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Besides, she couldn’t claim to want a Dom, male or female, and be bratty about such a simple request. From the look on Seth’s face, he only had the best intentions at heart.
“Yes, Sir.”
“Very good.”
Turning away, Raine led him out of the entry and through the cavernous structure, down the hall, finally to her room. The door opened without a key. Everything inside looked almost exactly as she’d left it except that Beck had set her suitcase by the door.
Nothing had turned out the way she’d intended, but she still felt ridiculously glad that she’d be putting things away in the place she called home.
Stepping aside, she let Seth follow her in.
“Get ready for bed. Then we’ll talk,” he instructed.
Picking up her little case, she dragged it into the bathroom. She washed her face, brushed her hair and teeth, changed clothes, then padded back out.
Seth eyed her and drew in a deep breath. “No wonder. Okay…”
Raine frowned at him. What was he going on about?
“Why don’t you have a seat?”
Again, it wasn’t a request. Since she had no chairs in her room, she crawled into bed, scrambling between the sheets.
He sat on the edge beside her. “I know you don’t know me, and this probably seems awkward, but you were so honest in the foyer. I need you to continue that. I came here to help Liam straighten a few things out, but I think you might need my ear just as much. Like Beck, I won’t betray your confidence. I just need to get to the bottom of this so I can understand how to help.”
Crossing her arms over her chest, she beat back mortification. “This is totally awkward. Everyone knows my damn business.”
She didn’t really want to talk to Seth about all this, but he’d heard her whole speech in the foyer. It wasn’t like she had many secrets at this point.
Seth tsked at her. “Liam likes ladies. I know he wouldn’t appreciate you swearing, would he?”
“No,” she conceded. “But he let me go.”
“Did it seem that way to you just now? He threw a tantrum over losing you, which I’ll totally rib him about later. He admitted that he’d given you his heart. You can’t think he’s done with you.”
She shrugged. “When Liam uncollared me, he told me that I wasn’t ready for what he had to offer. He was right. I can’t keep hurting him. And I can’t keep coming between him and Hammer. If you know them both, you know they used to be friends.”
“The best.”
“Exactly. And now they can’t stand one another. I can’t pretend that’s anyone’s fault except mine.” She covered her face with her hands. “The guilt has been eating me alive. I think they want me to choose…and I can’t. I love them both too much. And it could ruin their friendship for good.”
Seth tilted her chin up and stared at her, studying her every nuance, pinning her against her headboard with an almost dissecting gaze. “If you were whole, as you put it, and they were on good terms, would you have any qualms about letting either one into your life again?”
“No.”
“Would you let either of them be your Dom?”
“If I knew I wasn’t going to hurt Liam again, yes. Hammer…” She sighed. “He puts on a big show, but if he didn’t want anything to do with me for six years, I don’t think he truly wants me. And now that he’s not speaking to me anymore, I’m sure that will never be an option.”
“If you believe that, you’re fooling yourself. How about both of them?”
She reared back. “Beck, the guy who brought me back here, suggested the same thing. I think you two are nuts.”
“Or it’s possible we’re the only sane ones in this mess.” Seth shrugged. “If Liam and Hammer agreed to it, would you have them both?”
Why was he trying to crawl in her head? “In a perfect world, of course. It’ll probably happen on the twelfth of never as hell is freezing over, but I’ve fantasized about it.”
“Because you love them?”
She sighed, wishing she could tell Seth that she didn’t want to play Twenty Questions anymore. “Yes.”
Seth smiled smugly. “Why don’t you get some sleep?”
Raine didn’t want to, but she probably needed it. If it made Seth and his questions disappear, even better. “Sure, but would you please make sure they don’t get too drunk? Hammer will down tequila and he’ll have a terrible hangover that will make him a bear tomorrow. Liam is probably drinking Scotch. He really needs a friend now. He and Beck don’t get along. If Hammer turns his anger on Liam, he’ll be outnumbered and—”
“I’ll take care of it.” He squeezed her shoulder. “Get some sleep. Things should look brighter in the morning.”
Raine certainly hoped so because everything looked damn bleak now.
