The Break by Shayla Black

The following morning, Raine woke to a warm hand cupping her shoulder and a deep voice in her ear. A familiar scent wrapped around her, instantly transporting her back to happier times and comfort. Love. Liam.

With a lazy smile, she rolled over, bleary-eyed, and faced him. Hammer stood at his side. Both men wore tense expressions.

The jolt of surprise shoved away her vestiges of sleep. Raine blinked. Why were they here and dressed before a single ray of sun had brightened her room? And why were they together, watching her?

Pulling her blankets to her chin, she pushed her hair from her face and sat up. “What’s going on? Is something wrong?”

“No, love,” Liam assured. “We came to tell you first that we’re glad you decided to come home. I know you were upset when you left.”

And they didn’t seem angry that she’d fled. They had every right to be. Instead, they looked resigned. No, decisive. Their odd demeanor confused her.

“It’s good to have you home, precious. Now, on your feet.” She couldn’t miss the command in Hammer’s voice.

Liam wasn’t trying to tear his head off for that? Or objecting to his dominance? She stared at the pair of them, blinking.

“Raine?” Liam prodded. “Hammer asked you to do something. Acknowledge him and obey.”

Was he serious? She frowned, Liam’s words not fully computing. But the two of them were looking at her with the same expectant expression and standing side by side. Together.

“All right, Sir.” Tossing the covers back slowly, she climbed from the bed. They stepped closer, crowding her against the edge of the mattress. She trembled. “Did you wake me up to say that you found a Domme for me?”

Neither answered. Their silence made her nervous. She looked up to find them exchanging a glance. If she didn’t know better, Raine would swear they were in on some conspiracy together.

“We woke you to tell you that we discussed your request at length last night,” Liam finally began. “We agree that you need to learn—a great deal, in fact.”

She would have loved being a fly on the wall for that conversation. “And?”

“You’ve asked for a Domme, and we’re willing to grant you one.” As a bittersweet relief began to slide through her, Hammer went on, his stare unwavering. “But we have another possibility for you to consider.”

A silent tension gripped them both and squeezed her lungs. Whatever they had on their minds meant something to them. They wanted her to say yes. Their impatience must be the reason they’d woken her up so damn early.

“What is it?” she asked cautiously.

“We’ll get into the specifics in a moment. Before we do, we have a few questions to determine if this alternate option is right for you.” Hammer glanced at Liam like he waited for the other man to begin the next part of this rehearsed speech.

What the hell?

“No doubt you’ll want someone who will devote their time and knowledge to you. Yes?” Liam prodded her with a watchful stare.

“I think I’d make more progress that way,” she admitted. “I’d like her to be understanding and compassionate. Like Mistress Hillary, maybe?”

“Unfortunately, she’s out of town for the next two months.” Hammer didn’t look at all unhappy about that. “But let’s not talk about any certain individual until we’ve identified all your needs.”

“This isn’t as easy as plucking a name out of a hat, love,” Liam chided. “There should be a special bond between Dominant and submissive. If you don’t click with the first choice, you’ll soon be back to square one. So you should choose cautiously, agreed?”

“Yes, Sirs.” They were right. If she gave her all to the wrong Domme, then had to start over with someone new, it would waste time and cause her frustration. At the thought of opening herself up to a stranger, a sludgy lump of vulnerability caught in her chest.

“Good. You’ll want someone you feel comfortable with.” Hammer raised a brow at her as if daring her to contradict him. “A top you can talk to, who understands you.”

“Of course. It’s one reason I asked Beck, but he said no.”

“Beck?” Liam bit out.

Raine raised her chin and nodded. “Yeah. He’s not a stranger and he helped me realize that I needed to come home and start fixing myself.”

Hammer looked almost smug now. “You do, but the Dominant who trains you will inevitably claim a piece of your heart. Beck can’t do that. And you won’t learn any other way. It’s how you’re built.”

Raine sighed. She hadn’t thought of it that way, but he was probably right. Who did that leave her?

