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His heart clenched. After all the years of shielding her from his demons, she’d still seen through his façade. He’d failed her. A red haze clouded his vision. Fuck!
“What happened to you, Macen?” She shook her head. “Forget it. You’ll never tell me.” Raising her chin rebelliously, she seared him with her blazing blue eyes. “Thanks very much for the last six years, Sir. Now please, let me go.”
Impossible. But now what? No fucking clue.
Anger permeated every cell in his body as he slammed his fist into the wall right beside her head. Drywall exploded and rained onto the floor.
“Damn it, Hammer!” Liam barked in rebuke, tearing down the hall toward him. “Just what the hell do you think you’re doing?” When he reached them, he pried Hammer’s biting hands off Raine. The instant she was free, his friend pulled her shaking body into his arms, and she buried her head in his shoulder. “Look at yourself, man. Have you lost your bloody mind, then? Leave the wee lass alone. You’re scaring her to death!”
Hammer clenched his jaw. Liam was right. How had he ever allowed things to get so out of hand? And why did she nuzzle against Liam so quickly, so naturally?
Raine eased away. “I’m sorry if we woke you. I was going to say good-bye as soon as Hammer let me go.”
“Are you all right?” He stroked the side of her face with a gentle hand that made Hammer want to punch the wall again. When had they started speaking? Why had Liam gotten the idea that Raine would allow him to touch her?
“I’m fine.” A sad smile curled the corners of her mouth. “Thank you for trying. I really wish...” She shook her head. “But I wouldn’t be good for you, Liam. As Hammer pointed out, I’m nothing but a strong-willed brat. Consider that you’ve dodged a bullet. I wish you the best.”
Wouldn’t be good for him? As if…they’d done more than shake hands?
“What the hell are you talking about? I never fucking said that, girl!” he growled. “Did you not hear a single word I’ve said?”
Liam sighed. Then with a patient voice, he tucked a strand of midnight hair behind Raine’s ear, fingers sure and soft, as if he’d done it before. “Go down the hall to wait for me in my private room, would you? I’d like to talk to you before you go.” When she would have protested, he added, “Don’t be making decisions about your future when you’re upset. Let me talk to Hammer. I’ll be in to speak to you soon. Will you do that for me, lovely? This won’t take a minute.”
She bit her lip as her gaze bounced between Liam’s calm demeanor and his own furious stare.
Raine sighed. “All right.”
Hammer didn’t miss the ease with which she submitted to his friend. A silent string of curses filled his head as both he and Liam turned and watched her disappear down the darkened hall and into the other Dom’s room.
Once she’d gone, Liam whirled on Hammer, like Raine’s fucking knight in shining armor, his eyes incredulous and damning.
“What is going on between you two?” Hammer growled.
“What’s going on between the two of you?” Liam countered. “I’ve no idea what ruckus caused you and Raine to reach this point, but it’s obvious you’ve gone mad. Do I have to point out that a wee, raven-haired female is undoing you, Hammer?”
Oh, he knew that. As if dealing with Raine wasn’t enough, Liam had joined the fucking bandwagon. To do what, see how much more he could take before he imploded?
“Do you have a point to make? Or should we just step outside so I can break your jaw?”
“I don’t wish to embarrass you as I mop the car park with your face. That won’t solve a bloody thing. Pull your head out of your ass, mate. You’re worried you’ll hurt her with your needs, but you’re afraid to try because Juliet hid how she felt about them.”
“I never said that,” Hammer snapped. Perceptive bastard.
“Not in so many words, but you’re thinking it. After all I heard tonight, do you think Raine is the sort who would hide her feelings from you? If she wasn’t happy, do you think she’d keep that to herself?”
Hammer bristled. “She’s so damn independent. Do you see her living Juliet’s sort of life? There’s no way she’s ready for that. She wouldn’t let me tell her what socks to wear, much less pick her entire wardrobe. And you know that’s just the tip of the iceberg.”
“So you want a more trained submissive, but you’re unwilling to do anything to help her become what you need. That makes perfect sense,” Liam drawled.
“I’m saying I don’t think she’ll ever get there. She’d take on the responsibility of trying and it would go against her grain. We’d both be miserable. Not only is it too much to put on her narrow shoulders, it would damage her. I can’t do that.”
