The Break by Shayla Black

Raine stood under the hot spray of her shower, sobbing so hard she could barely take a breath. For the last month, Liam had quietly and solidly supported her, keeping her balanced and almost happy. He’d treasured her in a hundred ways. He’d shown her every day that he wanted her.

Until today when he’d left her.

How was she going to survive when she felt as if her chest had been torn open and everything inside yanked out with a few brutally soft words?

She reached for her favorite shampoo. But it was with Liam, in his room, in his shower. He also had her body wash, a bunch of her clothes…and half her heart. He didn’t want that half anymore.

And Hammer wouldn’t take the other half.

Crossing her arms over her chest, she curled her hands under her chin and bowed her head. The absence of her collar stabbed her with agony again. And remorse. Falling back against the cold tile, she let the tears flow. They mingled with the water, pelting her unrelentingly.

Liam had left her.

The thought razed through her brain again. Her knees buckled. Another sob robbed her of breath. More tears joined the cascade of water. She could barely think past the pain.

On autopilot, Raine shampooed her hair, scrubbed Liam’s seed from her body, washed her face, then stepped out. The towel smelled like fabric softener, not Liam. She’d become so accustomed to sharing his, smelling his musk on the damp terrycloth. It made her feel safe. Why hadn’t she realized that before now?

Why hadn’t she been able to tell him that she loved him when she did, so very, very much? The disappointment on his face had seared itself into her memory.

Maybe it didn’t matter. He’d made himself clear that he would welcome her back, but only if she was a different person. Raine didn’t know how to be that.

She dredged up an almost superhuman effort to slather lotion on her skin, braid her hair, and apply lip gloss. Raine gave up then. She just didn’t care about the rest.

Leaving the steamy bathroom, she wriggled her way into some panties, a bra, a pair of sweatpants, and a sweatshirt. Lying in one of her drawers, she fingered an old T-shirt that had been Hammer’s once, long ago. She’d taken it from him and slept in it for months, just to feel close to him. Shortly after turning twenty-one and realizing that he still treated her every bit like a child, she’d tucked it away.

Raine knew now that his attitude had been a front…but nothing had really changed. He would never love her in return. Sure, he might want to fuck her for a night or two—and yes, she could run to his room and seduce him now—but she loved Hammer too much to make him the instrument of her revenge. And regardless of the hurt Liam had inflicted, she just didn’t have it in her to stab him in return.

Shoving the shirt back in her drawer, Raine looked around the room she’d called her own for years. She didn’t belong here anymore.

So where did that leave her? More to the point, where did she belong? Liam had released her because she couldn’t be what he needed. Hammer had refused her for so long, and after their torrid night of passion, he’d let her go for the exact same reason.

Her dad had been right all along. She wasn’t good enough.

Maybe if she left, Liam and Hammer would finally repair their friendship. That would make them happy someday, and then she could say she’d done at least one thing right.

Of course Raine recognized that running was an old pattern of hers, one both men had chided her about. But in this case, she just didn’t see any way for the healing to begin if she was constantly underfoot to provide the friction between them. Besides, if she had to look at them every day and know they’d never be hers, it would eventually destroy her.

Leaving was best.

That would probably seem unfathomable to Liam. He’d been nudging her to leave Shadows with him since he’d collared her because it would be good for her. She hadn’t agreed and had refused to go. But everything was different now.

As much as she hated to leave her home, she’d do it for both men. For their friendship, which had deteriorated drastically since they’d torn apart the kitchen on Thanksgiving. She didn’t know exactly what had happened, but the tension was tangible and thick between them now. Ugly. The blame for that rested squarely on her shoulders.

Pushing aside dread of the unknown she’d face once she left, Raine grabbed a suitcase from her closet. She had a little money in the bank. She’d find a new place and a new job. After all, she had a college degree and some accounting skills. She was good with people. She’d been an office manager…of sorts. Somehow, someway, she’d figure it out.

Blotting her face with a tissue, Raine sniffled back tears. They were useless. Liam and Hammer couldn’t change what they needed, and she couldn’t change who she was. It had been destined to end this way, she supposed.

Desolation hollowed her as she tossed most of her belongings into the suitcase. She packed some of her favorite pictures: Hammer dressed as the devil, opposite her angel, last Halloween. She and Liam at their collaring ceremony. One she’d taken of the two men clinking beer mugs the night Liam had first arrived from New York. All happy times. All smiles. So unlike now.

