by Shayla Black
Following Dean’s directive, Hammer kept his eyes pinned on the wall at the end of the corridor. He gave no hint of acknowledgment.
Inside, his ragged nerves twitched. What would happen next? How the hell would he stop it?
As he and Sterling rounded the corner, heading toward the front door, Beck and Seth jumped from their seats, both wearing identical looks of concern.
“How’s Raine?” Hammer asked anxiously. “Is she all right?”
“Relax,” Beck soothed. “She’s fine. Pregnant women faint. It’s nothing to worry about. How are you, man?”
“You free to go?” Seth asked, arching his brows.
“For now.” Turning toward Sterling, he shook the man’s hand. “Thanks for coming down. I’ll swing by your office in the morning and fill you in on all the details.”
“Please do. I don’t much like trying to represent clients when I’m in the dark.”
“Understood.”
As Sterling walked away, Hammer exhaled, wishing he could blow out all his exhaustion and fear with it. “Come on, guys. We’ll talk in the car. I want to get the hell out of here and back home to my girl.”
For as long he could.
* * *
Raine wrung her hands as she sat in an ancient chair surrounded by ugly yellow walls and dirty, speckled linoleum, finding it hard to breathe. Beside her sat an attorney she’d met all of five minutes ago. Hammer was, even now, being questioned for crimes he hadn’t committed. And they wanted to drag her in, too?
“Don’t be nervous,” the distinguished man nearing forty leaned over and whispered.
Calvin something. She was too rattled to recall what. He’d introduced himself with piercing eyes and the smile of a shark.
“Sterling filled me in on what he knows and—”
“I’m not a victim,” she cut in. “Hammer did nothing wrong.”
“Sterling indicated that you probably wouldn’t give the police much to support their investigation.”
“I won’t help them send someone innocent—whom I love dearly—to prison.”
Minutes after Macen had been taken away, more police officers had shown up and asked to question her and Liam. She was thankful that with one phone call, Sterling had arranged attorneys from another reputable law firm to meet them at the station. Because money talked, the lawyers had come running.
“You don’t have to say a word, Ms. Kendall. They can’t force you to answer questions.”
“But I have to make them realize Hammer has never harmed me in any way.”
“It’s unlikely they’ll drop their investigation simply because the ‘victim’ doesn’t want to cooperate. For all we know, they have other evidence, and they’re running with it. If you want to help Mr. Hammerman, then your job isn’t to tell them everything. It’s to not give them any information that might dig him a deeper hole.”
“But he helped me, he rescued—”
“They don’t care. As far as the detectives are concerned, he’s a sex club owner in an alternative lifestyle who’s behaved inappropriately with a minor in some form or fashion. They’d like to see him behind bars.”
“No. That’s not Macen at all. He’s—”
“It doesn’t matter what I think. Don’t lose your cool and don’t lie. If any question strays too deep into territory you think paints Mr. Hammerman in a criminal light, refuse to answer. And you don’t have to say anything that incriminates yourself. If you’re even remotely unsure about a question, look at me. I’ll guide you.”
Raine nodded. She hated being jittery. After all, she had the truth. But that didn’t stop her nerves from jangling.
A female detective summoned her a few minutes later. Raine’s stomach tightened as she followed the woman into a small gray interview room. Calvin trailed behind, pulling out the chair for her when the cop bade her to sit.
“Raine Kendall?” the female asked.
She looked no-nonsense, maybe around thirty. Her long, dark hair bisected her back in a severe ponytail. She wore almost no makeup and a button-down shirt that looked just this side of masculine. With both a badge and gun strapped to her belt, she gave off an impatient, don’t-fuck-with-me vibe.
And she intimidated the hell out of Raine.
“Yes.”
“I’m Detective Perez. I’d like to ask you a few questions about your association with Macen Hammerman. Do you know him?”
“Yes.”
“How did you two meet?”
