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"She has You just don’t see it I don’t think you want to" Lialy truth "But if you won’t take her under your wing, you’ve got to let her go"
Hammer knew he’d been unfair to Raine, but release her to another ht truly hurt her? God, Hammer already felt half dead--and that would finish him off
"How about you stay the fuck out of this?"
"Not this tirieve" Liarip on your guilt?"
"So I don’t make the same mistake twice"
"Juliet chose her path without even talking to you, mate You couldn’t have known"
"I should have I knew everything else about her, down to the last ed the fact that he hadn’t kno Juliet felt until it was too late
"I probably should have known, too I spent a fair amount of time with her But she didn’t communicate with either of us You can’t take all the responsibility for her feelings You couldn’t read her mind It’s time for you to move on and find happiness"
"Yeah? You think Juliet would agree?" Ha her back, but I think Raine could save you" Lia his life with a few pointed words
No way he would ever confess everything he felt for Raine If he did, Lia for the impossible
Macen looked away "It’s too late to saveyourself with Juliet If you don’t start thinking about your future, you’re going to wind up cynical and alone"
"I think it’s a bit late for that"
"Not yet But you keep dipping your wick in every hole except the one you want, trying to drown your guilt and run froured out, h to help you face your fears"
"No" God, no Down that road lay disaster Better to adore Raine fro her co every skirt that swishes past, even though you’re miserable Even when Raine loves you? Brilliant How do you think that makes her feel?"
Lousy Wounded Insecure He was a fucking heel
"Whose friend are you?" Hammer bristled as Lia avoided
"Always yours, which is why I’in, then? Is that your probleritted his teeth "She took care of that behind o"
"Do you doubt that she’s subive her a go?"
"Of course not! But fuck, certainly you can see it You’ve watched Raine She’s a natural She tries so hard to please"
"Well, then I see no reason not to give her what you both want, but if you’re set on self-destruction, you should be fair Sit her down and tell her that you’re not interested Let her find someone else to satisfy her"
The visual that ith Liam’s words overloaded Hammer with fury There wasn’t a Doirl spread across his bed, legs open, ecstasy softening her features He’d been fending them off for years
"She’s not ready"
"Raine isn’t…or you’re not?" Liam raised a dark brow at him
"You don’t know her like I do No other Dom would understand… She’s i her will And her mouth She has major trust issues, so the brat’s claill coed Anyone else we knoould try to ‘fix’ her attitude with a red ass, and they’d fail utterly I have to protect her Yes, she’s upset now, but she’s strong willed TrustLiam to understand "She hides behind bluster and sarcasile I worry someone else would break her"
"And you don’t think you are? Iher through this emotional torture, you’d have kicked his ass by now"
Hammer would rather Liam had punched him in the jaw than flayed hi Phil?" Hammer curled his hands into fists "She’s not wired for what I’d want So drop it"
"I think you’re bloody full of shit You’re protecting yourself because you’re afraid that if you take even a taste of her, you’ll get addicted and lose your heart You’re terrified she’ll have the power to hurt you"
He hated that Liam knew him so well, but he wasn’t about to adht Instead, he clenched his jaw and glared "I said that’s enough"
"Listen, I’ve not gone back to New York because I won’t leave when you’re co apart at the seams Luckily, I can runas you need me and I’ll always listen" Lia more compassion than Hammer could stand
He was the only Dom--the only friend--Hammer trusted, not only with his club and livelihood, but with his legacy Liam didn’t know it, but Hammer had named him the beneficiary of Shadows in the event of his death There wasn’t another person who understood the hell he’d been through or could advise him better