The Edge of Dominance

  playing tricks or did it feel heavier than before?

  He brushed the pad of his thumb over her pebbled nipple. Raine sucked in a sharp breath, filling him with primal delight. His mouth watered for a taste of her candy-hard buds. And as she melted into his and Liam’s touch, Hammer’s desire surged again.

  As he teased her breast, she let out a blissful, shuddering sigh. A knowing smile slid across Hammer’s mouth. If this went as planned, he and Liam would soon be drowning in her silken heat to a soundtrack of her mindless pleas and spine-bending screams.

  Liam plucked at the satin bow tethering Raine’s robe closed. Together, they brushed the fabric from her shoulders, letting the garment slide down her arms until it puddled at her feet.

  When she stood naked before them, Hammer leaned in and captured her nipple between his lips, laving it with his tongue and scraping his teeth over her drawn-up peak. He sucked deeper, pulling more of her flesh inside his mouth to lick and nibble. Raine whimpered and rocked her hips. A glance told Hammer that Liam had settled his fingers on the sensitive pearl between her legs. The scent of her tart musk rising above the cocoa only heightened the demand thundering through his veins.

  “You’re wet,” Liam murmured in approval, kissing his way across her belly.

  “You two make me wet,” she whispered breathlessly.

  Hammer’s cock jerked.

  As the air pulsed and surged, Raine gripped their shoulders. Hammer felt her nails biting into him as she let out a cry. Her muscles grew taut. Her back bowed. She sank her fingers into Liam’s hair in an urgent grab.

  As if scenting desire, the beast Hammer kept on a short leash reared its head. If he didn’t get Raine between him and Liam soon, he feared the thing would gnaw through all restraint.

  Skimming his palm down to grip the curve of her waist, Hammer plucked her off the floor and tumbled her onto the mattress. She sucked in a startled yelp. The sound morphed into a moan when his hand went straight to her pussy.

  “We need to fuck our girl.”

  “We do,” Liam agreed, rolling to Raine’s other side.

  Hammer stared at their precious one splayed out on the bed. Naked. Inviting. Willing.

  The beast within him roared again. Restless. Pacing. Impatient to lay claim to her.

  Take.

  Bind.

  Possess.

  Macen tried to temper his lust. But the more he struggled to rein it back, the more fiercely it fought the chain.

  Before he could blink, Hammer found himself on top of Raine, taking her mouth like a starved man. With urgent fingers, he clutched the soft curve of her hip, branding her with his palms. She met him, opening her mouth and legs, squirming beneath him with kitten-like mewls that fed his rabid need.

  God, he craved her. She made him feel alive again, eased his burdens, his failures, his regrets. She soothed his savage beast.

  As he moved his lips across her jaw, down the graceful curve of her neck, Liam swooped in, taking her mouth with a passionate kiss. Hammer slid his hand down again, teasing her clit. She spread wider, arched more. Then he drove his digits into her wet, silken pussy.

  She let out a cry. Liam swallowed it. Hammer couldn’t hold back his groan of delight as her smooth, slick walls clutched him. He barely resisted the urge to slam himself inside her.

  “Yes…” Raine murmured as Liam nipped her ear and plucked at her nipple. “I’ve missed you both.”

  “We’re here with you now, love,” Liam whispered. “Let us take care of you.”

  Yes, Raine deserved to be made love to. But try as Hammer might, he couldn’t slow down, couldn’t wait to have all of her again.

  Sinking his teeth into her other dark berry nipple, he gave it a tug. Raine cried out and arched. Still, it wasn’t enough. His inner beast demanded more.

  Withdrawing his fingers from her pussy, he licked her tart cream. Instantly, Liam scooted between her legs and covered her pretty pink folds with his mouth. In the spill of soft light, Raine flushed and closed her eyes, squirming against his busy tongue.

  Hammer watched. The erotic sight had him shuddering. He knelt near her head, fisting his cock as he saw the pleasure ripple over her face. Christ, he loved seeing her so lush and uninhibited. So theirs.

  “His tongue feels good, doesn’t it, precious?”

  “Yes,” she whimpered, lifting her heavy lids. “More. I’ll give you and Liam anything you want.”

  “Anything?” Hammer taunted.

  She nodded frantically, eyes pleading for the ecstasy they could choose to grant…or deny.

  “Open your mouth for me, Raine.”

  With a hungry stare, he watched the tempting bow of her lips part. He braced his palm against the headboard, feeding her every thick, hard inch. The feel of her sinful mouth made his balls draw up and shot tingles of pleasure up his spine.

  “Yeah. That’s it. Suck me deep. Hard.”

