The Betrayal by Shayla Black

Fuck me running.

Hammer couldn’t believe his best friend—no, his ex-best friend—had the balls to trick Raine into a training collar. Not only that, but he’d claimed her virgin ass in the middle of the goddamn dungeon, right before his eyes. The cold-hearted fucker. Liam knew how he felt about the girl, even if he hadn’t admitted it in so many words. And the Irish prick had still taken Raine from him.

That knife in his back would leave a deep, bloody wound for a long time.

Even as he’d watched Liam sink deep into Raine’s backside, Hammer’s own cock had engorged. Fuck, she’d looked beautiful in her submissive surrender—everything he’d imagined she would be once she finally started to trust and let go. But in his fantasies, she’d always come undone under his hand, by his cock. Tonight, he had to face the reality that she’d given herself and her power to Liam. And just how the hell had the asshole managed to coax her so quickly? Like he did everyone else—he’d fucked with her head.

So now Hammer could no longer chide or punish, praise or stroke the beautiful girl without crossing a terrible line. Jealousy sludged through him like ugly black tar, hardening his veins, darkening his mood.

He turned away from the padded bench on which he witnessed Liam give Raine such sexual splendor. It didn’t matter what the fuck he looked at. He saw her anyway. Her phantom cries rung in Hammer’s ears. The memories sucker punched him.

God, would he ever be able to look at this part of the dungeon again without wanting to kill that fucking O’Neill bastard?

Worse, Hammer couldn’t deny that while Liam had heaped pleasure on Raine, thoughts of how incredible it would feel to have his cock buried deep in her little cunt while Liam squeezed in and out of her tight backside crept through his brain. It wouldn’t have been the first time they’d shared a woman.

But no. That was impossible. The risk of damaging Raine—of losing her forever—was too high. All it would take was once. The moment he started pounding his cock into her tight, hungry body, he wouldn’t stop.

He refused to risk another colossal fuckup like Juliet’s.

A glance back showed Liam clutching Raine in his arms and heading for his private room. The vengeful part of him wanted to throw the son of a bitch out and ban him from Shadows…but what if he persuaded Raine to leave with him? What if Liam took her back to New York, played more head games with her, and she found herself alone? What if she needed him and he wasn’t there for her… Hammer swallowed. He couldn’t take that risk. Seeing them together would gut his insides every fucking day, but he’d do it, just to keep her close and safe.

That still left him between a fucking rock and a hard place, but now he could add a brick wall to that. Goddamnit, he hated not having palatable options. Bitterness iced his veins.

He turned and stalked back toward Liam. He should let it go. He should…but he couldn’t.

Hammer grabbed Liam’s arm, refusing to look down at Raine curled in his embrace. “You motherfucker. I hope you’re happy. You’ve been duped by a pair of big blue eyes and a great rack.” He shoved a superior smile on his face even when he didn’t feel it. “In about three days, you’ll realize that she played you to get back at me. She’ll have your balls tied up in knots. And when you go to ease them by shoving your cock into her sweet cunt, don’t fool yourself into believing that she’ll be thinking about anyone but me.”

Liam’s eyes narrowed, but before he could respond, Hammer pivoted away from the pair. He didn’t feel any better. In fact, he felt far fucking worse. What if Raine didn’t think of him at all? What if she didn’t love him as much as he adored her? God, then he’d be both pathetic and a fucking joke.

Then again…what if tonight had been a ploy? It wasn’t like Liam to latch onto a woman this quickly, but it was like him to concoct some little plot to make him let go of his hangups. What if Liam and Raine had schemed together to crack the hard shell around him? What if they were plotting even now their next step to make him fall?

He shot a glare toward all the club members with their curious, pitying glances, then stormed through the dungeon, refusing to make eye contact with anyone. Seething, he made his way to the security room. Punching in the code, Hammer swung the door open so quickly, the employee manning the numerous rows of monitors jumped, then shot him a nervous stare.

“Out!” he ordered.

Without a word, the computer geek dashed out of the room. The door slammed behind him.

Hammer took a deep breath, then sat at the control desk. Adjusting the dials, he zoned in on Liam’s room. Enlarging the image from the security camera, as well as raising the volume of the audio, he could see and hear Liam and Raine’s conversation as if he were there.

Leaning forward in his chair, Hammer glued his eyes to the screen as Liam ministered to Raine tenderly in silence. As she lay across his bed, he soothed her well-used rosette with a cloth as he kissed her back and shoulders. Raine moaned a contented little sigh.

Hammer forced himself to watch, hope still flickering in his chest. It burned in painful contrast to his dread. The thoughts kept spinning in his head. What if…? What if…? What if…?

