The Brink (Unbroken Raine Falling 3)

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 uncollared 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.”