She frowned as suspicions took shape. “I expect a deep rapport would grow in time. Where are you going with this?”

“Time is the key word.” Liam’s lips curled up in a self-assured smile. “You’d be starting at square one with a stranger. It could take weeks, or even months, to establish the sort of trust necessary for your journey, assuming it’s a good fit at all.”

Suspicions dive-bombed her brain now. He and Liam had some shit up their sleeves. Neither of them ever did a damn thing without some lesson or expectation attached.

“Of course, trust will be critical.” Raine wedged enough space between them and her to cross her arms over her chest. She tapped her toe. “Everything you’re saying is common sense. So what’s this other option you have in mind?”

Would Liam take her back? Or did Hammer mean to step in? Because this definitely had something to do with one—or both—of them.

Liam leaned in before delving deep into her eyes. “If you want to learn about opening yourself to someone and giving your submission, no one knows you better or wants you to grow more than me and Hammer. Give yourself over to us. We’ll guide you down your path.”

For a long moment, Raine just stared. Had she heard that right? “You two? Together? Is that a joke?”

“Do you see us laughing?” Hammer stared disapprovingly with piercing eyes.

They’d offered her her wildest, most impossible desire. Sadly, it would probably end in someone’s murder. And it would be her fault.

“It’s fucking insane. It’ll never work.”

“You know I don’t like that language, Raine.” Liam’s brows slashed in disapproval.

She was completely stunned, and he wanted to worry about her cursing? “The three of us together are a time bomb. It won’t take long to explode, and we’ll all get hurt. I can’t do that. I can’t open myself up when I’m going to spend at least half my time waiting for you two to come to blows. I’d love to say yes, more than anything.” That admission would probably put Liam on edge or spur Hammer’s temper—and they’d start fighting any second. “But it’s a fantasy, like world peace.”

To her shock, neither one of them lost their cool. In fact, they didn’t seem ruffled at all to hear that she wanted them both. Whoa.

“It’s not a fantasy, love. It’s what we’re offering you. And before you answer, listen to what we have to say.”

Their whole conversation this morning had been laced with “we” and “us.” Had running off been a wake-up call for them? Or had Seth bashed their heads together until they’d decided to play nice?

Liam and Hammer weren’t perfect, but they usually had her best interests at heart. She owed it to them to at least listen because she could only imagine what sort of compromise they’d ironed out to even make her this offer together. And it was so enticing. Raine tried to ignore the rush of heat thrumming in her blood and think logically.

“All right. I’m glad you two are speaking again. I’ll listen.”

“We’ve put our differences aside to help you.” Hammer cupped his chin in a thoughtful gesture. Damn if she didn’t want him to reach out and touch her. “We’ve agreed to devote our time to you. I can safely say there aren’t any Dominants at the club who, combined, have more experience than us.”

“Make no mistake, we want you to have the best instruction available. Mistress Hillary can’t provide you half the understanding and compassion we will,” Liam added gently but firmly.

Raine couldn’t deny how much she’d missed the affection he showered on her. Even Hammer never failed to show his caring—in his own silent way.

And the thought of having them both made her entire body light up like a Fourth-of-July spectacle.

Maybe they had really thought about this outlandish scheme. They were doing their damnedest to persuade her to accept. But no matter how badly she wanted to throw caution to the wind, doubts still crowded her mind.

“We already know your secrets.” A hint of a smile curled across Hammer’s lips. “You can’t argue that we know what makes you tick.”

“You’ve already established a bond with us.” Without missing a beat, Liam’s words fell in behind Hammer’s. “No one understands you better than we do. Let go of your fears and put yourself in our hands. Let us take you on the journey.”

His sincerity tugged at her heart. God, she wanted to say yes.

“We’ll do everything we can to give you what you asked for.” Hammer frowned. “You haven’t changed your mind, have you?”

“No.”

“We’re completely united on this,” Liam added. “We know you’re worried we’ll start arguing and tossing fists, but it won’t happen, love. Tell me, is there another reason you’re hesitating?”