“You were beautiful, lass.” Liam showered her in praise. “The way you let go… I know that was difficult for you, and that giving yourself to pleasure after Beck’s pain can’t have been easy. But you trusted me, and I’m honored.”

“I did.” She rolled over and blinked up at Liam with those big eyes that always seemed to melt him, and Hammer’s gut clenched. “I do.”

“You’re mine now, and mine alone. Do you understand?” Liam gripped her chin gently.

Hammer held his breath.

“Yes.” She licked her lips. “Sir.”

Liam smiled down at her with tenderness. Hammer’s heart exploded. So much for the hope that they’d cooked up a ruse to reel him in. Right now, the way they were looking at one another, he might as well not even exist.

His old friend might be a motherfucking bastard, but Hammer knew himself to be a fool. He’d let Raine slip through his fingers. Seeing the seeds of worship in her eyes, hearing her address someone else as her Sir…it was too painful to watch.

Before he could turn off all the security equipment, Liam urged Raine flat on her back. She curled her arms around his neck, and that blasted Irishman put his hands on her. Raine peered up at Liam, so focused, looking at him almost as if he was a goddamn god.

Hammer’s stomach twisted. He should fucking leave now. Voluntarily watching his former best friend caress Raine’s soft skin made him masochistic. Hell, now Liam dropped a soft kiss on her pillowy lips and thumbed her nipple slowly through that sexy-as-fuck baby-doll nightie, back and forth.

Raine gave Liam a shy, almost secretive smile. “Thank you for making tonight incredible. I was afraid at first, then I realized you were there. I knew you wouldn’t let anything bad happen, so I did what you said. I relaxed and I let go.” She sighed. “And it was everything I could have wanted.”

Hammer gripped the counter tightly until his knuckles turned white, until his fingers went numb.

Liam palmed her breast again, looking down into her eyes like an indulgent lover. “It was beautiful.”

Fuck, that should have been him. It should be him now. But it couldn’t be, and Hammer knew all the fucking reasons why.

Still…he could hardly believe that Liam had swooped in and stolen Raine from him in less than two days with his fucking head games. But Hammer knew he hadn’t given her what she needed, and Liam would.

A bitter pill. It clawed his throat raw as he swallowed it down.

“We’ll be good together, you and I, lass. Just keep giving me all you can.”

She nodded solemnly. “I will. I want to. To really submit for the first time was amazing. I’d tried to imagine it so many times, but actually doing it? It both eased me and sent me soaring. I don’t know how to explain.”

“You’re doing fine. Keep talking. Tell me how the crowd made you feel?”

“I didn’t notice them. I was focused on you, like you said. They just fell away for me.”

“You did perfect. And what about Hammer?”

He saw her body stiffen at the question, the way she diverted her gaze from Liam. Hammer turned up the volume again and leaned in once more.

“I’m...torn.” She drew in a trembling breath. “You want me to be honest, right?” At Liam’s nod, she frowned. “I’m so angry at him. I mean, Beck? And Hammer did nothing to stop it. I don’t understand. I thought he cared at least a little. He’s taken care of me so diligently for years. But tonight…he seemed like a stranger. Even so, I’m realizing that my feelings for him aren’t like a switch I can turn off at will, but I’ll keep trying.”

God, her words hurt more than anything. She was going to try to put him out of her heart. Yes, it was better for her. And yes, he wanted her to be happy. But he would be alone again, just like he’d been for the last eight long fucking years.

Hammer reached up toward the screen and traced his fingers over the image of Raine’s cheek. His eyes stung, and he blinked quickly to stave off unmanly tears. “I’m so sorry. If I’d known what Beck planned to do… He’ll pay. Trust me. But go ahead and hate me, precious. It will be so much better for you.”

Regrets were like assholes; everyone had one. Hammer wished again that he could be what Raine needed, but he’d only break her in two.

Liam brushed away the baby-doll from her body, then tore off his trousers and grabbed a condom from the nightstand. Hammer knew by the gentle way Liam covered her what was coming next and he didn’t have the fortitude to sit and watch his ex-best friend make love to the woman who’d grown to become his everything. He muted the audio and killed the video feed from Liam’s room. Closing his eyes once again, he drew in a deep breath, then unleashed a primal scream of rage until his throat burned. Until he realized his machinations had backfired in his face and he could do nothing to take it back now.

Resigned and furious, he stalked out of the room to find Beck.

Tearing back through the dungeon, Hammer stared straight ahead, ignoring everyone in his path. But he felt the eyes of the club members on him, boring into him, silently wondering how he had lost control of that scene. He looked through them, not about to give anyone the benefit of seeing him care.

Down the corridor to the private rooms, he opened the door to his office, expecting to see Beck waiting. Instead, he found the room empty. His blood pressure spiked. Goddamnit.