Raine sighed and zipped her suitcase, scanning her room. Sad that she’d packed up most of her life in fifteen minutes. All she had to do was load her car and drive off.

Wait, it wasn’t her car. Hammer had bought it for her. The title was in his name. And she’d accepted the gift because it made her feel special to him. Stupid. The smarter move would have been to stand on her own two feet. She sure as hell refused to steal from him now.

She fished her car keys from her purse, along with the keys to Shadows, and left them on her dresser. He’d find them at some point.

Dismissing the thought, she dug out her phone, Googled a quick number, and made the saddest phone call of her life. The voice on the other end said she had ten minutes left, but why wait? Why take a chance that Liam or Hammer would come looking for her? It was probably cowardly to just disappear. But so much easier. She’d make sure they knew she was all right and make them promise to let her go.

She backed out of the room, taking one last sweeping look around. Not that it mattered; this place was permanently imprinted in her memories. On her heart. Just like the men who lived here.

No one walked the hall as she slipped out of her room. No one confronted her as she made her way past Liam’s door, past Hammer’s. She shoved her way into the alley, peering out at the overcast day. Raine couldn’t believe this was the last time she’d be at Shadows. Everything had happened so fast. The moment felt so surreal. But she wasn’t going to wake up, rub her eyes, and realize this had all been a dream.

Standing in the alley, the wind tugged at her clothes and made her nose cold. It was almost December. Her wet hair filled her with a chill. She probably should have packed a coat, but the mild discomfort was nothing compared to the torment dismembering her heart.

Right on schedule, her taxi arrived. She turned off her phone and shoved it into her purse, approaching the vehicle. This was it. She swiped fresh tears from her face.

“Where to?” the gruff cabbie asked.

Good question.Someplace familiar—for now. She’d figure out where to head from there.

Raine rattled off the name of a drugstore a few blocks from where she’d grown up. It was in the center of town. Once there, she could begin to settle everything else. The town was relatively quiet, growing so she could find a job and easy to navigate if it took her a while to buy another car. She wouldn’t feel safe there—she only truly did under Hammer’s roof—but she’d closed that chapter of her life, so moving on…

The taxi driver put his foot on the gas, and the car lurched forward. The scarred dumpster Hammer had once found her hiding behind and the familiar building where she’d learned about love from the two amazing men who had forever changed her life rolled out of sight.

Twenty minutes later, she’d done nothing but stare out the window. She almost felt…numb. It was kind of nice. Raine didn’t expect the reprieve to last because the pain lurked just under the surface. But she’d take the daze for now. The minute she found some privacy, it was bound to get ugly.

The cab stopped in the little strip shopping center. She thought about asking him to wait, but he got a call for another fare. And honestly, she didn’t know where to tell him to take her. She paid him, grabbed her suitcase, then climbed out.

It started to rain.

Damn it, if that didn’t just add to the day.Sighing, Raine dashed into the shelter of the store. She pretended to browse the cosmetics and self-care products. She walked past greeting cards, toys, snacks—and came to something she could really use.

She grabbed the first one on the shelf, paid a goth girl for it, and peered out, hoping for a break in the storm, which probably wouldn’t last. But all she had to do was find a place to hang her head for the night. Then the skies could pour down buckets for all she fucking cared.

Except no one was going to rent her a room at ten thirty in the morning.

Crap, she couldn’t even plan a departure without fucking it up.

At the end of the road, the sign of a low-budget chain of motels caught her attention. It wasn’t fancy, but it was clean and probably pimp-free. Those were her only requirements now.

Fifteen minutes later, she juggled her purchase under her arm and, fingers aching, transferred her suitcase to her other hand as she strolled through the automatic double doors. Securing a room for the night would be no problem. Their computers were down currently, and none of the rooms would be clean for a few hours. The desk clerk agreed to store her suitcase for her, handed her a claim ticket, then told her she could check in officially as soon as the touchy machines all came back online.

Now what? She could hang out in the lobby, but she’d have nothing to do except to think of all she’d lost. Since she was no longer focused on the details of getting from Point A to Point B, the gouging sadness was begging to dig at her again, emptying her of any desire to put one foot in front of the other. It would get better, she knew. In time. A few months, if she was lucky. Maybe a few years.

Maybe never.

Raine shoved the thought aside. “What’s the nearest restaurant?”

