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“No, he didn’t! If any man ever laid a finger on me against my will, I’d do exactly to them what I did to Bill. But Hammer never tried. I worked for him as an assistant, cook, bookkeeper, and errand girl. I kept his life running smoothly. He maintained boundaries between us, even when he knew I’d fallen in love with him. Even when I threw myself at him shamelessly.”
“So he waited a few weeks before taking advantage of your gratitude and molesting you? Touching.”
“Are you the world’s biggest asshole?” Beck gaped. “I’m a doctor. Why don’t you let me cure your condition? A lobotomy ought to do it.”
She shot the sadist a chastising stare. “Please… I got this.” Then she turned to River. “What he said.”
Seth sighed noisily. “Liam and Hammer are right. This is pointless. He’s never going to hear.”
“Dude…” Beck shook his head. “I was at Shadows the night Hammer brought your sister into the club. He. Didn’t. Touch. Her. God knows he fucked everyone else—”
“Thanks for the reminder,” she snapped.
River sat up and pointed at her belly. “Obviously, he took you to bed at some point. When?”
“That’s pretty damn personal, and she doesn’t owe you an answer except that she was over eighteen,” Seth reminded.
She ignored the big blond hulk. “Last November fourth. That’s the first time he ever laid a finger on me, more than six years after he took me in. Macen never touched me, pimped me out, or engaged in any sexual behavior with me until three months ago. I was almost halfway to nineteen when I lost my virginity, and it wasn’t to Hammer. Everything about that was purely my choice.”
And when she remembered how badly she’d hurt Macen, remorse shredded her.
“Lousy fucking choice, too,” Beck grumbled. “Zak was a raving piece of shit.”
Raine gestured toward Beck. She couldn’t argue with facts, but his corroboration didn’t hurt, either.
Her brother took a moment to digest that. “Why did Hammerman give Bill money, if not to buy you for sex? I saw the old fuck just before he died. That’s what he told me.”
“And you believed him?”
River had the good grace to flush. “He kept a copy of every money order Master Pervert sent. It made sense…”
“Well—big shocker—Bill lied. Hammer paid him to stay the hell away from me. He voluntarily gave that bottom-feeding asshole two thousand dollars a month for six years to keep me safe. He bought me a car. He paid for my college.” She teared up when she thought of all Macen had done for her. “He is the first person in my life to ever stay. He could have left me in the alley or called CPS, who might have sent me to a home even worse. But no. He risked everything to help me and expected nothing in return.” She slapped a hand to her chest and began to fall apart as the enormity of Macen’s sacrifice hit her again. “And because your head is in the gutter, you’ve taken his selfless act and convinced the police it’s something dirty. He may be lost to me forever because you can’t fathom sticking your neck out to help a kid in need without wanting sex for it.”
Raine slapped a hand over her mouth as sobs fell free. If she’d pissed River off and he refused to recant his story to the police, Hammer would spend the rest of his life behind bars. Fear sliced its sharp scalpel down her middle and gutted her.
Seth dropped a hand on her shoulder. Raine tried to collect herself and carry on, but the hell Hammer faced drowned out her words.
“Storm cloud?” River sounded concerned.
She swiped the tears from her cheeks with a watery nod. “If it wasn’t for Hammer, I would have ended up like Rowan.”
“Dead in the desert?” River’s voice hardened.
“It was so much worse than that. So, so much.” She bit back more sobs. “You left that July, and she turned thirteen in August. He started raping her on her birthday that year. He’d gotten her pregnant twice by the time she was fifteen, and he had them terminated both times.”
“Oh…” River groaned, looking pale and stunned. “I had no idea. Stop.”
“No. This is the truth, and you need to hear it. Rowan let Bill molest her over and over to shield me because no one else was there to stop him. When she ‘went off to college,’ he killed her for the great sin of wanting to leave him. Then he turned his attention on me. I had no idea what was going on prior to that, and I can’t tell you how guilty I feel for being so fucking oblivious. She suffered and I did nothing…”
Raine couldn’t say more. The regret and guilt undid her.
Seth rounded her chair and knelt in front of her, concern softening his green eyes. She shook her head. If she took his comfort now, she’d only fall apart more.
