She leveled Hammer with a dry, derisive stare. “I don’t know. Can you stop being an ass that long? You’re on my shit list, too. You lied straight to my face.”
Remorse settled over Hammer’s features. “Yes, I did. And I’m sorry. Without consulting Liam, I decided the gas station on the side of the highway wasn’t the time or the place to tell you about Gwyneth suddenly appearing with a baby. I wanted to wait until the three of us could sit down so we could tell you privately.”
She sighed. At least she appeared to be mulling his words. “Don’t ever lie to me again, Macen.”
“I won’t,” he vowed softly.
She softened slightly, then raised her chin to scowl at Liam. “That goes for you, too.”
“Lying to you was never an option for me,” Liam assured as he leaned closer and brushed his lips over hers.
Thankfully, she didn’t object.
“So…will you come with us and not raise a fuss?” Hammer settled his lips against the pulse point of her neck.
Raine gave a shuddering little exhalation, part resignation…and just the smallest part excitement. “All right.”
“Wait here. I’ll be right back,” Liam instructed, then rushed down the hall to his room.
Yanking his suitcase from the back of the closet, he unzipped a side compartment and plucked the blue velvet box from inside. He flipped it open. Yep, the little gem still lay inside.
Though it had barely been two weeks since Liam had intended to surprise her, it seemed like a lifetime ago. Of course, chaos had ensued—a shit storm coming from every direction—and he’d never found the right moment to give her this gift. Maybe that had been for the best. The three of them had been through so much together. Liam felt a unity and rightness in surprising her with Hammer at his side. The time was now.
Liam hoped this would be the key to solidifying their future.
When he returned, Raine had sidestepped to put a bit of distance between her and Hammer. She wore a pensive expression.
He crossed the room and wrapped an arm around her waist. Hammer joined him and did the same. Together, they filed out the door.
Her posture was stiff as they led her down the hall, through the dungeon, past the bar, and finally outside. She didn’t utter a word as they made their way to the Escalade. Discreetly, he scanned the car park for any sign of Bill. He noticed Hammer did the same. With Kendall popping up to extort more money and making veiled threats, they couldn’t afford not to tell Raine for much longer. And Liam also suspected his old pal hadn’t come clean about bribing dear old Dad. Christ, they’d have to cross that bridge soon, too…
One catastrophe at a time.
As Liam slid behind the wheel of his SUV, Hammer settled Raine in the front passenger seat, ensuring she was buckled in. Then he folded all six foot three of him in the backseat.
“Ready?” Liam asked.
How was she supposed to answer that? “Where exactly are you taking me?”
Liam sent her a secretive smile and pulled out of the lot. “You’ll see.”
She tried not to feel hurt that they intentionally kept her in the dark. After all, they behaved as if whatever they meant to show her would make her happy. She couldn’t imagine what that would be. Sending Gwyneth off at the airport with a one-fingered sayonara, maybe. Of course, Raine could think of a hundred reasons Liam and Hammer would lie to her about what had really happened with the woman earlier today, but only one reason they would tell the truth.
Because they loved her.
After the strife they’d been through, Raine’s head told her they did. Her heart really wanted to believe it. Was she so broken that she simply didn’t know how?
The possibility filled her with wretched desolation.
She’d been so sure of their feelings for her at the lodge. If anyone had asked her last night, she would have insisted nothing could come between the three of them. How terrifying that at the first sign of trouble, she was questioning everything. Raine wished like hell she knew how to make it stop.
As Liam turned off Wilshire heading south on Crenshaw, he reached over and wrapped his hand around hers. Hammer caressed her shoulder. Raine didn’t pull away, but inside she felt frozen.
She hated being this scared girl who didn’t trust anyone. Other than her mother and grandparents—all of whom were gone—no one had shown her much kindness, at least until Hammer had taken her in. And then, he’d cared for her like a protective parent…while rejecting her as a lover. Liam was the first man to try filling both roles at once. In the last few days, Hammer had broken through the defenses he’d erected after Juliet’s suicide and, like Liam, become her Dom in every sense of the word. She wanted to trust them both so badly now, ached to be cocooned in their love and reassurance.