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The lass was defeated and self-bla, and he’d have to fix that over ti when I told you that I don’t back down froe, were you? Best mark my words from now on"
She went a bit wide eyed "Oh Okay"
Lia with her, that he’d grow tired of her after a few days or weeks and cut her loose Raine didn’t know him well yet, but she would
"You know damn well that you need not fear me Every time I touch you, you’ll have your safe word, but by christ, I’ll not be played again"
"I never meant to--"
"I’m not finished" Of course she hadn’t ht of hiut She meant far more to him somehow than she should after a handful of days And he wouldn’t let her go until he figured out why "You and I will spend soether, just the two of us, until we share an understanding Do you hear me, Raine? I was as clear as I could be yesterday when I told you that you were mine and I would not share you with another"
She just nodded, her face a uilt
"Idrive ahead of us"
"Why would you bother?"
He turned to stare at her, raised brow, silently chiding her for her disobedience She bit her lip and looked down
The truth was, he usually ically But this he couldn’t explain
Her eyes were soft and contrite "I don’t ht I owe you and I didn’t stop to think enough I never thought you’d really carebut when I hear myself say it, it sounds laive me, so don’t worry Can I just ask that if you want to spank me that you try to avoid the bruises? But if you’d rather not, I understand I’ve earned it"
"I’ll answer this, then you’ll stop with the questions and rest And you’ll obey" As she started to speak, he stopped her "Nod, Raine Take a deep breath and just nod Don’t disappoint me Listen, then you’ll sleep I’ve a place that’s remote and beautiful this time of year We’ll be alone there, and we’ll sort this out That’s all you need to kno Do you understand?"
"Yes" The word held a vast quantity of remorse, but she’d said the one word he wanted to hear
"I ‘bother’ with you, as you say, because I’ive you" But Liam was painfully aware that wasn’t the only reason, just the one that made the most sense and would be more likely to win her cooperation "By the tiether once et what it means to be truly owned And you will never ain"
She looked like she had a hundred ue, laid back, and tried to rest She curled into herself, and he couldn’t help but notice that she shivered The November morn was nippy, and with her wet hair and bare feet, the lass had to be chilly He turned the heater up, questioning again why she irl needed someone to care for her, take her in hand For some reason, he wanted to be that man--and it wasn’t because he pitied her Because he didn’t want to lose at the infidelity gaain? Maybe… But he could picture her now naked and waiting for hi his and invited hi before hi hiaze back to the narrow mountain road
When she finally fell asleep, he placed a call to Adam, the caretaker of the cabin he’d inherited last year He hadn’t visited the place in years Best of all, Hammer would never find it
Heready for their arrival, and Adaaire, would collect so for Raine, as well as lay in food and provisions He hung up, checking that task off his hts to drift back to theas he drove steadily onward
Ha his head And the conflicting rage and protectiveness Raine had instilled standing before hily, his thoughts turned to the ain in his bed…followed by the one fro her cry out in passion from Hammer’s Fuck!
His past coain
Why in the hell hadn’t he just walked away froa before it had come to this? After all, he’d had ample opportunities to leave It wasn’t as if the man had asked for or wanted his help Haet her boss’s attention flitted through his thoughts It was possible Probable even But Lia when she ith hiht love Hammer, but her responses when she’d been with hiary-spun kisses, and welcoht now But two things he did know: Raine wanted hio
By the tie a few hours later, she aking "We’re here Stay where you are, and I’ll fetch you inside We’ll get you ware, clearly puzzled But she banked her questions--for him, that much was clear But her meekness wouldn’t last Guilt would wear off, especially once he started to confront her issues Then…Lia to realize that Raine kneell how to fight fire with fire Hell, sometimes she started the fire all by herself But when so? She had no weapons--and unless he uess--no experience with that When showered with tenderness, she all but whi that weapon would help hih he probably shouldn’t care, he didn’t have the stoain
As he ju Raine’s door "Thank you, Adah ti…"