“Bloody hell,” Liam complained. “The car park is a circus. We don’t have time for this.”

  Beck snorted. “Just wait until the reporters show up.”

  With a curse, Hammer stopped the car and killed the engine. “Reporters don’t give a shit about anonymity. If you need to get out of here, go.”

  Beck shrugged. “I’m done caring about being outed. If my vanilla patients don’t want a kink doctor, fuck them. I’m not leaving until we find Raine.”

  “I thought you were supposed to be in surgery. Isn’t that why we left the lodge?” Liam asked with a puzzled expression.

  Hammer hadn’t thought to ask. He’d been too busy worrying about Raine.

  “After I left you at the emergency room, I got a call from the head of the harvesting team. The donor died, but when they retrieved the heart, it was wasted. So my patient is back on the waiting list again,” Beck explained. “I sure as fuck wasn’t staying in my condo with your ex. Shadows was closer than my house, so I crashed here.”

  A hard tap at the window made Hammer jerk in his seat. An officer wearing a scowl bent to peer into the car. “You’ll have to leave. This is a crime scene.”

  Hammer wasn’t in the mood to deal with bureaucracy. Opening the door, he stepped out. Instinctively, the cop snapped back and put a palm on his revolver.

  “Easy,” Hammer soothed. “I’m the owner of this club. These men are with me.”

  Liam and Beck climbed out of the car and flanked him.

  As they stood shoulder to shoulder, the officer eyed them. “I need to see some ID from all of you. Where have you been?”

  I can’t afford to placate you, fucker.

  “Breakfast meeting,” he replied curtly, digging into his wallet.

  “Mr. Hammerman,” a familiar voice in a uniform called out as he approached the group. Macen bit back a smile when he spotted Dean Gorman, a fellow Dom and member of Shadows. “Hey, I haven’t seen you since the Policeman’s Ball.”

  Dean extended his hand, and Hammer shook it, feeling a bit of relief. “Glad you’re here, Sergeant. I was just explaining to your cohort that I own this club.”

  “I’ve got this,” Dean dismissed the other officer, who grunted and walked away.

  The sergeant turned to make sure his fellow cop was out of earshot. “I’m sorry to hear about Raine. Bill Kendall is her dad?”

  “’Fraid so,” Hammer answered. “Do you have any leads on him?”

  “No.” Dean sighed. “A couple of units left Kendall’s house a few minutes ago. They said the place was a pigsty and should be condemned.”

  He knew that but played dumb so he didn’t put Dean in the awkward position of keeping his B and E a secret. “And they didn’t find anyone?”

  “Kendall’s clothes are gone, so the assumption is he’s skipped town and taken Raine with him.”

  “Maybe, but that monster has been itching to get his hands on her for years. I don’t think he’d put off whatever he had planned to flee the city. My guess is, he’ll stash her somewhere close but isolated where he can hurt her or…” Fuck. Saying the words stabbed Hammer with terror. “Maybe even kill her. Then he’ll leave.”

  Dean winced. “I told the detectives that Raine is a family friend. They issued a BOLO for Kendall, his truck, the van, and Raine. Since everyone in my precinct now knows this is personal for me, they’re not wasting a moment.”

  Hammer knew with every second that ticked by, the odds of finding a kidnap victim alive dropped exponentially. A thick lump of panic lodged in his throat. He couldn’t speak. All he could do was nod in appreciation for Dean’s help.

  “Thank you.” Liam gripped the officer’s shoulder with a grateful squeeze.

  “No worries.” Dean glanced between Hammer and Liam as if he wondered which one of them she belonged to now. “She’s irreplaceable to a lot of us. Shadows isn’t our kinky home without her. Hang in there. We’re doing all we can.”

  Please let her be alive. I can’t lose her now.

  Struggling to maintain his composure, Hammer stared at the cops still examining the crime scene. He wanted to rail at them to find Raine faster.

  Then Macen saw two big television vans pull to the curb and clenched his jaw. “The vultures have landed. Let’s get inside.”

  When they entered the club, the few members who’d been sleeping in the new rooms on the other side of the club were awake and looking shell-shocked as they gave statements to a pair of detectives. Hammer made a mental note to stress the importance of guarding his members’ identities.

