“He loves me.” She tried to convince herself as much as Gwyneth.
The pity deepened. “Did he tell you that? Oh, poor girl. He is a silver-tongued devil. Of course he’d tell you what you want to hear so he could get you into bed, but now he and I are quite reconciled and—”
“You cheated on him.” Raine frowned. The kind but firm man who’d told her about the painful dissolution of his marriage couldn’t be this heartbreaking barracuda Gwyneth described.
“To get his attention.” She waved Raine’s concern away. “I thought he had a plaything on the side and… Well, the misunderstanding is all quite resolved now. And so happily.”
Acute pain slashed through Raine. She staggered back another step. This couldn’t be happening. It couldn’t. Liam had never seemed like a liar, cheat, or player.
But how else could she possibly interpret Gwyneth’s attire, all the implements of pain and impact play she’d seen…and, of course, the baby?
“Poor thing. You’re crushed.” Gwyneth managed to look contrite. “In your shoes, I’d be utterly humiliated. I’m not sure I’d speak to the bastard again. Liam is a man with dark tastes. He enjoys the hunt, the game. I’m afraid you haven’t been much sport. From woman to woman, let me give you some advice: Wash your hands of him this minute, and he’ll never have the power to hurt you again. I’ll make certain he doesn’t bother you anymore.”
Gwyneth gave Raine what she supposed passed as a kind smile. It looked more like a shark flashing its teeth. Or maybe she just felt that way because this gorgeous woman trumped her every day and twice on Sunday. Raine knew she was never getting Liam back.
Did she really want to be his pity fuck or “pet” project anyway?
Betrayal washed a chill through her. Raine didn’t want to believe Gwyneth, but with so much proof, how could she think otherwise?
A sob rose from the depths of her chest. Her whole body jerked. Her face crumbled. No way would she let this beautiful bitch see her cry.
Raine turned and ran from the condo and the building, tears blurring her vision as she climbed into her car. The old her would have run far and fast and never looked back. She wasn’t even sure what this Raine would do as she drove away.
Hammer stood at the front door of Shadows, waiting for Liam to return. He hoped his pal made it back before Raine, so they’d have some time to talk—not only about Gwyneth but to discuss the best way to break the news about the woman’s return to Raine at dinner.
When the familiar black SUV pulled into the lot, Hammer watched Liam bound out of the vehicle and hurry toward the entrance. As he approached, Hammer opened the door wide and shot the man an expectant stare. “Well?”
“Raine’s still not back from her errands yet?” Liam sounded concerned.
“No, but probably soon. She’s buying something sexy to wear for us tonight.” He grinned, then sobered as they walked past the bar. “So, what’s this story you have to tell me? Quickly, before she gets back.”
“Oh, it’s hysterical,” Liam assured. “But first, I need to eat something before I pass out.”
He turned to the kitchen, grabbed a bottle of water, and made a quick sandwich. As the two men headed toward Hammer’s office, Liam began relaying all the gory details in between bites, savoring every word.
Hammer listened in shock and horror. “You found a picture of a guy jacking off in her texts?”
“It gets better.” As Liam took the last bite of food, he headed toward the bathroom. “I’m going to use your shower, mate, so I can keep talking. Wait until you hear what Gwyneth did after I talked to Seth.”
“I’m not sure I want to.” He winced. “Do I?”
Liam laughed. “I almost had the bitch barking for me.”
Hammer blinked, then let out a deep belly laugh. “I’ve got to hear this.”
Following Liam into the bathroom, Macen leaned on the edge of the vanity, keeping an eye out the window for Raine as his friend showered and described Gwyneth’s “submission.”
Hammer made Liam back up several times and repeat the humiliation he’d unleashed on the pretentious whore, laughing until his stomach hurt.
Liam stepped out and grabbed a towel as Hammer shook his head. “I would have paid money—good money—to have seen that. You didn’t happen to record it on your phone, did you?”
“Damn, I should have, right?” Liam laughed.
“Hell, yeah. That thing would have gone viral in a matter of minutes.” Hammer snorted. “So you got Kyle’s sample dropped off and your cheek swabbed, too. Now we wait.”
“Tom at the lab was expecting me and promised to rush it through as quickly as he could,” Liam explained. “Thank god for Beck’s contacts. I might have the results back early in the morning.”