Desire flipped in her chest, pulsed between her legs. Raine wanted the passion Hammer’s words promised.
She knew a surefire way to get it. Hammer couldn’t resist the urge to tame a brat.
She jerked from his grasp and lunged out of the car, then bent to stare at him through the open door. “Why do you need my mouth? Is your fist too busy for another workout? See you in an hour.”
With a thunderous expression, Hammer jerked off his seat belt. Raine smothered a nervous laugh as she slammed the passenger door and darted into the cool spa, pungent with incense. Bamboo chimes piped softly overhead. The waiting receptionist frowned as she stared out the glass door. Raine didn’t turn to look, because she knew the bear she’d baited charged her way. He should have some pent-up frustration to work off when her massage was over.
The thought made her almost giddy.
“You don’t have to show me back. I know Gloria’s room number. Thanks.”
Raine hustled to the back of the spa before Hammer could barge in. After she used the facilities, she hurried to room number five. Inside, she breathed a sigh of relief as she set her purse on the counter. “I’m safe—at least for now. Not even Hammer would dare to follow me in here.”
At least she didn’t think so.
Behind her, the door shut suddenly. Raine whirled. A big body stepped from the shadows and into the dim light of the massage room. Raine knew those blue eyes.
“So I was right, you are afraid of him?”
She gaped in shock. “Oh, my god… River! What are you doing here? I haven’t seen you in forever.”
“I learned your schedule.” He took her shoulders and searched her face intently. “Talk to me. Tell me what’s going on.”
Frowning, Raine tilted her head way up to meet his gaze. He’d grown since adolescence, now standing somewhere around six foot five. He’d filled out his once-gawky body with pure muscle. He looked hard and dangerous and immovable. She didn’t want to be afraid of him, but unease twisted her stomach.
She tried to shrug free from his touch. “You need to leave. I promised Liam and Hammer I wouldn’t talk to you.”
“And you do everything they tell you to, don’t you?” He muttered a curse. “What will they do if you disobey?”
Spank her. Maybe fuck her within an inch of her life, but she’d like that. She’d missed being with them both.
Best not to say that to her brother. He was already agitated.
She stepped away nervously. “N-nothing. I’m surprised you—”
“Don’t lie to protect those fucking deviants.”
Until now, River had sounded almost normal. But maybe Hammer and Liam had been right about her brother being crazy.
“You shouldn’t be here. Where’s Gloria?” Raine glanced hopefully toward the door. Maybe the therapist would show up to defuse this situation…or get help.
“Out with a cold. I paid the receptionist not to call you.” River gripped her shoulders tighter. “I had to separate you from those two animals. Raine, I’ll get you to safety.”
“Safety?” She shook her head. “I’m fine. Better than fine. Where have you been all these years?”
“The army. I spent a lot of time in Afghanistan. I’ve only been back Stateside for a couple of months.”
And he hadn’t reached out to her once until he disapproved of her life. Had time and war toughened all the sanity and goodness out of the brother she remembered?
“Don’t change the subject,” he growled. “I won’t let you be a cock slave to those two assholes anymore.”
“Cock slave? Assholes?” Raine shoved at his chest. “You’ve got everything wrong. What we have may not look like a conventional relationship, but who the hell are you to pass judgment?”
River didn’t give her any room to breathe. “The only fucking family you have left.”
“You walked out twelve years ago and didn’t look back. So you don’t get any say in my life now.”
“I left because I had to. But I’m back and I’m not a screwed-up teenager anymore.”
No, he just sounded like a sanctimonious prick.
“Let go,” she demanded.
“Those two have hurt you.” Something bleak settled in his expression. “Storm cloud, I can’t let that stand.”
No one had called her that pet name in…well, since River. It softened her a bit.
“Really, you just don’t know them. They’re wonderful to me and—”
“Do you even know which one of them fucking got you pregnant?” He pointed at her belly, looking furious. When she didn’t answer, his face hardened. “That’s what I thought. Come with me. I’ll get that taken care of. We’ll get your life back on track. I have money.”
Get that taken care of, as in…abortion?
“No!” Raine struggled to dislodge his grip. “God no! If you’re not going to listen, leave me alone.”
“Listen to what? All the crap they’ve brainwashed you to say? I won’t let them force-feed you any more of their Kool-Aid. You don’t have to give birth to this product of rape. I’ll take care of everything. You’ll have other kids someday—with the right guy.”