  Scrubbing a hand through his hair, he spotted Seth at the bar, nursing a bottle of water and looking desolate. Before Hammer headed over, Dean and one of the detectives intercepted him.

  Hammer directed them to his office, then spent the next thirty minutes answering questions about Raine and Bill. He tiptoed around the fact that he’d bribed Kendall to stay away from her. To prove the urgency of the case, Hammer showed the man pictures of a beaten and bruised Raine as a teenager. After that, the detective radiated fury.

  Then Hammer joined Liam, Beck, and Seth at the bar, hoping to God something broke soon.

  “How did the inquisition go?” Liam asked, nervously tapping his fingers.

  “It was tedious but necessary.” Hammer took a seat next to him.

  Liam gave him a sympathetic stare. “What did you tell him?”

  “Everything I could without explaining the ‘contact’ Bill and I have had over the years,” Hammer replied bitterly. “I didn’t want to give them any reason to look at me as a suspect. It would only waste time.”

  On his right, a couple who had joined the club after moving to Los Angeles a few months ago stepped up beside him. Submissive Vivian placed several steaming mugs of coffee on the bar under her Dominant’s watchful eye.

  “Our hearts are breaking for what’s happened to Raine, Sirs,” Vivian offered. “If there’s anything Master Donald and I can do for you, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

  Hammer forced a tender smile for the older couple. They were a genuinely warm-hearted pair whose children were grown and gone. Donald often took on the role of DM when Hammer found himself shorthanded, and Vivian watched over the unattached subs like a mother hen.

  “Thank you. We appreciate that,” Liam replied.

  “If you guys want to look for Raine, I can hold down the fort here,” Donald offered.

  “Thanks, man.” Hammer slapped the older Dom on the shoulder. “Honestly, if I had a fucking clue where to look, I’d take you up on that.”

  Hammer sucked in a deep breath, then took a sip of coffee. It tasted good…but it definitely wasn’t Raine’s. At the thought, he fought another wave of hopelessness that threatened to swallow him whole.

  Suddenly, Dean poked his head around the corner. “O’Neill, your wife is here?”

  Hammer heard more than a little steel in that question, as if the Dom wondered how Liam could be married but pursuing Raine.

  Beside him, Liam groaned at Dean. “Ex-wife. I don’t want her here.”

  But it was too late. Gwyneth struggled through the portal, rolling her suitcase and balancing the playpen on top with one hand. She schlepped Kyle awkwardly in the car seat with the other. A diaper bag weighed down her left shoulder, her purse the right. Hammer was fairly certain the bitch had never carried her own luggage in her life.

  “Bloody fucking hell,” Liam groused as he stood.

  Hammer also stood, narrowing his eyes on the viper as Liam took the car seat from her and made his way toward his stool, propping the baby up beside him. Gwyneth scurried over, looking flushed and anxious.

  Instantly, Vivian smiled and began cooing at Kyle. The little tyke responded, kicking his feet as a wide, drooling grin spread across his cherubic face.

  Gwyneth dropped the playpen, purse, and diaper bag on the floor, then leaned over her suitcase with a weary sigh. Liam gripped her elbow and hauled her to a quiet corner at the back of the bar. Hammer followed, his temper rising with each step.

  “I don’t have time for you, Gwyneth,” Liam insisted. “As you can see, we’ve got a situation here…”

  “I-I need to talk to you.” She darted a nervous glance at Hammer, then focused on Liam again. “It’s urgent. About Raine.”

  She whispered as if trying to keep Hammer from hearing.

  “What about Raine?” Liam sounded at the end of his rope.

  Macen’s gut tightened. The concern she’d voiced before they’d passed out in Liam’s bed a few hours ago screamed through Hammer’s head. So she was just going to give up? She hijacked a baby, falsified birth records, came up with a whopper of a lie, and… I don’t see her quitting. It’s a huge fortune.

  If Raine had been right, then it was possible Gwyneth had come to the club to play her last, desperate card. Since he couldn’t think of any active way to help Raine right now, Hammer had every intention of making Liam’s ex-wife tip her hand.

  “Spill it,” Macen hissed.

  “This is between Liam and me.” Gwyneth glared at him. “And I’m not speaking to you. I haven’t forgiven you for what you did to me earlier.”