She’d known once upon a time, but she hadn’t lived here in years.

The desk clerk referred her to a pancake house a few blocks away, closer to the freeway. Not that it mattered, really. She wasn’t hungry, but pretending to eat would kill time.

As she started for the door, the hotel’s little shuttle pulled up.

“The bus will take you anywhere within a two-mile radius for free,” the clerk offered helpfully, eyeing her.

“Thanks.” Raine didn’t glance back, just walked out.

The old bus driver smiled brightly as she stepped inside. His jovial grin was contagious, and she did her best to smile back. He had kind eyes and looked on the brink of asking her what was wrong, but she was sure he’d never been in a BDSM love triangle, so she amped up her plastic expression and commented on the weather.

After handing her a business card with a number to call when she wanted him to retrieve her, the man dropped her off in front of the diner that was way too cheerful for her mood. The thought of eating alone depressed her more.

Shouldering her purse, she wandered up the road instead, crossing a busy intersection. What the hell was she doing? She had no idea where she was going—not just today, but tomorrow. Next week. Next month. For the rest of her life.

Raine rubbed at her forehead. She had to get off the pity pot. Give herself today and grieve, then figure her shit out. All this moping just wasn’t going to solve anything.

Vaguely, she wondered if Liam or Hammer had even realized she was gone yet. If they had, would they be searching? Probably. Liam might even feel guilty. Hammer might be ticked off. Maybe she should set them at ease before she did anything else. But if she called there…what if one of them answered?

Suddenly, she looked up and saw the new hospital in town. And she knew exactly what to do.

* * *

Hammer stepped from the shower, hearing the senseless droning of the morning talk show host interviewing the latest reality “celebrity” in the background. Exhaustion weighed on him. He yawned and stretched. Was his fatigue the result of another fitful night? The incessant replay of Raine’s cries of pleasure earlier this morning? Or the constant spooling in his head of the advice Beck had given him eight days ago that he still hadn’t taken?

While punching his pillow and tossing restlessly last night, he’d come to the conclusion that he needed to apologize to Liam. The speech he’d prepared in his head and practiced in the shower felt more stilted than he’d like. But he’d say it. Once that was behind him, he could move onto the second step necessary to take control of his life again. How would Raine react when he confessed that he loved her and always had?

Hammer mussed his hair and threw on some clothes, determined that today he would sit Raine down and utter the three words he’d carried in his heart for so long.

He shouldn’t be as nervous as a teenage boy asking his first girl out on a date, but his stomach was in knots. Once he’d told her how he felt, he hoped they could move forward together—just the two of them.

The possibility exhilarated him.

Dressed and ready to vanquish his demons, he strode to the room beside his and knocked on Liam’s door. The apology repeated through Hammer’s brain as he waited, then knocked again. No one answered.

Frowning, he made his way to the kitchen, wondering if his precious girl was baking. But it, too, was empty. The only sign of life was a freshly brewed pot of coffee that smelled more like tar than anything Raine would make. Still, he needed it.

Hammer poured himself a mug and took a sip as he left the kitchen, grimacing at the warm sludge sliding down his throat.

When he reached the dungeon, he skimmed a glance over the open space. He didn’t see Liam or Raine. Had they gone to the gym? Out for breakfast? Or had they just ignored his knock, too wrapped up in their cocoon of bliss to give a fuck about him?

Fighting impatience, Hammer climbed the stairs to the bar. To his surprise, Liam sat on a tall stool, stooped over and nursing a mug of the terrible coffee.

“Good morning,” Hammer said stiffly.

Liam barely glanced his way, just nodded and sipped more of the brew, hissing as it hit his tongue. “God, that’s shit.”

Hammer stared down into his own cup. “It is. Who made it?”

With a grunt, Liam shoved his away. “I did.”

It fucking sucked. Hammer abandoned his mug on the bar, too. Then he drew in a deep breath. “I need to say something to you.”

Liam glanced to the stool beside him, wordlessly inviting him to sit. Hammer slid onto the seat.

This speech had been ten times easier when he’d been dishing it out to his own reflection. But the fact that he hated apologies and this one felt fucking awkward didn’t matter.

Liam shrugged, stared at the steam rising from his cup, his expression heavy and guarded. Hammer couldn’t miss the deep furrow between his brows. Jesus, the guy looked desolate.

