The Betrayal by Shayla Black

Sunlight burned Hammer’s eyes, and he squinted. What felt like a full brass band thundered in his head. Fucking hangover. All he’d learned was that he couldn’t drink Raine away.

Rolling out of bed with a groan, he slumped into the shower, hoping the hot water might assuage his throbbing head. Even his eyes pulsed in time with his heartbeat, like they were going to pop from their sockets.

Bits and pieces of the night before filtered through his brain, and he vaguely remembered Beck playing armchair psychologist. And he’d spilled his guts like a fucking pussy.

“Great!” he barked as embarrassment clawed up his spine.

Washing quickly, he dried his aching body, then brushed the fuzzy residue of Patrón from his mouth. He groaned as he pulled on clothes, but at least he could find some aspirin and coffee now, in that order.

As he stood in the kitchen, Raine’s kitchen, that familiar anxiety he’d been unable to contain grabbed him by the balls.

Willing the coffee to brew faster, he watched the drip-drip-drip of the little device. Before today, he’d only made coffee for himself once in the last six years, when Raine had fallen ill with the flu. He’d sat by her bed all night, watching her sleep fitfully, and helped her to the bathroom on cue. To keep himself awake, he’d fixed a pot of coffee, then took the steaming cup back to her room to watch over her some more.

But that was then…and now she was gone.

After downing plenty of pain reliever and pouring a hefty mug of coffee, he stepped into the deserted dungeon. All the members were long gone, and the cavernous room seemed cold and dead… much like his soul.

Weaving his way through the various stations, he wasn’t surprised when he again found himself staring at the spanking bench on which he’d witnessed Raine’s punishment. Had that just been two long, miserable days ago? Yeah, but it seemed like two lifetimes ago to Hammer.

Images of Raine cuffed to the bench punched him in the gut. Like the damned pervert he was, his cock jerked to life. Even as he’d wanted to kill Liam for claiming his Raine and stealing her out from under him, he’d been unable to deny how phenomenally gorgeous she’d looked bound and submissive and shattering. She’d looked even more beautiful in his bed, taking his cock.

But even if he didn’t intend to ever touch her again, he refused to sit back idly and let Liam get away with stealing Raine. He would search the ends of the fucking earth until he found her, starting with Liam’s house in New York. He was due to take his annual trip there anyway…and he didn’t want to think about that task at all.

Sipping the bitter brew in his mug, he made a mental list of phone calls and arrangements needed. He had every intention of being on the other side of the country before dinner.

He trailed his fingers over the soft leather of the bench. “I’m going to find you, precious. And I’m going to bring you back home, where you belong.”

Then what?An annoying voice in the back of his pounding head scoffed. With a heavy sigh, he shook the disturbing question away. He’d figure out something. Details weren’t important, just finding her. Right now, he needed to pack for his flight. No, what he really needed was to see her beautiful face… feel her lush body warm in his arms… hear her sweet cries of pleasure resonating in his ears.

Goddamnit, no. He just needed to know that she was safe. End of story.

Tearing himself away from the bench, he marched in long strides toward his office. The sound of the front door opening stopped him dead in his tracks. It was far too early for guests to play or even for anyone to man the lobby.

A flutter of hope burst inside him as he raced to the staircase, taking the steps up two at a time. When he rounded the corner, there she was. Raine. Oh, thank god. She’d come home to him.

Barely cognizant of Liam hovering closer by her side, Hammer couldn’t miss the resounding waves of anger rolling off him. Fuck the bastard. Liam could be as pissed as he wanted. All that mattered now was that Raine had returned.

Hammer’s steps quickly ate up the ground between them. He couldn’t get to her fast enough, couldn’t touch her soon enough.

As he reached to pull her in his arms, Liam tucked Raine behind his back, his stance both protective and warning. The man’s eyes leveled him with a glare that was flat, cold.

“Move. You have no right to keep her from me.” Hammer skirted the other man and invaded Raine’s personal space, staring his way into her eyes. But, for once, he couldn’t read what she was thinking. What the fuck was happening here? He leaned down to cup her cheek.

“Don’t you fucking touch her,” Liam growled.

Hammer froze as he held Raine’s gaze. “I need to talk to you, precious. Come with me to my office where we can have a few minutes.” He glared at Liam. “In private.”

