Liam eased back from her cunt and rose. “I’m going to do the same to your ass, love. We’re going to fill you so completely, you won’t know where you end and we begin.”
Oh, pretty please with sugar on top…
“You better be ready to dig your nails into my shoulders and scream. And we’ll do everything we promised…” Hammer smiled. “As soon as you show us that you won’t hide behind the defenses in your psyche anymore.”
Show them how? “I’m working on my trust issues.”
“And the best way to do that is to submit.” Liam climbed onto the bed beside her.
“Isn’t that what I’ve been doing?”
“When you’re in the mood,” Hammer poked. “We all know that when Liam had you collared, you only gave him pieces of yourself and only on your terms.”
It was true. She hadn’t given Liam all of her soul. He may have forgiven her, but she still struggled to forgive herself.
Hammer skimmed a knuckle across her cheek.
Liam stroked her abdomen, her thigh. “If your focus is on submitting to us, you won’t be so quick to scurry behind your walls again because it will hurt to shut us out. You’ll have a void only we can fill.”
“You know I want to please you.” Raine licked her lips nervously. She didn’t know exactly where he meant to take the conversation, but she had some worrisome ideas.
Liam gave her a devilish grin. “How soon we fill those your aching voids is up to you.”
Hammer leaned onto his side to check her hands. Once he’d massaged her fingers and wrists, he settled beside her again with a satisfied nod. “All you have to do is tell us five things you love about yourself.”
“Five things that…” Was he serious? “Right now? I’m naked and bound to the bed and you want to play armchair—”
“Hit a nerve, did we, love?” Liam arched his brows before his expression turned downright insistent. “Name them. Now.”
She’d rather be waterboarded. “My self-opinion doesn’t have anything to do with us.”
“Wrong.” Hammer shook his head. “The way you perceive yourself affects you so it affects our relationship.”
“You’re filtering again, Raine,” Liam pointed out. “You’re deciding that your self-image isn’t important. That’s not your choice to make. You’re not allowed to close off parts of yourself and only give us what’s comfortable.”
“Step outside your comfort zone,” Hammer instructed. “For the last time, Raine. Tell us five things you love about yourself.”
“I love working in the dungeon and cook—”
“Stop.” Hammer narrowed his eyes in warning. “Not the things you enjoy. You seem fixated by what Marlie and Gwyneth look like. Tell me five of your own physical attributes you appreciate.”
Couldn’t they pour hot oil over her? It would burn just the same. Dreaming up a handful of characteristics she liked about herself could take all night. But she was naked, cuffed, and at their mercy. She had nowhere to hide.
She sucked in a deep breath. “I like my boobs.”
“Like or love?” Liam asked.
For herself, she didn’t care much, but… “I love them.”
“Why?” Liam quizzed.
“Because they bring you and Hammer pleasure.”
“That they do.” Liam chuckled. “Same goes for the rest of you.”
“This isn’t about us,” Hammer pointed out “We want to know what you love about yourself.”
Um… “The color of my eyes.”
“So do we. Keep going,” Liam encouraged.
“My legs.”
“Tell us why,” Hammer urged.
“I like their shape, though I’ve always wished they were longer.”
“You’re perfect just the way you are,” Hammer assured. “You always have been.”
Raine paused, running through a litany of additional possibilities. She didn’t like her hair much. It was so dark brown, almost black. And it wasn’t as thick as she’d like. Her smile? A million other women had one similar. She could grow nice fingernails, but men didn’t care much about stuff like that. Her skin had always been so fair, and she wished she could carry at least a little tan, but she just burned. Her nose and her cheeks had always seemed simply average. Her chin was a bit too square, her mouth a hint too wide. Apparently, she’d pretty much exhausted the list at three.
She darted a nervous glance between Hammer and Liam, then shrugged. “That’s all I can think of.”
Without a word, Hammer untied the rope and released his belt, freeing her wrists. He rubbed her hands, working the blood back into her fingertips.
“Kneel on the floor,” Hammer ordered.
She wanted to ask why but bit her tongue. Neither of them looked thrilled that she’d come up short. Did they mean to punish her?
After scooting off the bed, she sank to her knees and spread her thighs, resting her hands atop them. Let’s get this over with.
“Since you’re having trouble thinking of more than three aspects of your appearance you love, let’s try another angle. Hammer and I gave you some affirmations at the lodge, Raine,” Liam reminded. “Recite them to us now.”