The Bold and the Dominant

  her belly with his seed. She’d let Hammer do it once, but this wasn’t a pissing match. Raine hadn’t given him free reign over her body like that. Frankly, he’d expect Hammer would have something to say about it, as well.

  Last month when she’d worried Hammer had gotten her pregnant, Liam had been willing to raise that child as his own. But the notion of swelling her belly with his baby… He gritted his teeth, wanting nothing more. It surprised him that so soon after Gwyneth had scared the hell out of him with a “son,” he’d be so eager to truly conceive a child. Not just any child—one with Raine. That made everything different.

  Someday…

  “Let me get a condom, love.” He reached for the drawer of the nightstand.

  “I don’t need one. I’m willing to give everything to you. Because I love you.”

  Then Raine pushed her hips back, and his cock sank past her wet opening, deep into her core without any protection at all. The friction blazed through him, almost as hot as the reality of the trust she was giving him and the depths of her love.

  “Jesus, Raine!”

  As she took him to the hilt, she mewled. “If you don’t want this, tell me now.”

  Her voice quivered. Her pussy rippled. She was already close. Damn it to hell, so was he.

  “I want you this way,” he confessed. “More than anything. I love you so much. Aren’t you in the middle of your cycle, love?”

  “Pretty much,” she whispered.

  And she still wanted to be with him this way.

  Hell, Liam wasn’t going to last, not feeling heaven all around him, not seeing his marks on her, too. Not knowing that with this climax, they could cement their futures together in more ways than one.

  But he had one problem…

  “Hammer.” He tried to catch his breath. “Mate, I won’t take her bare if you’re not ready for this.”

  “Oh, don’t let me fucking stop you from the best sensation ever.” Macen’s voice had become a rough growl. No doubt, he was close, too.

  That was all Liam needed.

  “Give me your body and your love,” he demanded of Raine. “Ride me hard.”

  She keened out her answer, then dipped her hips and thrust him deeper, taking him from hilt to head and back again with every sway of her hips. Liam clenched his jaw and dug deep for restraint.

  A half dozen strokes in, her cunt all but strangled him. She dug her nails deep into his shoulders. “Sir, may I come?”

  “No,” he snarled. “You wait for me, love. We’re going to feel this together.”

  Her aching cry filled his ears. Hammer’s rough breathing followed. Liam heard his own low growl.

  He slid his thumb over Raine’s clit. Hard, poised, ready. Damn it, he wanted this to last, but every drag of her walls over his bare cock drove him dangerously close to the brink.

  From beneath, he tried to thrust up as he yanked her hips down onto him. In the back of his head, Liam realized he was fucking her without finesse. She’d be even more bruised tomorrow. He’d see those discolorations, be reminded of this heady, life-changing pleasure and…

  What had infuriated him an hour ago now set off his desire as if someone had lit the fuse on the bomb inside him.

  Liam flipped Raine to her back and shoved his way back inside her in one unrelenting thrust. She looked up at him as if she was lost and only he could save her. Orgasm was seconds away. He felt his spine tingling, his balls drawing up, his breathing change, the ache sharpening.

  “Last chance,” he managed to say. “I can pull out.”

  Raine shook her head. “Because I love you.”

  Those words flipped the switch on Liam’s self-control.

  “Come!” he shouted, driving into her ferociously, shuttling in and out of her body at a dizzying pace.

  Almost instantly, Raine seized up and wailed, her entire body clenching down to suck him in deeper.

  “Fuck…” Hammer groaned harsh and low.

  Liam felt everything inside him give way as his cock jerked, ecstasy shot through his system, and he spilled every bit of himself inside her. Spasm after spasm of pleasure rocketed through his body, giving him the fuel to pump her until he felt spent and dry—and so desperately fucking in love, he knew it would never end.

  * * *

  After a luxurious bath, Raine lay flat on her back, happily cuddled between Liam and Hammer. Both had rolled to their sides and propped their heads on their palms. She resisted the urge to pinch herself. With everything terrible that had happened today, it spoke volumes about their commitment to one another that they’d all ended up in the same bed, sharing a soft conversation, wearing matching looks of contentment.

  Liam added an extra dose to her happiness when he related everything that had happened with his ex-wife at the hospital while they’d waited to learn about Kyle’s illness.

  “You mean, after all Gwyneth’s bullshit about that kid being your ‘love child,’ he’s not only not yours but he’s not even hers?” Hammer looked ready to throttle the woman.

  Liam gave his friend a tired smile. “Exactly. I guess she thought I’d marry her just because she wanted me to or out of the goodness of my heart. Who knows? She wanted something so she expected the universe to fall in line. I’m glad it’s all behind me. Now that the truth is out in the open, she’ll return Kyle to her sister, take herself back to London, and…I don’t expect to hear from her again.”

