Aries came and stood next to me as Leo went in search of a ball that he liked. He wanted an orange one to match his bracelet. Lifting my arm, I studied the white leather bracelet on my wrist. If we all united with our twin flame, would the bond be broken? Would the bracelet fall away? I wanted to get rid of the thing so I couldn’t be tied to anything. But then, I had purpose. How many people struggled to find purpose? At least I had a very clear idea of what it was I needed to do.
‘Matt is at Fathers’. He voluntarily agreed to be sectioned by us.’
‘Sectioned?’
We looked over at the women. They gossiped, engrossed in their conversation. Athena laughed. Her perfectly straight white teeth revealed as she squeezed Natalie’s hand. She had already won over my future sister in law. Would she need to get to know the others, too?
‘Yeah. He’s agreed to be locked in Father’s house with no contact to the outside world. In exchange, we keep him safe until we can work out what to do with him. We can use him to communicate with Nick. He’s done working for him.’
Leo waltzed over, showing off his ball to the girls. They shook their heads as he turned and did the moonwalk across the lane.
‘Are you talking about Matt?’ he asked, catching the end of Aries’ sentence.
‘He’s actually going through a divorce so Father is taking him to his appointments. Cancer hasn’t been to visit him. I’m not sure what’s going on there.’ Aries grinned when Leo’s ball went into the gutter.
‘Strike out!’ I called.
‘That’s not in bowling,’ Leo whinged, going over to the girls to commiserate.
I went over to collect a ball. Athena wolf whistled when I bent over to reach the best one. My eyebrows rose as I turned to look at her. ‘Come over here and do that.’
She shook her head quickly and giggled with Natalie.
‘Athena, goddess of war,’ I said to Aries as I gestured towards the women.
Going to the end of the lane, I threw the ball as hard as I could. It sped across the floor and crashed into the skittles, making them fly everywhere.
‘What?’ Leo exclaimed as the last one fell.
I walked back to Aries, intent on asking him a question about Matt. Opening my mouth, I suddenly spun back to Athena. ‘Does the strike deal work with us?’
Her mouth dropped open. Aries patted me on the back. Natalie bit her lip to stop herself from laughing.
Going over to Athena, I put my hand into her long hair and leant down. My mouth hovered above hers, testing to see whether she would pull away. Her breath was held but she didn’t move. Her whole body froze as I looked into her eyes. Questioning with just a gaze.
‘I will never force you,’ I whispered, standing straight as I let her go.
Her throat moved as a sad smile crossed her face. ‘Thank you.’
Going back to Aries, I cleared my throat. ‘So, Matt has no personal contact with Nick?’
I avoided looking in the direction of the women. I needed to clear my head and try to sort out my problems more than I needed to play with Athena.
‘No. Only what we’ve told him to say. Father has been spending time with him. He says he’s a decent man. I’m not so sure.’ Aries grabbed a ball off Leo and went to take his shot.
‘You said Nick’s been sniffing around?’ I asked.
Leo put a hand on my shoulder and leant towards my ear. ‘Is she your recent bird? She’s hot.’
Watching Aries take his second go, I debated what to tell my brother. She wasn’t my recent woman but I wanted her to be. I had no idea what drew me to her. Her beauty was undeniable but I wasn’t the type to be devoted. Not yet, anyway. I was only twenty-two.
‘Aquarius has tracked Nick to a couple of casinos that you’ve been to in the last few weeks. He may be searching for you. He’s gone into the casino, stayed for about an hour and left. We’re not sure of his motive.’ Aries punched Leo lightly on the arm when the musician looked up at the scoreboard and raised his eyebrows at Aries’ last score.
‘I’m going to beat you,’ Leo declared as he grabbed a ball to take his shot.
Not only did I have to run away from Liam, I now had to worry about Nick. Was there anyone else that wanted to kill me?
It would work out. I would make the money at another big game. I had no choice. Well, I did have a choice. If I lost another game, I literally would be dead. Either Liam, or whoever I lost to, would end my life. What to do…what to do.
‘Well, previously, Nick’s started coming around when the others first met their twin flame,’ I mumbled quietly.
Aries glanced at Athena. My gaze followed his. She crossed her legs as she gestured with her hands to whatever she was telling Natalie. I hadn’t even taken her to bed. How would I know if she was the one for me before that? I shouldn’t be such a man…I should respect her enough to want to get to know her first. Scrap that, when I had laid in bed as far away from her as I could the night before, it had taken pure willpower not to reach out to her.
Leo hit the skittles, yelling in excitement when he did. We laughed as he attempted a celebratory robot dance. It didn’t work.
‘Aries. I need to go and sort out this money. Will you take care of Athena?’
It was a lot to ask him. He saw me as a failure. My one big loss had changed my life completely. How the hell was I going to make it work for me? It was the end of the world. I couldn’t fix the problem. I was never going to win back that sort of money. I didn’t have anything to put down in the first place.
‘Of course. She’s safe here for a while. I’ll drag them both for something to eat before taking her back to the hotel.’
