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“Why the fuck would you tell him all that?”

“I was harboring a minor in a sex club I had to put all my cards on the table in case he traced her back to ure out what he wanted to keep his ht away, he accusedsex with her and threatened to report me as a pedophile”

“You should have just killed him and been done with it,” Liam hissed “Or at least called the police”

“If I had, Raine could have gone to foster care I refused to risk her being placed in a hoiven intoaround to protect her”

Liaic, even if he hated the explanation “Then what happened?”

“Bill and I careement I promised not to plaster fliers of Raine beaten black and blue all over his neighbors’ doors if he kept his ain”

“It couldn’t have been that easy to ree to all that What else did it take?”

Harip on the wheel “Two thousand dollars a month”

Another shock jolted Liam’s system “You paid that cocksucker for six hteen?”

“No I’ve paid him for over six years,” Hammer replied flatly

“Hang on a bloody minute That’s nearly one hundred fifty thousand dollars!”

“Yes, and I’ but drink it away”

“Why the hell are you still paying hio”

“Because I was deteruarantee Bill would fucking leave her in peace”

Fuck all Part of hione to protect the woman he loved—even before he knew he loved her How could Liam not admire Hammer for the care and protection he’d shown Raine so unselfishly for so long? And what did that say about the man’s devotion to her?

“I understand you can’t be watching her ‘round the clock But you’ve got me to help protect her now Between the two of us, we can ain”

Halanced Lia “I’d never want to risk her, but… ht”