[Bayou Gavotte 00.0] Back to Bite You by Barbara Monajem Page B

it was a bad idea to rough up a family member, but she insisted.”
    “I think you’ll find she has changed her mind,” Gerry said.
    “What the
hell
?” Mirabel stared at Sergio. “Gerry’s
aunt
told you to beat him up?”
    “It’s a long story,” Gerry said. Mirabel didn’t look at him. Now that he was safe, she felt her temper rising again. She didn’t trust herself to speak to him.
    She kept her eyes on Sergio. “So this isn’t about getting me back?”
    “It would have been if they’d hired me a couple of days ago, but I met someone else last night,” Sergio said with a smug little smile.
    That was good news, but it didn’t explain everything. “How did his aunt know about you? About us?”
    “She’s got connections on her mother’s side,” Sergio said. “Cousins or something.” He turned to Gerry. “I wouldn’t have done it—you’ve got to be nuts to mug someone in Bayou Gavotte―but I needed the money. My new girl likes diamonds.”
    “I hope April paid you in advance,” Gerry said.
    “Fifty percent, and she’s not getting it back.” Sergio grimaced. “No hard feelings? I’d rather the Bayou Gavotte underworld didn’t hear about this. Might come back to bite me.”
    “It never happened.” Gerry tossed him the switchblade. He’d so been right about his ability to take care of himself.
    “Better get back to my new squeeze,” Sergio grunted. “Can’t leave her alone too long or someone might steal her.”
    “I’m so glad you have a new girlfriend, Sergio,” Mirabel said. She could go home to New Orleans now―but first she had to deal with Arthur’s house. She’d have to pay Gerry for the repairs to the roof and then put the place up for sale—cheap. What a shame; she had come to like the old house, and returning to New Orleans didn’t hold much appeal right now.
    “A new
vampire
,” Sergio said. “How lucky can I get? Two vamps in a row. Can’t resist her.” He blew Mirabel a kiss and left. Janie Jo went back indoors.
    Mirabel followed. The last thing she wanted was to be stuck out here alone with Gerry. He’d been perfectly able to resist
her
in favor of helping his aunts.
    “I need a private room,” she told Janie Jo. “Give me a bucket of beans and a jug of chocolate syrup.”
    “Coming right up.” Janie Jo grinned. “Will, um, Gerry be joining you?”
    “No,” Mirabel said. “I want to be alone.”
    ***
    Gerry played Mirabel’s message three times. The panic in her voice, and the way she’d hugged him in relief, didn’t jive with the way she’d backed away and ignored him after the fight.
    All he had to do was get her to listen. He pondered a while, considering ways and means, and then went into the club.
    ***
    Mirabel was sitting in her underwear, unable to eat even a spoonful of the baked beans the club was famous for, when Gerry knocked on the door.
    “Mirabel, let me in.”
    “Go away,” she said through the door. The sound of his voice made her want to burst into tears. What was wrong with her? He was a weak-assed traitor. She couldn’t possibly love him anymore.
    “I need to talk to you,” he said.
    “Why? There’s nothing to say.”
    “There’s plenty to say, and if you don’t open up, I’ll use the master key to get in.”
    “Hey!” Her temper flared again. “You can’t do that. I paid for privacy.” Well, not exactly. “Or I will tomorrow, when I have my pocketbook with me.”
    “You don’t have to pay for the room,” Gerry said.
    Okay, now she was really mad. She set the beans down, slung back the lock, and opened the door. “You miserable beast, I wouldn’t take a—”
    Flick! A spoonful of whipped cream hit her in the face.
    “—dime from you!” She licked at the cream. It was the real thing.
    But
he
wasn’t the real thing, and that was all that mattered. She swiped at the cream with her hand. “Take your pie and get out of here!”
    Whap! A dollop of cream landed on her breast and slid into her