“No,” Hammer barked. “I know exactly where Bill is. He’s sitting at home, waiting for me because he wants his paycheck and he’s using Raine as bait. We’re going to pay him a visit. You stay here on standby. We’ll call you if we need to show the police the footage.”

  Understanding curled Seth’s lips into an icy smile. “Got it. Get out of here. Just make sure you all wear gloves. Fighting fingerprint evidence in court isn’t easy.”

  “I’ve got gloves in my medical bag,” Beck assured. “I’ll get it and be right back.”

  “I’m throwing on the rest of my clothes and grabbing my gun,” Hammer announced as the three men darted out of the room, leaving Seth to wait for their call.

  He dressed frantically. Liam and Beck must have done the same as they all met up within two minutes. Finally, with his pistol tucked into the small holster at his side, he raced with the other two for Hammer’s car. Piling in, Macen turned to them. “We get Raine out. Whatever happens after that is self-defense. Got it?”

  “Bloody fucking right, it is,” Liam growled.

  Beck nodded grimly. “Bill charged you when you attempted to call the police, Hammer. We both saw it.”

  With a nod, Hammer tore out of the lot. Urgency breathed down his back. He wanted to press the accelerator to the floor, but his mind warred with him. If he got pulled over for speeding, that would give Bill even more opportunity to—

  No. Don’t fucking go there. You already failed and buried one woman you loved. You’ll never make it back again if Bill goes too far and you lose Raine, too.

  Hovering just above the posted speed limits, Hammer cursed. He couldn’t get the visual out of his head of Raine’s limp body slumped against Bill or the demented look of triumph on the bastard’s face as he hoisted her into his arms and hurried away. The cowering black-and-blue state in which he’d found the girl in his alley years ago also haunted Hammer. The images blended, flashing through his head in a never-ending loop.

  Guilt stung him. Why had he cut off Bill’s stipend? Hammer didn’t need the fucking money. He’d inherited a trust fund he couldn’t possibly spend in three lifetimes. By comparison, the paltry amount he’d doled out to Bill was mere pennies. But the peace of mind had been priceless.

  Right now, Hammer would gladly give every cent for that peace of mind again. But Bill confessing last week that he’d indeed attempted to rape Raine as a teenager had sent him off the deep end. If Hammer hadn’t cut off the stipend he’d paid to keep the animal at bay, she would be safe and sound and happily baking at Shadows.

  He gripped the steering wheel tighter. “I should never have lost my temper and stopped paying him. This is my fault.”

  * * *

  “Don’t blame yourself, Macen,” Liam insisted. “I’m at fault. If I hadn’t been comparing the love she gave me, Raine wouldn’t have left the club.”

  “Comparing? What the hell are you talking about?” Hammer’s brows slashed down in a scowl.

  “When I came back from the hospital and lost the bloody plot, I accused Raine of loving you more than she does me,” Liam confessed, banging a fist against the car door.

  And didn’t he wish he could take it all back now? That he hadn’t let exhaustion and frustration get hold of his tongue? He should merely have asked Raine about her feelings. If something unspeakable happened to her because he’d demanded that she prove her love for him with everything from sex to scones, he’d never forgive himself.

  Hammer’s jaw dropped. “That’s the reason for the jealousy?”

  “She’s loved you for years, Macen.” Liam swallowed down his regret. “I didn’t think she could ever…” He shook his head. “Then she proved me dead wrong earlier.”

  Beck leaned in and poked his head between the seats. “Raine loves you just as much as she does Hammer. She wouldn’t have been so torn all this time if she didn’t.”

  “I know that now, and I wish I’d never doubted her. She showed me everything in her heart.” Liam hung his head, then turned to Hammer. “You saw her do it, too.”

  “I did, but do you believe her? No doubts?” Macen shot back.

  “None,” Liam replied. “I was convinced the half dozen years she’d spent with you meant more than the five weeks we’ve been together. I feared I’d always come second. I was wrong.”

  “It’s not the quantity; it’s the quality.” Hammer gripped the wheel tighter. “Besides, I didn’t tell her how I felt until you forced the issue—which you were right to do. You’ve given her so many things I didn’t. You still give her things I can’t. You see that, right?”