“It’s a huge decision,” she insisted. “I need time to think.”

But about what? Aside from their quarreling, it would be heaven having the two men she loved molding her. Hell, it would be a dream come true.

Hammer reached out and pulled her close to his chest, his warm breath caressing the shell of her ear. She felt herself melt.

“Do you really need time to think about being the center of our world, precious?” he challenged in a low, hungry voice.

Liam pressed in behind her, and his lips skimmed a path up her neck. “Open up and let us in. We won’t let you fall.”

A quiver of need slammed down her spine. She had no trouble envisioning what it would feel like to be at their mercy. Desire hummed. Pressed between them, the fantasy that had spun through her head for weeks paled in comparison to the decadent reality. She sucked in a ragged breath.

They were trying to put aside their differences for her. No way to think otherwise or overlook that fact. They were giving her the chance to grow. Hell, the chance of a lifetime.

Her fantasy come true.

“I accept—on one condition.” Negotiation was part and parcel of BDSM. No way was she entering into this without them hearing her concerns.

Liam eased back from behind her before sidling next to Hammer. Shoulder to shoulder, the two most important men in her life stared down at her, waiting.

Hammer slowly released her. “We’re listening.”

“You two have to get along. The minute there’s any arguing, name calling, backbiting, jealous rants, or strife of any kind, I’m done. I mean it. I refuse to come between you two again.”

They exchanged a glance, then Liam shrugged.

“Done.” Hammer sent her a sharp nod.

“Our disagreements are over,” Liam vowed.

She wanted it to be true. Whether they could make that stick remained to be seen, but short of calling them liars, Raine had to believe them. “As long as we’re clear…”

“Crystal, love,” Liam assured.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Now you’ll hear our terms.” Hammer nodded. “You will not question the methods we use to help you achieve submission,” Hammer warned in his deep, growling Dom voice. If the man knew what that did to her girl parts, she’d be toast. “They will not always be easy, but they will be effective.”

Liam picked up. “You will never doubt that we want anything but the best for you. And every time you curse, we’ll add it to your list of infractions.”

“Your little f-bomb has been duly noted.” Hammer glared. “You will also never try to pit one of us against the other. Ever. Your training starts...” He looked at his watch. “Now. Raise your hand if you have any questions or do not understand our terms.”

Their dual expressions of determination told her they were deadly serious. Though she couldn’t help but worry their idea was doomed to fail, she was so damn touched.

“No, I understand.”

This was really going to happen. God, she didn’t know if she should be terrified or thrilled. More than a little of both swirled inside her.

“Good. Shower now. We will pack your bag. I’ll come collect any toiletries you’d like to take and give you additional instructions then.”

She blinked up at Liam. This wasn’t the Dom she knew. She’d expected this sort of strict control from Hammer. But right now, Liam was all demand and no cajoling. It was sexy. Raine bowed her head for a moment, trying to wrap her thoughts around this morning’s events. But there was only one answer in her heart. “Yes, Sir.”

“Then I suggest some action,” Liam urged. “If you dawdle, we’ll add that to your list of infractions, too.”

“And I guarantee you won’t like it,” Hammer added.

Then in unison, they turned toward the door.

That was the end of the conversation in their minds? “Wait!”

They turned back, Liam with a dark brow raised in warning, Hammer with an impatient stare.

“Why are you packing me a suitcase? Where are we going?”

Liam smiled. “You’ll find out. Time’s a wasting, Raine. I suggest you move.”

Then they walked out. With a quiet click, the door shut behind them.

* * *

Raine shut off the water, anxiety humming through her veins. Liam’s badass Dom mode earlier had been arousing as hell, but she’d found herself more than a bit intimidated. He’d instructed her to get herself ready quickly, but for what? All the uncertainty zipping through her was making her damn near dizzy.