She bit her lip, then turned away from him to look up at Liam with a silent question in her eyes. It felt like someone had kicked him in the nuts when he realized she was asking Liam for permission to speak to him. Oh, fuck no!

How the hell had Liam tamed her in little more than twenty-four hours?

Hammer gulped in a stunned breath. This had to be some kind of fucked-up episode of The Twilight Zone.

Liam shook his head. Raine’s shoulders sagged with her sigh, but she nodded and cast her gaze to the floor.

“Motherfucker!” Hammer hissed as his heart clutched in shock and agony. “What did you do to her, you son of a bitch? Turn her into some kind of Stepford sub?”

“What you should have done!” Liam stepped in Hammer’s face and lowered his voice. “And if she is pregnant, you selfish prick, I swear by all that’s holy, they’ll need tweezers to find all the parts of your body.”

Liam’s threat pissed him off, but her soft face erased the hurt. Pregnant? The logical part of him recoiled, but his primal side? That chunk of his psyche wanted to celebrate. Raine was too softhearted to ever end a pregnancy, and the notion that there would be a part of her and him melded together always felt right, as if the natural order of the world were falling into place. God, wasn’t he a stupid bastard?

But if she was pregnant, he’d rip her from O’Neill’s arms faster than the man could blink.

“How the fuck could you treat her like that?” Liam went on. “There’s barely an inch of her body that isn’t bruised, inside and out.”

The stupid prick thought he’d abused Raine? Christ, Liam wouldn’t know the marks of passion if they raised up and bit the end of his cock off.

“So don’t be thinking for one minute that I’ll be leaving her unprotected and alone with you,” Liam continued. “Whatever you need to say, you’ll say in front of me or you won’t say it at all. Get it through your thick head, she’s mine. If you shit all over the code of conduct again, she’ll be leaving with me. Permanently.”

There was no fucking way on this green earth that Liam would take Raine away from him again.

“I didn’t give her anything she didn’t beg for,” Hammer snarled. “Over and over again.”

Raine’s jaw gaped open, and she sent him an imploring stare, one that begged him to stop throwing fuel on the fire.

Well, hell. And Liam’s gaze drilling into him left him no doubt that the fucker was looking for an excuse—any excuse—to make good on his threat.

Shit. All right. He was prepared to say or do whatever necessary to keep her here. If Liam took her away for good...the last interminable hours had proven that he’d go crazy without her.

As if feeling her approach behind him, Liam turned to look over his shoulder. Most submissives would stare at the floor in silence when two angry Doms turned this much intent focus on her. Not Raine. She sidled around Liam and stepped between them. She put a palm to the Irish bastard’s chest first. Hammer didn’t have more than a second to let jealousy eat at him before she put her hand on him, too. Her touch seared him all the way to his balls, then eased him down to his soul. Liam could say what he wanted; she was still his.

“I know I’m speaking out of turn, and you can punish me later if you want,” she said to Liam. “But I was thinking on the drive down the mountain... A lot has happened lately. Things have occurred, insults have been traded. But guys...you were friends long before me. This disagreement is just a momentary blip. I don’t want to fight with my boss or my Sir. And I certainly don’t want you two fighting with one another. It’s the kind of toxic thing that can only hurt all of us and the club as a whole. And I know tempers are running high now. Just...think about it. For me.”

Hammer feared that she was asking the impossible, but he remained silent when she faced Liam.

“I’m going to start tidying up and getting to work. It’s my day to check supplies and complete the liquor inventory. You two should talk.” She stood on her tiptoes and brushed a kiss over the man’s lips before shooting him a little smile and walking toward the stairs.

“That’s fine by me, but we should make a few things crystal clear, right here and now.” Liam’s voice filled the silence.

She turned back to them both, lashes blinking over her wary eyes.

“If you want to continue working here, then fine, but working is all you’ll be doing, love. Hammer is capable of taking care of himself. Not only that, you know he has other submissives at his beck and call, should he require...extras.”

Hammer smirked, barely resisting the urge to shake his head. Liam must be slipping to play Raine’s insecurity card right off the top of the deck. That was fine by Hammer. The pompous prick only managed to remind Raine of her jealousy when he spent time with other subs. That’s it, asshole…keep that red-hot longing bubbling up inside her. In fact, Hammer was willing to give Liam all the rope he needed to hang himself.