  He nodded miserably. “I wish you’d smacked me sooner and told me I was out of line, mate.”

  “Nothing I said would have convinced you. Raine had to open your eyes,” Hammer gave Liam’s shoulder a brotherly squeeze. “She did a fanfuckingtastic job of it, too.”

  “She’s only whole when she’s with you both,” Beck interjected. “She’d never love one more than the other. At the lodge, she told you she would have both or neither of you because she’d rather live her life empty than half full.”

  Liam remembered. Beck had nearly as much insight into Raine’s psyche as he and Hammer. The doctor was probably a damn sight more objective, too.

  God, he’d wasted so much energy on jealousy he had no reason to feel. Liam didn’t know if he could stand the regret.

  In his pocket, his phone buzzed. He jerked it free, hoping Raine had managed to reach out to him or even that Seth called with good news. Instead, he saw Gwyneth’s name pop up on his display. Why the devil would she be calling before six in the morning? Kyle might have taken a turn for the worse, Liam supposed, and he would be sorry if that were the case. But right now, he had to focus on finding Raine.

  He shoved his phone back in his pocket.

  The closer they drew to Bill’s house, the sharper his memories of his last visit here. The more his skin crawled. The decay that permeated every inch of Raine’s childhood home sent a shudder up Liam’s spine. How could anyone live in such squalor? And what was the state of the room Bill had locked Raine in right now?

  Fear pumped through Liam’s veins like acid. He took little comfort in knowing that he and Hammer would ensure Bill was dead by sunrise. Instead, Liam couldn’t stop wondering what depravity Raine would be forced to endure before they rescued her. Or if they would be too late.

  “If Bill wants money, why hasn’t he called for a ransom yet?” Beck pondered.

  “Because he knows I’ll come looking for him. I’m sure he wants a little time with Raine so he can finish what he started when she was a kid.” Hammer looked ready to hit something again.

  “He’s going to rape her, isn’t he?” Liam choked out the question…but he already knew the answer. He and Hammer had been thinking the same thing, but speaking his fear aloud made it more real. His guts churned.

  “Yeah, but she’s a survivor. I’m more afraid of what else he’ll do.” Hammer’s jaw clenched. “That drunk asshole has a violent streak. If he’s been hitting the booze this morning, he may do more than violate her. No telling what.”

  The fear of never holding or touching Raine again made Liam feel as if he’d been swept up in a tornado and slammed to the ground. To have her loving, compassionate soul ripped away would be his worst nightmare. Dread, thick and scalding, filled him. The weight of the terror staggered him. Liam didn’t want to simply kill her sire; he wanted to make the bastard suffer interminably.

  “Fuck the stoplights, Hammer. Go faster,” Liam growled.

  “I can’t risk getting pulled over for a speeding ticket when we’re so damn close.”

  Liam knew that, but the logic chafed. “I don’t understand why he had to use the fucking stun gun on her. She’s just a wisp of a girl.”

  “Bill knew Raine wouldn’t go willingly. She fought him once and won. The scar she gave him is a daily reminder.” Hammer cursed. “I can’t stop thinking about the way she dropped like a stone into that son of a bitch’s arms.”

  As they rounded the corner onto Kendall’s street, Liam tried to hold himself together because panic didn’t do her any good.

  Beck handed both men a pair of latex gloves, then donned his own. Hammer drove slowly past the house as Liam craned his neck. He didn’t see a single light on, inside or out.

  Pulling to the curb near the middle of the block, Hammer cut the engine. After slipping on their gloves, the three men exited the vehicle, carefully closing the doors with nothing more than a snick of sound. As they made their way down the sidewalk, a dog barked from somewhere behind them. Another followed suit, but neither animal was close enough to attract unwanted attention.

  Hammer darted down the driveway, drawing out his gun when he stepped into the shadow between Bill’s house and the neighbor’s. Liam and Beck followed, both stopping to peer through the dirty windows. Liam couldn’t see a thing except darkness. Not one sound came from inside. The place felt dead. An icy ripple slithered down his spine.