Raine looked at the attorney. The answer to that could be so misconstrued and land Hammer in more trouble, but Calvin probably didn’t know enough to realize that.
She shrugged. “I don’t remember exactly.”
“What’s your relationship with him currently?”
Raine sorted through possible answers and tried to choose the safest. “We live together.”
“You have sex with him, correct?”
“My client doesn’t have to answer that,” Calvin piped up.
“It’s relevant to our investigation.” Perez glared. “I need to establish how long Ms. Kendall has been a sex slave.”
“What?” Raine rolled her eyes, really wishing everyone would stop assuming she was a victimized slut. “I’m not a sex slave. Hammer and I are in a committed relationship, and I’m with him of my own free will.”
Perez raised a dark brow at her. “You’re living with and committed to Mr. Hammerman, but you’re also living with Mr. O’Neill? Having sex with him of your own free will, as well?”
Now Calvin looked every bit as annoyed as Raine felt. “My client has stated that she is not a sex slave. She is a legal adult, and who she chooses to have sex with is her business.”
Raine tilted her head and tried to keep her cool. “Have you ever been married?”
The detective blinked. “Twice.”
“Did you love both of your husbands?”
Perez looked at her as if the question was ridiculous. “At the time, of course.”
“Then you should know exactly how it’s possible to love more than one man in your lifetime. I just happen to love mine at the same time, and they’re okay with that. Now, do you want to ask me real questions, or did you just bring me here to shame me?”
By her side, Calvin chuckled under his breath. “Moving on…”
The detective’s face hardened. “When did you and Mr. Hammerman begin having sex?”
“If you’re asking whether I was a minor, the answer is no. I was a very-much-consenting adult. If you’re asking whether he ever mistreated, abused, raped, neglected, or in any way hurt me, the answer is also no.”
“Did he pimp you out? Force you to have sex with himself and others? Did he make his living off your back?”
“Hell no! This is ridiculous. You clearly know nothing about either of us.”
“I know you’re pregnant.” Perez shot her a superior glance. “Do you know who the father is?”
“No, and if not knowing was a crime, then most of the people who ever appeared on a daytime talk show would have been arrested. Macen Hammerman has done nothing except make me a happy woman. And I’ll tell anyone who asks me the same thing.”
Now Calvin laughed outright. “Any other questions?”
The detective scowled, and Raine had the impression these two had tangled over an interrogation before.
Perez leveled Calvin a really nasty stare. “Tons, actually.” The woman tossed down stacks of paper on the table in front of Raine. “These are copies of money orders, written out to your father. Two thousand dollars a month over a span of six years. Did you know Hammerman was paying your father?”
Raine glanced at the pages, her entire body clenching tight. She recognized Hammer’s handwriting, so she had to be careful. “I’ve never seen those before in my life.”
That was the truth.
“The way I understand it, you worked for Mr. Hammerman, kept his books.”
“Yes, but—”
“He wrote out a money order
every month and you never saw or heard anything, despite the fact that you did his accounting?” Perez sent her a skeptical glare.
“I kept the club’s records, not Hammer’s personal ones. He’s a private man, and I don’t know everything he does. If these copies came from my father, I’d be very skeptical. He was an abusive alcoholic, murderer, and rapist, always out to make a quick buck. I don’t know if these money orders are even legitimate. My father swiped some guy’s checkbook once and wrote hot checks for a week when I was a kid. So the more likely scenario is that my father was extorting Hammer for money.”
“Because he was having sex with an underage girl?”
“My client already stated that she did not have sex with Mr. Hammerman as a minor. Do you really need to keep treading the same ground?”
Now Perez slapped her palms on the table between them and zeroed in on Raine. “Doing some simple math, you were underage when you went to live with Mr. Hammerman at that skanky club of his, weren’t you? Glare at me all you want, but you dropped out of high school at seventeen. The day you turned eighteen, you renewed your driver’s license and listed Shadows as your place of residence. Mr. Hammerman’s name is on every one of your bank accounts. Now you want to tell me you’re not a sex slave being held against your will?”