“You’ll not be his maid, fuss after him, change his sheets, make his coffee, or bake him treats,” Liam insisted. “You will stop all the other hundred and one things you’ve done quietly with such grace through the years, Raine. He’ll not have the right to lay hands on you again. None of this is negotiable.” He stared at Raine, brow raised. “Are we clear?”

Hammer watched Raine flinch, then swallow slowly. His blood boiled.

“Yes, Sir.” She said the words, but no mistaking the sad note in her voice.

Apparently Liam didn’t understand Raine at all. The asshole was ordering her to deny a huge chunk of her submissive nature. Liam had crossed the line from losing it to fucking idiocy. And in that mental state, what would he do to Raine? Without conscious thought, Hammer’s fist curled into a ball and he lifted his arm.

Raine pinned a pleading stare on him and she shook her head. Oh, fuck. His violent urge goaded him to whisk her to safety and pound the hell out of his “friend.”

I’m not worth this, she mouthed for him alone.

She couldn’t be more wrong. But her beseeching blue eyes... Hell, he couldn’t make matters worse for her.

Hammer sent her a fierce gaze that told Raine she was damn wrong. Then without sparing Liam a glance, he spun away, taking in deep breaths to get his rage under control.

At least Raine was safe and home. It was far more than he’d woken up expecting today. But she was still Liam’s...at least for now. His calculating friend had been thinking with his head most every step of the way. He’d studied the girl, waited for a vulnerable moment, crafting a plan to convince Raine that he could give her what she needed. Liam had likely made himself the balm that eased her wounded soul. And Hammer had no one to blame but himself. He’d been thinking with nothing but his heart and his dick.

And that had to change now.

Because no matter what Liam said, he didn’t have his shit together. The man had a dark side Raine hadn’t seen…yet. Eventually, he’d chew her up and spit her out, and Hammer meant to do whatever it took to keep the bastard from hurting her.

Jogging down the stairs, he plotted, waiting for just the right moment...

* * *

Hammer paced his room like a caged animal. Liam’s words rolled in his brain over and again… If she’s pregnant… If she’s pregnant... But what if she were pregnant and decided not to tell him? He’d know eventually, but that wasn’t the point.

He scrubbed a hand through his hair as uneasiness ricocheted through him. Stepping from his office, he prowled the hall, checking the kitchen, then the liquor storage room, then the sanitation room. No Raine.

Hammer passed through the hallway again, pausing at Liam’s closed door. Holding his breath, he pressed his ear to the wooden surface and listened intently. All was quiet. He spun on his heel and quickly rounded the corner into the dungeon and there she was, cleaning the equipment and readying things, like she always did, for the evening members.

Quickly scanning the room, a smile of triumph spread over his lips. She was alone. As he watched her work, calmness settled over him, and for the first time in two days, he was able to take a deep breath without feeling a knife slicing his chest. Beneath her short skirt, he eyed the ugly bruises on the tops of her thighs that Beck had left and clenched his teeth. As she turned to throw the cleaning cloths in the trash, he also saw the deep purple marks on her arms and neck that he’d left on her. His fingers itched to touch her again, to feel her silkiness upon his naked body once more.

Sucking in a deep breath, he quietly walked toward Raine, stopping a few feet behind her. As if sensing his approach, she turned and stared into his eyes for a half second before she lowered her gaze. She didn’t look away fast enough to mask the guilt flitting through her blue eyes. He shouldn’t be talking to her. Her body language screamed that she was dishonoring Liam. He should walk away and leave her alone, but he couldn’t.

“I know I have no right, but I need to ask a favor of you, precious.” He balled both hands into fists to keep from touching her as she raised her cautious stare to him again. “I’ll do my best to respect your choice of Liam.” His brain screamed a resounding like hell. “But if you miss your next period, I’d like to be the first to know, not the last. Would you do that for me, please?”

Raine hesitated, and his heart stuttered. He prepared arguments to convince her, but finally, she nodded. “It’s putting me in an awkward place, Hammer, and you know that. But...this concerns you. You have a right to know.”

Relief eased through his veins, and she looked like she had a thousand other things to say, but she fell silent.

Hammer hated the idea that she felt she couldn’t talk to him anymore. Liam had done that. Well, Liam and his own stupidity. But if he wanted to at least keep the lines of communication open between them, he couldn’t let her shut them down now.

