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“But now you know. ”
“I do,” she agreed, taking another sip.
“So the issue isn’t really the words they exchanged tonight. The more important thing is what happens next. What do you think you should do? Be smart here…”
Raine stepped back from the situation as much as her emotions would allow. If she were giving a friend advice in this situation, what would she say? “Sit them down and be completely honest about the fact that I love them, that I hate it when they fight, and that I want them always. But that sounds unrealistic, too. If they can’t get along today, there’s no tomorrow. And with that argument tonight, I can’t imagine them trying to climb in the same bed with me together—ever. ”
Beck shrugged. “There’s an important thought in there. Keep digging. You want another wine?”
She looked down to see that she’d drained the glass and shook her head. “I’ve had better wine from a convenience store. No offense. ”
“None taken. I’ve had better coffee from a hospital cafeteria, and that’s saying something. Ready to go?”
When Beck made to stand, she grabbed his hand. “One more question. ”
He settled in his seat again. “Shoot. ”
“Did they have more tasks planned for me?”
“One,” he admitted grimly. “It revolved around trust. ”
“They wanted me to give them my trust?” she clarified.
“They wanted a show of it, yes. ”
Something about the way Beck tensed put her on alert. “Okay, cough it up. What were they going to do?”
He hesitated, looked at his coffee, lifted it, and set it aside with a scowl. Then he drew in a deep breath. “Tomorrow afternoon, they intended to take you into the playroom and put you entirely in Seth’s hands. No options off the table. They wanted to see if you trusted them enough to extend your trust to someone you didn’t know well because they asked you to. ”
That startled Raine. “Sex?”
Beck shrugged. “They wanted to see if you would put your faith in them enough to keep you safe. ”
“That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. ” She sighed.
“Tell me how you really feel, princess. ” Chuckling, Beck leaned closer. “I have no doubt they never would have let him lay a finger on you. They just wanted to see what you’d do. ”
“I’m familiar with the tactic. I’ve seen other Doms use it at Shadows. Liam and Hammer are crazy if they thought I wouldn’t see through that. If they can barely stand each other touching me, they’re not going to let Seth do it. ”
“Oh god, you’re going to keep them on their toes. I’m going to enjoy this ringside seat. ”
She swatted his shoulder. “Seriously!”
He grinned. “Just out of curiosity, is the idea so stupid because it’s transparent?”
“Besides that…” She waved his words away. “Trust, like communication and honesty, should run both ways. Or in our case, all three ways. None of it works unless everyone is doing their best. Gosh, listen to me. I learned something!”
Beck nodded. “Yes. So you have to tell them what you need and trust that they’ll communicate honestly in return. It isn’t more complicated than that. Well, except the part where you have to trust them to take care of you. ”
Individually, she really did. She hadn’t always been good at showing it. She’d never had to submit to Hammer. And she hadn’t really let go with Liam like she should. In the end, though, they had done so much to make her whole. She trusted that they wanted what was best for her. But could they do that together?
“You’re right. I think I have an idea. ” She hopped up from her seat, eager to return to the lodge.
“All right. ” He threw down a twenty and turned to wink at the waitress who was pretending not to spy on them. “Let’s blow this taco stand so you can go wrangle those men. ”
Ten minutes later, they walked through the door of the lodge into the cheerful great room with its blazing fire. Seth stood near the hearth and turned when Raine entered. But she barely noticed him.
Dressed in jeans and freshly showered, Liam and Hammer stood, both tense. Then they stepped toward her, and she got a good look at their faces.
She gasped. “What happened to—” The truth hit her between the eyes, and Raine threw her hands up in exasperation. “You two fought? What the hell? And don’t talk to me about language right now, Liam. I have every right to be ridiculous if you’re going to be. ”
They both had the good grace to look sheepish.
Liam rubbed at a mottled, red-purple spot on his jaw. Both their noses looked swollen. Hammer had a bit of a goose egg on his chin.
Behind her, Beck chuckled. “God, you two are funny. ”
“Fuck off, Beck. ” Hammer scowled.
“I deliver her back to you twice and that’s the thanks I get. ” He shook his head. “We need to talk about the concept of appreciation, man. ”
“Where’s her suitcase?” Liam snapped.
“Still in the SUV. ” Raine made her way across the room and sat in one of the overstuffed chairs adjacent to the sofa.
Beck followed and patted her on the shoulder before he took his place beside Seth. “Hand them their balls, princess. ”
She turned to stare at her friend over her shoulder. “Can you behave?”
“We’re sorry, precious,” Hammer began. “We never meant to upset you. ”
“No,” she corrected. “You never meant for me to hear. If you expect me to be honest, you should be as well. ”
He and Liam exchanged a glance before he nodded. “You’re right. ”
“Good. ” She leaned forward, bracing her elbows on her knees. “Tell me, are you two done fighting?”
“We are,” Hammer promised.
She nodded, then turned to stare at Liam. He was too quiet, and that worried her.
Her tender Irishman hesitated, then nodded. “We talked through a lot of things tonight. We’re back on the same page, love. ”
Raine sincerely hoped that was true. “In order for me to stay, I need to put that to the test. I understand the final task you had planned for me was about trust. No offense, Seth, but I’m not bottoming for you. I’m definitely not sleeping with you, either. I love them, but right now trust is a little thin, and I don’t think I could respond in a way that would please anyone. ”
Seth looked impressed. “That’s honest. Fair enough. By the way, they weren’t going to let me touch you. ”
“Told you,” Beck put in.