Stomping down the hall again with long, heavy strides, Hammer heard the prick’s deep baritone instructing a submissive to strip. He didn’t bother knocking on the door, just barged in. Beck spun around as Hammer’s stare zeroed in on a startled sub kneeling at the sadist’s feet.

“You! Get your clothes on and get the fuck out,” he snarled to the scared woman. Then he turned his attention back to Beck. “You. Stay put.”

The little blonde looked between the two men. With a sigh, Beck gestured her out the door, and she scrambled away.

“Do we have a problem, Hammer? Whatever it is, couldn’t it wait until I got my dick wet?”

“Getting your dick wet should be the least of your concerns, you son of a bitch! What happened to our plan? You were supposed to be on my side. Why the hell did you deviate? Don’t tell me you didn’t understand when I told you not to mark or hurt Raine. You hid that paddle with your body so I couldn’t see what you were holding until it was too late. After seven years, I know a lot of your secrets. I also know you’re not stupid. What the fuck were you doing?”

Beck shrugged. The smirk on his lips pissed Hammer off even more. “Oops.”

What the fuck kind of answer was that? Launching toward Beck, Hammer wrapped his hand around the Dom’s beefy throat and squeezed. “You think that’s funny? I don’t find it the least bit amusing, motherfucker. You did exactly what I told you not to do. So now, you get to deal with me!”

“Don’t take your frustration out on me. You should have taken care of the princess yourself and you know it. It was your punishment to hand down, yet you dragged me into it. The bigger question is, why didn’t you save her from me, instead of that Irish ass? I gave you every opportunity to be a hero, and you let O’Neill steal your thunder. What the fuck is wrong with you?”

Hammer didn’t owe Beck any sort of answer. “Right now, what’s wrong with me is you.”

“Raine is just another sub, man. No different from any of the others around here, right?” Into Hammer’s telling silence, Beck’s lips curled up. “C’mon. Admit that, for you, she’s not. You’re crazy if you think nobody knows you’ve got a serious thing for that girl. You treat her like her cunt is made of gol—”

Beck didn’t get the chance to finish his sentence. Hammer’s fist snapped out and plowed him in the jaw. Then he landed another blow to Beck’s chin. “You don’t get to talk about any part of her body, fucker!”

Beck’s powerful right hook caught him off guard, but Hammer welcomed the pain. After watching Liam fuck Raine, he felt hollow, like the life had been sucked right out of him. The red-hot fire boiling beneath his jaw was proof that he wasn’t completely dead.

With his hand still cinched around Beck’s throat, he slammed the bastard up against the wall and drove his knee into the man’s balls. The air left Beck’s lungs in a deeply satisfying rush. Then Hammer unleashed a blistering round of blows to his mouth, nose, and jaw.

With an angry growl, Beck finally shoved Hammer back, then charged at him, blood bubbling from his nostrils. Not about to let up, Hammer drove his fist into the man’s stomach.

“Holy fuck!” Beck coughed and sucked in a deep breath. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so pissed. So I slapped her thighs. Big deal! It’s not like she didn’t deserve it.” Beck landed another blow to Hammer’s jaw and kept on growling out the tough love. “Does she scare you so much you can’t even slap her ass to keep her in line? You’re afraid to touch her, aren’t you?”

“Not another word. I came to you for a simple favor, and you fucked everything up. Because you terrified her so much, she’s paired off with Liam now and is convinced that I’m a monster who plotted to have her beaten way beyond her pain threshold.” He clocked Beck in the jaw again, then shook the sting out of his knuckles. “Thanks so much, pal.”

Beck took a step back and narrowed his eyes at Hammer. “You can hit me with your purse all night long, but I’m nobody’s bitch, Hammer.”

His patronizing smile fueled Hammer’s anger all the more. “Fuck you. You hurt her because you could, and that’s not acceptable around here.”

He punched a fist into Beck’s kidney. The big Dom wrapped him up, and they tumbled to the floor. He felt Beck’s determination as he began to unleash an equally violent wrath. Both men rolled on the concrete, taking turns punching, each striving to gain the upper hand until Hammer found himself pinned beneath Beck’s muscular legs. The sadist leaned over his face, blood and sweat dripping from his brow.

With a wicked sneer, he winked. “You stupid bastard. You lost her to Liam because you were a pussy. Good luck trying to get some sleep tonight. I bet all you’ll be able to picture is Liam buried inside your little princess. I doubt you’ll be able to find a bottle deep enough to drown in.”

Hammer bucked Beck off him, then rolled to his feet, fury like a volcano inside him, primed to erupt. “You’re banned from the club for a week.”

