The Bond (Unbroken Raine Falling 4)

You’ve both said you never wanted to marry again, and now that I’m pregnant you’ve changed your minds? Before anything else, I need to know that your friendship and our relationship is strong enough. Besides, I promised you at the lodge that I’d never choose one over the other. I won’t break that promise.

“So we will,” Hammer shot back. “But she needs to be Mrs. One-Of-Us ASAP. Where is Raine’s head at these days? You’ve spent more time with her lately than I have.”

“She’s growing more secure every day, but…our circumstances haven’t changed. Legally, she can’t marry us both, so she would still be forced to choose. And I’m worried River will rattle her all over again.”

Hammer nodded somberly at the phone in Liam’s grip. “Still no answer?”

“Nothing.”

Trying to ignore the biting fear, Hammer sailed through the subdivision, careened up the driveway, then slammed on the brakes. Both men were out of the car in seconds.

After shoving their key in the lock, they ran into the house, calling for Raine at the top of their lungs. She wasn’t in the living room. Only workmen occupied the kitchen.

When she didn’t answer either of them, Hammer broke out in a cold sweat.

He pulled one of the carpenters aside. “Have you seen our…” Damn it, she wasn’t their wife. “Raine. Have you seen her?”

The older man in jeans shrugged. “Maybe an hour ago. I think she went upstairs.”

Hammer didn’t bother asking if anyone had come to the door. River had already proven he had a nasty habit of breaking and entering.

Whirling out of the room, he followed Liam across the house, taking the stairs two at a time. At the top, they hurried to the bedroom and burst through the door, panting, frantic, scared.

Raine lay curled up on the mattress, sound asleep.

Relief slammed through Macen like a gale-force wind. He slumped against the wall and swallowed the panic that had lumped in his throat. Thank fucking god.

Liam exhaled audibly, obviously grateful as well, as he climbed onto the bed next to Raine. On the other side, Hammer kicked off his shoes and sank down, too, never taking his gaze from her delicate face. God, he hated to wake her and rip away her serenity. But they couldn’t wait to warn her about River. He already had a bad feeling they should be braced for a shitload of trouble.

Raine lay on a silken cloud of comfort, enveloped by her two men. They both lavished her with tender caresses and velvety kisses. The low, husky murmurs aroused her. Individually, their virile scents were heady, but together they made her swoon. With a little moan, she writhed softly, aching to feel their hands stroking her, their mouths consuming her, and their hard bodies driving her to paradise.

As she reached for Liam and Hammer with open arms and an open heart, they faded away.

Consciousness crept in. It had just been a dream.

Raine crawled up through layers of sleep. She cracked one lid open. A beam of afternoon light danced on the bedroom ceiling. Her men weren’t home…yet their distinct musk lingered. So did their problems. Hammer couldn’t seem to resolve his past, and Liam had chosen not to tell her he belonged to a big, boisterous family who might—or might not—welcome her and their baby.

Closing her eyes, she hoped sleep would take her and give her escape again, even if just for another hour or two. Because the reality was, she had no idea how to fix her life, and it was killing her.

Warm fingers suddenly caressed her cheek. Raine gasped and jerked toward the touch. Hammer lay beside her, hazel eyes unusually tender and concerned. What was Macen doing home this time of day?

Body heat behind her beckoned. She flipped her gaze over her shoulder. Liam lounged on her left, head propped on his hand, watching her with a darkly gentle expression.

Their scents swirled, combined in the air. If she’d been standing, her knees would have turned weak.

Then Raine remembered she was supposed to be angry. Did they think she’d let them out of the doghouse so soon?

When Liam captured her naked hip in his heated palm and stroked his way up to her bare breast, Raine’s breath caught. Clearly, he did…

How easy it would be to close her eyes and let ecstasy sweep her away. But they couldn’t rely on sex to patch over their deep, very real issues. Her therapist had taught her that, too.

Pushing her way up between them, Raine grabbed the sheet and sat against the headboard. Now that she really looked, they both appeared surprisingly anxious.

“I wasn’t expecting you for at least twelve hours, Macen.” If even then. When his expression suddenly turned somewhere between angry and grim, Raine’s pulse quickened. “What’s going on?”

“It’s your brother. River conned his way inside Shadows. He broke into your room.”