The Bold and the Dominant

  “Every chance I get,” Hammer growled softly in her ear.

  “Hold off on barfing all over the backseat,” Beck quipped. “I’m stopping in a couple of miles for gas.”

  “Good. I need to hit the restroom.” Raine crossed her legs. The tea had gone right through her.

  Seth jerked awake and scrubbed a hand over his face. “Huh?”

  “We’re stopping,” Beck explained again.

  A few minutes later, the doctor whipped into the parking lot of a convenience store. After pulling alongside a gas pump, Beck killed the engine.

  “Can you let me out?” she asked Hammer.

  Before he could reply, Liam’s cell phone buzzed. Beside her, he tensed as he dug the device out of his pocket and scanned the screen. A terrible anger crossed his face.

  Suddenly, Macen scrambled out of the car and tugged on Raine’s arm.

  “Hang on,” she insisted. “You don’t have to yank me out.”

  Hammer didn’t let up. “You said you had to go.”

  As soon as she stepped out of the car, Raine snatched her arm back with a scowl. Liam wasn’t the only one acting weird today. “I’m not a toddler. I can hold it until I get inside. Geez…”

  Hammer darted a glance behind her. Raine peeked over her shoulder to see Liam climb out the other side of the vehicle, cell phone pressed to his ear as he marched away in agitation. Raine frowned.

  “I’m just trying to be helpful.” Hammer took her arm once more. “I’ll walk you to the bathroom.”

  Walk her? “I can find it by myself. The place isn’t that big.”

  Hammer narrowed his eyes and he hauled her toward the mini-mart. “Then get your sexy little ass inside and take care of business.”

  Raine turned to leave. She totally understood the urgency of Beck’s situation. But Hammer furiously watching whatever tense exchange Liam had? That worried the hell out of her.

  “Who is Liam talking to?” she asked.

  Hammer tugged his wallet from his back pocket. “I don’t know. When you’re done in the restroom, grab some bottles of water for us.”

  “I hate it when you do that.”

  “Do what?”

  “Ignore my questions. Obviously, something is upsetting Liam.”

  “If there was something you needed to know, I’d tell you.”

  “Would you?” Raine bristled. “I don’t think you’re giving me the whole story. Wasn’t it just…oh, last night that you two promised me honesty and communication?”

  “Tuck your insecurities away, precious.” He pushed the twenty-dollar bill into her hand. “Go to the bathroom. Get the water. I’ll meet you at the car. Everything is fine.”

  Everything wasn’t fine. Something had upset Liam, and Hammer didn’t want her to know what. They’d sworn that if they all communicated their thoughts and feelings, the three of them could have a great future. What they meant was, if she opened up and ripped her guts out for them, they would appreciate that, but they didn’t see the need to reciprocate.

  Hurt scalded her. Supposedly, she was important enough for them to share what was in their hearts. Why wasn’t she important enough for the truth?

  Without another word, Raine hurried into the store. Just inside, she paused behind a rack of greeting cards and spied out the large plate glass window. Beck filled the gas tank. Seth stood outside the passenger side of the car, stretching his arms high above his head as he yawned. And Liam… He still had the phone pressed to his ear as he paced the parking lot with long, deliberate strides, back ramrod straight.

  “Sure. Everything is just peachy,” she muttered. “Assholes.”

  Liam had been this sort of distant before he’d uncollared her. Though the situations weren’t the same, for whatever reason, Liam wasn’t letting her in. Even worse, she suspected everyone in the car knew why…except her.

  Her faith and trust began to slip.

  Raine nearly knee-jerked and considered packing a bag as soon as she reached Shadows. But they’d been through too much these past few days, worked through so many issues—at least she’d thought so. They’d told her they loved her. God knew she loved them.

  Through so many of her half truths and uncertainties, they’d stuck it out and kept chipping away at her walls until they’d uncovered her heart. Didn’t she owe them the same? Maybe they were being secretive for a good reason.

  Outside, Hammer tossed a glance over his shoulder, looking toward the store. Raine slouched lower, ignoring the confused clerk’s stare from behind the counter.

  A moment later, Macen jogged over to Liam, who ended his call. They exchanged words.

  She couldn’t read lips and would never be able to hear anything from inside. Damn it, she really did need to use the bathroom.

  Quickly, she dashed toward the ladies’ room. Business done and hands scrubbed, Raine made a beeline for the chiller fridge in the back of the store and gathered up five bottles of agua.