  She worked his shaft with her eager little tongue. Basking in the bone-melting sensations, Hammer closed his eyes and gripped the corner of the headboard, craving something he hadn’t had the chance to do to her in months…

  Yanking open the drawer of the nightstand, he jerked a bundle of silk rope free, then dragged himself from her mouth. Instantly, he missed her sweet worship but vowed he’d be buried inside the snug clasp of her pussy in a handful of seconds.

  “I need you under me, bound. Immobile,” he muttered roughly as he gathered her hands above her head, winding the length of rope around her wrists with an urgent tug. “At my mercy.”

  As he tightened the restraints and began securing her to the bed frame, Raine froze. Her eyes flew wide, pupils dilating at lightning pace.

  “No! Stop.” She thrashed like a wild thing, shoving against his restraints, kicking, tossing her head, wailing. “Stop. God, stop! Paris!”

  She’d safeworded out. Hammer’s inner beast heeled instantly. Stunned, he unwound the ropes. His guts liquefied.

  Between her legs, Liam sat back on his heels. They shared a glance. His Irish friend looked as stricken as he did. Two months ago, Raine had loved rope and cuffs—anything that put her under their command. Back then, the moment restraints touched her skin, she’d melted.

  Now, she seemed terrified almost beyond solace.

  Hammer tossed the silk rope away, out of sight. She still looked pale and shaken and afraid.

  “It’s all right, love.” Liam crouched over her. “No one will hurt you.”

  “Take a deep breath.” Hammer’s command was a quiet lash above their harsh breaths. “The restraints are gone. No more. Focus on us.”

  She blanched, tore away from him, and curled onto her side.

  Hammer felt as if he’d been kicked in the balls. He should have fucking learned all the things not to do after his late wife, like getting drunk on power and giving in to his impulsive needs. Why did he seem so hell bent on repeating the past?

  Fuck.

  Fuck.

  Fuck.

  As one, he and Liam moved to surround her, holding her close, giving her their body heat and reassurance.

  From the moment she’d entered his life, Hammer had made it his mission to know everything about Raine. Her menstrual cycle. The brand of her favorite citrusy shampoo. Her loathing of pickles. The movies that made her cry. Her every dirty fantasy and “secret” crush. Every achievement. Every regret. Every expression that accompanied every one of her moods. He’d missed nothing…until now.

  He’d been feeling unworthy since he put Juliet in the ground eight years ago. In some ways, this failure hurt just as fucking bad.

  “Raine,” Liam murmured. “Sweetheart, talk to us.”

  She didn’t respond to his words. Her body merely bucked with a silent sob.

  That didn’t deter Liam, and Hammer kept his mouth shut. Right now, Raine didn’t need him commanding her to open up. She needed Liam’s compassion. When their girl crawled into her head, he turned into the Raine whisperer.

  Hammer still
ed to watch.

  “You’re safe with us. At home. Can you hear me, love?” Liam spoke the words so gently. “Follow the sound of my voice. Do it now.”

  She stilled, hiccupped, blinked up at Liam.

  “Good girl. Now tell us how you feel.”

  “Mortified.” She sucked in a wrenching breath. “I kicked you. Oh, god. I’m sorry.”

  Liam shook his head. “Don’t be. We understand.”

  “I don’t. What happened? One minute I was melting between you. The next, I needed to fight.”

  Hammer’s guts tightened. “Did you see Bill in your head?”

  “No.” She sat up, backed away, bringing her knees to her chest. “But I felt that fear again. It screamed that if I let myself be restrained, I would die.” Apology softened her eyes. “I thought I was ready for anything but…”

  “You’re not, and I’m the one who’s sorry,” Hammer insisted. “I bound you and dredged up your fear. Jesus, if I’d known…”

  “You can’t blame yourself,” Liam said. “That’s why it’s called a hidden trigger.”

  Who else could he blame? “I would never intentionally push you past your limits, precious.”

  She stared down at her kneecaps. “Being restrained is one of the things I’ll work on with my therapist, but what just happened is no reflection of my need to submit or my feelings for you.”

  Hammer worried she wanted that to be true more than it actually was. The one bright ray was that she had communicated her fear and its reason—something Juliet had never done. Something Raine had never been good at in the past. She’d made amazing progress.

  “There now, love,” Liam reassured as he drew Raine into his arms. “We don’t need to tie you up to give you pleasure…or let you make us feel good.”

  “I don’t know when I’ll be able to handle restraints again, but I’ll keep trying.” She clung, her voice shaky but resolved. “It hurts me because I know it disappoints you both.”

  After what she’d been through, she was worried about disappointing them? Fuck, he was the bastard here.