  While Raine couldn’t be happier that Gwyneth had come clean, one thing bothered her. “And what made her decide to suddenly tell the truth?”

  Liam paused. Exhaustion lidded his dark eyes and pulled at his firm mouth. “She was rattled enough by Kyle’s illness that she couldn’t be bothered to keep up the façade any longer.” He leaned in and brushed his lips over hers. “You don’t look convinced, my suspicious wench.”

  Raine didn’t want to be suspicious, but something sounded off. “So she was just going to give up? She hijacked a baby, falsified birth records, came up with a whopper of a lie, and…” She shook her head. “I don’t see her quitting. It’s a huge fortune.”

  “Well, the DNA test is due back in a few hours, anyway, and the jig would be up. She knew that.”

  Granted, Raine had only met Gwyneth once, but that didn’t sound like her at all.

  Hammer palmed her abdomen with a frown. “I hear what you’re saying, but what else could she do to Liam?”

  “I don’t know, but some people would do a lot more crap for a lot less money.”

  “True,” Hammer agreed. “But in this case, I think Gwyneth is played out. She doesn’t have any other moves.”

  Maybe not obvious ones, no. But the woman’s whole plan had been pretty unexpected and unbalanced. Raine wouldn’t be surprised if Liam’s ex had something else up her sleeve. Then again, childhood with Bill Kendall had made Raine naturally wary.

  “I don’t think I can stay awake anymore, love.” Liam lay back and closed his eyes.

  Most of this day had been truly awful for him. Like, the worst day ever. She understood why he’d reached the end of his energy and wanted it over.

  She leaned in and brushed a kiss on his lips. “I love you. I can’t wait to move into our new house together. Thank you.”

  “Love you…” he muttered.

  In the next breath, he began to snore.

  She smiled fondly, then turned to glance Hammer’s way. “He’s wiped out.”

  Macen frowned and rubbed at his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. “I’m afraid I’m not far behind him. Hell of a day.”

  “Yeah,” she sighed. “Let’s not wake up later and have this much drama.”

  “You got it, precious.” He curled an arm around her. Then from one breath to the next, he dropped into a deep slumber, too.

  And despite the fact that the December temperatures had dropped tonight, sandwiched between Liam and Hammer, she might as well have been curled up in a furnace. And the three of them definitely needed something bigger than a queen be
d.

  It was her last thought before she succumbed to fatigue, as well.

  She woke with a start to some god-awful chainsaw-like noise. Heart racing, she sat up in the dark room, wondering what that sound was. Then she realized it wasn’t a power tool at all but Liam and Hammer grinding out dueling soundtracks of some of the loudest snoring she’d ever heard. A glance at the bedside clock told her she’d barely been asleep for an hour.

  Sighing, she tried to lie back and catch more shut-eye. Liam rolled to his side and tried to take his third of the bed out of the middle. With his mouth near her ear, it only increased the decibel level of his snoring. Hammer decided to fight someone in his sleep, and Raine ended up with knees and elbows in her back. As they closed in on her, her body temperature went from toasty to roasting.

  There’d be no peace in this bed tonight—or what was left of it.

  Shaking her head, she crawled out from between them and pulled on the robe she’d discarded while making love to Liam earlier. He was naked next to Hammer, who wore only his boxer briefs. They looked cute in bed together. What a shame she didn’t have her phone to snap a picture. If she did, though, they’d paddle her ass silly.

  Raine pulled the sheet over the two of them. She could find her own bed, she supposed, but she found herself incredibly exhilarated by the promise of their future. The house, the love, the way they’d worked through more of their issues… She didn’t want to sleep now; she wanted to live.

  They wouldn’t be up for hours yet, but she could make their coming morning much better than the one they’d just had. Hammer had his apple spice muffins, but she intended to make date scones for Liam.

  Grabbing her laptop, she rushed to the kitchen while searching for a recipe. Orange and date scones, no. Maple and date, no. Bacon and date scones? Oh, just hell no. Finally, she found a recipe that sounded edible. If he didn’t like this version, she’d try another next time until she got the pastry right.

  She bustled around the kitchen and grabbed her ingredients. Self-rising flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, butter, eggs, milk—check. Dates…no. She glanced at the time on her computer and debated. Go to the store now or wait until sunrise? Raine sighed. She was awake and wanted to get these baked, try one herself before she unleashed them on Liam, just in case they sucked and she had to start over.

  With a little curse, she tiptoed back to Liam’s room, tossed on some yoga pants, a T-shirt, and some flip-flops. She searched the club until she found her purse, phone, and car keys. It had become an old habit of hers to inform Hammer before she left, but he looked so peaceful sleeping. She’d run out to the twenty-four-hour market just around the corner and be back in less than half an hour. They’d never miss her.