“Whatever it is, precious, say it.”

He saw the debate flit through her head, then she sighed. “I owe you my life, and I know that. But I owe him now, too. I’m going to do whatever it takes to make things right between you two again.”

She licked her lips, and he noticed they were swollen, as if she’d been kissed a lot. Jealousy burned.

“You don’t have to bother. I’m more concerned with you. Be careful, Raine. He’s not what you think he is and—”

“Stop. I won’t discuss Liam behind his back. Don’t put me in that position.” She stood and put her hands on her hips. “I don’t know what’s happening with you or why Beck had to call me home to help you. Don’t make me regret my decision.”

“Beck?” He had a vague recollection of begging the sadist for help. Had Beck called Liam to find her? Had Beck spilled how drunk Hammer had been? How much like a pussy he’d behaved. Now, he had one more reason to kill the asshole.

“Yes. Liam talked to him, but Beck was shouting and pretty damn...darn insistent that we get back here.” She shrugged. “So Liam and I, um…talked about it and here we are.”

Meaning Raine had put her little foot down with Liam? She wasn’t going to confirm that now, but he’d dig into it a bit deeper soon. He had to think about the best way to do that without making the asshole suspicious. But fuck, all the thinking wasn’t helping his hangover.

Raine reached out to touch him, then seemed to think better of it and jerked her hand back. “My famous hangover remedy? I can’t make it for you, but...” She sighed. “Scramble yourself an egg and make dry toast, chase it with Gatorade, which you should mix with some of the Siberian ginseng in the spice cabinet. Take a B-complex vitamin. Then drink a lot of water today.” She scowled at the coffee in his hand. “And stop drinking that crap. It dehydrates you and will make you feel worse. And I’ve said enough.”

Hammer watched her go with a little smile. Raine hadn’t exactly broken the rules, but she’d bent them. For him.

“Thank you, precious,” he called after her.

* * *

As evening fell, Raine yawned and knocked on Hammer’s office door. Since she’d seen him a few minutes ago mingling with guests upstairs, she didn’t expect him here. Of course, he’d been holed up in here not thirty minutes ago with—gag me—Marlie. Blessedly, his “session” with the plastic skank was over for the day. Raine had stopped asking herself long ago what Hammer or any man saw in the Barbie doll.

When no one bid her to enter, Raine pushed the door open and dragged her trash bag in, then set about emptying the bins in Hammer’s private rooms.

It was kind of a gray area of Liam’s rules, but honestly, if she was in the office with a trash bag in hand, doing her job, why not take the extra ten steps to empty the bins in his personal areas? And okay, maybe she wanted to spy a little...

The trash cans in his bedroom and bathroom were both virtually empty. She tried not to imagine what it meant that, for once, there wasn’t a handful of used condoms at the bottom of those bins after one of Marlie’s visits, just a disposable razor and the box that had once held a bar of soap. Her ridiculous relief annoyed her. And made her feel guiltier than hell. She might have a future with a man who cared about her, who wasn’t pushing her away at every turn. She had to stop thinking about Hammer as anything other than a boss. She definitely had to forget about him as a lover.

Easier said than done. She didn’t care about Liam less. In fact, he’d shadowed her for most of the day, making her rest when she was tired. He’d also been there when she’d been too stubborn to stop and eat lunch. More than once, he’d demanded to know her emotional state, and he’d waited unblinkingly until she’d answered. She couldn’t ask for anyone more watchful, and her heart gave a silly thump every time he smiled at her.

But Hammer and the sadness in his eyes haunted her. She didn’t know what to do next, what to say to him...how to act. Every time their eyes met, she saw his carnal knowledge of her there, and her traitorous body tightened.

God, why couldn’t she just figure all this shit out and live a normal life?

After emptying the little bin under Hammer’s desk, she gathered trash from all the other private guest rooms, the main office, and the kitchen, then shoved open the door to the alley.

Raine had to gather her strength to toss the full bag into the dumpster. Damn, she was beat, and every bone in her body hurt. Tonight, she’d finally get a whole night’s sleep...unless Liam had other plans for her.

And that idea didn’t upset her at all.

