“Of course. It’s one reason I asked Beck, but he said no.”
“Beck?” Liam bit out.
Raine raised her chin and nodded. “Yeah. He’s not a stranger and he helped me realize that I needed to come home and start fixing myself.”
Hammer looked almost smug now. “You do, but the Dominant who trains you will inevitably claim a piece of your heart. Beck can’t do that. And you won’t learn any other way. It’s how you’re built.”
Raine sighed. She hadn’t thought of it that way, but he was probably right. Who did that leave her?
She frowned as suspicions took shape. “I expect a deep rapport would grow in time. Where are you going with this?”
“Time is the key word.” Liam’s lips curled up in a self-assured smile. “You’d be starting at square one with a stranger. It could take weeks, or even months, to establish the sort of trust necessary for your journey, assuming it’s a good fit at all.”
Suspicions dive-bombed her brain now. He and Liam had some shit up their sleeves. Neither of them ever did a damn thing without some lesson or expectation attached.
“Of course, trust will be critical.” Raine wedged enough space between them and her to cross her arms over her chest. She tapped her toe. “Everything you’re saying is common sense. So what’s this other option you have in mind?”
Would Liam take her back? Or did Hammer mean to step in? Because this definitely had something to do with one—or both—of them.
Liam leaned in before delving deep into her eyes. “If you want to learn about opening yourself to someone and giving your submission, no one knows you better or wants you to grow more than me and Hammer. Give yourself over to us. We’ll guide you down your path.”
For a long moment, Raine just stared. Had she heard that right? “You two? Together? Is that a joke?”
“Do you see us laughing?” Hammer stared disapprovingly with piercing eyes.
They’d offered her her wildest, most impossible desire. Sadly, it would probably end in someone’s murder. And it would be her fault.
“It’s fucking insane. It’ll never work.”
“You know I don’t like that language, Raine.” Liam’s brows slashed in disapproval.
She was completely stunned, and he wanted to worry about her cursing? “The three of us together are a time bomb. It won’t take long to explode, and we’ll all get hurt. I can’t do that. I can’t open myself up when I’m going to spend at least half my time waiting for you two to come to blows. I’d love to say yes, more than anything.” That admission would probably put Liam on edge or spur Hammer’s temper—and they’d start fighting any second. “But it’s a fantasy, like world peace.”
To her shock, neither one of them lost their cool. In fact, they didn’t seem ruffled at all to hear that she wanted them both. Whoa.
“It’s not a fantasy, love. It’s what we’re offering you. And before you answer, listen to what we have to say.”
Their whole conversation this morning had been laced with “we” and “us.” Had running off been a wake-up call for them? Or had Seth bashed their heads together until they’d decided to play nice?
Liam and Hammer weren’t perfect, but they usually had her best interests at heart. She owed it to them to at least listen because she could only imagine what sort of compromise they’d ironed out to even make her this offer together. And it was so enticing. Raine tried to ignore the rush of heat thrumming in her blood and think logically.
“All right. I’m glad you two are speaking again. I’ll listen.”
“We’ve put our differences aside to help you.” Hammer cupped his chin in a thoughtful gesture. Damn if she didn’t want him to reach out and touch her. “We’ve agreed to devote our time to you. I can safely say there aren’t any Dominants at the club who, combined, have more experience than us.”
“Make no mistake, we want you to have the best instruction available. Mistress Hillary can’t provide you half the understanding and compassion we will,” Liam added gently but firmly.
Raine couldn’t deny how much she’d missed the affection he showered on her. Even Hammer never failed to show his caring—in his own silent way.
And the thought of having them both made her entire body light up like a Fourth-of-July spectacle.
Maybe they had really thought about this outlandish scheme. They were doing their damnedest to persuade her to accept. But no matter how badly she wanted to throw caution to the wind, doubts still crowded her mind.
“We already know your secrets.” A hint of a smile curled across Hammer’s lips. “You can’t argue that we know what makes you tick.”
“You’ve already established a bond with us.” Without missing a beat, Liam’s words fell in behind Hammer’s. “No one understands you better than we do. Let go of your fears and put yourself in our hands. Let us take you on the journey.”