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“What?”
“Tell us how we can set your mind at ease,” Liam bade softly.
Raine sighed. “I need to bake.”
“Not alone,” Hammer shot back.
Liam rolled his eyes. “What he means is, if you need a bit of space, love, we’ll be just a room away.”
Macen gave him a dirty—but silent—glare.
“Thanks.” A little frown knit her brow. “Are all the doors locked?”
“Every last one,” Liam reassured.
“We’ve both checked. More than once. And the alarm is set.”
But Liam couldn’t deny his concern that simple security wouldn’t keep someone as determined as River from stealing her away for long.
With a lingering kiss, Raine pushed off his lap and stood. Instantly, he missed her in his arms. Anxiety filled him. Liam had to remind himself that she needed to be in her kitchen more than he needed to clutch her fiercely.
She dropped a similar kiss on Hammer’s lips. Macen tangled his fingers in her hair and seized her mouth as if he intended to throw her down on the sofa between them, strip off her clothes, and tunnel inside her. Raine opened for him, breathless, eager.
On edge, Liam waited. Sexual healing would certainly help them all…
Suddenly, Hammer stiffened and set her on her feet, away from him.
Damn it.
“Will you check on me soon?”
Liam hated the uncertainty in Raine’s voice. She shouldn’t feel insecure in her own home. She’d endured too much bloody trauma in the last three months. When the hell would it stop so she could heal and they could live in peace?
“Of course,” he promised.
Hammer put on a smile. “Try and stop me.”
“Thanks. You shouldn’t worry about me. I know you will anyway, but I’ll put some music on. In an hour or two, I’ll be fine. River rattled me. But I won’t let him scare me from living my life.”
Liam believed that. Raine was a fighter. She had her vulnerable moments, but she always forged ahead.
When she disappeared into the kitchen, Hammer shot to his feet, looking as if he was barely keeping his shit together.
“Don’t go after her,” Liam warned.
“We should make sure the son of a bitch isn’t lying in wait.”
“It’s empty. I cleared out all the contractors before you two reached home. I’ve checked the house from top to bottom. The police were here. They searched, too. Let her find her center. We need to find yours.”
As Chopin drifted in from the kitchen, Hammer started pacing again. He raked his hand through his hair. “How the fuck do I do that? He almost stole her from under my nose. He could have driven her away in that black truck and I wouldn’t have known until it was too late. At least the spa owner already fired that fucking greedy receptionist.”
“It could have happened to either of us. If I had driven her, I would have dropped her off, too, never imagining River would be waiting inside to steal her. Don’t beat yourself up. It’ll do no good. Let’s talk about how we protect her going forward.”
Heaving a worried sigh, Macen dropped onto the sofa, elbows braced on his knees, head in his hands. “How can I help with that when I keep fucking up?”
“Ah, Macen… Don’t blame yourself. We need to stay strong and together. If we don’t, we’ll only compromise her safety.”
“I know. I’d feel better if we had some information about this fucker, but Seth has suddenly disappeared. According to his assistant, he grabbed his ‘go’ bag early this morning and told her he’d check in when he could. She has no idea how long before he surfaces.”
That explained why Seth hadn’t answered his mobile when Liam had called earlier. “Is he working on a case?”
“I guess. She didn’t know which one.”
Liam hoped Seth turned up soon, but until then, they would manage. “Have you called Beck?”
At that, Hammer managed a bit of a smile. “He’s taking Heavenly to lunch. Again.”
“For the third time this week? It’s only Wednesday.” Liam had to grin, as well. “I’ll bet he hasn’t so much as kissed her.”
“Not yet. He was bitching about the”—he cleared his throat—“lack of contact yesterday.”
Liam loved that delicious irony. “Ah, there is a god.”
Hammer chuckled. “So the sexually frustrated doctor will be here shortly.”
“I’ll enjoy that.” Liam listened to the banging of bowls and the clanging of spoons, soothed by the sounds, inhaling the wafting cinnamon scent of Raine’s baking. “What do we do, Macen? Hire bodyguards?”
“I don’t care how qualified someone else is, they can be bought off. I don’t trust a stranger with Raine’s safety.”
Liam agreed completely. “I doubt she would even tolerate it.”
“Good point.”
“She’s a wee thing but her temper can be fearsome.”
“You got that right, brother.” Hammer sighed. “What a clusterfuck. I think you two better start spending your days at the club. It’s more secure, especially now that we know who we’re looking for. River won’t get in again.”
