Why should Heavenly be different?
Before she could leave, Beck cupped her elbow, staying her. Fury burst inside Seth at the sight of another man’s hands on her.
Now he was jealous? What the fuck… Heavenly hardly belonged to him, and he’d bonded with the fair but firm Dom last week when Liam and Hammer had asked them to give a confused Raine guidance. So why the urge to break every one of the sadistic surgeon’s fingers?
“Thank you for your help,” Beck praised her.
That tender voice had come from Dr. Sarcasm-and-Pain?
“My pleasure. I told you I enjoy helping others.” Heavenly sent him a warm smile. “Do you believe me yet?”
Heavenly was flirting with Beck? Did she have any fucking idea who—and what—he was? She couldn’t. Unless he was reading her totally wrong, she was the kind of submissive who would unravel for whispered commands, not the lash of a whip.
When Beck released her with a grin, Heavenly headed out of the room. Hungry for one last glance, Seth watched, fixated on the sway of her hips. God, the things he’d like to do to that ass…
Damn, he’d told himself to shelve thoughts of sex. Epic fail on that.
“Whatever you’re thinking about her, don’t,” the doctor growled. “And stop staring.”
“You were gawking at her,” he challenged with a raised brow. “Is she your sub?”
Beck glanced around furiously, then glared his way. “Don’t mention that shit here.”
Seth understood. The power exchange and the workplace didn’t mix well. “Fine. Is she?”
Beck’s jaw clenched. “I look out for her welfare around here. I mentor her.”
In other words, no. Seth smiled. His day was looking up…
“But obviously not in the sack, and you’re dying to. Dream on, buddy.”
Raine groaned. “Not you, too?”
“I didn’t do a thing.” Yet.
“Make sure you keep it that way,” Beck snarled.
“Fuck you.” Seth would have said more, but they shouldn’t be pounding their chests when his friends needed him.
He eased next to the bed, pausing beside Liam, and caressed Raine’s inky hair. “You doing okay, little one?”
“Yeah. Thanks for being here.”
Before he could ask if she was up to answering questions, the ER doctor arrived and glanced at the overabundance of visitors with a censuring scowl.
Beck gestured toward the door. “Let’s give them some privacy, Captain America.”
Yeah, Beck was a doctor and had the authority to toss him out. But his attitude rubbed Seth wrong. He shelved his annoyance because Raine didn’t need their shit. Instead, he followed the doctor out with a glare.
Beck seemed oblivious as he addressed the trio around the bed. “We’ll be back shortly.”
Hammer’s nod was somewhere between grim and grateful. “Thank you, guys. For everything.”
Seth filed into the hall. He’d come back later and question Raine. Until then, he’d get his hands on the preliminary police report.
Beck followed him, closing the door. “I meant what I said. Don’t pursue Heavenly. She doesn’t need a player with Vaseline on his fly.”
“Vaseline? Why the hell would I do that?”
“You fuck so many chicks, I can’t imagine how else you get your zipper down that fast.”
Since he’d come to LA, people had told him the doctor could be an asshole. Until today, he’d never seen Beck’s puckered, bleeding side. Now he understood.
“And you’re a monk?” Seth scoffed.
When he opened his mouth to point out more reasons Beck wouldn’t suit Heavenly, local cop and Shadows member Dean Gorman sent him a text. Got the prelim report. Still at the hospital? I’ll drop it by.
Seth tapped out a quick reply. Thanks. See you soon.
“Gotta go. Fuck off,” he tossed to Beck, then headed down the hall.
Twenty minutes later, Dean had come and gone. Sipping coffee, Seth flipped through the report in the half-empty cafeteria. Only cursory information since the investigation was only hours old. No reason the scene could be interpreted as anything other than self-defense…so far. He’d see what the next iteration held.
Without a crime scene to decipher, his thoughts strayed to Heavenly. After barely half an hour without the angel, he felt an inexplicable desire that still rubbed him raw. Why should he want a woman so seemingly innocent? She wasn’t built for a quick fuck, and he didn’t do more. Beck might be all wrong for her…but Seth was, too. He would return to New York, to his life, his business, and his family. No way was he spending the rest of his time in LA fighting with Beck over a female the way Liam and Hammer had squabbled over Raine.
All perfectly logical reasons to back off. But his dick was vetoing his brain.
What a dumb fuck.
Resting his elbows on the table, he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
“If you have a headache, cutting a lime in half and rubbing it across your forehead might help.”
Seth snapped to attention at the sound of Heavenly’s soft voice. He looked up to find her holding a paper cup and smiling.