Behind her, the door to the alley opened again, and she turned, half expecting to see him there, offering to help her lift the bag. But she was puzzled to find Marlie instead. The woman barreled toward her with as much of a snarl as she could manage around all that Botox. Marlie walked right up to her, eyes thundering, then slapped her cheek. Raine raised a hand to the side of her stinging face. Her mouth hung open as her thoughts raced. If she didn’t work at the club, she would have hit the bitch back.

“What the hell is the matter with you?” she demanded of Marlie.

“You fucking cunt! What did you do to Hammer?” A howl of fury tore itself from Marlie’s throat as she raised her hand again.

Raine warded off Marlie’s oncoming palm with a shove. “I didn’t do anything to him.”

“You’re a fucking liar! He was the best fuck I ever had, and you, you just couldn’t stand the competition, could you? Now he’s totally useless.”

“What do you mean useless?” Raine frowned. “And don’t ever hit me again.”

“I’d rather scratch your batting blue eyes out. What do you think it means?” She railed. “I can’t imagine why he would ever waste his big, gorgeous cock on you when he’s got me. Like you’d know what to do with it…” She rolled her eyes. “But today during our session, he refused to touch me. All he wanted to do was chastise me for not being as kind as you, as sweet as you, as submissive as you. He wanted me to be more like you. As if I would lower myself, you good-for-nothing piece of white trash!”

Raine flushed and lunged into Marlie’s face. “I might be white trash, but at least I didn’t pay a doctor for my assets. And let me tell you something... Hammer did put his big, gorgeous cock inside me everywhere, and I have bruises all over my body to prove it.”

She lifted her skirt to show the colorful marks on her thighs and up one hip. Marlie’s eyes widened. Yeah, that news had clearly rocked her little country club world. Score one for the white trash.

“If he won’t touch you again...” Raine couldn’t help but smile. “I’ll just consider that, since he’s had better, he’s no longer interested in a plastic whore like you. Go fuck yourself.”

She tried to stride past the bottle blonde, but all of Marlie’s time at the gym had apparently paid off. The bitch grabbed her arm, yanked her back, then shoved her against the dumpster. “Hammer should have left you here. It’s where you belong. He felt nothing but sorry for you. I’m not worried. He’ll get tired of slumming and come back to me.”

He might, and Raine wanted to crumble just thinking about it. Still, she refused to give Marlie any credit or hope. “You hold your breath, honey, and see what happens.”

Raine left a sputtering Marlie in her wake. Fuming, she jerked the club’s back door open and stalked down the shadowed hall, headed toward her bedroom.

And here came Hammer, up the hall of private rooms. She could still feel her cheek stinging. No way it wasn’t red. Once he found out she’d tangled with Marlie, he’d think they fought because she was jealous. And he wouldn’t be totally wrong. She pivoted on one heel and turned back toward the kitchen, wincing and praying that he hadn’t gotten a good look at her face.

“Raine?” The deep voice that always caused her heart to beat faster filled the small walkway. She turned to him halfway, shielding her blazing cheek. “All the way around, precious.”

Nibbling her bottom lip and praying there wasn’t an imprint of the plastic skank’s hand, she jerked her chin up, then eased around to face him. He was on her in two wide steps, his broad hand cupping her chin as he tilted her head back, angling her cheek toward the light.

“What the fuck happened? Who did this to you?” A tremor of anger vibrated through his body.

“Nothing. No one.” She closed her eyes as dread slid through her. “Just drop it. Please. If Liam sees us talking...”

“Fuck Liam, I don’t need his goddamn permission to speak to you; I’m not a fucking sub! I asked you a question and don’t you dare lie to me again!”

“But I need his permission to talk to you. I’ve already violated that rule twice today. Are you trying to fuck this up for me? You can’t care about me, but you can’t stand that someone else might?” She stepped back and clapped her mouth shut. “Forget I said that. Just...I’d rather not give Liam a reason to punish me. What happened isn’t important. I don’t think it will happen again.”

“No. I won’t forget you said that and we will discuss that later. I don’t see how he expects you to work for me and not speak to me, but that’s not your concern. I’ll deal with him. Did he do this to you?” Hammer’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “Is that why you won’t tell me who slapped you? You’re protecting him, aren’t you? I’ll fucking rip him limb from limb!”

“It wasn’t me, you fucking wanker. Tell me now, lass. Who hit you?” Liam moved in front of Raine and tilted her chin up, mimicking Hammer’s last move, but swept a gentle thumb over her lip. “Out with it now.”