Shoving the shower curtain aside, she shrieked, startled to find Liam standing before her with her towel draped over his arm. His stare raked her possessively, as though he meant to devour her in one big bite. Her nipples pebbled. Heat erupted deep in her womb. Just one look from the man and she was aching. This imposing side of him only served to make her more nervous about the surprising scheme he and Hammer had cooked up.

After last night, Raine had no doubt that Liam was mad—and hurt—that she’d run away. She adored his sweet side. His tender, nurturing compassion made her turn all gooey. But now he’d reverted to the reserved control he’d used with her at the lodge. It was effective and disquieting.

“Come here.” His voice was thick as he opened the towel, inviting her into his arms.

A flutter of excitement scurried up her spine. Oh, she’d missed his warm embrace. Fighting the need to surge into his arms, she tiptoed closer. He enveloped her against him. Closing her eyes, she inhaled his spicy, familiar scent. She loved it every bit as much as she loved him.

“I can’t begin to tell you how good it feels to hold you again.” His silky Irish lilt slid over her like warm honey. “I’ve missed you.”

She snuggled deeper. She could feel every hard inch of his body pressed against hers as he squeezed her tight. “I missed you, too.”

Reaching up, he dislodged the clip in her hair and feathered his fingers to loosen the strands. All the while he stared down at her, not uttering a word. As he captured her with his gaze, the worries that had plagued her for the past few days faded into the background. But her guilt and insecurities still niggled her, seeping past the comfort of his embrace.

“Why?” Her unguarded question slipped out before she could curb it.

“Why what, love?”

“Why are you doing this for me after the way I left you? When you removed my collar, I panicked. I ran. I-I’m sorry. I didn’t think you wanted me anymore.” She hadn’t planned to open up and show him her vulnerabilities. Now that she had, Raine searched his eyes, desperate to know what he thought, felt. His unreadable expression left her feeling more exposed than her nudity.

At Beck’s condo, she’d believed that she’d cried all she could, but new, hot tears threatened, proving Liam owned something deep inside her.

“Shh. There now, love. Of course I want you. I never stopped.” He stepped back and pulled her down with him as he sat on the toilet lid. “I’m trying to help you in the ways I know you need. This isn’t about me; it’s about you.”

Raine curled up, sliding her arms around his steely shoulders as he placed a sweet kiss on her forehead. She sank into his embrace with a sigh. Being here felt so right.

“I didn’t mean to snap at you last night,” he murmured.

“You had every right to.”

Liam gently rocked her, smoothing her hair back from her face. “You surprised me with your request. Just know that I love you. I’d do anything for you. Well, except watch you give your submission to a Domme.”

Despite her anxiety, she laughed. So gentle, so loving…so Liam.

“Come on.” He smiled down at her. “Stop your worrying and show me that you missed me.”

With a sudden shyness, she leaned up and pressed her lips to his, feeling small and treasured in his arms. Liam moaned as he took her lips with a fierce tenderness that made her toes curl and her body dissolve with arousal. She squirmed, but he held her in place with firm fingers on her nape. With his free hand, he gripped her hip and pulled her tighter against him.

He was like a drug shooting straight into her veins, and the surge of “instant Liam” made her heart thump wildly. God, how she’d missed him. Missed this.

Their tongues tangled. A moan of desire bubbled and rolled up from her throat. Though the days she’d spent apart from him were painful and empty, they’d been healing, too. And coming back to him—to the comforting fire he roused—centered her.

Easing back, she saw a gratified smile sparkle all the way to Liam’s eyes. Then he plucked her from his lap, tore away her towel, and swatted her bare ass.

“Now get a move on. We’re waiting.” With a wicked grin full of promise, he turned. “Bring me your toiletries after you’re dressed. And make sure you wear a skirt. Something short.”

With that, Liam left the bathroom.

Nerves jumping, Raine dashed to her closet and dressed, then applied some tinted moisturizer and lip gloss. Pausing to look in the mirror, she noticed her lips were swollen from his kiss. All the energy buzzing inside her merged with the joy she felt at being with him again.

