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Liam scrubbed a hand down his face.
“One of my greatest guilts, besides leaving you both, is the wedge I’ve driven between you,” she went on. “I won’t be the cause of that anymore.”
“I’ve told you that guilt isn’t yours, girl.” Hammer scolded her.
“But it is. You were friends before me.” She pressed a hand to her chest, passionate and tearful. “I’m the point of contention. If I get out of the way, you two will eventually repair your friendship.”
Beside him, Hammer shook his head. “That’s not your fault, and there’s no way I’m letting a Domme teach you shit.”
“This is for me, Macen. Don’t you understand?” Her expression willed him to. “I didn’t expect either of you to be thrilled, but I’d hoped you’d at least support me.”
“Oh, I support your need to grow,” Liam growled. “But excuse me for not dancing a jig at the happy news that you want to do it with a Dominant you don’t even know. I need a fucking drink.”
Raine watched Liam storm away from her, breaking apart inside. She hadn’t expected him to accept her request for a Domme right away…but she’d expected him to understand at least a bit. Hammer was the one she’d imagined would blow his temper and rail.
Now, she was almost afraid to look at him. But she forced herself to. Barely leashed fury brimmed in his hazel eyes.
Obviously, he hadn’t liked what she’d said. But if he restrained himself from saying more, that meant that she’d pushed him so damn far, he’d chosen to say nothing rather than voice something incredibly ugly. Raine had rarely seen him this angry. When she had, he usually cut that person from his life.
The thought that she would lose them both forever crushed her. Her first instinct was to wonder if she should leave Shadows after all. Raine checked it. Eventually, she would be better. She would keep communicating with them. Even if Liam left, she would write or call or text—whatever it took—to mend fences.
And hopefully, with her out of their way, they would be friends again someday.
“I’m not doing this to hurt either of you,” she murmured to Hammer.
He clenched his jaw. Veins bulged in his neck. He still didn’t utter a single word.
Leaning with one shoulder against the wall, the tall stranger she’d noticed earlier hovered a few feet behind Macen. He peeled away from his perch, his watchful green eyes sizing her up. “Don’t be a prick, Hammer.”
Temper mottling his face red, Hammer shook his head. Then he cut a stare in the other man’s direction, his eyes narrowed with fury. “Do not let her leave.”
Then he was gone, his broad shoulders disappearing around the corner, carried away by his long, angry stride as he followed Liam to the bar.
A pang crushed her chest. She’d never really had him, but to lose him now totally devastated her.
The stranger, who looked like a Hemsworth brother, sidled up to her and eased his hand around her elbow. “Hello, Raine.”
She shifted her gaze to him, trying to hold it together. “Who are you?”
“I’m Seth, a friend of Liam’s and Hammer’s from New York. I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting you until now, but I’ve heard a lot about you. I’d like to talk to you for a few minutes.”
About what? She’d just vomited out some of the most intimate things she’d ever said in her life. What more did he want?
He began to lead her away. She dug in her heels.
With a gentle but firm grip, he tugged her forward. “How do you feel?”
“I’ve just hurt the two men I love more than anything. How am I supposed to feel?” She sighed, shoulders slumping.
“You’re trying to do the right thing.”
“I am. God knows I have a long history of screwing up, but this is the only plan I see.”
“You look exhausted.” Despite his strong, angular face, Seth came across as surprisingly compassionate.
“It’s been a long few days.”
“You want to turn in for the night?” he asked.
Raine bit her lip. She doubted she would sleep much, but she also didn’t think that following Liam and Hammer to the bar would do anything except make the situation worse. Maybe the best thing to do was let them chew on her idea and find the logic so they could all move on…wherever that led them.
“Maybe I should.”
“Show me your room. I’ll make sure you get tucked in all safely.”
Raine rolled her eyes. “I can find my way down the hall. I’m not going anywhere.”
“I wasn’t asking.” He raised a brow.
She couldn’t miss his Dom face. Of course.
For a moment, she thought about balking, but why? Tumult rolled through her, and she couldn’t very well go crying to Liam or Hammer anymore. Beck… He’d been nice, but he’d unloaded his responsibility for her. She had to buck up and handle things on her own. Frankly, she’d rather do that in the privacy of her own room in case that meant tears.
