“Performing?” Did it sing or dance or bray? Seth shook his head. He probably shouldn’t ask, but… “What does he perform?”
“Everything your heart desires.” The crone leaned in to whisper. “Clovis is well endowed—and well trained. Though today, he is feeling frisky.”
When the woman winked his way, it clicked. His mouth fell open. “He’s…he’s a—”
“My love slave, yes. For your viewing pleasure, he will love me long time. We do show for you now?” She peeked around the corner and caught a flash of his naked ass. “I see you are ready for him to be your love slave, as well. For two hundred more, he will also love you long time, Seth Cooper.”
The gasp behind him told him that Heavenly had heard Zelda’s nonsense. What the hell must she be thinking?
“Look, I don’t know who you are or how you know my name, but I didn’t ask you to come here. So you can take your…ass and leave. Right now.”
“No.” She shook her head excitedly. “We are gift. For you. Where can I lay the rubber sheet so we may begin?” She leaned in to whisper. “Clovis, he is virile…but he is messy.”
“What? Oh… No. Fuck no!” Still Zelda didn’t move, just blinked. He raised his gun. “Go. Get lost.”
The donkey brayed loudly. The woman gasped and backed away. “Wait. Don’t shoot! Clovis and I leave.”
“You’re damn right, you will.” He slammed the door and locked it, grabbing his phone from the counter long enough to ensure the gypsy and her four-legged sex act were walking away. Thank god.
When he looked up again, he found Heavenly standing beside his kitchen island, smoothing her skirt, and looking somewhere between self-conscious and shocked. “What was that?”
He grimaced. “Don’t ask.”
But Heavenly wouldn’t let it go. She wrapped her arms about herself and frowned. “Did that woman really mean to…”
“Yeah. Don’t think about her, angel.” When Seth took a step toward her, she held up a hand and backed away warily. Holy crap, did she actually think he had something to do with this? “I didn’t hire her. I’m as shocked as you are. I have no idea who sent that…woman to my door.”
He’d think it was a party prank gone wrong, except Zelda had known his name. It made no sense, unless…
Suddenly, the phone in his hand buzzed. He glanced down to find a text from Beck.
Enjoy, fucker. That’s the only ass you’ll get today.
That fucking son of a bitch. Seth gripped his phone, breathing through his fury and his urge to do violence. So the fucker wanted to play rough? Seth had no problem turning over every goddamn stone to arrange the absolute perfect revenge.
“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
