The Brink by Shayla Black
THE BOND
The Unbroken Series: Raine Falling (Book 4)
by Shayla Black and Jenna Jacob
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One woman. Two friends. Happily ever after?
Macen “Hammer” Hammerman should be enjoying the hard-fought bond he’s craved with Raine Kendall and his best friend, Liam O’Neill. But old ghosts haunt Hammer even as a new threat exhumes demons he thought long buried. Though he does his best to confront them, Raine still needs him since she’s coping with her recent trauma. Liam fights hard to keep their new family intact so they can share a brighter future…but it’s looking dim.
Then a shadowy figure, determined to right old wrongs, sets in motion a vengeful plot that threatens to tear the trio apart forever. With emotions running high and forces mounting against them, can the power of their love slay dangers and vanquish painful pasts for good so they can finally live happily ever after?
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EXCERPT
Are you bothered that we’ve no idea which of us fathered the child? It’s probably yours…”
“I took her bareback once. You had her in your bed for weeks. Condoms fail.” Hammer shrugged. “Yours. Mine. I don’t give a shit either way. The baby is ours, like Raine is.”
“Exactly. So let’s work this out. Did you know she’s worried you don’t love her anymore?”
“What?” He scowled. “If I had any way of falling out of love with Raine, I would have done it years ago.”
“Then reassure her. How else do you expect her to feel like the precious you call her?”
Hammer snatched up the bottle and guzzled another third of the booze. “Why hasn’t she said a word about this to me?”
“You’re never here, so how is she supposed to pour her heart out to you?” Liam rolled his eyes. “Instead, she blames herself for driving you away. And she cries herself to sleep at night. Why don’t you man the fuck up?”
Hammer looked stricken, as if Liam had punched him in the gut.
“Did I finally say enough to pull your head out of your ass?”
He hung his head. “Yeah.”
“Then listen to me. Raine is reeling now. Counseling has helped her cope, and her nightmares have eased, but she’s still struggling to accept that Bill killed her mother and sister. For years, she thought they’d abandoned her, and it almost destroyed her. Now you’ve all but left her, too.”
He grimaced in guilt. “Hasn’t finding their bodies brought her any closure?”
“Some. She still has no idea if her brother is dead or he simply walked out on her, so that’s eating at her.”
Hammer raked a hand through damp hair. “I was hoping Seth would have found River by now. It’s been months.”
“He was a Green Beret, trained for unconventional warfare. He can vanish with the wind.”
“I know,” Hammer growled. “But his disappearance makes me want to hit something.”
“How do you think Raine feels? She’s processing all this while she’s hormonal. I’ve done my best to keep her happy but…”
“Oh, giving her all those orgasms must be a real hardship for you.”
“Not in the least. You’re clearly bitter you’ve been missing out, but you’ve done nothing to change that.”
Hammer slammed the bottle on the counter, jaw clenched. He said nothing…but remorse tightened his face.
Liam lowered his voice. “When was the last time you made love to Raine?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t file it in my day planner.”
“It was more than two weeks ago.”
“You’re keeping track?” Hammer raised a brow.
“We sleep in the same bed, so I know when you climb on top of her and fuck her like you haven’t had her in decades.”
“I want her and I’m a Dominant. Have you looked in the mirror lately? You’re as perverted as I am.”
“But I don’t roll away from her two seconds after my orgasm and flee as if my ass is on fire.” Liam sneered at Macen. “You’re bloody using her as impersonally as your hand.”
“I’m done with this little chat. Really. Fuck you.” Hammer turned away.
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