Another wave of guilt poured over Hammer. “I’m sorry for a lot of things I’ve said and done. You’ve always been a like a brother to me. Wallowing in my guilt about Juliet, then assigning it to you while withholding the truth was despicable. But not nearly as unfair as dumping everything on your shoulders years later. I apologize. You deserved better.”

He watched as Liam scrubbed a hand down his face. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you. And I’m more sorry than I can say for the hell you went through. I don’t pretend to understand what Juliet did or why you didn’t share your pain with me. Maybe you thought I was too young and stupid to get it.” Before Hammer could refute that, Liam went on. “Fuck if I know. Doesn’t matter now, does it?”

Liam stared straight ahead into the mirror, looking remote, resigned. Hammer bit back a sigh. Had his secretive bullshit irrevocably severed their friendship? Great. Wait until Liam realized he not only intended to work his way into Raine’s bed again, but claim her once and for all.

“I don’t know what to say to that, Liam. I lost a wife and a child in one day, and it eventually cost me my best friend. I might have been wrong to wait so long to vomit out the truth—”

Liam snorted. “Do you think so?”

“Look, I was wrong, but I came clean. Everything I said Thanksgiving night was honest.” Hammer stared into the mirror, trying to read Liam’s reaction. “I’m not even sure what you thought of the revelations about Juliet. You never said.”

“I didn’t think it mattered to you. Since she died, you shut down and pissed off. So I moved on. Am I supposed to be sorry for that?” Liam finally turned to him with a scowl. “What’s the point now? All this retrospective crap doesn’t change a thing.” Liam made to rise from the stool.

“Wait! I’m not done, damn it.”

Rolling his eyes, Liam settled back onto the barstool. “Hurry the fuck up.”

Hammer lost his temper. “You got a tampon to change?”

Liam stood. “That’s it. I’m done listening.”

He clenched his fists. “Damn it, this is not how my apology was supposed to go. Sorry. Just let me finish.”

“You’ve got thirty seconds.”

Hammer scrubbed a hand through his hair. Christ. Clearly, mending their fractured friendship would require more than words—if it was even possible. The brittle olive branch he’d been trying to extend Liam wasn’t reaching far. What he planned with Raine would probably break the damn twig in half.

But Hammer couldn’t continue to hurt her under the guise of protecting her. He’d caused her far more anguish by hiding his love. She was a strong woman. After weighing Beck’s advice, he realized that. If he took her training slowly, gave her a lot of praise and compromised, she could handle his needs. He would assure her that he didn’t expect her to be his slave. Hammer vowed to teach, hold, and love her so he could complete her, just as she would him. But he had to let her decide for herself…even if she chose Liam instead.

That very real fear made his stomach twist. For years, his selfishness had prevented Raine from growing. What if she couldn’t forgive him, either?

“Well?” Liam asked into his silence. “Never mind. Why are we even having this conversation? The bloody horse is dead. I think we’ve beaten him enough.”

“He’s just in a fucking coma.” Hammer tried to crack a smile, but it felt forced and insincere. “Look, I admit that I fucked up. I made the wrong choices. We’ve both paid a price. I just want you to know that I’m sorry. I never did anything out of malice.”

“Got it. Thanks.” Liam nodded absently, then looked around the room.

A prickle of unease raised the hairs on the back of Hammer’s neck. “What’s wrong?”

“It would take me hours to explain, and I just don’t have the time or energy now. Besides, I’m not in the bloody mood to hear ‘I told you so.’”

They’d only ever really argued about one person. And if she had been here, she would have made far better coffee. “Where’s Raine?”

Liam wouldn’t meet his gaze. Alarm bells rang in his head.

“Where the fuck is Raine?”

“The last time I saw her, she was in my room. But I’m sure she’s left it by now.”

His flat reply, coupled with the flash of guilt in his eyes, screamed there was more his old pal wasn’t saying.

“Left for where?”

“Her own room? I don’t know.”

“You don’t know where your sub is?” Hammer jabbed, arching a brow.

Liam closed his eyes and sighed. “She’s not my sub anymore. I removed her collar this morning.”

The words punched Hammer. He felt himself gape at the news, jaw hanging, eyes bulging. A feather could have knocked him off the barstool. Hell, off the planet. “What?”

“You heard me. She’s not ready to give what’s necessary, and I’m bloody tired of trying to force her submission. I’m not letting her go, just giving her time to think, is all.”