  “You mean what I didn’t do to you,” Hammer sneered.

  “Can we talk somewhere privately?” Her haughty tone made Macen want to punch something, preferably her face. Ignoring him altogether, Gwyneth sent her ex-husband a pleading stare.

  “Hammer’s office,” Liam barked.

  Without waiting for her to reply, he turned and dragged her through the bar and down the hallway.

  “Vivian.” Hammer glanced over his shoulder. “Would you please keep an eye on the baby? His name is Kyle.” At least I think it is.

  “Really, Sir? Oh, I’d be happy to. I love babies.” She smiled before turning her attention back to the squealing boy, making ridiculous noises at him.

  Too bad you weren’t in town when Pike was pulling out his hair.

  Hammer watched Liam drag Gwyneth into the office. Stepping in behind them, Macen closed the door, blocking her only exit as he crossed his arms over his chest.

  “Tell me what you have to say,” Liam spat. “And be quick. I won’t tolerate any more of your games.” When she slanted Hammer a sideways glance, Liam added, “Anything you say to me about Raine, you can tell Hammer.”

  Macen didn’t think he could feel much joy today, but if Liam put Gwyneth in her place, he’d sure try.

  Her mouth opened, then closed like a landed trout. “I came to tell you something dreadful.”

  “You’re pregnant with twins this time?” Hammer asked wryly.

  Gwyneth shot him an icy glare, then pinned Liam with a look of anguish. “My father died just after lunchtime in London. I received the call shortly after we left the hospital this morning.”

  “I’m sorry for your loss,” Liam replied without an ounce of emotion.

  “Thank you, but that’s not the reason I came to see you. I’ve made a mistake.”

  Liam sighed loudly, then drilled her with an angry gaze. “You’ve made many.”

  Hammer nearly seized her and shook the words from her throat. “What does this have to do with Raine?”

  “Bill Kendall has her,” she blurted out.

  As soon as Gwyneth’s words registered in his brain, Hammer knew the bitch was involved. The ice freezing his veins since he’d discovered Raine missing now blazed like lava.

  He pushed off the door and lunged at Gwyneth, but Liam already had her pinned against the wall. His face burned with rage, but his eyes looked absolutely arctic. “How do you know that? Did you have something to do with Raine’s disappearance?”

  Hammer stormed closer, glaring hard. “You’d better start talking. Do you know where Bill has taken her?”

  Gwyneth gave a little cry of fear. “I didn’t plan for things to turn out the way they have. You must believe me.”

  Liam waved away her pleas. “Where is she?”

  “After you humiliated me, I was outraged that you could me treat me so callously. I was your wife.” She swallowed. “So I tracked the man down and offered him money.”

  “I hurt your feelings so you wanted Raine dead?” Liam looked shocked, as if he’d never hated anyone more in his life.

  Hammer seconded that emotion. “Tell us where to find her!”

  She gaped at Liam. “Dead? I merely asked him to keep her away from you for a few days until we could fly to Vegas and get remarried. But now that my father is gone, it’s all moot.” She wrung her hands. “I didn’t think Raine’s own father would really hurt her.”

  “You heard me berating the man in the car park because he beat her as a child and tried to rape her,” Liam spat with incredulous fury. “Did you think he meant to play cards with her? Take her to a fucking movie?”

  “I was angry. It was impulsive. I’m sorry,” she screamed. “I’ve spent all morning phoning Bill, trying to stop him. I left messages telling him to disregard the whole scheme.”

  “You stupid whore! A message isn’t going to stop that motherfucker,” Hammer thundered as he fought the urge to wrap his hands around Gwyneth’s throat.

  “Well, I reached him more than an hour ago and tried to convince him to release Raine. He slurred his words. I could barely understand him.”

  “Because he’s a violent drunk,” Hammer snarled. “Did you catch anything he said?”

  Remorse tightened Gwyneth’s face. “I came to you because I didn’t know how what else to do. I’ve already paid Kendall fifty thousand dollars. He threatened bodily harm if I didn’t pay him the other fifty, which he wasn’t supposed to get until we came back from Vegas.”

  “Raine would have been dead before we even left L.A.,” Liam hissed. “There’s a good chance he’s already killed her.”

