little.
“Sorry, Mr.
Reynolds.
I’m not great at loving someone just ’cause they’re connected.
But hey—redirecting anger?
That I’ve nailed.
Your bestie’s here now.
I’m out.
Tell him to sort our divorce, yeah?”
With that, she stepped over Dominic—literal heel over chest—and disappeared into the crowd like smoke.
Dominic scrambled up clutching his waist, practically on all fours.
Instinct kicked in: chase after her.
But the club was too packed.
He couldn’t see a trace of her anymore.
Worse, someone blocked his view.
“Can you move outta the way?”
Dominic shoved at the guy without even bothering to see who it was.
“Dominic.
Reynolds.”
Nelson’s voice could’ve cut glass.
“I told you to keep an eye on her—this is you doing that?”
His jaw tightened.
Dominic’s hand had almost touched her…
Just thinking about it made Nelson’s blood boil.
Thank god she reacted fast.
Otherwise that idiot might’ve actually gotten somewhere!
“What?
We just danced—it’s not like I kissed her or anything.
Chill, man.”
Seeing he couldn’t catch up anyway, Dominic finally gave up the chase.
That throw had been brutal—his lower back was gonna file a lawsuit on him.
Even so, he grinned.
“Tsk.
It’s been years, and she’s a whole different vibe now.
Way cooler than when she just trailed after you like a puppy.
So hey, Nelson, got her contact info?
Pass it here.
I’m serious this time—she’s got my full attention.”
Nelson narrowed his eyes.
“Did your back take the hit or your brain?
Don’t forget—Claire’s still my wife.”
“Yeah, yeah, I get it.
But aren’t you two splitting up anyway?
Come on, you never even treated her like your wife.
If it weren’t for Grandpa Cooper, you wouldn’t have married her in the first place.”
That one hit hard.
Nelson clammed up, and Dominic didn’t stop.
While Nelson was still stewing in silence, Dominic rubbed his waist and added, “Not gonna lie, your wife’s awesome.”
“…”
Nelson didn’t bother trading barbs.
In his head, he was still replaying that throw Claire pulled off like it was nothing.
She was so small, but took Dominic down before he even touched her.
That speed, that instinct—totally not the girl he remembered.
Three years ago, she’d have run off crying to Grandpa Cooper over everything.
Since when did she learn how to fight like that?
His gaze darkened.
He eyed his still-smiling buddy.
“How’s that thing I asked you to look into going?”
Dominic wasn’t stuck on the throw like Nelson.
What really replayed in his head was that dance—the way she moved, the way she’d said overseas it was all classes and part-time gigs, no time or reason to dance.
She’d sounded so alone.
It kind of broke his heart.”I seriously don’t get you, man.
Claire Bear’s just a young girl, all alone abroad—what could there possibly be to dig into?
She told me while we were dancing, it’s either classes or part-time jobs for her.
Feels like her stingy parents didn’t even bother sending her a dime.”
Dominic had a soft spot for girls like that.
Just imagining Claire stuck out there by herself made him quietly seethe.
Then it hit him—she was already married to Nelson when she went overseas.
His face turned grim in an instant.
“Hold up, wait a sec.
She was your wife by then, so why the hell did you send her off and not give her any money?
Damn, you really just let her fend for herself?
Come on, Nelson, that’s cold.”
Nelson brushed his finger away and took a seat in the booth with a drink in hand.
“Before you start questioning me, maybe try using your brain.
You ever wonder where she got the skills to flip you over like that?”
He had questions too—like why Claire hadn’t touched any of the money he wired her every month.
Ever since she left the country, it was like she vanished.
Calls wouldn’t go through, and aside from the occasional update through his mom, he knew nothing.
She was pissed and avoiding him.
And he wasn’t about to go poking that hornet’s nest again.
No need to stir up something unnecessary.
But thinking back, maybe he had pushed too far.
Dominic ordered a drink too and slouched back into the couch, not bothering to answer Nelson’s jab.
“Come on, she’s on her own in a foreign country—of course she’d learn something to protect herself.
So what if she can throw someone?
Lucky it was just me today.
If it had been some creep, what would she have done?
That little move ain’t exactly foolproof, you know.”
Nelson’s fingers tightened around his glass.
His eyes dimmed.
“Stop calling her Claire Bear.”
“Why not?
I’ve always called her that, and I’m not stopping now.”
Dominic was being childish about it, though his tone held a nostalgia that softened the edges.
“If I’d known she’d turn out this stunning, maybe I’d have made my move back then.”
He looked down at his right hand, still caught up in the memory of that dance.
Nelson gave a low snort, a hint of smugness flickering between his brows.
“Back then?
She wouldn’t have wasted a glance on you.”
“Yeah, yeah, she basically already saw herself as your wife.
Didn’t have room in her heart for anyone else.”
Dominic didn’t even try to argue.
He just started daydreaming about what could be.
He nudged Nelson with his foot, eyes drifting away.
“By the way, everyone’s talking about your divorce.
So when are you making it official?
If I act fast enough, maybe Claire Bear and I could be married before you and Serena are even done signing papers.”
Nelson kicked him right back, hard.
“Dream on.”
That kick landed for real—completely different from Dominic’s half-joking jab from before.
Dominic let out a loud groan, just as Nelson’s flat voice followed.
“Someone like Claire?
Your family’s never gonna go for her.
Even if she was still the Thompson’s daughter, I doubt your folks would let her in.
And now that she’s cut ties with them?
You’d have better luck with anyone else.”
Dominic shook his head and flopped back into the sofa like he couldn’t care less.
“You’re thinking too much, man.
My brother’s the one who needs some picture-perfect business marriage.
I’m not like that.
As long as I bring home a wife, my mom’s happy.”
Nelson stared into his glass of whiskey, his tone calm but heavy.
“Even so, you could only marry her if she wanted you back.”
Meaning, even if the Reynolds family could disregard background and status, it didn’t mean Claire would want to marry into it.
And there was another undertone—back when Nelson’s grandfather insisted he marry Claire, it had only happened because Claire agreed in the first place.
Dominic wasn’t dumb.
Guys had their own way of showing off, like peacocks competing over territory.
He gave a slow, sly smile, and shot a glance Nelson’s way.
“But Nelson, even if Claire Bear doesn’t want to marry me, you still gotta divorce her, right?
You keep dragging your feet and shutting me down—what, you still like her or something?
Don’t wanna let her go?”