Maybe that wouldn’t be true of another sub, but this one? She would take it as a crushing rejection, nothing less. In Hammer’s book, if Liam had removed Raine’s collar, that meant he’d released her. And she was fair game.

The selfish bastard in Hammer wanted to throw a party. Finally, Raine could be his. The Dom in him feared it wouldn’t be that simple. Now that Liam had crushed Raine by letting her go, she’d need tenderness and love—two things he wasn’t good at—to heal. Son of a bitch.

He damn near wrapped his hands around Liam’s throat and strangled the life out of him. “What the hell were you thinking? Was it your intention to shove her out the fucking door and push her off the deep end?”

Liam bristled. “I was trying to teach her. Something you should have done years ago.”

So much for mending fences.

His chest heaved as the last threads of control slid through Hammer’s fingers. “If you’d have asked me, I would have told you uncollaring her was the most counterproductive move possible. You should have tried to modify her behavior.”

“Not that it’s any of your business, but I have—over and over. I was at the end of my rope.”

Everything coming out of Liam’s mouth blew Hammer’s mind. “Raine lived and worked at Shadows, but she’s never actually submitted before you. You know that observing and doing aren’t the same thing. You should have trained her, not dumped her like yesterday’s trash.”

“Don’t start with more guilt,” Liam growled.

Fuck that. “How much guiltier will you feel if she’s packed up and left?”

Hammer turned on his heel, Liam stomping close behind, and stormed down the stairs. His cries for Raine echoed through the cavernous dungeon. She didn’t answer.

Pounding on her bedroom door, Hammer screamed her name. Terrible silence followed. Breaking out in a cold sweat, he dug the key to her room from his pocket and shoved it in the lock.

“Why are you carrying a key to my sub’s room?” Liam challenged.

“I always have, and by your own admission, she’s not your sub anymore.”

With a curse, Liam shoved him aside. Hammer pushed back.

As the door swung open, their gazes ricocheted around the room. The closet gaped wide. Only a row of empty hangers remained. The dresser drawers staggered open like a mocking smile of crooked teeth. Hammer dashed into the room and looked inside each. He didn’t find much…except that old T-shirt of his she used to sleep in. The sight was a fucking stab in the heart.

“Shit! Where the hell has she gone?” Hammer couldn’t breathe. His heart stuttered in his chest.

“I don’t know.” Liam sounded stunned. Lost.

Rage railed through Hammer. He staggered against the dresser. When metal rattled, he looked down to find two keys on a ring. As he picked them up, he recognized both instantly.

“What are those?” Liam demanded.

“This one is to her car.” Hammer held up the oblong bit of black plastic, its silver saw-toothed blade sticking out.

Liam gave a visible sigh of relief. “Then she can’t have gone far.”

“Don’t kid yourself. This key…” He struggled to keep it together. “This is to the club.”

Liam braced himself against her dresser. He looked as if a wrecking ball had hit him squarely in the chest. “Oh god, she’s really gone.”

“No shit.”

“And she doesn’t mean to come back.”

Hammer slashed Liam with a seething glare. “Are you happy, genius? Where do you suggest we start looking?”

“I’ve no clue,” Liam muttered. “I didn’t think she’d leave before I even had the chance to talk to her.”

“What the fuck did you think she’d do, Liam? Sit in her room and ponder all the ways she could change to make you happy?”

“I thought we were important enough to her that she’d want to do the work, that we’d do it together. I told her not to bloody leave.” Liam sounded somewhere between bewildered and pissed off.

“Like she ever listens? Fuck.” Fear filled Hammer’s veins. “We’ve got to find her, but it’s going to be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Wait.” He plucked his phone from his pocket. “I have an idea.”

He launched the app to search for her phone and quickly tapped out the password. An agonizing thirty seconds passed. The system wasn’t finding her phone. Why wasn’t he able to locate her, goddamn it? A moment later, the display indicated she was offline. Did he want to be notified next time she came online? You’re damn right, I do. He tapped the screen to check “yes,” gritting his teeth. All he could do was wait.

“The brat turned off her phone. She knows I can’t track her unless it’s on.”

“She thought of everything, didn’t she?” Liam shook his head. “What about her bank account?”

Hammer lit up with a smile. “I have access to that.” He pulled his phone out again, input her password, and put in a request to alert him as soon as she used her ATM or credit cards. He logged out, then turned to Liam. “There. She may not want to be found, but it shouldn’t take long. She’ll trip up. And we’ll bring her home.”

