The Bond (Unbroken Raine Falling 4)

“So you escaped here?” Hammer chortled. “Jesus. I would have paid money to see you run.”

“Stop laughing, you wanker. It’s not that funny.”

“You’re right. It’s fucking hilarious.”

“To you, maybe. But I’ve grown rather attached to my balls, and I’d like to keep them. I think you should stay home with Raine tonight and put her in a good mood. I’ll mind the club.”

Hammer sent him a rueful smile. “Are you afraid of our girl?”

“When she’s this feisty, I might be. She stomped her foot at me.”

“Oh, that’s when you know she’s good and mad. I’m a little afraid of her then, too,” he confided. “She’ll forgive you…eventually. Don’t worry. Once she has, you can sneak into her purse and retrieve your penis.”

“Bite me, you bastard.” Liam flipped him off for good measure. “This is a serious problem. She wants to meet the family.”

Hammer’s smile froze in place. “Oh, shit.”

“Precisely. I know I should have said something sooner, but I wanted the three of us to be more settled before I called the family.”

“The whole family?”

Had he gone mad? “I don’t think she’s ready for that.”

But Liam knew he’d have to say something soon.

“If she finds out before you cough all the details up, you’ll need a backhoe to shovel yourself off her shit list. How long do you think you’re going to hold them off?”

Liam winced. “It’s not as if I have a choice now.”

“Nope. I’m not surprised Raine wants to meet them. Unless River turns up and proves he’s not butt-fuck crazy, she doesn’t have any family.”

“God, I must love that woman. All right. I’ll ease her into the family.” Liam gave a long-suffering sigh. “You’re enjoying my problem, aren’t you?”

“Yep.” Macen gave him an unrepentant grin. “What’s your next step?”

“I have to give our little hellcat time to calm down. Whatever I say now will only overwhelm her.”

“Especially after everything that happened this morning.” Hammer sighed. “It didn’t go well.”

“No. We can’t go on this way, Macen.”

Hammer wasn’t laughing now. “I know. And I need to handle my shit. I just don’t know how to do it any faster.”

As frustrating as waiting was, Macen’s admission gave Liam hope. It was a step forward. Hopefully, he and Raine could break through the stubborn man’s walls.

“I’ll help you any way I can.”

“Thanks. If you and Raine weren’t everything to me, I wouldn’t bother.”

He wouldn’t. As much as Liam had wanted to throttle the man earlier, he finally had hope that Macen was trying to resolve his issues, maybe for the first time ever.

“Just don’t give up. We need you.”

Somewhere between grim and resigned, Hammer nodded. “How about we find that photo? I can think of a few others stashed in her old room she might want around the house. Maybe that will make her smile.”

“I’m thinking it would, along with some of those chocolate donuts she’s been craving.”

“You’re bribing her. And you called me a coward?”

Liam shrugged and grinned wryly. “I have to make peace with her somehow.”

“Good point.” Hammer stood. “I’ll help you look through the pictures. We’ll call Seth together, then you can pick up your sugary offering.”

Behind him, Liam scraped out of his chair and followed. “Good thinking. But let’s not make it too quick, mind.”

Macen withdrew the club’s keys from his pocket as they headed toward Raine’s old room. But when they reached the door that should have been locked, it stood ajar.

Worry danced up Liam’s spine. “Are you remodeling her room, as well?”

Hammer shook his head and frowned.

They both went on alert, shoulders squared, jaws set. If someone uninvited was poking around Raine’s space, they would make it clear the place was off-limits.

Macen flung the door open, hurtling it against the wall. Together, they rushed through the doorway. Senses heightened, Liam scanned the room.

A tall man in a construction vest had invaded Raine’s private space, glaring as he clutched a handful of photos. He zipped around to meet them.

The man looked familiar—about thirty years old, brown hair, blue eyes, firm jaw. He wore an expression filled with hate.

“Who the hell are you? What are you doing here?” Hammer demanded.

“I’m here for Raine.” He sneered. “I assume you’re Master Pervert, her pimp…” Then he growled at Liam. “That would make you her john and her baby daddy, right?”

Hammer had seen this guy before but he couldn’t recall where. The tall, square-faced menace had broad shoulders and wore a glare that pelted him with fury. He’d used the same slur Bill Kendall always had. And Macen definitely knew those eyes.

They mirrored Raine’s.

Son of a bitch. This must be River.

And Hammer remembered now where he’d seen this scum sucker before. The morning Raine had been attacked, he’d been the guy in the emergency room hiding behind a damn magazine, watching him and Liam so closely.

“I am not her pimp any more than you’re a construction worker.”