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Hammer rushed around the side of his desk and grabbed her elbow. He’d tried not to crave her. Impossible. Raven hair, rosy lips, porcelain skin. Striking. Sensual. Soft-hearted. For weeks, he’d struggled to overcome his addiction to Raine, but every time he looked at her, he suspected he’d relapse really fucking soon.
“Let go.” Her breathing sounded rushed, shallow. Aroused. “Please.”
“Give me one more minute.” As he pulled her closer, she trembled. “For six years, I wasn’t honest with you about how I felt. I’m sorry for that, too.” He spun her around and delved into her blue eyes. “But I won’t apologize for touching you. That would be a lie.”
He’d said as much as he could without confessing that he loved her and always would.
“Seriously, Hammer. You can’t say things like that.”
“Too honest?”
She hesitated. “Inappropriate.”
“We passed inappropriate when Liam…” Sank balls deep into your virgin ass, and I had to watch you thoroughly enjoy it. Hammer cleared his throat. “Claimed you.”
Her black lashes fell softly to her cheeks as she closed her eyes. “Macen…”
“It’s done. You seem to have everything you’ve ever wanted. If Liam makes you happy, I’m glad.”
Or he was trying to be. But standing this close to Raine and knowing he couldn’t slide her beneath him again was eviscerating his restraint.
She scoffed. “You’ve never tolerated anyone blowing smoke up your ass. Neither will I.”
Hammer pressed closer, barely resisting the urge to rub his hard cock against her. “What do you want to hear? That it’s not smoke I want to fill your ass with, precious?”
She tensed. “I think you’ve said enough.”
Because she belonged to Liam. Right.
Hammer sighed. He’d been the center of her life for years. Now Liam had stolen her away and taken his place. Hammer’s only consolation was that he suspected she shared even less of herself with the Irish prick. Her stubborn, sometimes secretive behavior was a far cry from the loving deference a Master sought from his collared submissive. Which meant she probably wouldn’t tell Liam about this conversation. She should, but…that was Raine. He loved her independence, even if it sometimes made his palm itch.
The vixen needed firm guidance. She might seem fragile on the surface, but her will could be iron. Idly, Hammer wondered if Liam would figure out that overindulging Raine wouldn’t give her the boundaries she required before she crashed and burned.
“You’re right.” He smiled wryly. “But I’m being honest.”
“If you don’t have anything else, let me go. I’ll have Thanksgiving dinner ready on Thursday at three.”
“One more question. Has your period ever been late? I can’t remember a single instance.”
She closed her eyes. “Leave it alone.”
“Like hell. I didn’t take responsibility for you like I should have that night, but by god, I will now. If your period hasn’t started by Black Friday, you won’t be shopping. I’ll be taking you to the doctor.”
Raine jerked from his grip. “I’m perfectly capable of visiting a doctor myself.”
“But I know you won’t go without a push. Consider me your personal bulldozer.”
“I’m not your responsibility anymore. I’m Liam’s.”
And wasn’t that a kick in the balls?
“I want to be very clear, Raine. If you get a positive result from that test, everything changes. Every. Fucking. Thing. I will take care of you—in every way.”
“I have to go.” Her voice cracked.
In a flurry of dark hair, lace, and ruffles, Raine dashed toward the door. Hammer surged from his chair, caging her between the wall and his body, breathing on the back of her neck. God, she smelled good.
Fear, desire, dread—he felt them all pinging off of her as she shivered. “Hammer…”
Pulling together his restraint, he eased back, trying not to torture himself with what he couldn’t have. Nearly three weeks without a woman—without her—was killing his self-control.
“I’ll let you run away for now since it’s what you do best, but I’m not letting this go. Be ready by eight a.m. Friday morning.”
Liam O’Neill clutched the little box in his hand and rehearsed the speech in his head again. He prayed this package contained the key to his future with Raine. Maybe they could finally find some bloody happiness—and he could convince her that he intended to stay. Would she stop hoarding chunks of herself then? Of course, she’d push back at first, but she needed this. One day, she would agree.
As if his thoughts had conjured her up, his little hellcat tore out of Hammer’s office and barreled down the hall, fists clenched. She nearly charged straight into him.
He pocketed the box. “Raine?”
She stopped short, trembling, blue eyes wide with panic. His fury—always simmering these days—began boiling.
Hammer, that fuckwit, had rattled her.
The need to protect rode Liam hard as he gripped her shoulders. “Tell me what happened.”
Instantly, Raine’s walls went up, and she shut down. Here we go again… Every day the same shit—him struggling to reach her, her hiding behind her defenses. So far, no amount of gentle cajoling or patience had convinced her to believe in him. After a couple of weeks as her Master, he’d seen only the merest glimpse into her soul.