Then I’ll straighten her out.

Liam nodded, but anguish tightened his face. “Hell, I can’t just stand here and wait.”

“Until one of those clues pans out, we need a starting point for our search. I’ll check the cameras.”

Liam nodded. “I’ll help.”

In the operations room, Hammer dropped into the chair, sending it spinning across the hardwoods. It rolled to a stop in front of the complex security board. His fingers flew over the keys in a blur. His heart lurched. He prayed he would find what he needed.

Because he couldn’t let her go. He wouldn’t rest until he found her.

He began rewinding the footage captured by the camera perched above Shadow’s back door. Liam peered over his shoulder.

Hammer paused the tape when a taxi appeared. He zoomed in as Raine stepped into view. Fear wrapped its icy hands around his throat and squeezed. All he could do was watch as the woman he loved opened the cab door. Dread that he’d never get the chance to tell her what was in his heart seized him.

Riveted by the images on the monitor, Hammer could only see Raine’s back. He studied her body language, as he’d done a million times. Her subtle nuances spoke louder than words. She was decimated.

Raising a hand to her cheek, Raine brushed away her tears. She turned slightly, tossing her suitcase into the back seat. Hammer caught a glimpse of her eyes, swollen and red, along with her nose. He swore to himself this wouldn’t be his last image of her.

Liam stared at the screen, barely breathing. “Bloody hell.”

Zooming back out, he noted the name of the taxi company, then jotted down the cab’s ID number before he snatched up the phone and began barking at the dispatcher.

Two minutes later, he was absolutely nowhere with the woman and her twang.

“Put your supervisor on,” Hammer barked. He didn’t give a shit about company policy; he needed answers. Every second spent listening to excuses furthered the distance between him and Raine. The clerk put him on hold.

“When did you last see Raine?” Hammer asked Liam. “What time was it?”

“Not long ago, maybe thirty minutes. I left to make coffee and give her a few minutes to get herself together,” Liam ranted. “I didn’t think she could pack up and flee that fast.”

“You don’t know her like I do,” Hammer growled.

“You’re happy as Larry to keep reminding me of that, aren’t you?” Liam looked ready to climb the walls—or beat the hell out of him. “I told her I’d be here to help her—always. She didn’t hear a bloody word I said.”

Hammer couldn’t resist baiting him again. “I have no idea why that’s a shock.”

Liam paced furiously. “Why the hell didn’t she come to you if you’re so important to her?”

The question brutalized Hammer, along with an avalanche of other crap. Sadness that neither of them had broken through to reach her wounded soul. Fear that Liam might be right. Anger that Raine didn’t love either of them enough to stay and heal herself. Just like Juliet.

“Because you ran her off first,” Hammer snarled.

“I literally made coffee, then went to the bar to take a breather and gather my wits before I returned to talk to her,” Liam explained. “I had every intention of keeping an eye on her so that she wouldn’t run. I meant to make sure she understood.”

“Understood what? I still don’t know what the fuck you thought you were doing.”

Liam waved him off. “I should have tied her to the fucking bed.”

“She’d have chewed through the restraints. Once her mind is made up…” Hammer let out a shuddering sigh. If he never heard Raine’s sassy remarks or saw fiery challenge light up her blue eyes again, he’d lose it.

“I needed her to commit to me, to us. She’s so damn broken. Removing her collar was the only way I could think of to jar her enough to dig deep.”

Hammer clenched his jaw, but before he could rail at Liam again, the supervisor came on the line. After wasting precious minutes listening to a guy who barely spoke English, Hammer’s patience ran out.

“Look, your driver picked her up at nine forty-three. Either give me the address, or I’ll call the mayor,” he blustered. “He’s a good friend, and I’ll have every one of your cabs red tagged for inspection with one phone call. Now give me the fucking address, you sniveling piece of—”

Liam grabbed the phone. “Excuse my friend. He’s distraught. Do you have the address, please? This girl is in terrible danger. We’re frantic.”

Hammer heard the man on the other end talking. Liam scrambled for a pen and wrote down the information.

“Thank you so much.” Liam ended the call, then whirled on Hammer. “What were you doing, threatening the only man who can help us? Keep your head screwed on straight.” Then Liam shoved the paper in his direction. “The cabbie dropped her here. Where is this?”

