“And I love them for it…but I won’t do it.”
“If you’re not comfortable with this idea, man, it’s cool.” River shrugged. “I’ll go with your hunch, storm cloud. It’s our only lead and our best shot right now. I’ll take you to find Marlie. What the hell? Liam and Hammer aren’t fond of me anyway.”
Raine turned to her brother. “Really? I mean, I could go alone, but I would feel better if I didn’t have to face the crazy cunt without backup.”
River pulled her into his lap and hugged her. “I wouldn’t want you to.”
“Thanks, big brother.”
“Oh, all right.” Seth sighed and shot her an irritated glance. “I’ll go.”
She smiled his way. “If this doesn’t work, then the secret is safe with me.”
He glared. “What’s your plan?”
Raine gave it some thought. “Can you track her down, find out what skank bar she’s likely to be in tonight? I’m going to go put myself together.”
“You look fine.” River frowned.
“But do I look pregnant?”
Neither said anything for a moment as they scanned her figure. Finally, Seth answered, “A little. You’ve got a tiny bump that didn’t use to be there.”
“A little isn’t going to cut it. I’ll be back.”
Raine helped herself to the bathroom in her old room. Thankfully, Hammer had left the place intact, despite remodeling so many of the others. She was also grateful that she had left behind a few cosmetics and hair implements to freshen up after working…or playing. Bryn taking her shopping and insisting on buying her a maternity dress earlier today had been serendipitous—or her own brand of thinking ahead.
Thirty minutes later, she stepped back into Hammer’s office. River and Seth both dropped their jaws.
“Do I look pregnant now?” she asked, gazing down at the high-waisted red dress as she smoothed a hand over her belly.
“Yeah,” they both answered.
She tossed her freshly curled hair and lifted her red-painted lips. “Did you find her?”
Seth hesitated, like he’d decided this was a bad idea after all. “What if I said no?”
“I’d look for her myself.”
He groaned. “Why can’t you be less persistent?”
“Because that’s not going to get the job done.” She grabbed his arm. “Let’s go.”
It only took fifteen minutes to reach the happy hour of Marlie’s choice.
Just outside the door, Seth and River planted themselves, looking inside through picture windows. The place didn’t look crowded yet; it was early. People were just getting off work. But she spotted the leggy blonde in a green hooker dress she would probably say matched her eyes, sipping a glass of wine.
“You can keep an eye on things from here, right?” Raine asked.
Seth hedged. “We should go in with you.”
“No. You two would distract her. She’d flirt with you and ignore me. Stay here.”
“I don’t love this.” Seth looked pissed. “But I get your point.”
“If you need an exit strategy, there’s a back door through that employee entrance to the kitchen at the far end of the room,” River pointed out.
Marlie was a skank, not a terrorist. But Raine found the guys amusing. “Got it. I’ll be in and out in five minutes.”
Raine headed for the door, but River pulled her back. “Do you know what you’re going to say?”
“Not exactly, but I have a plan.”
“That’s scary,” Seth muttered.
“I heard that.” She laughed as she walked inside.
“Be careful,” they both murmured.
She nodded. But the minute the door closed behind her, shit got real. Raine dragged in a breath. She had to play this smart and cool. She wasn’t nervous about seeing Marlie. But the stakes were high. This one conversation might determine whether or not her new and growing family stayed together.
Stop psyching yourself out.
Marlie might have more experience with men and life, but under it all, she was motivated by vanity. She was a terrible liar and she was even worse at controlling her emotions. And she’d never see this blindside coming. Raine had no problem exploiting any of that.
Lifting her chin, she headed to the bar with a toss of her hair and a sway of her hips. When she reached the long marble surface, a bartender leaned over as Raine stood on her tiptoes to sit on the stool. Being five feet tall sucked.
“Can I get you something?”
She felt Marlie’s eyes on her and pretended she’d taken no notice of the woman. “Just a club soda with a twist.” She dropped her hand to her belly. “I can’t drink for two, right?”
“Sure thing.” The bartender scurried away.
Then Raine turned and acknowledged Marlie with a roll of her eyes. “Oh, of all people…”
“Why are you here?” The Barbie looked at her as if she were a lower life form, then stared in horror at her belly.
“I’m waiting on some people.”
