Hell. Nothing was working out as it should.

Fury surged through him as he looked around the hovel Elizabeth lived in—a fucking studio apartment with cheap furniture. The place didn’t even have a real bedroom. The bitch actually preferred living in poverty to being with him. Well, she wouldn’t be here for long, would she?

Walking around the room, he tossed a few items into a grocery sack: a CD player and CDs, loose cash, the few pieces of jewelry from the dresser. He took enough that she’d believe a burglar had broken in.

He glanced at the door and smiled at the memory of the wood shattering. Not as satisfying as breaking bones, of course, but that time would come. Soon. Perhaps he should thank her for choosing an apartment in the back of the complex.

If only he had time to deal with her now. But her punishment would take a while, and he had to be in court early tomorrow, Wednesday. After that, if he worked late and put in some time on the holiday, his partners could manage to cover his cases for a few days.

He tucked his notepad into a pocket. He’d gone through her files, taken down information from her bills and address book. Even if she managed to escape him now, he’d find her again quickly.

And once he finished with her this time, she would not be capable of running again.

* * * * *

Beth unlocked the gate in the eight-foot fence at the back of the Shadowlands and entered Z’s private gardens. Thunder rumbled overhead, and along the fence line, purple fountain grass rustled in the stiffening breeze. She was running late, but just had to pause and enjoy the sight before her.

Over the past couple of months, she’d worked on changing the appearance of the huge yard. The previously formal landscaping was evolving into casual, even a bit wild. With a contractor’s help, she’d given the swimming pool area the appearance of a tropical pond where water gurgled through a faux rocky stream to splash into the clear-blue pool.

Wildly flowering gardens carved the big yard into smaller garden rooms, each with a theme. To the right, a Jacuzzi room. Closer to the house with a view of the rising sun, the breakfast nook held a small table and wrought iron chairs. In the contemplation room near the back, she’d planted soothing blue flowers.

Now looking at her work, she felt pride rising in her. She’d never had so much fun and look what she had wrought in such a short time. Lovely, lovely, lovely, if she said so herself.

“You going to stand there and admire your work all day?”

With a small scream, Beth jumped. The voice had come from above… Scowling, she looked up to see Jessica leaning over the third-story balcony.

“Next time,” Beth said, “just shoot me instead of giving me a heart attack.”

“Sorry.” In shorts and a pale green tank top, Jessica trotted down the steps. “I saw you from the kitchen. C’mere, I’ve got a peace offering.” As Beth entered the covered, screened lanai, the blonde handed over an ice-cold Coke. “Take a break for a minute.”

“I had one already. That’s why I’m running late.” Beth opened the can and took a big gulp. “I swung by my apartment to grab something to eat and found someone had kicked my door in.”

“Jeez, are you serious?”

“Smashed the frame and everything.” And terrified her so badly she’d almost abandoned all she’d built and fled. But the couple next door had seen her and came running over. They walked into her apartment with her. A few things had been pilfered…her CD player and music, some jewelry. Just a burglary, and how weird was that to be relieved a burglar had been in her place?

After calming down, she had realized Kyler couldn’t know where she was, and if he did, he’d do worse than just kick in her door. “At least I didn’t have much to steal. The poor burglar was probably really disappointed.”

“That’s still scary. Is the door fixed?”

Beth felt anxiety curl in her stomach. “No. The maintenance guy broke his leg last week, so the manager’s going nuts with complaints. Said she couldn’t get anyone over to repair it till tomorrow. So after I finish setting the plants out, I’m going to fix what I can. And I’ll put a chair under the knob tonight.”

“I don’t like the sound of that.”

“Best I can do. But that’s why I’m late getting here, and why I don’t have time for a break.” She glanced around casually. After remembering Nolan’s arrangement with Z, she’d planned to come early and leave before he arrived. And now she was late, and his truck sat in the parking lot. Knowing he was upstairs made her feel weird. Itchy. She’d enjoyed being with him yesterday a little too much, at least until he talked about adultery. And lying.

Now she knew; she couldn’t afford to get involved with him. She would have to keep their interactions casual and only for sex. At the club.