  She didn’t know what was going on, but she was determined to get some answers, whether Liam and Hammer wanted to give them to her or not.

  * * *

  Macen thundered toward Liam, who had stopped midstride, waving his free hand in a clipped swipe. Hammer couldn’t hear his friend’s angry words over the stirring wind. As he crossed the lot, Liam stabbed his finger to the screen and terminated the call, then shoved his cell back into his pants.

  He blew out a breath and stood with his hands on his hips. “Fucking hell.”

  “What did she want?” Hammer clapped Liam’s tense shoulder. “Did you two talk about the baby?”

  “I didn’t get a chance to ask. She’s been up to mischief. I thought you had Pike watching her.”

  “I do. What happened?”

  “Evidently, Gwyneth has decided we’re still married and wanted to move her things into my room. She snooped around the club until she found it.”

  “What?” Hammer felt his blood pressure soar.

  “Oh, it gets better, mate. Inside, she found Raine’s clothes, jewelry, toiletries—the works. Gwyneth knows I’m with someone. She doesn’t know who yet, but how long do you think it will take her to find out?”

  “Son of a…” Hammer growled, feeling murderous. “That fucking bitch. What gives her the right to go prowling around your room? Around my club? Where the hell was Pike?”

  “Good question. He should have locked her up.”

  Hammer jerked his phone from his pants and called the DM.

  “Yes. She’s still here,” Pike announced, not even bothering to say hello.

  “I know, since she’s snooping around,” Hammer hissed. “Lock her up until we get back.”

  “She’s what?” Pike sounded dumbfounded. “When?”

  “I don’t know. Have you let her out of your sight?”

  “Well, I had to take a piss. Afterward, I found her making a bottle in the kitchen.”

  You mean Raine’s kitchen. “No more bottles. No more freedom. No more…” Hammer felt like a keg of dynamite, lit and ready to erupt. “Don’t let her out of your sight again. We’re over halfway back. Give us another hour or so.”

  Hammer ended the call and sucked in several deep breaths. “Tell me what Gwyneth said.”

  “I had trouble hearing it all. She’d turned on the bloody waterworks again. She was bleating on about how our marriage must have meant nothing to me and she didn’t understand how I could be involved with someone again so quickly, as if she’d never existed, and all that tripe.”

  Gwyneth’s call had clearly added weight to his friend’s worry, and it pissed Macen off even more. He’d spent the last several hours trying to wrap his brain around different reasons for Gwyneth’s sudden visit—besides the baby. He hadn’t come up with a single, plausible scenario, only managed to give himself a headache.

  “You split up more than two fucking years ago,” Hammer pointed out.

  “We’ve got to tell Raine what’s going on,” Liam insisted. “She’s already suspicious. After I uncol
lared her, we traveled a bumpy road to reach this point. I don’t want her doubting my commitment and feeling insecure again. But my head’s not all here just now, and I don’t think we’ll be able to keep Gwyneth and the baby under wraps much longer.”

  Hammer shook his head. “We already agreed not to tell Raine in the car. Or without all the facts. Until then, pull your head out of your ass and start paying attention to her.”

  “It’s not that simple. I’m in a foul mood, Macen. I’ve had no sleep. Maybe telling her now isn’t the best way to handle it, but it would sure as hell be a load off my mind if we did.”

  “That’s not fair to her,” Hammer shot back.

  “What if Gwyneth and her serpent tongue are waiting at Shadows to confront Raine? What if we’re leading our girl into a fucking ambush?” Liam roared. “It’ll be too late to confess anything to Raine then, much less protect her.”

  “We’ll protect her,” Hammer insisted. “But nothing’s changed. If we tell her, and it turns out the baby isn’t yours, the only thing we’ve accomplished is to shake her up good. We stay on course. It’s our best choice.”

  “If Raine finds out Gwyneth is at Shadows before we can tell her, there will be hell to pay,” Liam thundered.

  “So, we’ll keep that from happ—”

  “Hey,” Seth called out, drawing Hammer’s attention.

  Over Liam’s shoulder, he spied Raine pushing her way outside the store. She’d seen them fighting, no doubt. Her tight expression hit him like a blow to the gut.

  “Raine’s coming,” Hammer warned in a low whisper.

  Liam turned and stiffened, obviously seeing her unhappy expression.

  Raine strode toward them with purpose. “What’s going on? What are you two fighting about?”

  Hammer shot Liam a knowing glance, then quickly forced himself to relax. “We weren’t fighting, precious.”