  Pulling a penlight out of his pocket, Liam made his way to the attached garage. Shining the tiny beam of light through one of the grimy windows along the face of the door, he saw no sign of Raine. Even Bill’s truck was gone.

  “Anything?” Hammer whispered.

  “No,” Liam responded in the same furtive tone.

  Quiet as a cat, Beck crept to the back door. Gripping the doorknob with a steady hand, he twisted it slowly. Giving a short, low whistle to get his and Hammer’s attention, Beck flashed a triumphant smile and opened the door.

  It hadn’t been locked. They’d just been handed a gift—or walked into a trap.

  Hammer hurried inside first, gun drawn. Liam followed in close behind as Beck quietly closed the door, then trailed them.

  The stench of rotting garbage, sour gin, and stale cigarettes hit Liam’s senses like a prizefighter’s right hook.

  “Jesus,” Beck muttered under his breath, then pressed a palm over his nose.

  Liam wanted to retch but forced himself to breathe through his mouth instead. Shielding the beam from the penlight, Macen raised his hand, and the three men froze like statues, straining to listen for the slightest sound.

  Silence.

  As Hammer moved through the room again, he looked both furious and frustrated.

  “Fuck this. I’m not afraid of that cocksucker.” Macen flipped on the kitchen light. “Kendall, you motherfucking coward, come out and face me!”

  Cockroaches scattered in every direction. Stacks of moldy food stuck to mismatched dishes that littered the counters. Liam stared at the black streaks of grime on the yellowed linoleum floor as his eyes adjusted to the harsh light.

  Beck cursed again. Repugnance crawled all over his face.

  “Raine!” Liam called out, then cocked his head to listen intently.

  Hammer and Beck paused, too. No answer.

  “C’mon, you miserable piece of shit,” Hammer provoked. “You want your money? I’ve got it right here.”

  Quiet enveloped them once again.

  “Give Raine to us, and you can live out the rest of your days in style,” Liam offered. “All five fucking seconds of it,” he murmured, his voice low and deadly.

  “Raine!” Hammer screamed again. “Make a noise for us. Kick. Scream. Anything.”

  Not even a creak stirred from the miserable house. The oppressive silence wrapped around them. Hammer’s expression fell desolate.

  Beck opened a drawer near the sink and withdrew two long knives, then handed one to Liam. “Let’s check out the rest of the house, just to be sure.”

  “If you find Bill first, cut off his balls and shove them down his throat for me, will you?” Liam sneered.

  “Then I’ll finish him off with a round to the head…eventually.” Hammer’s icy glower left no doubt he meant to make the prick suffer.

  Liam couldn’t agree more with that plan.

  “I want to hurt him, too,” Beck drawled cynically. “I’ve got that shit down to an art form.”

  Making their way through the house, Liam found it remarkably more revolting than the first time he’d been there. The gut-churning odor of rotting garbage and fetid decay clung like an oily black film. Beer cans and cheap gin bottles littered the floor as they made their way down the hall, searching for Raine.

  Exploring every closet and cubby, they called out to her, pausing to listen for the tiniest scrape or moan. With each room that turned out empty, the glimmer of hope Liam had been clinging to faded darker until the red he’d been seeing turned black.

  Standing outside Raine’s old room, Liam felt his hand tremble on the doorknob. He didn’t want to see the posters of her teen idols on the walls again or be reminded that his raven-haired lass had once lain on the bed only to have her innocent dreams stripped away by the monster she’d called Dad.

  Beck seemed to read his mind. “Go ahead. I’ll check this room.”

  Hammer’s brows furrowed with concern as he stepped in behind Beck. A snarl rumbled from Macen’s throat as he darted back out and raced down the hall toward Bill’s room.

  Beck emerged less than a minute later, pale and visibly shaken. He shook his head bleakly.

  “Son of a bitch!” Hammer bellowed.

  Liam and Beck ran down the hall, then bolted into the master bedroom to find Hammer pacing and cursing. Empty dresser drawers gaped open. Macen ripped several hangers from the barren closet before heaving them across the room in a violent rage.