“It looks like you get a break whether you want one or not,” Jessica said as the first drops of rain splattered on the wide leaves of the nearby pagoda plant. The blonde dropped into a chair at the wrought-iron-and-oak table and shoved a chair out for Beth. “Might as well sit till the storm passes.”

“Oh, honestly.” Thunder boomed overhead, and the rain increased, fat drops splashing on the grass like little explosions. Beth took the chair. “Are you always this persistent?”

Jessica laughed. “This is nothing. You should see me when it comes to travel expenses or office supply receipts. I can be a real bitch. Speaking of which, Nolan said you might want help figuring out how to open a nursery.”

Beth felt her breath stop as her heart bobbed in her chest like a top-heavy flower. Nolan believed in her, believed she could do this. Could she? Yes. Yes she could. She put her hand over her jittery heart and jumped into the future. “I would. You mean you’d be willing to help?”

“You bet. Planning is free.” Jessica held up a finger. “However, after your place is up and running, I’ll be your accountant, and you’ll have to pay me. And have to keep your receipts in order, and your expenses written down, and—”

Beth laughed. “Do you nag Master Z like this?”

“God, no.” Jessica rolled her eyes. “The last time I tried, he was almost at the end of some mystery, and rather than saying that—I mean, he could have just told me, right?—he tied me up, gagged me, and stuck vibrating things in me and on me everywhere. And left me lying on the floor while he finished his damned book.”

“Oh. My.”

“Yeah.” Jessica scowled. “I came so many times that I couldn’t stand up when he released me. And that was so unfair. We’re not in a twenty-four hour master/slave relationship, right? And then I almost broke my hand when I hit him; his muscles are harder than rocks.”

Beth tried. She really did try. A snicker escaped, then a giggle, and when Jessica looked at her in disbelief, she roared with laughter. The little blonde accountant always looked so put-together and conservative. Reserved. The thought of her, naked and punching Master Z, sent Beth into an unstoppable fit of giggles.

“You are cruising for a good slap, girlfriend.” Jessica huffed, then grinned. “You know, there’re very few people I could tell that to and have them laugh instead of calling the cops. Or mental health.” She paused and narrowed her eyes at Beth. “But next time you laugh, you die.”

“Of course. I totally understand,” Beth tried to smother her giggles with Coke and choked instead. “I’m very sorry. Really.”

Lightning sizzled, striking somewhere in the forest, followed by a roll of thunder. The rain increased, and Beth tipped her head back to watch the downpour, reveling in the noise and the drop in temperature.

“Well, look what we have here.” Master Z walked up behind Jessica and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

Startled, Beth gasped, then relaxed, realizing that the rain had covered the sound of his footsteps.

He looked at her and frowned. “Why aren’t you working?”

Dear Lord, he thought she was being lazy. Dismayed, she opened her mouth to explain and defend, then caught the laughter in his eyes. She spared a thought of pity for her friend. This Dom had a positively evil sense of humor. “Well—”

“Looks like the rain drove a rabbit onto your patio, Z. I’ll catch her for you.” And two big hands reached over Beth’s shoulders, slid down into her low-cut top, and caught her breasts.

Fear ripped through her and choked her breath. She tried to leap away and was yanked back against the chair. A warm breath touched her ear, and a rumbling voice said, “Relax, little rabbit.”

Master Nolan. She knew he’d be here. Heart hammering, she managed to ease back, not that she’d have been able to go anywhere with his arms pinning her to the chair. He bit her neck, kissed the tiny pain, and his hands ran over her breasts.

Nolan nibbled her neck, tasting salt, smelling the woman’s warm fragrance lightly scented with strawberries. She wore a gold tank top under denim overall shorts. He’d never stripped a woman out of overalls; looked like fun. He cupped her perky little breasts in his hands and felt her nipples pebble to taut points. Damned shame to have to be polite and release her.

Under his hands, the thudding of her heart eased as she got over her fright. One terrified little rabbit. Anger ran through him, knotting his muscles. What he wouldn’t give to meet the bastard who’d taught this woman to be afraid.