She seriously debated grappling for a story, but it wasn’t like she could say that she fell onto someone’s hand. Too many years had gone by, so she was out of practice lying about this sort of thing. And her dad had usually been more subtle about where he hit her. It rarely showed.

“It’s just...” She shook her head and raised her gaze to the ceiling. Feeling their intent stares unraveling her, and there would be serious consequences for lying. Of course, there might be for telling the truth, too. And not for anything did she want Hammer or Liam to think she’d been in a jealous catfight with Marlie. “It was a misunderstanding and it’s over. Really, I handled it. I’m fine. Problem solved. Thanks for caring.”

Suddenly, Hammer gripped her arm and spun her around to face him. Even the snarl curled on his lips didn’t stop the blast of arousal racing down her spine and pooling between her legs. God, this was so wrong. Liam was standing right here, and with a quick glance at the gorgeous Irishman, she was doubly turned on.

“No more stalling, precious. Tell us now. Who the fuck hit you?”

Liam growled with fury. “Take your hand off her now, Hammer, and step the fuck back. Raine, present now!”

She felt them both watch as she slid to the floor between them.

“Holy shit,” Hammer hissed.

Liam ignored him and gently lifted her chin. “No more of your stalling. Out with it! Who. Hit. You?”

Raine sighed. She was damned if she gave up Marlie’s name and damned if she didn’t. Why the hell hadn’t she headed straight to the kitchen instead of her room? Oh, she’d wanted to check her face and see if she needed makeup to conceal the fucking handprint, that’s why.

“All right. I tried to save you this ugly shi—um, stuff.” She shook her head. “Some things are just better buried, but whatever. It was Marlie. She followed me to the alley after I dumped the trash and wanted to tell me she was pissed about...” She stumbled. The truth served no purpose but to either annoy or embarrass everyone. “Her broken fingernail, her ugly plastic boobs, her period. I don’t know. Whatever Marlie gets mad at. I told her to go fuc—” She looked over at Liam, who had a brow raised at her. “Perform an anatomically impossible act on herself, then I left. End of story.”

He scowled at Hammer. “You need to keep your bitch on a leash.”

A snarl tore from Hammer’s lips. “She’s not mine to put on a leash, asshole.”

“More yours than mine. I was never stupid enough to stick my dick in her.”

“Probably because she didn’t want yours,” Hammer sneered.

Liam rolled his eyes and turned back to Raine. “Broke a fingernail, ugly plastic boobs, or her period, is it? So who are you protecting with that lie? Can’t be me, as I know fuck all about her, but if her Dom of the moment doesn’t deal with her, I will. You, however, are my problem, and you promised me the truth. How quickly you forget. You won’t like the consequences of compounding it further. So let’s try again. Why did she hit you?”

She resisted the urge to cross her arms over her chest. God, all this ugly shit was going to come out, and they’d asked for it. Men just never listened... “Fine. I was protecting myself. I didn’t want either of you to think that I got into some jealous tangle with the bitc...woman. She followed me out, slapped me without a word, then blamed me for making you useless, whatever that means.” She glared at Hammer. “I didn’t ask questions, since it’s none of my business. And no matter how badly I wanted to, I didn’t hit her back. She called me white trash and said you should have left me by the dumpster. So I called her a plastic whore and came inside, then I ran into you. That’s it.”

“I’ll take care of this.” Hammer’s gaze softened as he looked down at Raine. “You didn’t have to risk punishment to protect her, precious. She doesn’t mean shit to me. Please, next time, just tell the truth.”

He turned away, but stopped and glanced over his shoulder at Liam. “Should I demand to be present when you punish her, old friend? Maybe I can save her from you and offer her a collar, too.”

With a scoff, he brushed past Liam, bumping his shoulder, then left.

* * *

Searching for the platinum blonde bitch, Hammer raced up the stairs and found her pouting at the bar, nursing a drink. Striding to Marlie, he grabbed her by the arm and plucked her from the barstool in an unyielding grip. She yelped in surprise, then flashed him a smile with her collagen-puffed lips, exposing her capped white teeth.

“Time to talk, Marlie,” he barked in her ear. “You’ve stepped over the line, and I won’t tolerate your behavior anymore!”

She bristled, her eyes growing wide with feigned confusion. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. You’re hurting me!”