“Again?” Beck chuckled, then stood and grabbed a bottle of Jack Daniel’s from a low table against the wall. He unscrewed the cap and tossed it to the floor, then took a long gulp and hissed through the burn. He thrust the bottle toward Hammer.

“Yeah. Again, asswipe,” Hammer snarled as he took the bottle and swallowed a healthy swig.

“A week? That’ll work. I need a break, anyway. You do know that you hit like a bitch, right?”

“Yeah, that’s why your lip is bleeding and your eye is already turning black,” Hammer snarled. “You hurt her. I can forgive a lot of things, man, but it’s going to take a while for me to get over that.”

“You really need to work out your shit when it comes to her. She’s eating you up inside because she means something to you. Admit it, or one day you’re going to wake up and you won’t even recognize the man in the mirror.”

Hammer bristled, crossing his arms over his chest. “Is that your professional diagnosis?”

“You should have fucked the princess out of your system. Been done with her already.”

“Never going to happen.”

Hammer stormed away and headed to the liquor room. He grabbed a bottle of Patrón and stalked back to his office, slamming the door behind him. He ripped off his suit coat and tie, tossing them on the bed as he walked to the bathroom. As he rinsed the blood from his knuckles, he raised his head, catching his own reflection in the mirror above the sink. Blood oozed from a cut above his brow, but what startled him most were the haunted eyes staring back.

He splashed cold water on his face, then watched crimson swirl down the drain.

Hammer turned off the faucet. As he reached for a towel, the sounds of sex filtered through the walls. It was Raine’s tender moan of passion. Liam’s familiar Irish lilt coaxed, melding with hers. Frozen like a statue, he stood listening to the sounds of their lovemaking. It gnawed at his gut.

Swallowing down the scream boiling in his chest, Hammer marched from the bathroom. Uncapping the tequila, he tipped the bottle back, guzzling it like water. Even so, the moans resounded in his head, burning their way into his brain. Beck was right—there wasn’t a bottle deep enough for him to escape this pain.

Sitting at the foot of his bed, he thought he’d put enough distance between himself and the sounds of Liam and Raine’s ardor, but her sultry cries still bled through the walls. He covered his ears—anything to drown out the reality of another man giving Raine all the pleasures he ached to grant her himself.

All four walls seemed to close in around him and sweat sprinkled his forehead. He gulped more alcohol, then hung his head. The entire day had been a fucking Greek tragedy. All because he’d taken Marlie to bed. Didn’t Raine get that he would—and had—fucked almost every other woman in the club to keep himself from taking her to bed and ruining her life? Of course not. He’d never been honest with her. Hell, it was hard to be honest with himself. But right now, the real sounds of Raine screaming Liam’s name as she shattered for the backstabbing prick was more reality than he could take.

Sweat dripped from his face and down his back. Hammer stood and stripped off his shirt and threw it to the floor. He walked from the bedroom to his adjoining office, praying the walls would provide enough of a buffer to find some goddamn silence.

He sat at his desk and wrapped his thick fingers around his coffee mug, then peered inside. Clean as a whistle. Through all the tears, bullshit, and drama, Raine had still made sure his mug was clean.

With a terrible roar, he heaved the ceramic cup across the room, and as the sound of splintering shards hit the floor, he tipped back the bottle of Patrón and guzzled. When he came up for air, he flopped down on his buttery-soft leather couch and rested the bottle on his knee. Studying the clear liquid sloshing inside, he hoped it would at least dull the brutal pain slicing through him…but he wasn’t betting on it. Fuck Beck for being right.

* * *

Beside Raine, Liam snored softly in her ear. Spooned into his chest, his arm curled around her waist, his warmth surrounded her, protected her. She closed her eyes. He made letting go so easy. That tender voice… The caress of his eyes… He might still be something of a stranger—what did she know about his past, his goals, his life—but with him, she found it unsettlingly comfortable to let her guard down and believe him. Trust him. It was exhilarating…and scary as hell.

She snuggled up to him, astounded by the turn their relationship had taken so quickly. But tonight, he’d shown that he would be there for her, just as he’d promised. That he would care for and protect her. He’d broken his long-standing friendship with Hammer to defend her when he barely knew her.

Why?

Raine didn’t know, and the question unsettled her. Liam had claimed her tonight, once publicly and gently, showing everyone his tender dominance. Then he’d brought her to his bedroom and...what? More than fucked her—and more than once. His every touch and look had been rife with some meaning.

Raine had never really had a man make love to her, but she imagined it would feel a lot like what Liam had done. Thorough. Gentle. Consuming. If he’d wanted to reach deep into her, he had succeeded. He’d ripped through her protective walls and totally exposed her soul. In the aftermath, she was finding it hard to fortify herself with those barriers again. Besides being sexy and caring, Liam had been there for her in a way very few ever had.