Marlie tried to frown around her Botox. “You don’t have any friends.”
“Where are yours?” Raine looked around the dim, industrial-chic environment in question.
No one stood near Marlie.
The woman bristled. “I just stopped in for a drink.”
“Alone. Still haven’t found a man who can stand you, huh?”
The bartender set down her soda, and Raine paid the guy, smiling. She tried to ignore her shaking hands.
“I date plenty,” Marlie defended.
Raine cocked her head. “Funny how nobody wants to stay.”
Marlie scowled. “Why am I even talking to you? Go away.”
“I have just as much right to sit here as you do. If you don’t want to deal with me, you go somewhere else.”
“I got here first.”
Raine took a drink and tried not to laugh. “That’s the best you’ve got? Are you five?”
Marlie’s eyes narrowed meanly. “Did that Irishman knock you up and leave you?”
“Liam…” Raine shrugged. “Or Hammer. We don’t know. We don’t care. I’m with them both. We live together now.” She leaned in. “We’re really happy. In fact, Hammer hasn’t touched anyone else since our first time together. He’s very committed and he loves me.”
The Barbie looked as if Raine had slapped her across the face. “That’s impossible.”
“It’s not.” She stroked her belly again. “He proposed to me. I can already tell he’ll be a great husband.” She stared into the distance with a dreamy expression. “Protective, passionate, indulgent, kind, passionate… Oh, I said that. Oops.”
Marlie hopped off her stool. “You’re lying. Your life isn’t perfect, and I know it.”
And there it was, the malicious glee on the crazy whore’s face. She knew exactly what was happening in Macen’s life, and she seethed with righteous anger because she couldn’t stand the idea that he’d thrown her over for someone she saw as inferior. She was calling Raine’s bluff.
Raine couldn’t afford to put her cards on the table…yet. But oh, really soon.
“No, not perfect,” she admitted. “So I’m leaving to work on that. Enjoy your night alone.”
Standing again, Raine smiled. She strolled out of the bar and right into Seth’s and River’s waiting stares.
“Well?” her brother asked.
“She’s guilty as fuck. Let’s take this bitch down.”
Chapter 16
Thursday, February 21
* * *
“So you’ve set up the audio and video feeds, right?” River asked Seth.
The big blond PI simply stared off into space, wearing a crooked smile. River snapped his fingers. “Earth to Seth. Are you in there, man?”
Seth blinked. “Huh? Yeah, I’m good.”
“I didn’t ask if you were good. I asked if everything was set up.”
“Sorry. I was thinking.”
“About Heavenly. Again?”
“Yeah.” Seth sounded like a love-sick schoolgirl.
“You toss away your man card every time you see her.” River shook his head. “Thankfully, we’re going to get you laid tonight.”
Seth blanched. “About that… I can’t be your wingman.”
River gaped at him. “We’re supposed to tag team this bimbo, remember? I was looking forward to finding out what the big deal is about two-on-one action.”
“Eh. I tried it. With Liam. Years ago.” Seth shrugged. “It’s intense but not my thing. Too much swinging junk.”
River had always thought he was open-minded, but these guys seemed to have done nearly everything at least once. “Don’t bullshit me. You changed your mind because you’re in knots over some girl you’ve never even kissed.”
Seth glared but didn’t refute him. So he’d lied to Beck about that. Apparently their competition had moved beyond the “friendly” stage.
“I gave up on Heavenly too quickly before I went back to New York. There’s something between us.”
“If you start singing “Endless Love,” I’m going to throat punch you. I can’t believe you’re turning down a sure thing on the off-chance Miss Keeping-My-Legs-Crossed might cure your blue balls.”
“First, it will happen. Second, you don’t get it because you’ve never met her.”
“Even if I had, I’d still take the easy pussy.” River shrugged.
“You say that now, but when you meet someone you’re interested in spending time with after the orgasm, it’s different. I gave up playtime with a sub I kind of liked for Heavenly. Why would I risk what I could have with a woman I see a future with for a piece of ass with a she-dragon who’s probably fucked up a friend’s life?”
Whatever. River was a fighter, not a lover. “Yeah, well… I’ve spent too many nights in Afghanistan being romantic with my fist, so I’m going to make up for years of self-pleasure and fuck this bitch’s lights out.”