He shot her a quelling glare and lifted her from the floor, then dragged her toward the stairs. “I’ll explain in my office.”

The shrieking shrew kicked and screamed. “She hit me first!”

“I thought you didn’t know what I was talking about,” Hammer drawled. “Show me.”

“I-it was over my clothes. I dodged out of the way. It’s not my fault if she’s slower.”

As they passed the dungeon, Liam stood in the hall, cradling Raine’s cheek in his palm. It soured something in Hammer’s gut, but at least the other man was taking care of her.

Hammer could feel hatred pouring off Marlie when she clapped her eyes on Liam’s tender touch.

“Do you have something to say to Raine?” Hammer prodded.

Marlie glared at the pair. “I already said it and I meant every word.”

Liam bent to Raine, kissing her cheek. “Why don’t you go to our room, lass? I’ll be along directly, after I’ve said my piece.”

Raine hesitated before glancing at him, then back to Liam. She turned to leave as Liam’s eyes fastened on Marlie. And suddenly, he unleashed his rage on her with a ferocity that had the woman backing up against Hammer in a hurry.

“You’re a viscous, pathetic excuse for a human being, and if you were a man, I’d knock you into next week. How dare you lay hands on Raine? You aren’t fit to so much as wipe her ass for her. You’ll never have and never be what she is, and do you know why? Because she’s real and decent, full of life. And she has a heart. How fucking dare you raise a bloody hand to her, you miserable plastic bitch! Get the hell out of my face before I forget you’re female. Hear me well, though. If you come within a hundred yards of Raine again, I’ll make you wish to christ you’d never been born!”

Marlie stared at Liam in abject fear. Hammer had never seen this side of his friend—ever. The calm, cool, collected Liam who never lost his temper was long gone. This startling transformation was something he’d best keep in mind.

Liam turned. Sweet Raine blinked at him with soft eyes.

“Damn it,” he muttered. “I told you—”

She threw herself into his arms. He caught her with a groan and wound his arms around her, pulling her into his body. He didn’t pause, but kept walking as she wrapped her legs about him and kissed him soundly before they disappeared into his room. The door slammed shut so hard the walls vibrated.

Suddenly, Hammer found himself alone with Marlie. He dragged her to his office.

It would be a long time before the image of Raine locking lips with the asshole and crawling up his body like he was some fucking hero left Hammer’s mind. And damnit, he probably missed a golden opportunity to wrap Raine in his arms and shield her from Liam’s tirade. But as pissed off as Liam was, Hammer was certain that if he’d jostled one hair on Raine’s head, Liam would have gone berserk.

Mentally, Hammer sank to his knees. When had the fucking bastard fallen head over heels in love with Raine? The realization that she’d burrowed deep into Liam’s heart disturbed him. It shouldn’t shock him as much as it did; after all, Raine had captured his heart long ago. She still owned it.

Was all that tonsil-swabbing she’d played with Liam just gratitude…or was she falling in love with the fucker?

“Are you going to let him talk to me like that?” Marlie batted her lashes in a pathetic attempt to look fragile and helpless. She faked a sniffle. “She said that you fucked her.”

“Nope. I didn’t fuck her. I made mad, passionate love to her.”

Marlie dropped the faux sadness. “Are you kidding me? Did you want to see how the unwashed performs in bed?”

Hammer gave her his sternest glare of contempt. “We shared something magical. Meaningful. Something I never had with you.”

“She’s so...gutter. How could you want her? All that dark hair tangles and hangs down her back in a disheveled mess and into her eyes. All that fake innocence...” Marlie made gagging noises. “Seriously, she must have fucked half the dungeon over the years. No polish, no class. She’s so short and her boobs are too big to wear designer. I’m sure that’s why she looks so thoroughly average.” She shuddered, and Hammer felt his blood pressure rise. “That, and her grooming. Does she do her nails with a chainsaw? Cut her own hair wearing a blindfold?” Marlie curled her fake claws around his shoulder. Hammer shook off her touch, feeling a sudden, violent urge. “Macen, really. You’re too sophisticated and smart to prefer that little urchin to a more worldly woman. You and I are so alike. We make sense. Be reasonable, lover...”

He’d never punched a woman before, but if he didn’t get the conniving whore out of his office soon, he’d do just that.

