Hammer clapped a hand over her mouth. “Not one more word.”
She screeched, struggling against his firm hold, tearing at his wrist to tug it away. She screamed behind his palm, still making enough noise to alert the whole club.
“We know where you’ve been. We know who you saw. We’re going someplace private to talk about it,” Hammer growled. “Settle down unless you want everyone to know our business.”
If anything, her eyes flashed with more fury. She bit at him and glared, looking as if she’d like to boil the flesh off his scrotum.
Liam resisted the urge to cover his own balls and leaned into Raine’s face. “Give us a chance to explain, love. Thirty seconds, and we’ll be in Hammer’s office. Then you can vent all you want.”
Raine zipped that lethal glare at him, then tried to stomp on his toes. He managed to dodge her at the last second. Bloody hell… His wee lass had turned violent.
Damn it, he should have followed his instincts and told her about Gwyneth’s phone call from the start. Hindsight was a bitch. If he could somehow make her listen, maybe he could reach her. At present, she was disinclined to do anything but tear his head off.
“You have a choice,” Hammer snarled in her face with low, controlled tones. “Come with us quietly or…” He pulled a ball gag from his pocket and dangled it in front of her. “I know how much you love these.”
Instantly, her eyes widened, all shock and blue lightning. Then they narrowed again. Behind his palm, she panted hard, her breath hot. At barely five feet tall, she didn’t pose them any threat, but her temper was fearsome.
“What’s it going to be, Raine?” Liam asked quietly. “You can walk with us…”
“Or we’ll hog-tie you,” Hammer finished.
“Either way, you’re coming along. There’ll be no more biting, stomping, or screaming. And no more swearing. Do you understand?” Liam asked.
Her little hands balled into fists, and she shot them both death glares. No doubt, if she’d been a man, she would have thrown a punch or two.
“You locked the gun away, didn’t you, mate?” he asked Hammer.
“Yeah. She’ll have to rely on verbal combat. Raine?” Tentatively, Hammer withdrew his hand, keeping it right above her mouth.
She stewed. And fumed. As she glanced at the ball gag again, she somehow managed to turn even redder. “Fine.”
Liam felt as if they’d defused a bomb—at least temporarily. She was still liable to go off, but at least it would be in private. He was grateful that he and Hammer had talked this out a bit, and turned to his friend with a questioning stare.
Macen pocketed the ball gag and answered with a nod. Together, they each grabbed one of her arms and lifted her, carting her away from the common area and down the hall.
“Don’t touch me,” she hissed.
Liam’s inner Dominant roared to life. Like hell.
They both secured their grip.
“I can walk,” she insisted.
“We’re going to help you,” Liam crooned.
“You can shove your help—”
“Do we need that ball gag after all?” Hammer sent her a silky warning as they hit the hall, wending past the door of Seth’s room, steps away from their destination.
“No,” she spat.
Liam gripped Raine’s arm tighter as they crossed the threshold of Hammer’s office, Macen sliding in first and all but dragging her inside. Gripping the knob, Liam shut it, knowing her explosion was imminent in three, two, one…
As soon as the latch clicked shut, she yanked her arms from their holds and balled her fists again. “You both fucking lied to me. And I don’t give a fuck about my language. You can both go fuck yourselves. But oh, that’s right. Liam has already fucked me—and his perfect Barbie doll ex-wife. Were you taking notes? Making comparisons? I can’t believe you didn’t say a fucking word about that fucking bitch.”
“That wasn’t what happened at all,” Hammer insisted. “Calm down and we’ll explain.”
She whirled on him. “Don’t fucking talk to me like I’m a child. Though I guess you two have decided I’m as naïve as one. How long did you think you were going to keep me in the fucking dark? And that lie about Liam’s business problems?” She rolled her eyes. “Lame!”
“So you don’t want to hear the truth?” Hammer raised a brow at her.
“You can take your fucking truth and shove it up your fucking—”
“Love, listen to us. We—”
Raine spun around to Liam again. “Not only did you not tell me about your fucking ex-wife—nice lingerie, by the way; I’m sure you enjoyed that—but you have a son you never fucking bothered to tell me about. So are you packing your bags and leaving with them to live happily ever after? She’s only going to screw you again, but maybe you enjoy that.”
Betrayal fueled her angry speech. But their disillusioned girl believed the damning situation after a mere glance—without asking him a single question. In some ways, that cut Liam to the quick…but he reminded himself that only a week ago, his relationship with Raine had seemed hopeless and he’d ended things with her abruptly. Of course she would worry he meant to do the same now. She was giving up on him before he could hurt her again.