“Go for it, soldier. I’ll stay safely behind enemy lines, recording every grunt and thrust. I’ll even make you a copy of the tape for your spank bank. I’m sure it’s large and distinguished.”
“Just like my cock.” River grinned.
Seth placed a palm on his stomach. “Spare me. I don’t want to puke on your boots.”
River rolled his eyes.
“When you bring her to the room, get her on the bed as fast as you can,” Seth instructed. “The ropes are already attached to the frame, so all you have to do is pull them up, slip her wrists and ankles through the loops, then cinch them. Not too tight—you don’t want to cut off the circulation—but not so loose that she can slap you if she figures out why you’re really hooking up with her.”
“You made your Doms for Dummies tutorial really clear. I got it.”
“Good man. I hope you brought more than one condom.”
River arched his brows. “Of course. Who knows how many times I’ll have to get between her thighs to make her talk?”
“Don’t know. Just be prepared. She seemed like a looker, but I hear she’s been plowed more than a wheat field in Nebraska. You might want to glove up twice, just in case she’s carrying some dick-dissolving disease.”
“Thanks. I’ll double bag.”
“Good. If you’re going to take one for the team, you don’t want to be regifting anything nasty to your next conquest, like a bad fruitcake at Christmas.”
“You’re sure she’ll be in the bar downstairs, right?”
“Yep.” Seth nodded “According to her social media, this hotel bar is her Thursday evening watering hole. A little Google mapping tells me it’s close to the financial district, which is an environment rich in both men and money. Supposedly, she’s meeting people later, so she’s arriving early to stalk her prey—I mean, grab a table. You’ll have to work fast and get ’er done before then.”
“Got it.” River nodded. “Walk me through all these high-tech gadgets. I don’t want to fuck anything up. This may be the only chance I get to make things right with my sister and her, um…”
“Doms or lovers,” Seth supplied. “I’m sure either is cool with them. But they’ve both asked to be her husband.”
“Seriously?” That surprised River. “Then why isn’t she getting married? Did Raine turn them down?”
“Yep.”
“She has the power to say no?”
Seth reared back. “Absolutely. Normally I’d tell you to butt out of their business, but I get being worried about family. Your sister isn’t a slave, and she doesn’t give them her control because she’s weak. Raine may look delicate. Emotionally, I’ve seen her fragile. But she has a damn strong will.”
“Then why is she into the whole submission thing?”
“Hang around for a while and you might understand. But I promise you, your sister has tons of power over those two. The first time I met her?” Seth laughed. “She’d left them both without a word because they were former best friends bickering over her like idiots. For two days, they searched for her—together. While she was hanging at Beck’s place, cozying up to a bottle of Cuervo—and oh—beating the shit out of your dad, Hammer and Liam were finally having the first civil conversation they’d managed since allowing her to come between them. When she came back, Raine handed them their balls. They got their shit together fast after that. Otherwise, she’d made it clear they were both going to lose her. You look shocked.”
“Yeah. I watched them chastise her for coming to visit her own damn brother. She knelt at their feet and…” River shuddered. “Ugh.”
“Yeah, I guess you’d see that, but let me give you the Dominant interpretation of that day. Their pregnant submissive put herself in potential danger without their protection or permission. It’s their job to keep her safe, and she agreed to their boundaries. But to see you, she risked everything. If you still don’t think that’s a big deal, they were both ready to kill you after that stunt you pulled at the spa. So, yeah, she knelt. She loves and respects them, so that was the very least she owed them. Frankly, if my sub had done what Raine did…” Seth shook his head. “Displeased doesn’t even begin to cover it.”
River tried to wrap his head around that. “She’ll kneel for them, have a baby with them, but refuse to marry one of them?”
“Well, the baby part wasn’t planned,” Seth explained. “But think of it this way: if a relationship with two is hard, it’s a downright fucking challenge with three. After their jealousy issues, Raine has to be fair and equal to maintain balance. It can’t be easy.”
“Yeah.” He still didn’t like the idea of his sister shacked up with two guys both older than him…but he couldn’t deny they loved her. And she loved them. “I just want Raine happy. Shut up and show me what to do.”
He paid close attention as Seth pointed out where he’d stashed the recording devices in the room earlier that day, making mental