“I think I should go,” she muttered.
“Not while you’re upset. Sit down. Let’s talk.” Again, he reached for her.
She wriggled out of his hold. “I’m not upset. I’m frustrated, Seth. My last date with Beck was interrupted by the police looking for a dead body, and now our afternoon together ends before it’s barely begun by a… I don’t even know what to call something that sick. But it’s like I have the worst luck when I’m with you two, and I don’t know who would pull such awful pranks…”
Heavenly paused, then sent him a sharp stare of speculation, eyes narrowed.
Oh, shit. Had she figured out that he and Beck had been punking each other? Yep, and judging from the expression on her face, she was not happy.
“I can explain, angel. Let’s sit and talk over lunch.” He tried to usher her to the bistro table.
“Why? Now that I know who’s responsible?” She jerked out of his hold. “I’m leaving. Get out of my way.”
“Don’t do this… Please. Just listen.”
“No. I’m not the one who started this, but I’m the one who’s going to end it.” When he tried to pull her into his arms and soothe her, the glare she tossed at him was so icy he would have sworn she’d give his balls frostbite. “Don’t touch me. Don’t try to stop me.”
Shit!
“Heavenly…” He dropped his tone to stern and Dominant. “Don’t leave angry. We need to sit and talk about this.”
“We don’t.” Her face looked frighteningly blank. “I thought you wanted me, Seth. I thought this—we—were important to you. I was obviously naive and wrong.”
Then she shook her head, her face so full of regret as she brushed past him, opened the front door, and walked out.
“Angel!” He darted after her and was just about to chase her outside—when he realized he was still bare-assed. He pulled his T-shirt over his exposed junk and shouted after her. “We are important!”
She didn’t even pause, just walked down the stairs and headed for the parking lot. He raced back to where he’d dropped his jeans and struggled into them. But by the time Seth had donned them and made his way outside, Heavenly had vanished completely.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
“They did what?” Raine frowned, feet propped on a pair of pillows as she lay across the sofa.
Heavenly sighed. “You’re not going to make me repeat all that, are you?”
“No, but…” She rolled her eyes. “What idiots. Beck and Seth are acting like candidates for the Darwin Award.”
That made Heavenly laugh for the first time since running out on Seth two hours ago. “Exactly. The cops were bad enough, but a donkey that…” She shuddered. “Where did Beck even find something that sick?”
“With him, you never know. It’s awful but…” Raine pressed her lips together, mirth all over her face. “I would have paid money to see Seth’s face when he opened the door and saw Zelda and her ass standing there.”
She found it funny now, especially since Seth hadn’t been wearing pants at the time. But she didn’t tell Raine that. Honestly, it was hard to focus on anything except the fact that she’d tangled herself up completely in two men who seemed more intent on playing games with each other than spending time with her.
“You’ll have to ask him about it. At the moment, I’m not amused.”
“Of course you’re not.” Raine struggled to sit up, then peered across the house and out the back doors. Liam and Hammer were still sitting outside, enjoying the temperate evening. She scooted closer. “Okay, they’re not looking. Listen. I know you’re upset or you wouldn’t have shown up in tears.”
“You’re supposed to be resting, and I’m sorry to burden you with my problems. Normally, I wouldn’t and—”
“Sweetie, we’re friends.” She took her hand. “I’m here for you. And as it happens, I know a few things about juggling two men.”
Heavenly shook her head. “But Liam and Hammer are happy in the relationship. There’s no squabbling or strife or—”
Raine burst out laughing. “Oh, my god. Is that what you think?”
“Are you saying they fight?”
“Not so much now, but a few months ago? All-out war. All day, every day. Ugly, ugly, ugly.”
“Seriously?” Her jaw dropped. “But they’re best friends.”
“They were even then…until they weren’t. And I was the reason everything changed. They stopped speaking unless it was to call one another names or threaten. One morning, Liam picked me up, carried me out the door, and disappeared for two days, leaving Hammer to wonder where we were and if I was all right.”
She gaped at Raine. “Hammer must have been angry.”
“Livid. It didn’t get any better when Liam asked me to be, um…his while Hammer was away. So when he came back and I was off-limits, that didn’t go over well. Of course, Liam also thought Hammer had gotten me pregnant by then. Long story. I’m rambling. But trust me, they fought. Dirty, underhanded, punching each other bloody…yeah.”