The Bond (Unbroken Raine Falling 4)

“All right.” Making them happy made him happy, too. “How about The Penthouse?”

“In Santa Monica? Love it.” Raine grinned, visibly excited. “Great view!”

“It’s almost as beautiful as you are.”

“Flattery will get you everywhere,” she promised with batting lashes.

Liam laughed. “I’ll ring for a reservation. After dinner, we’ll come home and remind our girl who’s boss.”

After sandwiches and a lazy afternoon, they piled into Macen’s new car and headed down Coast Highway. He caressed the sleek steering wheel, loving the power of the ride, and smiled. They’d chosen well.

The sun dipped toward the horizon as they arrived. High above the city, their private dining alcove overlooked the glorious view of the indigo mountains and sapphire waters. Raine sat between him and Liam on a padded sectional. Hammer felt as if they’d shifted into a sublime world all their own.

After sipping sparkling cider from a delicate crystal flute, Raine set the glass down and stared at the endless ocean with a contented smile. Hammer couldn’t keep his eyes—or his hands—off her, but then neither could Liam.

As their appetizers arrived, she slid a palm to her belly and gently caressed their little bump.

“You all right?” Liam pressed his hand over hers.

Macen settled his on top of them both.

“Yeah. Just thinking. We’ll be welcoming a new life into this world soon.”

The weight of her words lumped emotion in Hammer’s throat. He was actually going to be with them—and not in some fucking jail—when their child came. He’d be there through the years to guide and raise their son or daughter. Unlike his own sire, he’d be a real father.

“If someone had told me six months ago we’d be in a committed relationship with Raine and preparing to become parents, I would have pissed myself laughing.” He looked at Liam. “You?”

It seemed almost impossible. Last Thanksgiving, he and Liam had been surrounded by broken dishes, accusations, and anger in Raine’s kitchen. Not long after, they’d had a debacle of a fistfight in the bitter snow at the lodge. The discord they’d provoked all faded away when he remembered the sublime perfection of the night they’d first held Raine between them.

Liam patted Hammer on the shoulder. “That would have bowled me over with a feather, mate.”

Now the possibility of all their sparkling tomorrows spread out endlessly in front of them. All they needed to do was ask her one little question…

Hammer cleared his throat. “Raine, if you didn’t have to choose one of us over the other, would you say yes to marriage?”

“Of course, but that’s not possible.” She sounded dejected by that fact.

“What if it was, in a sense?” Liam took her hand. “What would you say then?”

Tears filled her eyes and her chin quivered. “I’d be thrilled. But—”

“No buts. Just… You’d say yes,” Hammer grilled her. “Right?”

Confusion furrowed her brows but she nodded. “If there was any way to marry you both without leaving either out, then of course I would.”

“All fucking right,” Hammer growled.

“Finally,” Liam laughed as they high-fived over her head.

“What just happened?” She raised her brows, shooting both of them insistent glances. “What did I agree to?”

Liam and Hammer explained their plan.

Her smile took his breath away. “Then…yes. Yes! But not until after the baby is born. I want a real wedding dress, not something that could pass for a maternity special.”

Hammer hated to wait that long. A glance over at Liam said he felt the same. But her pleading expression melted them. She’d said yes. After that, everything was a mere detail. “All right. Let’s at least set a date.” He pulled out his phone and launched the calendar. “August seventeenth?”

Raine’s eyes flashed open wide. “That’s ten days after the baby is due.”

“Yeah. What’s wrong with that?”

Liam shook his head. “Wanker. She’ll have been pregnant for nine months. It’ll take more than five minutes for her to reclaim her body.”

“How was I supposed to know?” Hammer threw his hands in the air. “And why the fuck do you?”

“I’ve got a bloody brood of sisters, remember? They pop out babies like a muffin factory.”

“Oh, my god,” Raine groaned. “Don’t ever refer to me as a muffin factory, Liam O’Neill, or you won’t be getting near my muffin for a long, long time.”

Liam scowled. Hammer threw back his head and laughed. God, it felt so good to actually find life laughable again.

“Okay, so what date would you like to get married, precious?” He handed her the phone.

Before she could answer, Liam slid his hand into her hair and tugged her to face him. “Don’t ever threaten to take my muffin away again, sub.”

He almost spoke the threat without cracking up…but not quite.

Raine giggled, then leaned in and kissed him. “My muffin is always available for either of you, as long as—”

Hammer slid his hand between her legs. She tensed.

“Macen,” she hissed. “Don’t do that here or I’ll—”