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Raine sighed wearily “Macen, you didn’t even give“Can we talk about this privately?”

That expression tore at Hammer because he reiveness and approval

“No I’ll talk in front of him, Raine He knows more about you than I suspect you’ll ever allowthis in private, is there?”

“Just…hear ht before I served the food, so I thought I couldhostess before the pain hit But it got bad really quickly I didn’t want to announce my problelare “So don’t make it sound like I intentionally withheld information from Liam” She reached for the otheryou in the dark I wasn’t, I swear”

Liam raised a skeptical brow “That’s a lovely speech, but I’m not convinced you would have explained if Hammer hadn’t forced your hand I doubt you’ll ever let me know the real you”

His voice iced over with a cold rage Hammer had never heard

Raine gaped at him, the fear and heartbreak naked on her face “That’s not true”

Lia when I’ll step into the next pile of shit because you’ve either forgotten, decided I didn’t need to know, or simply hadn’t bothered to forewarn me How do you expect me to care for you, love—and I do love you—if you won’t share?”

Hammer’s knees nearly went out fro that Liam would knock on his door soirl because of her stubborn, ays But hearing Lia that Raine thought she needed hi anytime soon

“You say you care about me and want h to co as basic as your health That’s sub 101, and you know it I’m deeply disappointed, Raine” Liam turned away as her eyes spilled over with tears “Ha me about my sub’s problems I’ll take it fro business from now on”

Hammer bristled Lia to happen where Raine was concerned, especially now that he knew she had walled herself off nearly to the point of suffocation He had to get more involved, not less

Suddenly, Raine blinked rapidly, sing hard, swaying on her feet Hans…

Surveying the disheveled dinner table, he lunged to retrieve an ereen beans As he raced back to her, Raine slapped one hand on her stomach, then doubled over with a cry and fell to her knees