Why?

She didn’t know. And damn, the day had rushed over her like a flash flood, and she hadn’t found high ground fast enough to take cover.

For so long, her ever-present desire for a fierce protector had burned inside her. But so did her craving for a firm Master. Hammer had been the former for the past six years, sometimes shielding her too much. She knew he could be the latter, if he wished. But she couldn’t make him love her. Maybe he did, on some level. Maybe that would explain why he’d tried so hard to keep her from leaving Shadows when they’d fought. Maybe that was his guilt talking. Or maybe just another one of his games to control her.

It didn’t really matter anymore. Hammer had given her to Beck to punish, rather than touch her himself. And if he wanted to believe that she’d tricked Liam into caring, then screw him. She was done. She belonged to Liam now.

Raine thrust aside the memory of Hammer’s decimated face just before Liam carried her from the room. Her heart clutched. Despite everything, she was stupid enough to love him still. Sadly, some part of her probably always would.

But what about Liam? If he was everything he seemed to be, he deserved a woman who could submit her entire being to him, heart and soul.

God, she could think in this endless circle all night long.

Raine rolled over and looked at the clock. 3:30 A.M. Did Hammer know or care where she was? Did it matter to him at all?

Glass shattering suddenly splintered the night. It sounded like it had come from upstairs, in the bar. She sat up, her heart starting to beat faster. The club was closed, and all guests should be long gone. So what the hell was that sound?

She was still analyzing it in her head when something heavy clattered to the floor from the same vicinity, skittering over the stained concrete above.

She turned to Liam, hand outstretched to wake him. Shadows darkened under his eyes. He’d been through the wringer tonight. The noises upstairs were probably from a drunk member or maybe another one of the staff had just dropped something while cleaning up.

Whatever it was, she could handle it.

Raine stood and slipped Liam’s navy silk robe over her naked body. She should probably wake Hammer, too. Had he heard the ruckus?

But when Raine padded into the hall and reached his bedroom, she found it empty. She fought back surprise, then anger. Bitterness eventually won. He was probably with Marlie somewhere. Inside Marlie, pounding deep into her— No, damn it, she wasn’t going to finish that thought. She had no control over who Hammer liked or fucked. If he didn’t want her, she had to let her thoughts of him go.

She stood for a minute, trying to decide what to do. Then silence pervaded again. Whatever disturbance had been upstairs had stopped. Maybe it had been nothing…

Raine was about to turn back to Liam’s room when she noticed light spilling from Beck’s open door.

With eyes narrowed, she sauntered down the hall. After this evening, she had a few things to say to the dirtbag.

When she peered into his room, she found every light on. He chugged on a fifth of Jack Daniel’s and packed a few things into a duffel bag. As he turned with a flogger and a pair of cuffs in hand, he caught sight of her. Despite the fact that he had a black eye—where had Beck gotten that?—he had the balls to wink at her.

Raine lost it—her temper, her hold on her emotions, her will to hear his side of the story. She charged into the room, straight at him, and slapped him across the face. “You bastard!”

“Watch it, princess.” He rubbed his offended cheek, then she caught sight of another bruise there, along with a split lip. It was no less than he deserved. Thunder rolled across his face. “I’ll let you have that one. I earned it.”

Meaning…?“Did you do what Hammer asked you to do to me?”

“Nah.” He took another swig of Jack, then grimaced, absently tonguing his busted lip. “Motherfucker, that hurts.”

“So do my thighs!” she shot back. “Why did you smack me with a rubber paddle if Hammer told you not to?”

He sent her a considering stare, then a grin spread slowly across his mouth. “A couple of reasons. Hammer warned me off you years ago, but hey, I’m just a man. You’re my kind of wet dream, and I had to know if there was any chance you might be a latent pain slut so that…yeah, maybe we could live kinkily-ever-after.”

Why would he imagine that for a minute? “I think we can safely say somewhere between no and hell no. That really freaking hurt. And no warm-up?”

“Not your bag, I get it. But I wasn’t going to do you any lasting damage.”

“How do you know that, Beck?”

Dark eyes glittered as he sent her a mocking tip of his head. “If you’re never going to call me Sir, that’s Dr. Beck to you.”

Doctor…? “Surely not as in M.D.?”

He nodded, smiling as if he was really enjoying her surprise. “Dr. Kenneth Beckman, board certified vascular surgeon, at your service. I know exactly what’s happening with your veins right now, princess. Trust me. I didn’t really hurt you.”