Glaring at Marlie with a look that should have turned her to stone, he jerked the phone off his desk and punched in the code for security. “I need an escort from my office. Now!” He slammed the receiver back down and sucked in a deep breath, his body shaking in rage.

Clenching his jaw so tight he thought his teeth might shatter, he balled his hands into fists. “You’re banned from Shadows until hell freezes over. But let me be clear. Raine is a beautiful woman who’s real and warm. She’s got a heart of gold. I don’t know why, but she actually tried to protect you. Christ, I’m so damn glad we made her tell the truth. Don’t ever darken my doorstep with your shallow cattiness again, you miserable cunt!”

“You actually prefer that unkempt whore?” Marlie stared, open-mouthed. “Oh my god, you’re in love with her? Ugh! My opinion of you just went down ten notches. That ‘heart of gold’ won’t look so good on your arm since I’ve seen better-dressed women who just crawled out of the projects. She wouldn’t know the difference between Versace and Prada if someone held a gun to her head. But, oh, that’s right. She won’t be on your arm. She’s busy fucking your what...best friend? So I guess that leaves you all alone.” She smiled coldly as she grabbed his thumb. “Have fun with Polly and her four sisters. That’s all the sex you’ll be getting because you won’t be getting it from me, you stupid ox!”

“You were nothing more than a convenient place to shove my dick. The only reason you came here was to spread your legs for cock, and the whole fucking club knows it. You’re no more interested in being a proper submissive than I am! Don’t concern yourself with my sex life. I’ll manage just fine without you and your nasty snatch.” A condescending smile curled on his lips just as two Dungeon Monitors appeared in his doorway. “Take this trash out and toss her in the dumpster. Literally.”

Hammer shoved Marlie toward the two men.

“With pleasure, boss.” A broad smile cracked the stoic face of one DM. “Come on, Marlie. Looks like you’ve worn out your welcome here. Thank fucking god.”

Hammer sucked in a deep breath as he watched them take her away, still fighting the urge to knock her flat on her ass. It was over. Marlie couldn’t hurt Raine again, and he needed to let her know.

Storming from his office, he headed toward Liam’s room, the sounds of Marlie sputtering in protest fading in the distance. At Liam’s door, he knocked. The thought of that bastard deep inside Raine seared across his mind. He was more than happy to interrupt.

Impatiently he knocked again, louder and harder. Finally, the door swung open with such force, Hammer thought it might fly off its hinges.

Liam stood there with his shirt open and his dick tenting the front of his barely-buttoned trousers as he licked Raine’s glaze from his mouth and chin with a smacking smile. He didn’t speak, just cocked his brow and waited.

“Jesus christ!” Hammer mumbled under his breath as the scent of Raine’s essence assaulted his senses. His mouth watered, and he ached to push Liam aside and dive face first into her heavenly cunt.

Hammer took a steely breath, trying to restrain himself from driving his fist into Liam’s gloating smile. “I want to speak with Raine.”

“No. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe never. We’re busy. Fuck off, Hammer.”

“You’re really loving this, aren’t you? Okay, give her a message for me. Tell her that Marlie won’t ever lay another hand on her. She’s been physically removed from the club and banned for life,” he bellowed loud enough for Raine to hear—along with most of the dungeon.

From the room behind him, he heard a chorus of applause.

Then Hammer backed away. To his surprise, Liam followed him into the hall and closed the door behind him, crossing his arms over his chest. “She insisted on coming back here for you, so am I loving this bullshit? No, not a lot.” He cocked his head to the side. “Isn’t it that time of year for you to visit New York and pay your respects to Juliet?” He dug into his pocket and flipped his keys in Hammer’s direction. “I’m staying at your place. You can stay at mine.” He shrugged. “I figure I owe you.”

Hammer palmed the keys. “Well, free rent doesn’t come close to compensating me for stealing Raine.”

“You had six years, and all you did was bloody tear her apart. Are you going to begrudge her some affection?” His eyes narrowed. “Because you’re not the one dishing it out?”

Hammer didn’t have an argument for that. “Will Raine still be here when I get back from New York?”

“As long as she wants to stay, we’ll be here. And trust me, friend, if she wants to stay, then I’ll not be going anywhere either. Can you deal with that?”

Fuck no.“Oh, I can deal. It will take someone better than you to truly be competition,” he sneered, then turned and walked away.