As she stepped back into her room, she noticed Liam sitting patiently on her bed. An empty suitcase lay open beside him. He stood and accepted the items she held out in offering. After unloading them into the bag, he led her to the door.

“I’ll finish packing for you, love. Right now, it’s time to eat breakfast. Hammer is waiting for you.”

Raine’s eyes widened. Liam was voluntarily sending her to Hammer? Yes, they’d both agreed to be her Doms, but everything seemed surreal.

“And you want me to find him?”

“Yes. He’s waiting in the kitchen.”

That made Raine’s heart stutter again. Lord, if Hammer was cooking, she hoped he was preparing dry cereal. Anything more complicated could be catastrophic. Absently, she kissed Liam, then darted out of the room, almost dreading what she’d find. Hammer had proven he could set the kitchen on fire.

As she scurried down the hall, Raine felt a tingle roll through her and glanced back to see Liam watching, his seductive stare promising more than a kiss—soon.

* * *

As she rounded the doorway to the kitchen, Hammer stood at the stove, cursing as he hissed and shook a splatter of hot bacon grease from his hand. Raine bit her lip, trying not to laugh.

Remembering the last time he’d attempted to cook, her thoughts wandered years back, to the third morning she’d awakened at Shadows. The scream of a smoke alarm had sent her racing down the hall, panicked that the entire building was going up in flames. What she’d found instead was the sharply perceptive man who had taken her in. He fanned a dish towel at the shrieking alarm. Flames flickered behind the glass window of the oven as more noxious smoke rolled from its door.

With a gasp, Raine had raced around the room, turning off the oven and searching numerous cabinets until she found a box of baking soda. Yanking the door open, she dumped the powder over the flames, snuffing out the fire from the frosting-laden Danishes he’d tried to broil.

Hammer, despite seeming so tall and intimidating, had given her a smile of pride. “Thank you, precious.”

She hadn’t known why at the time, but her heart had soared and her stomach had flipped over completely.

Her heart nearly melted in from her chest now as she watched him attempt to cook for her again. Raine hoped that meant he was on the road to forgiving her. She sure hadn’t thought he would be last night when he’d refused to speak to her. Hammer cutting her cold would be like losing a limb. This morning, she still wasn’t exactly sure where she stood. They weren’t strictly friends. But they weren’t exactly lovers, either. Like Liam, he wanted to help her. That had to mean something.

She wondered if he knew that Liam had pulled her naked into his lap minutes ago and kissed her. Or if he’d care. Would Hammer kiss her, too? Do more? Or had the only way he and Liam been able to stop arguing and make her this offer was to take sex off the table?

Damn, she should have asked what boundaries they’d set for themselves before she’d agreed to let them guide her. But she intended to ask as soon as she had them alone again.

Easing toward the stove, she placed her hand over his and reached for the fork in his grasp, looking up into his face. For recognition. For approval. Would he push her away or welcome her?

“Do you want me to take over?” she asked softly.

“It would be safer for us all. Here.” He handed her the fork with a grin.

Instantly, that set her at ease. She took over at the stove with a wistful smile. “Remember the last time you tried to set the place on fire?”

“I might take that for sass, precious.”

But he wouldn’t, and his teasing tone made that obvious. She chuckled as she nudged his shoulder to move him away from her stove. “I’ve got this. Grab yourself a cup of coffee and relax.”

Skewing up one side of his mouth, Hammer lifted the coffeepot from the counter. “Um…”

He tipped the pot over, revealing that it was empty, and sent her a hopeful smile, thrusting it toward her.

She giggled. “You’re so helpless.”

Shaking her head, she stepped around him and filled the pot. She could feel his eyes watching her every move.

“Not at everything,” Hammer refuted in a rough drawl. “But you know that.”

Raine remembered. Every moment of the night she’d spent in his bed was seared in her memory.

“Like barking out orders and growling?” she teased to match his mood.

Suddenly, his smile disappeared. Hammer’s commanding Dom face took its place.

