Page 65 of Hard Heart

CHAPTER 20

LEVI

Diesel and Levi had a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy when it came to jacking off, and usually Levi didn’t bother to indulge. What was the point? It only made him remember what he was missing. But this week, he’d developed RSI from thinking of her.

Their fourth visit—how could he have fallen so hard, so fast?—and he showed up wearing wrist splints. Luckily, the COs had believed his story about too many hours spent painting and arranged for him to see the doc PDQ. They had to protect their investment, after all.

Serafina did a double take when she saw him.

“Don’t. Just don’t say it. The answer’s yes.”

“I’m not sure whether to take that as a compliment or not.”

“Please do. It’s better than the alternative.”

She was wearing the slipper shoes again. The stilettos made Levi hard, but he preferred these because at least he didn’t risk getting his balls spiked. And it seemed Serafina was a quick learner because as soon as Jim closed the door, she toed off a pump and rested her foot in his lap. He’d always been a breast man rather than a foot man, but he’d take what he could get.

“Damn, that feels good,” she said. “I need this.”

Not that she didn’t have fantastic breasts, the little he could see of them. Serafina was soft curves and a sharp intellect wrapped in a sensible pantsuit.

“Busy week?”

“You don’t know the half of it. Ready for another conspiracy theory?”

Frankly, he’d had enough of those to last a lifetime, but he’d listen to even the wildest deep state nonsense just as long as he could hear the sound of her voice.

“Hit me with it.”

“So, we visited Bishop’s Junction on Thursday.”

“We?”

“Heidi and me. It’s where August Groveland lived.”

“I know. I visited his home several times.”

“His dog is the cutest. Did you meet him?”

“Pebbles? He used to chew on my shoes. You mean he’s still alive?”

“Alive and living his best life with the town busybody. She thinks Professor Groveland was murdered by a dream team of the local sheriff’s son and a half-man, half-goat cryptid.”

What the fuck? “Run that by me again?”

Levi listened with growing horror as Serafina detailed her trip to Loudoun County. She’d walked into a nest of vipers with only her roommate for backup? Levi’s thumbs pressed harder than they should have, and Serafina squirmed uncomfortably in her seat.

“Shit, I’m sorry. Tell me you didn’t go to that bar. Tell me you weren’t crazy enough to confront a likely killer on his home turf.”

“It was a public venue.”

“For the avoidance of doubt, when I told you not to approach any of my former housemates because one of them is a murderer and therefore dangerous, I meant don’t approach any other murderers either.”

“Well, you should have been more specific.”

Levi clenched his jaw so hard his teeth ached. “Serafina…”

“What was he going to do? Fire off a rocket in front of a roomful of people? And call me Sera, for Pete’s sake. You sound like my mother.”