Bringing up a map of the city, Hammer nearly choked when he spied the familiar cross streets.

“Motherfucker!” he roared, jumping to his feet. His entire body trembled as he turned to face his friend. “It looks like she’s gone back home.”

Liam blanched. “Where she lived with her father?”

“No, but close. A drugstore near her old neighborhood.” Hammer’s blood ran cold. He shoved the desk chair away and marched to the safe in his office, withdrawing an envelope. He turned to find Liam standing there. “We’ll start searching there. On the way, you can tell me exactly what you said to Raine when you removed her collar. It might give me some clue where she’d have run.” He pulled his keys from his pocket, anxious to follow her trail.

“Don’t order me about like I’m one of your bloody subs.”

“I’m going out of my fucking head, in case you haven’t noticed.” Hammer raked a hand through his hair. “We’ve got to find her.”

“Then let’s go.”

They raced to Hammer’s car. When Liam slid into the seat next to him, he peeled out of Shadows’ parking lot.

As he watched the busy traffic crawling down the road, Liam buckled up. “Over the past week, Raine has crawled deeper into her shell. Even on a good day, she didn’t communicate, she isn’t honest, and she doesn’t trust. None of that is news to you.”

“No,” Hammer admitted.

“I’ve tried ‘modifying’ her behavior in every way you can think of. I’ve punished and rewarded. I’ve coaxed. I’ve praised. I’ve demanded and expressed my disappointment. Nothing.”

All that?Then again, Liam had never been less than thorough. Why would he have started slacking with Raine? He wouldn’t. In fact, as devoted as Liam seemed, he would have tried even harder than usual to reach the girl. And if Raine was truly giving that little… Hammer wondered if he wouldn’t have released her, too.

“Are you saying she’s more shut down than either of us realized?”

“Now you’re getting it.” Liam leaned back against the seat, looking exhausted. “I made it crystal clear that I wasn’t giving up on her, that I would be there for her. She didn’t listen to me.”

“All she heard is that you didn’t want her,” Hammer confirmed.

“Of course I want her. I tried to show her how much. Just because I’d released her didn’t mean I’d stopped caring or stopped protecting her.”

Who the hell was protecting her now?Hammer’s inner voice screamed that he needed to go faster. Hot and urgent, his thoughts raced as he tried to focus on the road. But terror clawed—an ominous déjà vu—back to when Liam had taken Raine from Shadows and sequestered her far away. While he’d nearly lost his mind then, there’d been comfort in the fact that Liam was caring for her. She’d been safe. But now…

“Raine is out there alone, upset, feeling unworthy and unwanted by both of us. I hope to fuck she doesn’t do something impulsive, like visit her father. Bill might be an old bastard, but he’s still mean.”

“Why would she go anywhere near her father? That makes no sense.” Liam rubbed the back of his neck.

“It does and it doesn’t. Raine will eventually realize that she needs to confront her past. Then it wouldn’t surprise me if she paid daddy a visit. But I hope I’m wrong.”

Ten long minutes later, Hammer pulled into the parking lot of the drugstore. The two men hurried inside and approached the young cashier. Her nametag read Tonya. The need to find Raine and hold her in his arms rode Hammer hard.

“Excuse me, lass,” Liam whispered in a buttery soft lilt. He’d used this verbal seduction on women for years. “Might I have a wee minute of your time?”

“Sure,” the young woman sighed with wide eyes and pink cheeks. She looked awestruck.

In unison, Hammer and Liam whipped out their phones, flashing the cashier different photos of Raine. Both turned to scowl at the other.

“Have you seen this woman today?” Liam asked.

Tonya stood nervously, nodding. But she didn’t speak.

Fucking hell.Hammer reached for anything resembling patience. “So she was here?”

The blonde with the heavy black eyeliner and nose stud jerked her head in his direction, apprehension flashing in her pale eyes. She nodded again.

He’d had enough of her goddamn bobblehead bullshit. “How long ago? What did she buy? What direction did she go when she left? Was she with anyone, girl? Tell me now!”

“Hammer,” Liam growled and shoved him to the side. “As you can tell, it’s rather important we find this woman. Can you tell me anything about her?”

Tonya twirled her finger around a chunk of pink hair streaked through her platinum tresses. After what seemed like an interminable lifetime, the young woman stammered, “She, um, b-bought a bottle of tequila. About twenty minutes ago.”