  Bill had left, and Liam had little hope the bastard had any intention of returning. The gravity of Raine’s peril slammed into him anew. Finding her now would be difficult, if not impossible. A needle in a fucking haystack.

  “I’ll call Seth and have him contact the police,” Beck said in a dismal tone.

  “Goddamn it, I thought she’d be here.” Hammer sounded stunned, shaken. “That he just wanted money and the chance to yank my chain. Where the fuck is he?”

  Liam wondered the same thing. And what if they’d wasted time on this wild goose chase instead of calling the police, and it cost Raine her life?

  “Come on,” Beck urged. “We need to get out of here.”

  Hammer nodded, then he and Beck hurried outside. Liam followed, closing the door behind them. The snick of the knob left him feeling as if he’d abandoned Raine.

  Liam swallowed the fear in his throat and followed the other men across the yard. A new level of panic trampled him. Time was running out if they wanted to find her alive. He could almost hear the mocking tick-tock in his head.

  Once in the car, Beck rang Seth. Hearing the doctor say that they’d failed to find Raine choked Liam with hopelessness. But he’d bloody well keep fighting to get her back…unless he knew for certain he had nothing left to fight for.

  “Before we head to the club, the private eye I hired to check in on Bill periodically sent me the names of a couple of the asshole’s haunts. Let’s check them out,” Hammer suggested.

  “What kind of places? You think he’ll be at one of them?” Liam asked, almost hating his wretched hope but needing it so badly.

  “Mostly restaurants and bars, so I doubt he’ll be hanging out. I’m hoping someone will know where to find him or will have seen him recently.” Hammer scrubbed a hand through his hair. “I don’t know what else to do.”

  “Let’s go,” Liam urged.

  Hammer pulled from the curb and sped down the street. Liam noticed his friend wasn’t concerned about getting pulled over any longer.

  As they darted onto the highway, he remembered the photos Hammer had shown him of the last beating Raine had suffered at Bill’s hands before running away. Liam tried to clear his mind, not fixate on the horrors Raine could be experiencing as they broadened their desperate search.

  The first bar Hammer stopped at was closed. The second, though open, had only two patrons inside, eating eggs. No one had seen Bill lately. Ditto with the third.

  Liam felt the despair rolling off Hammer’s body. It echoed inside him.

  “Where next?” he asked, his frustration spiking.

  “That was the last place on my list. Fuck!” Hammer snapped, anxiety taking its toll. “I’d convinced myself she’d be at Bill’s, just waiting for his cash. Now I don’t have a goddamn clue.”

  “We should head back to the club,” Beck suggested. “I’m sure the place is swarming with cops. Maybe we can help them somehow.”

  Liam wanted to believe that. Unfortunately, he didn’t. He had to pray that his strong, wily girl, who had escaped her sire before, could somehow do it again.

  If not, he and Hammer would lose another woman they shared, only this one had been a blissful surprise who’d stolen his heart as well. The sick irony was, they’d be sharing the debilitating pain of losing Raine together, as they should have after Juliet’s death. Jesus, how had Macen lived through this devastation alone?

  Damn Bill Kendall to hell and back. The bastard had forced him and Hammer to play by another set of rules, and having the control ripped from his hands filled Liam with a sense of despair. Still, he’d do, give, or say anything to have Raine back.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Dawn broke over the San Gabriel Mountains in the distance as Hammer pulled into Shadows’ parking lot, now choked with police cars. Plainclothes officers gathered evidence. The camera’s constant flash reflected off Raine’s little compact like strobes. The driver’s side door still hung open—a stark reminder that he’d failed to protect her from Bill after all these years.

  Hammer remembered the day he’d given her the keys. He could still hear her squeal of excitement, see delight twinkle in her blue eyes. The memory only deepened his guilt. Desperation tore his heart from his chest. Fear made every anxious second feel like a century because he knew if Bill wasn’t waiting around for his money, he’d chosen to end their cat-and-mouse game. He’d want maximum pleasure out of the pain he inflicted—on both Hammer and Raine.

  Bill would probably torture her unspeakably and kill her.

  Hammer dragged in a shuddering breath, trying to hold himself together and hang on to hope that somehow, some way he’d find Raine alive.