She sent him an impatient glare.
“Sorry,” the doctor murmured. “You’re doing good. Carry on. ”
Raine gave him an absent nod, then addressed Liam and Hammer again. “I came here wanting you both in my life. After two days here, I realize that’s what I need. I also know I can’t stop you from fighting, and making you promise to get along was never going to work. But I don’t think it’s too much to ask that you not hit one another. ”
“You’re right,” Hammer admitted. “We’re done. ”
“I threw the first punch. I’m sorry,” Liam added.
They both looked so contrite with their proverbial tails tucked between their legs. It wouldn’t last long. They’d soon be big bad alpha Doms again. But at the moment, it was nice to see that distressing her had unsettled them deeply.
“So, here’s what I’m thinking: We should all work on our trust. I have a proposition for you. ”
“We’re listening. ” Liam’s eyes looked sharp, his body taut.
Hammer lounged against the back of the sofa, but he was no less attentive. “Tell us. ”
“For us to work, you two have to trust one another, believe that you’ll do the right thing, and have my best interest at heart, right?”
They both nodded.
“I have to trust that you’ll take care of me and give me the experience I need. ”
“As always,” Liam answered.
“But now we have a new component. You need to trust me not only to submit myself totally, but to love you equally. You have to believe that I will come to you openly and never choose one over the other. And I assure you, I won’t, not ever again. Do I have any of that wrong, Sirs?”
They looked at one another in a seeming silent moment of communication.
“You’re right. ” Hammer nodded at her. “Go on. What’s your plan?”
Now the conversation got more difficult. If this didn’t work, she could never try to love just one of them while cutting the other out. She’d have to walk away from them both. Raine understood the huge gamble she was undertaking…but didn’t see another way. If this plan didn’t work, they would never last.
“Before I get into that, I need your promise that communication and honesty also run not just from me to you, but from you to me. If I have questions, you’ll give me answers. ”
Another hesitation. Another glance. Then Liam nodded. “Of course. ”
“Later, I’ll want answers about some of the things I overheard tonight. If you’re not prepared to give me those answers, then I’ll know you’re not ready for this level of trust and Beck will take me down the mountain. ”
“And then what?” Hammer challenged.
“Nothing. ” She shrugged. “Because we’d have nothing. You both made it very clear how important communication, honesty, and trust are. It’s so clear that I get it now. We have nothing real without them. I won’t settle for less. ”
Hammer scrubbed a hand down his face. Liam shifted in his seat. Neither looked very comfortable with her request. Beck and Seth didn’t move a muscle. The sense of anticipation turned thick in the air.
“All right,” Hammer said finally. “I’ll answer your questions in the best way I can. ”
“I will, too. ” Liam nodded her way.
“Good. I’m trusting you to keep your end of the bargain. ”
“But why later, love?” Liam asked. “Why not now?”
“Because I want to do it after our show of trust. If we get through that, the answers will mean more. If not…then none of it will matter. Okay?”
“Whatever you need to feel comfortable,” Hammer promised.
Liam nodded. “We want you happy. ”
They were willing to give back to her, and that fact alone made Raine’s heart soften. She wanted to fling herself in their arms, but now she had to say the most difficult words of all.
She stood, pacing around her chair. To her right, Liam and Hammer both edged toward the front of the sofa. Tension gripped the room.
“Go on, love,” Liam prompted.
There was no easy way to say this. They would either agree or not, and stalling wouldn’t change that.
Raine sucked in a bracing breath. “I need you both. I want to give myself completely to you with a fully open heart. I know what I’m asking won’t be easy for either of you, and you can say no. But I’d love the fantasy just this once. If you want that, too, come find me. I want you to make love to me. Together. ”
After Raine mounted the stairs and disappeared into the master suite, the door shut. Seth grabbed her suitcase and ran it upstairs. A moment later, he heard the water running through the pipes to her bathtub.
Liam let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding and turned to look at Hammer. “Well, mate. I think her balls are bigger than ours put together. I’m not sure either of us would ever have been able to handle her on our own. ”
Hammer laughed. “Amazing woman, isn’t she? Others pale in comparison. I’ve got to admit, Raine is the only one I’d ever let hand me my balls on a platter. ”
“You two are so pussy-whipped, it’s fucking hysterical. ” Beck snickered.
Seth jogged down the stairs with a sly grin at Liam. “I remember asking if she’d put a spell on you with her voodoo pussy. At least you didn’t lie about the fact that she has. ”
That made Beck laugh even harder. Hammer joined in, too. Liam tried to keep a straight face, but he couldn’t hold back a smile.
He elbowed Macen. “Hey, I’m not the only one. ”
“Absolutely not,” Hammer admitted, glancing up the stairs toward the master suite. “I can’t wait for her to put another spell on me. ”
Beck rolled his eyes. “This is like hearing about my little sister getting down and dirty. Come on, Seth. Let’s raid the kitchen. ”
As the other two Doms left, noisily emptying the contents of the refrigerator, he and Hammer stared into the fire. Neither man spoke for a few minutes, each sipping their drinks, wrapped in their own thoughts.
“If she thinks it’s only for one night,” Liam groused, “she’s out of her pretty little head. ”
“I guess the only question left is whether or not we’re in this together,” Hammer murmured. “You need to be clear on whether you’re staying or going now. ”