  “You haven’t disappointed us at all,” Liam crooned.

  She tried to smile but looked as if her perceived shortcomings were ripping her in two. “I’m sorry I killed the mood.”

  Hammer brushed his fingers through her inky mane and muzzled the howling beast inside him. “You were scared. Don’t apologize.”

  “Can I fix you a nice breakfast? Apple spice muffins and date scones? I know it’s not sex, but maybe we could snuggle.”

  Yes. Raine’s love of baking had always been her go-to escape when the pressures of life overwhelmed. She spoiled them both with her sweet delights.

  “I’d appreciate you sending me off to the club with my favorite muffins and your affection,” Hammer assured.

  “Why don’t you go downstairs and get started?” Liam suggested. “I’d like to clean up a bit before I join you.”

  That was Liam’s code for let’s talk.

  “Same here.” Hammer sent Raine a reassuring smile and kissed the top of her head. “We’ll just be a few.”

  “I’ll get some coffee brewing.”

  “That will bring us down sooner.” Hammer managed to wink.

  After Raine left the room, he escaped to the shower to clear his head. Despite the hot spray loosening the muscles of his neck and shoulders, his hangover reasserted itself. Unfulfilled need still churned in his cock. Yeah, it was going to be another shitty day.

  By the time he stepped out of the bathroom and tossed on some clothes, Hammer found Liam waiting just outside the door expectantly in a pair of sweat pants, wearing a frown.

  “Any idea what the hell happened there?” He thumbed in the direction of the bed.

  Liam shook his head. “I’m a bit shocked, too. She’s done well with spanking. I’ve held her down here and there. But I confess, I’ve avoided bondage because I worried about her reaction.”

  Hammer wished he’d been thinking with his logic, not his lust. “Everything was perfect until I brought out the fucking ropes. I should have been more cautious since Bill tied her down and damn near raped her. I’m sorry, man.”

  “Don’t blame yourself. Neither of us knew for certain she’d react that way.”

  “I wanted to get her under me so badly I just didn’t fucking think. I’ve taken ten steps back with her.” Hammer paced restlessly. “She doesn’t trust me anymore.”

  “That’s not true.”

  Sure it was. “Raine has never once shut me down. If she trusted me, she’d never worry I’d hurt her the way her fucking psychopath father did.”

  “You’re being too hard on yourself.”

  Hammer tried not to scoff as he grabbed his keys and shoved them in his pocket. “I need to get my head on straight. I’m going to the club. Tell Raine I’m sorry I missed breakfast.”

  Anger flared across Liam’s face. “If you leave now, you might as well tell her you blame her for this morning and she’s not worth your effort.”

  “What? I need time to figure out how to make this right.” But deep down, Hammer feared if he looked across the breakfast table and saw the accusation in Raine’s eyes, it would tear out his heart.

  “To her, you’ll just be absent when she needs you again. But because you haven’t worked through your past, you’d rather flee like a coward.”

  Hammer froze. “You’re full of shit.”

  “I’m right. No one knows you better than I do. So I know you’re blaming yourself now. Just like I know you’ll stay half the night at Shadows to avoid facing your problems. I also know you’ll miss Raine like mad.” Liam poked a finger in his chest. “You’ll try to cure your blue balls by jacking off. We both know it won’t work because your hand is no substitute for our woman. But while you’re polishing your knob, think about the fact that I’m sinking deep inside Raine, drinking in all her pleasure. You could be joining us and feeling her love for you—if you’d grow a pair.”

  Macen clenched his jaw and headed for the door. He hated Liam for being right.

  “Yeah? Good for you. Just make sure when you’re done fucking Raine, you have enough energy left to go fuck yourself.”

  Chapter 3

  Raine stepped out of the pantry holding a bag of flour and a tub of shortening, hoping some home-cooked goodness would put a smile on Hammer’s face. Hearing that he felt responsible for anything her violent excuse of a father had done made her ache to soothe him.

  So did her reaction to his restraints. They all connected when she submitted to the heady Dominance he and Liam gave her. After fractured months apart, they needed to cement their bond again. God knew she missed their touch, craved their pleasure and tender pain. But this morning’s fear of rope had been real and instantaneous. Not something she could have controlled.

  So where did that leave them?

  Before she could ponder the question, rapid footsteps pounded across the kitchen floor. The door to the garage slammed shut. Moments later, the engine of a car revved. Dread slashed through her. She peeked out and saw Liam standing in the middle of the room, looking both frustrated and madder than hell.

  When the sound of the car grew fainter until it disappeared, her heart sank. “He left, didn’t he?”