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Hammer clutched the wheel. “I’ll be all too happy to help him if you don’t stop yanking our chains.”
Beck scoffed. “She’s not going to jump off a bridge, guys. Geez, melodrama much? I’m not going to touch the princess. But you two have got to get a grip and back the fuck off. You can’t tell her to go away one minute, then expect to keep her under your thumbs the next.”
“I just want to bloody talk to her,” Liam insisted. “She ran away from home.”
“Left her keys to the club in her bedroom,” Hammer confirmed. “Did she tell you that part?”
“Not in so many words. Raine is trying to decide what to do next. Neither of you can rush her decision.”
“Why can’t she think at Shadows?” Liam demanded.
“Really?” Beck asked incredulously. “If this stunning display of calm and logic is any indication, I have no trouble understanding why she left. Look, she’s someplace safe, and I won’t betray her confidence. I gave her my word and I keep my promises. When she’s ready, she’ll tell me, and I’ll let you know. If it makes you feel any better, she’s staying somewhere secure. She can’t leave without me knowing. And no, I’m not trying to crawl in bed with her. So back down on the jealousy, lover boy.”
Liam didn’t have to guess who Beck was talking to. It infuriated him even more. On the other hand, he realized that the doctor had become a brick wall. There’d be no going under, around, or over him for more information. The click of the call ending confirmed that, like it or not, they’d have to wait until Raine decided whether or not to come back to Shadows.
Hammer glanced up as Liam stormed into the kitchen the following morning. He looked as lousy as Hammer felt.
“Did you hear from Beck again?”
Liam’s question immediately told him that his old friend hadn’t heard from Raine, either. “Just a quick text about midnight to say she’d finally fallen asleep. He emptied the rest of her bottle down the sink and made sure she ate before tucking her in.”
“Nothing about what’s going through her head?”
Exactly what Hammer had wanted to know. “Not a word.”
They both looked at the empty coffee maker. He’d mocked Liam’s attempt at making the brew yesterday, but Hammer couldn’t do much better. They already missed Raine, but this, just like prowling the dungeon sleeplessly at three a.m., shoved her gut-wrenching departure in his face again. And now that Raine had been gone over twenty-four hours, Liam looked like he was ready to crawl out of his skin. Hammer totally understood.
“Why won’t that wanker tell us what she’s thinking? She’s talking to him, right? What’s she saying to him that’s so bloody secret?”
“Whatever she wants. He won’t break her confidence.”
Liam raked a hand through his hair. “I don’t like it. I think that prick has always wanted her.”
“I know you and Beck got off on the wrong foot, but she’s in good hands. The fact that she turned to him is a big fucking relief.”
“How do you figure that?” Liam bellowed.
“That means that she doesn’t want to cut all ties to Shadows. That might even mean she knows that she needs to listen to someone who won’t spoon-feed her bullshit.”
“He’s a damn sadist!” Liam gawked. “She’s not a masochist.”
“Get your head back in the game.” At least one of them had to remain calm, and Liam needed a rock right now. Looked like it was him. “Losing control isn’t like you. You’re too smart. Start acting like it.”
“Piss off,” Liam shot back, but it didn’t hold any malice. He straightened up and seemed to pull himself together.
“That’s better.” Hammer nodded. “Don’t worry. I know Beck. He’s not going to beat Raine or take advantage of her. He’ll do everything possible to help her clear her head and make some decisions. Beck and I talked about her recently. I’m confident he’ll guide her back in this direction, if it’s possible. But he’s right. We can’t rush her. If she comes back, we want her to be sure of her choice, not looking for the way out again.”
“We don’t know what bloody advice he’s giving her. He could be telling her to fly off to Timbuktu, for all we know.”
“He’ll give her the exact same advice you or I would if we knew a sub was floundering.”
“What if she doesn’t come back?” Liam paced the kitchen, probably seeing Raine everywhere, just like he did.
“Then we have no one to blame but ourselves.”
If he’d been honest with Raine eons ago, she’d still be at Shadows, safe and sound. The frustration clawing Hammer’s guts would be nothing more than a bad dream. He gave her credit for walking out on her own two feet instead of taking a bunch of sedatives. At least he could be thankful for that. He’d rather have her alive anywhere in the world than cold in the ground.
