When he knocked, she bade him to enter. He found her sitting quietly on the bed, waiting in a ruffled, black baby-doll nightie. The top two triangles were completely transparent as they hugged her heavy breasts and tight nipples. Just beneath her bust, the fabric turned silky. He couldn’t see through it, but it shimmered as it parted and played peekaboo with her navel. Beneath that, Liam caught a little scrap of silky black underwear. She rounded the seductive look with fuck-me stilettos that, despite her short stature, made her legs look a mile long.
Liam sucked in a breath. What had possessed her to wear that? She looked stunning and completely fuckable, but not at all ready for the sort of attention Beck had in mind. Christ! And, no doubt, she’d chosen that get-up to flaunt her every curve at Hammer. Raine’s expression looked surprisingly resigned, even calm, but already he could distinguish fidgeting and stuttered breathing that revealed her agitation. Liam cursed.
She drew her knees up to her chest, covering her breasts, and he wondered why she sought to show everything to Hammer…but hide from him.
Because she loved the stupid brute. And that bothered him more than it should.
“Did you find Beck?” She bit her lip. Something on his face must have given the answer away because she suddenly groaned. “Don’t tell me, let me guess. He didn’t want to hear a word you had to say.”
“Precisely, lass. Sorry.”
“That’s Beck.” She smiled. “It was sweet of you to try, but we should go. Don’t want to be late.”
“Hold up.” He grabbed her hand, squeezing it. “It doesn’t have to be this way. I could protect you if you wore my training collar. Agree, and this foolish business stops here and now. You’ll still be punished, but it’ll be by my hand.”
She hesitated, dropping her gaze, then sent him a soft stare. “In a way, it’s really tempting. But if I’m truly going to say yes to you, I want to do it for the right reasons, not because Beck scared me enough to hide behind you. And maybe I shouldn’t care what Hammer thinks, but six years of habits die hard. If I walked in wearing a training collar, he’d know I took it simply as an out. That would make me both a coward and the brat he accused me of being.”
“You’re nowhere near the brat everyone has convinced you that you are. And personally, as much as I’d enjoy color flushing your face and striping that perfect white ass, I’d rather it came from my hand.”
Suddenly, she lowered her legs, exposing her breasts again, and he forgot what else he’d meant to say. He stared at her loveliness and imagined his cock fully seated inside her snug little pussy. The erection he’d been enduring all day got harder.
Damn it all. Fucking her wasn’t the plan. He’d begun all this for Hammer...yet he could barely think of anything now but having Raine to himself. He’d better shut that down and get his head on straight.
“But if you’d rather face Hammer…” Liam pulled her upward. “Let’s get this over with.”
With a nod, she followed him into the corridor, around the corner, and into a public area of the dungeon. Word obviously traveled fast, because a crowd had gathered, and it seemed to him that every man in the place turned to look at Raine’s breasts. Beck lounged against a spanking bench, staring at her with a predatory leer that Liam wanted to punch off his face. Hammer stood nearby, body stiff, mood ugly. His stare drilled into Raine, bouncing between her big eyes and her nipples. The stupid bastard must be tempted by her. He’d have to be dead not to be.
Raine stood defiantly, without an ounce of submission in her “fuck you” expression. Liam would have smiled if not for the fact that she crossed her arms over her chest, fingertips squeezing her biceps tightly. Under her bluster, the wee thing was terrified.
As Hammer approached Raine, his eyes narrowed in silent warning. She glared back. Liam watched protectively, gut knotting with an overwhelming need to keep her safe.
“Lose the baby-doll and the attitude, precious. You’re here for a reason,” Hammer drawled.
“Let me see to her punishment,” Liam said quietly. “Beck looks like he’s going to enjoy this way too much.”
Hammer sent him a scathing glare. “Beck knows what I want.”
What was Hammer trying to accomplish? He wouldn’t take the girl as his own, yet with this stunt, he’d keep Raine at arm’s length while maintaining his hold over her.
Beck nodded with a dirty grin, his five o’clock shadow spreading over lean cheeks. “Oh, yeah. I know exactly what to do.”
That set Liam off. He grabbed Hammer by the arm and yanked him to the far side of the dungeon. “Stop this! You’re not punishing her for her behavior, but because she makes your cock ache and you’re too much of a pussy to take her.”