Holy shit. Shock was an understatement. Beck the Sadist was actually Dr. Kenny, who healed people’s circulatory systems for a living? Raine blinked at him. Blinked again. She’d always known he was smart. In his late thirties, she supposed he was old enough to have achieved that level of education and experience. But hearing that the Jack-swigging, leather-clad sadist swaggering through these halls and melting the panties of every pain slut had a medical degree and practice just didn’t compute for her.

“Keep a lid on this, will you, princess? Don’t want the vanillas freaking out that their doctor enjoys inflicting pain. Hammer knows, too, in case you’re wondering. But he’s one of the few. He picked me to administer your punishment because he knew I’d scare the hell out of you and because if anything went wrong, there was a doctor in the house.”

So Hammer had been looking out for her…in his way. And she hadn’t trusted that he’d been looking past his anger enough to care for her. He always had, and her lack of trust now shamed her a bit.

“Thanks.” She lost her starch. “I needed to hear that.”

Beck shrugged a pair of massive shoulders. “You also need to hear why I threatened to hit you again.”

“You’re a sadist. Duh!”

That made him laugh outright. “Besides that. After the first blow, I knew you were never going to come over to my dark side. But I wanted to do a little test.”

Fury needled her. “To see how much of your shit I could take?”

“Low opinion of me much?” he drawled. “No, Hammer’s told me a little bit about your background. Remember when he took you to a rash of doctors shortly after you arrived?”

Yes. Lord, there had been a dozen. An internist, a dentist, a gynecologist, a plastic surgeon to repair some scarring her father had left behind. Even a shrink. Now that she thought about it, Beck had been lurking in the background a lot then. “You referred them?”

“Every one. From that, I know you’re not like the others. The pain sluts I see…” He shrugged. “Most haven’t had to endure what you have. They come to me for the release pain gives them. But yours was non-consensual. I’ve guessed that pain isn’t going to free you, just make you determined not to cow down to anyone again.”

Beck might as well have read her mind. “Exactly.”

“You’re a survivor, standing here so goddamn vibrant that you draw everyone to you. I’ve known Hammer for a long time. He needs you. I threatened to hit you again to see if he’d rescue you and finally fuck you, like he’s dying to.”

“He’s not.” Beck might be shocked to know how diligently she’d pursued that path, only to be rebuffed…

“Yeah, he is. Everyone else is a way to pass the time. You, he takes care of. He watches over. He guides. He loves. Don’t let him bullshit you into believing different. But I honestly didn’t see Liam O’Neill coming. That man has a serious hard-on for you.”

Yes. She’d been feeling it most of the night. Raine flushed.

“I wanted to see if Hammer would save you from me.” He grinned. “But I think it will be much more fun to see if he fights Liam for you instead.”

Raine opened her mouth to shoot off a snappy reply, but a yell interrupted her. Angry. Wounded. Unmistakably Hammer’s. Another heavy thunk of something wooden hitting the floor followed.

“Why don’t you go see what he’s up to, princess?” Beck suggested. “He sure as hell doesn’t want to see me.”

She didn’t bother answering him, but turned and jogged into the hall, heading for the stairs. Was Beck suggesting that Hammer needed her help?

Darting up, Raine ran as fast as she could to reach him, before he woke everyone up or did something reckless, like put his fist through a window.

Then she skidded into the bar and saw a shirtless Hammer lift a solid wooden barstool over his head. The muscles of his back and arms bunched and flexed as he hurled it against the wall with a mighty growl. It landed with a loud thump, then crashed to the floor. He cursed again, something really ugly that made her flinch. What the hell was wrong with him?

She was still puzzling out the answer when he zipped behind the bar and grabbed a bottle in his fist. He unscrewed the cap, then pitched the little plastic disc across the room with so much rage, Raine stared wide eyed.

Hammer took a long swig and prowled into the open room. Moonlight streamed in through the window, falling silver and bright across his face. An angry red cut marred his brow. He sported another just above his eye. A bruise formed on his left cheek and on the right side of his jaw. His bottom lip looked a little swollen.

He’d been in a fight. With Beck?

“Macen, what the hell happened to you?”

Hammer’s stare zipped over to her. He said nothing, just sawed angry breaths in and out as he drilled holes into her with an exacting gaze that promised…something she couldn’t put her finger on. Fighting the urge to take a step back, she stood her ground.

“Raine.” His voice finally thundered through the room as he slammed the bottle of liquor on the bar so hard the contents spewed from the neck like a geyser. In three long strides, he ate up the distance between them. Snarling, he gripped her arms tightly as she smelled tequila. “You honestly didn’t think I’d let him get away with that, did you? The fucking bastard!”

Raine tried to block out the zip of desire at the feel of Hammer’s closeness and his grip on her. Which fucking bastard did he mean? “Beck?”

“Yeah, Beck. Though I wish to hell it had been Liam’s face I’d rearranged. But he was too busy fucking you. Yeah, I heard you scream his name.”