  “I offered him double to let her go,” she cried. “But he said that since he had her now, he planned on having himself quite the party.” Gwyneth looked at him with pleading green eyes. “I tried to call you earlier and tell you, Liam. You didn’t answer. I left a message and rushed over here… I never meant any harm.”

  Hammer roared, then punched a hole through the drywall. Powder and plaster rained down to the floor as he thrust his fist in Gwyneth’s hair, squeezing until she let out a cry. “Tell us where Raine is. Now.”

  At his deadly tone, more tears spilled down Gwyneth’s cheeks. “I believe at a warehouse near the airport. He had me meet him there early yesterday evening.” She trembled in fear. “I’m sorry, Liam, I—”

  “Shut up,” he commanded, his tone ice cold. “The address?”

  “I-I wrote it on a scrap of paper. It’s in my purse by the bar.”

  Hammer released her, then plucked out his cell phone. He fired off a text to Beck, instructing him and Seth to be ready to roll.

  “I want it now.” Liam grabbed her by the arm and hauled her out of the office. “And if Bill has harmed one hair on Raine’s head, the fucking universe won’t be big enough for you to hide from me.”

  Gwyneth sobbed with each step. Hammer didn’t feel an ounce of sympathy for her, only seething rage.

  When they reached the bar, Vivian and Donald had taken Kyle out of his car seat and were playing happily with him at the far end. Beck and Seth stood, waiting and tense. No one spared more than a glance for Gwyneth, who quietly fell apart as she dug through her purse.

  The second she handed the paper to him, Liam punched the address into his phone. “Less than ten minutes away, maybe more with traffic.”

  Still, they had a lead. Fresh hope rolled through Hammer. He leaned closer to Beck and Seth, careful to keep his voice down. “Gwyneth might know where to find Raine. If she’s there, let’s rescue her. You ready?”

  “Y-you’re not going to tell the police?” Gwyneth asked.

  “Not yet.” Liam knew he and Hammer both intended to silence Bill, once and for all. “And you’re coming along to show us exactly where he’s hiding Raine.”

  “But it sounds dangerous.” She shuddered.

  Beck sent her a mocking brow. “Oh, boo hoo.”

  Seth held up his hands. “We need to leave someone behind to coordinate with the police in case they have questions or find anything.”

  Hammer and Liam exchanged a glance, then looked Seth’s way. “Will you do it? And ask Vivian to watch the baby while we’re gone?”

  “On it.” Seth nodded. “Go.”

  “But…Kitty and George are expecting Kyle and me to meet them at the airport in two hours,” Gwyneth protested.

  Hammer snatched paper and pen off the bar, then shoved them at Gwyneth. “Write down your sister’s cell number. Seth can call Kitty and tell her where to pick up the boy. You are coming with us. That’s nonnegotiable.”

  Hammer watched her fingers tremble as she wrote. Every second they spent at Shadows left Raine at Bill’s nonexistent mercy.

  When Gwyneth finished, she set the pad and paper down.

  Hammer shoved the number at Seth. “We’re out.”

  “What will you do about Bill if you find him?” Seth arched a brow.

  “You know the answer to that,” Hammer snarled.

  Seth sent him a long stare. “Liam, why don’t you and Beck take Gwyneth to the car?”

  “We’ll load up in my SUV.” Liam dragged his ex-wife toward the door. “Come on. No more theatrics, do you understand me? Or I’ll turn you over to the police now. You’ll go to jail.”

  “And you’ll be forced to eat pussy instead of cock for the rest of your life,” Beck snarked.

  Gwyneth’s nostrils flared as she pressed her lips together.

  Hammer tossed Beck his car keys. “Get your medical bag from my trunk and bring it.”

  “You got it,” Beck assured, helping Liam shepherd Gwyneth out of the club.

  Once alone again, Seth stared Hammer down. “Listen, I’ve been thinking about this. What you’re suggesting is called premeditated murder. When it comes time for sentencing, it’ll be labeled first-degree, and that puts all of you on death row. Or merely life in prison, if you’re lucky.”

  “Only if witnesses talk.” Hammer gritted his teeth. “And if Raine is gone, I don’t care.”