  Pushing her way out the club door, she heard it click shut behind her. The parking lot was fairly well lit and mostly empty. Of course, her little compact sat there, along with Liam’s Escalade. Hammer kept his Audi in the garage out back. Some of the other cars she didn’t recognize, except Beck’s Mercedes. When had he arrived?

  With a shrug, she glanced past what looked like Seth’s rental and a van she’d never seen, then strode to her four-door. She’d just pressed the button on the fob to unlock it and opened the door when someone behind her growled, put a brutal hand over her mouth, then shoved something hard against her ribs.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Hammer rolled over in bed, not fully awake, but floating in and out of sleep. As he breathed in, the scents of Raine, sex, and something unfamiliar filled his senses. Slitting open one eye, he saw that he wasn’t in his own room but Liam’s.

  Hammer remembered exactly why. Raine had climbed on top of his friend and ridden Liam like a goddess until it seemed Liam’s hurt and insecurity had melted away. Watching and listening to their erotic melding, Hammer had stroked his own cock and joined their shared orgasm by coming all over his stomach in a hot, spine-tingling rush.

  Rolling to his side now, he slung his arm around Raine and snuggled close. But when he tried to palm her breast, he caressed an expanse of flat, hairy chest instead. Jolting awake, Hammer jerked up. Christ, he’d been snuggling Liam.

  His cock instantly deflated. Good thing he hadn’t tried to tap that.

  He shook his head. What a wake-up that would have been.

  Glancing around the shadowy room, Hammer searched for Raine but didn’t see her. He peered toward the bathroom. The light was off. The door stood wide open. Where the hell had she gone at just after five a.m.?

  Grumbling, Hammer inched off the bed and grabbed his pants. As he meandered out of the room, he zipped up and left Liam stretched out on the bed, snoring like a lumberjack.

  As Hammer made his way down the hall, light spilled from the kitchen. He frowned. Raine never ate this early. Hell, she was rarely even awake. Was she baking because something had upset her? He couldn’t imagine what. A few hours ago, she’d showered Liam with love and exorcised the jealous demon inside him. Raine should be basking in her achievement, not burying her sorrows in dough. Things were good between the three of them now. At least Hammer thought so.

  Yeah, and you thought Juliet was on the same page as you for years. You learned the hard way never to assume anything.

  If something was bothering Raine, Macen swore he’d press her until he got to the bottom of her distress and fix it.

  Rounding the doorway, he found the kitchen empty, other than counters cluttered with bowls, measuring cups, and various baking ingredients all surrounding her laptop. Hammer fingered the track pad until her screen illuminated. A recipe for date scones?

  He scrubbed a hand through his hair. Had she ever made anything with dates? Not that Hammer could remember, and especially not at the ass crack of dawn. Darting a gaze over the ingredients on the counter, he scowled. It looked as if everything lay out, waiting for Raine’s baking magic…but she’d simply walked away.

  Hammer felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle. Surely she wouldn’t have run away again. Would she?

  With a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach, Hammer turned and sprinted down the hall. As he burst into Raine’s room, he flipped on the light and flung open her closet door. Her clothes hung in a row, just as she’d left them. He knew she hadn’t taken any of her things from Liam’s closet; he would have heard that. A wave of blessed relief washed through him.

  But as Hammer turned off the light, he couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling seeping through his bones.

  “Damn it, where are you, Raine?” he whispered.

  The state of the kitchen stuck in his head. She never left it cluttered or untidy, much less abandoned a recipe like that. He strode back to the mess, then compared the recipe to the items on the counter.

  “She didn’t have any dates.” He scowled and stormed toward the back door, his keys jingling in his pocket with every step. If Raine had gone to the grocery store in the damn dark without telling him or Liam… Hammer shook his head. He’d redden her ass another shade darker.

  Shoving the heavy metal door open, he stepped out into the cool night air. Raine’s car sat beneath a floodlight. But the driver’s side door stood wide open. Her purse littering the ground blasted Hammer with ice-cold fear.

  Sprinting to her car, he found her personal items spilled haphazardly across the pavement. Her keys gleamed in the driver’s seat, and her cell phone lay upside down on the floorboard. His heart thundered in his chest.

  Raine would never leave her things here voluntarily. Hammer looked around for anything that might tell him what had happened. What could have transpired in Shadows’ small parking lot? A mugger? A rapist?

  Bill?

  Son of a bitch.

  “Raine!” Hammer screamed, hoping she might be nearby and hear him, scream in return.

  Nothing but silence.