His condemning tone made her feel a little sick. Not with shame, exactly. Not just embarrassment. And he sounded…jealous almost. But Raine held her tongue. What could they say that hadn’t already been said?

“Want to tell me why you’re throwing things and trying to wake everyone in the place up?”

“Leave me alone and go back to bed. Let Liam sink into your hot little cunt some more. I’m sure he hasn’t gotten his fill of you yet. In his place, I wouldn’t have,” he snarled. “But then I’ve got six years of ache for you to fuck out of my system, and I could never sate that in one goddamn night. I’d tie you to my bed and devour you for weeks. Months. Until you were sore. Wrung out. Exhausted and begging me not to fuck you again. And that still wouldn’t stop me.”

This from the man who had thrown her from his room for trying to seduce him? Raine stared at Hammer as if he’d spoken a foreign language. His every word burned desire into her. It sizzled her belly, seared her pussy. She couldn’t let herself be swayed. Crap like this was easy to spew when one was nursing tequila.

“Bullshit. You’re drunk. I’m going back to bed.” Raine whirled away, knowing she should leave the room, but just couldn’t let his little speech go. She turned back to him, hands on her hips. “Just when I think you’ve still got a decent bone in your body—Beck told me that he’s a damn doctor and that he wasn’t supposed to hurt me—then you try to B.S. me. When I came to your room, I gave you every opportunity to work out any ache you might have for me. But no. Because you don’t have one. If this is some effort to save my ego or whatever, just...stop. I know you’re never going to tie me to your bed.”

And she didn’t want to hear Hammer confirm that fact, so she belted Liam’s robe around her more tightly and, shoulders stiff, pivoted toward the stairs again.

“Goddamnit, don’t turn away from me. You look at me. Now!”

The force of his demand sent a startled glance over her shoulder. Where the hell had his anger come from?

“Am I drunk? Fuck, yeah. Because of you! Don’t think I’m doing anything to save your ego, precious. I’m saving your goddamn life.”

She turned back to him and crossed her arms over her chest with a snort. “Riiiight... I know your reputation, Hammer. You trying to warn me away from your big, bad Dom self because you want me to worry that you’d tie me to your bed and what? Fuck me to death?” She rolled her eyes. “Please... You’re so full of shit. I don’t even understand this game, but I’m done playing it. Put the cap on the bottle and go to bed. And try not to throw any more barstools.”

He rushed toward her with a burning glower, then pulled her to his broad, hard chest. His steely erection throbbed against her, prodding her from beneath his trousers. “You think I wouldn’t tie you to my bed, precious? Trust me, given the chance, I’d live out every nasty fantasy I’ve hidden for the past six years. I’d make you my dirty little whore and you’d beg me to use you in ways that would make the devil blush.”

Raine went wide eyed. She barely had time to process his silky threat before he grabbed her hair and tugged, forcing her gaze to his. His stare delved, branded, commanded.

The truth hit her. She swallowed—hard. Oh god... “You’re serious. All these years, you’ve wanted...” She gaped at him, trying to reconcile everything she thought she knew with the dark thunder of desire pounding across his face, charging up the air between them. “Me?”

“Every fucking hour of every goddamn day. Do you have any idea how insane I was when I found out you’d given your virginity to that piece of shit, Zak? He won’t be back. Ever. I made sure of it.” Something dangerous and lethal flashed in his eyes.

Pieces of the puzzle started snapping together. “I know you’ve made everyone who ever touched me go away.”

“That’s right. And I always will. I’ve wanted you almost since I took you in that hot August night six years ago. You weren’t quiet eighteen yet, and I called myself every name in the book: pervert, pedophile, dumb fuck. None of it stopped me from wanting you.”

God, she didn’t understand this complicated man. “I’ve been here all this time. I’m not a teenager anymore.”

“I noticed. When you grew up on me and blossomed into the incredible woman you are now…” He stopped and trailed his thumb over her bottom lip.

Raine found it hard to breathe. His information was almost more than she could absorb. Reconciling it in her head was like suddenly hearing that the sky wasn’t actually blue.

He. Wanted. Her. The shock of that just kept rolling through her system. After hiding it for years, why admit how he felt now? Because he was drunk enough to finally be honest?

The way his thumb kept brushing her lip and his stare lasered in on her mouth made her insides jumpy, her folds turn damp.

“Wait. You’ve always treated me like a child.” Remembering all the hurt and anger, she jerked out of his embrace. “Like your sister. What’s changed? Did you watch Liam fuck my ass and suddenly decide I’m grown up and, therefore, fair game?”

