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“I’ll call you right back,” Ha up Then he turned to Liam and pointed to the toilet “You should probably sit down”
Lia on?”
Hammer hoped he’d jumped to conclusions Pike had only assuo, so it shouldn’t even be possible In theory
He pinned Liam with a heavy stare There was no delicate way to ask this question “When was the last time you fucked your ex-wife?”
He gaped at Hammer as if he’d lost his mind “Why the hell would you ask me that?”
“Because Gwyneth arrived at Shadoith a baby Please tell me there’s no chance that’s your kid”
Liahost and stu onto the toilet seat as if all the air had escaped his body “Oh, fuck me…”
Hanashed his teeth “Apparently, she already did”
;
If this kid was his, Haood
Lia A baby?
“I last saw her at a benefit about a week after our divorce was final Because I helped a local children’s hospital with fundraising, I received a coot shitfaced Next thing I know, it’son about hoe’d shared the fuck of the century”
Haed “Did you?”
“No” He paused, trying to stay calical “At least I don’t think so”
“You don’t think so? Either you put your dick in her or you didn’t”
“I was bloody drunk I don’t remember”
“But you don’t know for sure?” When he shook his head, Ha “Fuck Fuck, fuck, fuck”
Liam broke out in a cold sweat
“Exactly how long ago was the benefit?”
He wished he could forget “A year ago this past October”
Mentally, Liam counted out the ers
“That would make this baby…what, five or sixon Your ex isn’t the kind of wole motherhood in silence”
“You’re right,” Liarateful for Hammer’s common sense
“If this baby is yours, why did she wait until now to say so?”
“That’s a fine question Did Pike happen to mention how old the baby was?”
“I was too shocked to ask”
Liam shook his head “I won’t believe the kid is mine until Gwyneth proves it because she’s too crafty to have come all this ith soht ti spider determined to trap ed in his throat “Christ, I need a drink”
“Sounds like you also need a paternity test and a daood lawyer But you know…maybe she’s not here to clai else” Hammer didn’t sound like he believed that
Neither did Liam
If the child was his, he’d be a good and loving father Whatever his beefs with its mother, the baby shouldn’t suffer But if this was another of Gwyneth’s ht not survive his wrath
Hammer clapped him on the back “Let’s move this downstairs before Raine wakes up and overhears us We’ll talk in the kitchen And get you that drink”
With a nod, Lia to stare at Raine She looked beautiful in sleep Peaceful She’d had so little of that in her life, and he refused to let Gwyneth destroy it
Last night, he and Haotten Raine between them for the first ti the woed to open her heart, and she’d unfurled so passionately between theain afterward, but he’d shoved it down He and Macen balanced one another to be exactly what she needed If they could just drown in Raine’s soft body again, love and protect her, he’d work through that issue
But his ex-wife’s sudden appearance—only hours after they’d co… Liam wanted to howl at the injustice
“Coed
With a reluctant nod, Liam turned and followed him downstairs Once they reached the kitchen, he sat at the table, trying to force a calm he didn’t feel
Ha room, then held up a bottle “Scotch?”
He’d love sootten him into trouble in the first place? “I’d better not I need to keep my wits about me”
“Especially if you’re going to tangle with that snake” Hammer stashed the bottle and wandered back into the kitchen, pacing
“Agreed” Encroaching rage and panic threatened to overtake him, but he couldn’t succumb “I’ll head down theto lay in htfall”
“Are you crazy? If you leave to see your ex now, Raine will be devastated”
“Why?” Liam reared back “She knows that Gwyneth cheated on me and that I don’t love her”
“In her head, yeah But in her heart?” Hammer shook his head
“If this baby is mine, it was conceived well before I h I strayed”
“The baby won’t upset her You leaving now to see Gwyneth will Reo You did it for the right reasons, but it cut her to the bone If Raine wakes up and you’re gone, what do you iine she’ll think?”
Liaain, this time for my ex and our ready-made family”
“Yep, and all of her abandonment issues will resurface Besides, I’d rather not leave you to deal with that bitch alone I may have kept ether I won’t fail you again”
Liah of relief that Macen had his back once more “That means a lot to me, but I don’t need you to hold my hand Gwyneth is my ex-wife Myyou or Raine”
“ThereAfter we pried her open physically and eht, she’ll be vulnerable for days Despite the shit ton of progress we h for her to change the way she thinks She’ll shut down God kno hard it will be to open her again”
Bloody hell, Haht
He pinched the bridge of his nose to quell the developing ache behind his eyes “I need to find out if that’s my kid”
Macen scowled, looking downright ruthless “Let et you an answer”
“I don’t think that ork any better If you leave noill Raine think of that?”
Hammer paused, then cursed “That the conquest is over, and I’ve moved on to find another Damn it”
“Precisely That’s why I want to sit her down and explain I’ll reassure her that I ht”
“Explain what? We don’t have any facts except that your ex-wife is in town, she’s brought a kid, and she wants to see you”
Lia forehead “We have to tell Raine so for trouble After two days of drilling the importance of honesty and communication into her head, we prootten how she just handed us our balls because eren’t walking the walk”
“How could I?” He snorted “I don’t want to be dishonest, but it’s our duty as her Doms to protect her Gwyneth’s sudden appearance will incite Raine’s worst insecurities”