  “Oh, really?” She arched a brow in disbelief.

  “No, we were just having a little discussion,” Macen assured.

  “About?”

  Liam shook his head, gripped her arm, and led her toward the car. “Hammer is just being a mite pig-headed.”

  Oh, that was smooth. Macen closed his eyes briefly and gnashed his teeth. Liam couldn’t see the forest for the trees. If he wanted to keep Raine from asking questions… Oh, that’s right; he didn’t. Liam wanted to spill the whole fucking story, minus a few key facts, and send her into a tailspin.

  Raine shrugged from Liam’s grip. Turning the tables, she wrapped her fingers around his arm. “About what?”

  Liam stared down at her, considering. “Love, I didn’t want to worry you, but I think you should—”

  “Beck’s going to take off without us. We need to hustle up.” Hammer pulled Raine to his side and pinned Liam with a pointed stare.

  “Is everyone pissed, packed, and ready to roll?” Beck asked.

  Seth smiled. “Damn. And it was just getting interesting.”

  “No one asked you,” Hammer growled.

  The undercurrent of tension swirled between him and Liam. Hammer knew Raine felt it, too. She’d grown totally suspicious, and the situation would soon spiral out of control if he didn’t do something—fast.

  Liam muttered a curse under his breath as he stomped to the rear driver’s side door and opened it. “Let’s go.”

  “Wait. What is it I should…do? Know?” Raine anchored her hands on her hips. “What’s going on?”

  Shit. “Nothing. At least nothing more important than this.” Hammer pulled her into his arms and slanted his lips over hers, pinning her against the door. The air rushed from her lungs as he deepened the kiss. Taking total possession, he swept a hand to her nape and filtered his fingers through her hair, pressing every inch of his hard body to hers.

  Any second, he expected Raine to bite his lip like a hellcat. Damn it, he wanted to redirect her attention, but kissing her in broad daylight with a honking trucker speeding past just wasn’t his style, and Raine knew it. Even inside the club, with members’ eyes constantly watching, he kept his personal life separate. But in private, he didn’t hold back. Even if Raine believed his sudden rush of affection, she’d be quizzing Liam again before they reached the highway.

  She gave him a little shove and a suspicious glare. “What was that for?”

  “I can’t stop thinking about last night,” he answered in a husky, hungry voice.

  “And you couldn’t wait?”

  “I’ve waited for years. I won’t wait anymore.” He opened the back door and nodded her way. “Get in.”

  Leaning down as Raine bent to enter the backseat, he watched Liam extend his hand to help her.

  Before he could distract Raine again, she focused on Liam. “What were you going to say? What is it you didn’t want me to worry about?”

  She had one knee poised on the buttery seat, her ass arched in the air. Hammer slid his hands up her thighs and settled them on her backside, squeezing her soft, bare flesh.

  Raine reached back and swatted his hand. “Stop that. I’m not going to let you take me here at the gas pump.”

  “If I want to, I will.” Hammer landed a sharp slap across her ass.

  With a little yelp, she crawled closer to Liam and tossed a piqued glance over her shoulder. Macen eased in next to her and shut the door.

  “Talk to me, Liam.” Raine cupped a slender hand to his face. “What’s upset you?”

  Hammer sent his friend a look of warning, then clenched his jaw. “Nothing you need to worry about.”

  Raine glared back at him. “You keep answering for him. What are you up to?”

  “About eight inches.”

  Liam scowled as Beck barked out a laugh and pulled the car onto the highway. Raine tsked at Hammer, shaking her head, before she turned back to Liam. Macen did the same. And damn it, he knew that look. Liam was waging a fierce internal battle. Thankfully, the man’s cell phone rang again, diverting his attention.

  Gritting his teeth, Liam yanked it from his pocket and punched a finger at the screen to decline the call.

  Liam rarely showed his anger to Raine. A Dom should always be in control of his emotions, but now fury rolled off his friend in churning waves.

  Turning off the phone entirely, Liam shoved the device back in his pocket.

  “Who on earth was that?” When Liam didn’t answer, Raine pleaded, “Talk to me.”

  “Just some things I need to deal with later.” Liam sounded tightly wound.

  “What kind of things?” Her voice trembled.

  Hammer heard the worry in her tone. Oh, hell…

  Liam paused and stared at Raine with both warmth and resignation. “Love…”

  Fuck, his friend was going to cave.

  “He’s having some issues with his company, precious.” Hammer interrupted. “That’s all.”

  * * *