“You’ve been grown up in my eyes since you turned eighteen. In some ways, even before then. As for Liam…” He curled his lip in a condescending sneer. “He can’t handle you. You’re going to walk all over him, precious. You need a strong Dom who can keep you under his thumb and your sexy ass in line. I’m the only one who could ever give you those boundaries you crave. Don’t kid yourself. He’ll be a fun play toy, but that’s all. You’ll always hunger for me to be firm with you and push your limits.”

Oh, she understood now. Same song, different verse. “Before, you told me that I wasn’t mature enough, good enough, strong enough. Now you’re going to dangle that cock in front of me because I’m taken, so I still can’t have you. Then what’s the point to this dazzling truth?” she spit at him. “You’re never going to touch me. Malign Liam if it makes you feel better, but he’s tender and wonderful and has the guts to treat me like a woman.”

She stalked over to the bar, grabbed the bottle, and guzzled from it. The tequila burned going down, and she welcomed the fire as she slammed the bottle aside and fastened her stare on him again. Her blood sang. Her body buzzed, and not for anything would she admit that to him. “And you never will. So take your boundaries and shove them up your ass.”

Before she could draw in another breath, he pursued her, pressing his hot body against hers. His bare chest heaved and his lips were drawn in a tight, angry line.

He glared down into her eyes. “I never said anything like that. You’re the one who conjured up self-depreciating reasons, not me. If I were going to dangle my cock in your face, I’d sure as fuck instruct you how to suck it. Trust me, it’s not my ass that’s going to get reamed, and it’s not boundaries I’ll be shoving up yours.”

Grinding his heated arousal against her, he closed his eyes and moaned, making her shake all over. When he opened them again, she saw savage hunger blazing there. “Hammer, I…”

“Not another fucking word, Raine.”

He slanted his mouth over hers, his lips seizing her own, taking, claiming, demanding everything from her. Shock pinged through her. Raine’s head spun. Her heart roared. Her pussy wept. And she opened her lips to him, couldn’t help but kiss him back.

He grabbed handfuls of Liam’s robe in his big fists and dragged her even closer. She hadn’t known that was possible, but every inch of her was covered by him. His brutal grip parted the silk, and she felt nothing but his trousers against her swelling folds as he all but inhaled her, stabbing his way into her mouth like he owned her.

Raine melted, her head swimming, dizzy. She moaned and opened wider to him, arching against him in a silent pleading for more, just like she always had...

How long before he put a stop to it and pried himself away this time?

Tearing herself from his kiss and jerking from his grip, she panted and stared at him through the shadows, backing up until she hit the bar. “Stop. I’m not playing this game. I’m Liam’s now.”

But he wasn’t looking at her face. His hot stare was fixed decidedly lower, on one of her breasts he’d bared by clawing at the robe. The pale orb hung heavy in the moonlight, nipple drawn up tight. She reached for the lapels of the garment to cover herself, but Hammer, with a muscle ticcing in his jaw, was already on her.

“No game, precious. Tonight, you’re mine!” He fastened his mouth over her exposed peak, sucking her deep. His teeth sank into her tender flesh as the tip of his tongue flicked over her nipple, immersing her in a blistering combination of pleasure and pain. He cupped her breasts in his big palms and teased her distended tips, alternating from one to the other with his teeth, lips, and tongue.

The sensations drowned her instantly. Macen touching her was everything she’d thought it would be and more. Pleasure dragged her under to a dark, lovely place. She tossed her head back, clenching and unclenching her fists. It was her only defense against the need to wrap her hands in his hair and hold him to her. But it didn’t work for long.

Suddenly, a moan slipped from her throat, and Raine cradled his face as he tongued her nipple. She felt the jolt straight to her clit. Her back arched. She curled her leg over his hip. God, she was all but rubbing against him. And she still didn’t really understand why he wanted her now. Just because he was drunk enough not to care about tomorrow? Well, she cared.

Raine twisted her body, breaking his suction on her breast. “If you had wanted to show me yesterday, fine. But today... And Liam...” She shook her head. “I said yes to him. I made a promise.”

Nipping at the tight tip of her breast with his teeth until she cried out, he finally released the throbbing nubs. “Fuck Liam. He made you believe he was saving you from Beck. He mindfucked you into thinking he was the only one who could. I’ve saved you for years, Raine. I will always be here to save you. Always.”

The vow in his eyes was fierce, and a tremor passed through her. Without another word, he smoothed his palms over her shoulders, sliding the robe from her body. Naked and more exposed than she ever imagined she could be, Macen wrapped his hands around her narrow waist and lifted her onto the bar. His eyes never left hers as they laid claim to her soul. His nostrils flared, and she could smell her own arousal in the air between them.

“Lay back. I’ve wanted to know the flavor of you on my tongue for a lifetime.”