“That’s exactly what I’m telling you.” Raine forced herself to stare down the detective. “None of what you just said proves anything except that I’m attached to one of the men I love.”
“We have video evidence of him appearing to rape you.”
Raine flipped an alarmed glance at Calvin, then remembered he didn’t know anything. But she knew her passion for Hammer.
“You don’t have to comment on that,” the lawyer put in.
Oh, but Raine wanted to.
“I don’t know what video you’re talking about…” Probably club surveillance she had no idea how they would have gotten their hands on. “But what may appear like rape to you is bliss to me. I like rough sex, and that’s not a crime. I consented every single time.”
Perez sent her a quelling glance. “You’re telling me that a fragile little thing like you enjoys being mauled by a man who’s bigger, older, and far stronger?”
“Yes. It’s called submission, sweetheart.” Raine couldn’t resist.
“So you admit you’re a slave?”
“No. If you don’t know the difference between a submissive and a slave, you’ll never understand a word I say. I choose to give my power to him and I can take it back like that.” She snapped her fingers, then she looked over at Calvin. “Get me out of here. I won’t stay since she’s not interested in any truth that doesn’t crucify Hammer.”
“I agree.” Calvin rose and grabbed his briefcase. “Let’s go.”
Beside him, Raine leapt from her chair. She wanted to go home. She wanted to see Hammer and Liam. She wanted to put this shitty night behind them.
“Wait!” Perez called out, finally getting off her high horse. “Ms. Kendall, you don’t have to protect Hammerman. We see victims like you all the time, manipulated by some experienced charmer who knows how to lure an innocent girl into the sex trade. What did he give you that you lacked at home? Money? Affection? Did he prey on your insecurities and make you feel pretty before he took you to bed? Before he shared you with his friends and associates?” The detective rounded the table and cupped Raine’s shoulder. “Don’t let him get away with this. Just say the word, and we can lock him up. He’ll never hurt you—”
“Don’t touch me.” Raine jerked away. “And don’t patronize me. You and your lurid fascination need to get a life. Hammer is an amazing man, and no matter how you try to put the most salacious slant on our relationship, we love each other, and I’ll defend him with every breath. If you’re looking for a witness to testify against him, it won’t be me.”
She didn’t wait for either Calvin or Perez to reply. She jerked open the door and marched out without looking back.
At the end of the hall, she caught sight of Liam pacing, waiting for her. She ran to him and threw herself in his arms. “Are you all right?”
“Fine, love. Are you? What did they ask?”
“Terrible questions that made me out to be a spineless puppet. I lost my temper.” She turned to Calvin, who had just caught up. Apprehension twisted her stomach. “I screwed that up for Hammer, didn’t I?”
“No.” Calvin looked like he was still laughing. “I think it’s safe to say if this goes to trial, the prosecution won’t be calling you to testify on their behalf.”
Probably not. But Raine still worried there would be a trial, followed by a prosecution and a railroading of justice. She was terrified that Hammer was going down—and she could do nothing to stop it.
Chapter 7
On the drive home, Hammer bitterly recounted his interrogation to his grim-faced friends. Seth shook his head at the detectives’ allegations.
“All I want to know is where to find River,” Beck piped up. “I’d like to ignore my Hippocratic oath for a few hours and unleash a shitload of non-consensual pain on that cocksucker.”
“Get in line,” Hammer grumbled.
The rest of the ride seemed unusually quiet. Beck was never one to mince words, but after that quip, he exchanged a few glances with Seth that had Hammer frowning.
“Something else going on?” he asked them.
Seth pulled into the U-shaped driveway as dusk turned to night. He and Beck seemed to share another silent conversation.
Now Hammer was downright suspicious.
“Nope,” Beck quipped. “Now…do you want to hang out in the car with us, connect to your inner vagina, and discuss your feelings? Or would you rather spend the night with Raine and Liam?”
No contest.