Uh-oh. Fun time is over.

“I have one question for you,” he said.

Raine held her breath anxiously. “Yes?”

“Are you absolutely sure this is what you want to do?”

Despite her earlier reservations, she’d never been more serious about anything in her life. The past was where it belonged, behind her. The present was winding itself before her, albeit on a unexpected path. The future…who knew? But she refused to give up on tomorrow simply because it scared her.

She lifted her chin with conviction. “Positive.”

“I hope you mean that.” Hammer’s stare held hers hostage for a long, silent moment.

Then his attention drifted toward the coffeepot, and he sighed.

So big and bad…until he had no coffee. She grinned. “It will be ready soon. Patience.”

“Watch yourself,” Hammer warned with an arch of his brow. “Don’t forget, your lily white backside is going to be in our hands soon.”

Their broad, strong hands. And the visual of them all over her blasted through her brain—of them stripping off her clothes with those hands, binding her to their bed, dragging their lips across her skin, driving their cocks deep inside her, pounding, claiming, overwhelming... God, she hoped they’d give her that chance.

The room felt hot, or maybe it was just her cheeks. Biting back a moan, she zipped her gaze down to the bacon sizzling in the pan, hoping Hammer couldn’t read her thoughts. Raine ached for something that might never happen, and she had to accept that. Or did she? The question that had haunted her earlier roared back with force. They’d said they would both top her…but what exactly would that entail?

Raine gathered up her courage and changed the subject. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Of course.”

“Why are you trying to bury the hatchet with Liam and help me?”

Hammer moved in behind her, his warm breath caressing her ear. He pressed every hard inch of his body against her back, and his cock prodded her backside. No mistaking that he wanted her. Though she tried not to shiver, his closeness made that an impossible feat. He wrapped his big hands around her hips in a commanding hold and pressed into her. Raine gasped and melted into him. Desire flashed over her skin. God, he felt so good.

She wanted more—of both of them.

“Because you’re worth it, precious. You’ve asked for help, and no one on the goddamn planet is going to lead you down your path except us.”

Twisting from his hold, she turned and met his solemn stare. “But why? I mean, I know why Liam wants to guide me. He says he’s in love with me. But you…you’ve already gone above and beyond taking care of me for years. I would have thought that you’d be happy to cut me loose and let Liam teach me what I need to know.”

Resolution stamped across his face an instant before Hammer slid a hand around her back and skimmed it up her spine. Then he gripped his fist in her hair and tilted her head back, his stare intent. He meant to get some message across to her.

“Whatever you think, whatever has happened in the past, you belonged with me the minute you walked in the door.”

Hammer swooped down, his lips capturing hers. Impassioned. Reverent. The kiss branded her with fire…and something almost desperate. She’d never felt him so ardently gentle. Hell, she’d never known he was capable of it.

Beneath her tank top, her nipples drew up hard and ached as every muscle in her body went soft. The potent claim of his mouth soon had her dropping the fork to grab his shirt in her fists with a sigh.

Hammer poured himself into this one euphoric kiss. It held all the markings of a silent confession, and Raine wondered if she were imagining this touch to be Hammer’s nonverbal proclamation of love. Was that even possible? Or was he simply trying to provide caring so she’d let him “fix” her? After he had, would he slam the door shut between them again?

Immersed in his raw emotion, Raine stopped trying to answer the questions swirling in her head and gave herself over. She lost herself in his kiss, pouring out all the longing she’d barely had the opportunity to release in six years.

Hammer growled in approval. She savored each exalted second until he slowly pulled away. Still, he allowed his lips to linger on hers for another bittersweet moment.

Then she jerked away. Could she return his affection without Liam’s permission? Should she have kissed Liam without consulting Hammer? What were the rules of their new partnership?

As if he could peer into her soul, as he so often had, he sent her a reassuring smile and took her hand, pressing a delicate kiss in the center of her palm.

“Everything is fine, precious. Finish fixing breakfast. Then we’ll start fixing you.”