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Instead, he gripped her harder. “You cry because I’m not paying attention to you, but when I command you to hold your orgasm to drive your submissive needs, you defy me—on my own bed. You swear that you want a Dom, so I give you one. But oh, he’s not the one you want! See a pattern here? You’re only willing to submit to your own bratty self. Guess what? It. Doesn’t. Work. That. Way!”
Suddenly drawn by movement down the hall, Hammer glanced over Raine’s shoulder to find Liam watching them, slowly buttoning his trousers and wearing an unmistakable scowl.
Hammer turned his attention back to Raine only to find her looking toward the stairs, already planning her escape. Even as she defied him, he fought the urge to press his lips to hers. Claim her up against the wall, fuck the attitude, insecurities, and every ounce of hurt out of her. Leave her no doubt that she was his. Even if she wasn’t.
Glancing over her shoulder once again, he was pleased to find Liam had wisely stepped back into the shadows, but had no doubt the other Dom was still listening.
“So I’m just supposed to let Beck do whatever he wants to me? Whatever happened to safe, sane, and consensual?” Raine challenged. “He isn’t safe, and you know it. You’ve thrown him out yourself more than once for taking a sub too far. Putting someone who’s never tested her pain limits with a sadist like him isn’t sane. You know he terrifies me, so any scene between us wouldn’t be consensual. With this mood you’re in, I think you’d be happy to watch me bleed.”
“Is that what you think?”
“What else am I supposed to think? I pushed some button of yours that you absolutely can’t stand. It’s made you mean. But you can’t force him on me or keep me here against my will. I told you, I quit. And I’ll consider myself lucky to have made it out of here with no more than a broken heart because Beck will break everything else.”
She was right, damn it. The urge to reach up and trail his fingers over her cheek, reassure her and apologize, gnawed at him.
“Have a nice life.” Tears rolled down her face. “I really hope you figure out someday that women like Marlie are too shallow to fill the big heart I know you have.”
Panicked and unwilling to let her go, he pressed his body against her, pinning her back to the wall. With one hand braced above her, he looked into her stormy eyes. “Do you really think that after sheltering you for six fucking years, I would ever allow Beck to break you? And you have no idea what’s in my heart, so please don’t waste time guessing.”
Her hard little nipples drove into his bare chest, surging electricity to his cock. Wanting her even as he turned her inside out made him a terrible bastard, and his self-loathing grated.
“I don’t share your confidence in Beck. Right now, I have even less in you. You’ll give your attention to condescending fuck dolls, but when I come to you with pure intentions, even if I might have gone about it the wrong way, you stab me through the heart.” She shook her head and sniffled back fresh tears. “Enjoy little miss Botox. If Marlie and her ilk want to play head games, I don’t know a man more equipped.”
Raine shoved free and brushed his shoulder with her own as she stormed past him, giving him a look that warned him touching her again might mean the end of his balls.
God, he couldn’t let it end like this. Not with anger and bitterness, blame and so fucking much regret. He’d crushed her fragile soul…but what else could he do? He couldn’t explain his rejection without revealing all his nastiest secrets.
Ignoring her silent warning, he grabbed her again and slammed her to the wall, pressing his body so tightly against hers that escape wasn’t possible. His cock jerked. “I told you, I’m not good for you, precious. I hate that you’re hurting, but I won’t let you waltz out the door when you belong here. Get that through your thick, stubborn skull.”
She squirmed in an attempt to get away, shoving at him and stomping on his foot. But he refused to budge. He watched as she drew in a huge sob.
“You’re not at all who I thought. I fell for a giving, gracious man with a spine of steel and a kind heart. You saved me once, but now…I’m already crying, and you’ve gone out of your way to make me feel both stupid and delusional.” She shot him a scathing stare. “It’s taken me a long time, but I finally figured it out. You’re the fucked-up one, not me. All this time I thought I was broken, but your issues run deeper. At least I want to grow past my ghosts. You seem awfully content to let them haunt you.”