Hammer looked at his watch. It was almost eleven. Raine was either planning on getting shit-faced drunk or she’d bought the bottle to ply her father with so he wouldn’t put up a fight when she confronted him. Or killed him. Hammer’s blood ran cold. He wished to hell he knew where Raine’s head was at, along with the rest of her hot little body.

“Did you happen to see which direction she left in, lass? Catch a glimpse of a car or taxi cab, perhaps?” Liam urged, turning on his Irish charm.

“I…I don’t know where she went. She wasn’t with anyone, just carrying a suitcase and looking sad.” Tonya cast her eyes toward the floor. “I’m sorry I can’t be more help to you.”

Hammer let out a heavy sigh. Damn it, the girl standing before him screamed “submissive.” He shouldn’t have been so harsh. “You’ve done well.”

Liam reached beneath her chin and tipped her head up, then gave her a warm smile. “Thank you. You’ve been very helpful, indeed.”

As they raced outside the drugstore, both men scoured the streets in either direction, looking for Raine—a hotel, a bar, a restaurant, anything that might have snagged her attention. He saw all of the above and more.

“She could be anywhere.” Liam gave voice to his concern.

Hammer pulled out his mobile again. “Raine’s phone is still off.” He pressed a few more buttons. “No activity on her bank account.”

“How much money does she have saved?” Liam asked. “Can’t be much. God knows, she likes her shoes and bags and frilly things well enough.”

“A few hundred bucks,” Hammer said grimly. “She’s got no head for money. I took care of her expenses for the most part. I’ve had a bad habit of indulging her because I knew she did without so much as a child.”

Liam’s blistering glare said he hadn’t known. “We’ll discuss that later.”

Whatever. Hammer didn’t intend to budge. If he wanted to buy Raine something pretty, he would. “Do you think she left in the taxi again?”

“The supervisor said the driver dropped her here and left. Though I suppose she could have called for another one.”

“But how? She hasn’t turned on her phone.”

“And Tonya didn’t say that Raine made any phone calls from the store. I don’t see a payphone.” Liam double-checked with a glance, but shook his head.

“Then let’s go. She wouldn’t stay here. There’s no reason. She’d have a suitcase in her hand. It’s probably heavy. So is the bottle of tequila. She couldn’t carry them for long.”

“Right. And she wouldn’t stay on the street.” Liam frowned and reached for his phone, too. “Is there a bus terminal nearby? Or someplace to stash the suitcase?”

Hammer shook his head. “We’re getting close to suburbia out here. Our best bet is looking for her at a restaurant or motel.”

“She didn’t eat breakfast. Or much dinner last night.” Clearly, that worried Liam. “She’s got to be hungry.”

“We’ll get back in the car and drive around. We can cover more ground that way. We’ll stop at all the restaurants and ask a few questions. Maybe we’ll get lucky.”

They cruised up and down the road once, then peeked into fast food joints, a mini-mart, even roamed the inside of a pancake house. Not a damn thing. Minutes slid into an hour. Where the fuck could she have gone on foot?

“Does the city bus come out this far?” Liam asked, obviously wondering the same thing.

“I don’t think so. We haven’t seen one since we’ve been here. Let’s stop and think.” Hammer raked a hand through his hair as he jogged back to his Audi. “She’d want somewhere to set down her suitcase. I’m betting she’s got plans for that bottle of booze.”

“Is there a park nearby?”

“Yes, but she could get arrested for drinking in public. If she’s the one drinking the tequila, she’s going to want to do it in private. But if it’s not for her…”

“Who else would it be for?” Liam prompted, following him.

“Her father. He’s a drunk from way back. If she wanted answers, bribing him with tequila would be one way to get them. Son of a bitch,” Hammer snarled as he pulled the car back onto the main drag. “I hate to say it, but we should pay a visit to dear old dad.”

“Then let’s go.”

Hammer took off, gripping the steering wheel. “I need to prepare you for what you’re about to see.” Raine’s childhood home was the last hellhole he wanted to visit, but if she was there, she needed him… needed them both, to rescue her. “Ol’ Bill is a crafty son of a bitch. If Raine went there, there’s no telling what he’s done to her. And if he’s laid a finger on her again, he’s a dead man. I trust you’ll help me bury the fucking body.”

“That bad?” Liam scowled.

Hammer reached into the glove box and handed Liam the manila envelope he’d retrieved from his safe earlier. “See for yourself.”