“Find your own vagina,” Hammer shot back. “I’m going inside.”
Garden lights illuminated their house. As he stared at the warm gray stucco structure, fear and what-ifs gnawed at him. His heart was behind that glossy black door, shining from those big picture windows. He ached to lock himself inside with the two people he loved most, find respite in Raine’s body, and spend every moment giving her memories with Liam.
Someday, memories might be all he had left.
“Good man.” Beck clapped him on the shoulder. “Call if you need us.”
“But not too early. Now that I’m back in town, I plan to track down a certain luscious blonde and ask her out. If all goes as planned, I’ll be soaring sweet little Heavenly to the heavens,” Seth drawled.
Beck jerked around and pinned the big PI with a death glare, growling out a barely human sound somewhere between low and menacing.
Remembering the ugly, World War III-like battles he and Liam had once waged over Raine, Hammer shook his head. “Time can be short. You two should take your own advice and put Heavenly between you. Thanks for the ride.”
Macen exited the car and charged into the house with long, urgent strides. Raine and Liam leapt up from the couch and rushed toward him. He crushed her in his arms and gripped his best friend’s shoulder in a brotherly hold.
“You’re home! Oh, thank god.” Raine wouldn’t let go of him.
That suited Macen just fine. He didn’t want to let go of them, either. There would be time later to discuss the darkness. Right now, all he wanted was to lose himself in the love around him.
“She’s been climbing the walls with worry,” Liam whispered as he threaded his fingers through her inky mane. “We both have.”
Hammer cradled Raine’s face in his hands. “I saw you crumble from the back of the cruiser. Are you all right?”
“Fine,” she assured. “Really.”
Hammer kissed the top of her head, then glanced at Liam. “Thank god you were there to catch her.”
“I’m glad, as well. As you see, she’s fine physically. Emotionally, I think we’re all a fucking mess,” Liam admitted.
“Let’s talk about that later,” Hammer croaked, holding her tighter.
; Liam took Raine’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “Love, I think what Hammer needs now is you.”
“No. What I need now is us.”
Emotions lumped in his throat as he shoved down the fear that he might lose these two perfect-for-him people. He breathed Raine in, branding the solemn moment in the deepest recesses of his memory.
Just in case.
“Well, then…” Liam said. “Let’s give the man what he needs.”
Raine blinked up at them. Hammer sensed she was torn between talking about his interrogation and easing his strain. But she shelved it and reached around his nape to pull him down with a welcoming kiss. He covered her lips with his as she put her worry aside to help him. To serve him. To provide him her comfort, her touch, her love.
Liam stood beside him with a warm hand on his shoulder and his lips on her neck.
Their presence was the perfect balm.
They were his home.
Moments slid by. It might have been ten or a thousand. Macen only knew when he drew away from her kiss he felt calmer, almost centered again.
He drank in the tears welling in Raine’s eyes. They were all too attuned not to sense one another’s distress. Hammer hated like hell that his worry spilled onto them. He couldn’t promise forever, but he could do his best to ease them tonight.
Hammer turned to Liam. “Where are Bryn and Duncan?”
“Sleeping off jet lag. Mum should know better than to interrupt us now. I put them in the guest room on the other side of the house, just in case.”
Too far away to hear Raine’s screams. Though with Bryn, sound wouldn’t matter.
“So tonight is ours.”
“I’d like that,” Raine whispered.
Liam palmed her crown. “Let’s go.”
With a ragged breath, Hammer lifted Raine against his chest. She curled her arms around his neck and reached out for Liam. Their fingers entwined while Hammer led them upstairs to their bedroom.
Macen laid her on their bed, in the spill of the silvery light from the adjoining bathroom, and followed her down. Without a word, she opened herself to him, unconsciously unfurling her arms and legs. He covered her, braced his elbows on either side of her head, and brushed skeins of her glossy raven hair from her cheek. And he stared. Fuck, he could do that forever and not get tired of the view.
