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Was he? Liam frowned. Did Raine simply want to stand on her own two feet now…or did she think him too weak to handle her care? Or maybe she didn’t want just one of them. After all, when he and Hammer had finally agreed to share her at the lodge, she’d made it perfectly plain that she would have them both—or neither. It was also the reason she’d refused their proposals. Since then, she’d done a fine job of giving them equal devotion and surrender. But now, if Hammer was gone for good, Liam had to wonder…would she still want the love they shared? Or would she leave—and take their baby with her?
Bad enough to lose Hammer. Losing everyone else would destroy Liam.
“I’ll do my best, Mum.” He kissed her cheek.
She shot him a quelling glance. “She’s falling. Be gentle but firm.”
“I love you. Now butt out.”
Bryn rolled her eyes. “I’ll take your da and go.”
She bustled off and wound her arm through Duncan’s, leading him off to explore the pier.
Liam found Raine standing at the railing, staring out at the ocean. Looking for answers? He approached and took her hand. “Walk with me.”
She didn’t argue, just let him lead her down toward the crashing waves.
Away from people and noise.
Away from cops and questions.
Away from everything they couldn’t do for Hammer right in this moment.
Just the two of them, reaffirming—or dissolving—what they shared.
He dragged in a deep breath of salty air, calming the turmoil inside him. He sensed it pinging from her, as well.
They walked for long minutes, not speaking, simply holding hands. Then the distance and silence between them became too much for Liam to bear. He pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her. “Talk to me, lass.”
She looked up at him, confused and lost. The devastation in her gaze bloody near crippled him. “And say what? I’m scared. And so fucking angry. I just want to hit something.”
She was winding her emotions—and their baby’s—into a fervor. When he placed a hand on her belly, the distress magnified. The force of it sizzled across his palm. Damn.
He understood the stakes. It was his responsibility to make her purge this toxic worry.
“Tell me more.”
“What more can I say that you don’t know? Macen needs us. I realize we had to leave the house, and the view here is pretty, but we don’t have time for—”
“Centering you? It’s my first priority. If Hammer were here, he would insist on it, too.”
“But Hammer isn’t here. He’s being incarcerated as we speak. And we’re standing around, worrying about me and—”
“That’s Dom 101, sweetheart. We shelve our own concerns until your needs are met. Get your fear and frustration out, then we’ll move on. Scream.”
“Scream?” Raine stared at him as if he’d lost his mind. “What will that do except make me look like a fucking idiot? Stop trying to ‘adjust my attitude’ or whatever. Let’s do something productive.”
He tightened his grasp on her. “I will stand here all day long if I have to until you”—he palmed her stomach again—“and the baby are calm again. So scream or talk. Those are your two choices.”
She cursed under her breath, staring out at the ocean again. “All right. Everything that’s happened is my fault. And no one will listen to me when I swear I’m not a victim. I gave the police the truth, but it was inconvenient, so they tried to twist my words. They’ve already convicted Macen in their minds and—”
“They aren’t the jury.” He slipped his hand into her hair, giving the strands a tug. “Stop assuming that he’s going away forever.”
“How can I not worry about that? He must be pacing his cell, wondering whether he’s going to rot his life away in that shitty—”
“That’s enough,” he said in a low, warning rumble. “Stop.”
“Stop what?” Her laugh sounded halfway hysterical. “Stop worrying? Stop caring? What is it you want me to stop doing, Liam?”
“Stop blaming yourself. Stop assuming the worst before it’s happened.” He tugged her until he could see into her face. “Do you think this attitude helps you? Or helps our child? It certainly doesn’t help me or Hammer.”
“I know.” She looked up at the gray clouds, her face mottled. “I need him. I can’t do this without him.”
Her words frustrated the hell out of Liam, and he shelved his urge to shake her. This wasn’t about him. She needed his Dominance, and he’d commanded her to vent her feelings. If she whipped him with her tongue because it made her feel better… Well, he had big shoulders. He could handle anything.
Except her leaving him.
“Stop thinking I can’t clear your head and give you the kind of boundaries Hammer does. Give me your problems.”
“You don’t need them! You need me to be a big girl and stand on my own two feet.”