I clasped his shoulder for a second before going over to Athena. ‘I’ve got to go and do something.’
‘Are you leaving me?’ Her smile left her face as the colour in her cheeks drained away.
I couldn’t help the grin that came. ‘Are you that heartbroken about not being in my company?’
She raised one perfectly plucked eyebrow. Natalie left us to speak to her man. Taking her seat, I stroked Athena’s cheek. The soft glow returned under my touch. She seemed more innocent than I had originally believed. She was with a hard man. Her skin needed to be thick. Not only to protect her from his nasty words but from the beatings, too.
‘Don’t panic. I won’t be long. I’ve got to go and get this money.’
Her throat moved as she swallowed. ‘How are you going to do that? Liam will have his men in every casino.’
Grabbing my arm, she pulled my hand away from her cheek and clasped it between hers.
‘Leave it to me. Aries will take you and Natalie for lunch. I’ll meet you back at the hotel later. Don’t worry. It’s going to be okay.’
I wasn’t sure if I was as confident as I sounded. There had to be a way that I could not only free myself from debt but also free Athena from Liam. Forever.
‘I don’t think I’ll ever be free,’ she whispered.
I wanted to wipe away the tears that hovered on her eyelids. The sorrow that emanated from her was tangible. Her feeling of being trapped wrapped around me. I would never let Liam hurt her. He had caused her enough pain. It was time that their bond was broken.
‘I promise that I will do everything I can to get you away from him.’ It was the only reassurance I could give her. There were no guarantees.
She nodded, smiling softly. Why she put her trust in me, I didn’t know. Now that I had it, I had to make a sacrifice to accomplish my goal.
‘Gemini. The clock is ticking,’ Aries said, gesturing to the big clock on the wall.
Turning my head back to Athena, I froze when she leant forward and planted her lips against mine. The kiss was hard. Demanding. She had fire inside her. Her fear had dampened it but as her hand ran through my styled hair, I felt the burn of her passion. Her desperation.
‘Get a room,’ Leo moaned from the lane.
Our lips meshed together. Usually, I would have forced her mouth open with my tongue but I didn’t need to.
The pressure of her lips against mine and the sound of our breathing as we inhaled through our noses was enough to send my body into adrenaline.
She let go of my mouth but kept her face right in front of mine. Her eyes were closed. Our breath mingled together as we stayed that way. Her hand squeezed the back of my head. I hadn’t even had a chance to touch her with my hands. They sat on my lap.
‘Sorry,’ she mumbled.
My heart rate slowed as I smiled. ‘Don’t be.’
I kissed her very gently for a split second. She released me completely and I got to my feet. My knees were a little weak. No woman had ever kissed me the way she had. Her cheeks were red as I waved goodbye to the others and left them. It felt like I had been branded.
I swallowed down my doubts about the move I was about to make. If Athena found out, she wouldn’t want to know me. Something had started between us. I didn’t know what, or how serious it could be, but I would never let her know what I was about to do.
Chapter Thirteen
‘I can’t believe you called. I thought you were avoiding me.’
The older woman tied the rope of her dressing gown as she led me into the hotel bedroom. She had just got out of the bath. Her hair was wrapped in a towel. I was pretty sure she was naked under her robe.
‘I’m sorry about the other night. I had a family emergency,’ I said.
She lounged on the bed, gesturing for me to join her. I paused, not sure if I could do what she wanted.
‘I was a bit baffled when you left me alone at the big game. Especially since I won.’ Her lips were painted bright red. I had called her as soon as I left the bowling alley. She was the only woman that I knew with the amount of money I needed. She may be forty but I had taken many women that age to bed. I could do it again.
‘Well done,’ I muttered, going over to the side of the bed.
Looking down at her, my gaze travelled up her long legs. The wrinkles on her face were few and far between. She obviously used her money to make her appear younger.
Her fingers went to the belt on her robe. I knelt and placed my hand over hers to stop her.
‘Oh, you want to do it yourself, do you?’ Her smile was wide.
When I had called, she had instructed me to go to her hotel immediately. The predator in her had been thwarted in her earlier attempt at getting me to do what she wanted. Now she had her chance, she wasn’t going to lose.
‘I need something from you.’ I sounded like a child. My eyebrows dropped as all sorts of emotions came over me. My heart pounded. I was about to sell myself. Her other hand stroked down my shirt, feeling the flatness of my stomach underneath. A part of me on the inside cried like a little boy. Could I really do this?
‘What is it, darling?’ Her hand travelled further south. I stopped her before she made contact with the button on my trousers. I could do it but I had to be the one in control. I had never had trouble with women before. Old, young…it was all the same.
‘I need a loan.’ I looked her in the eye.
She giggled as she waved her hand in the air. ‘Of course, darling. You can have a loan. Now, come here.’
She knelt up on the bed and twined her hands around my neck. I could do this. It had to be done.
‘I want twenty thousand pounds.’
She froze. Her back went straight as her gaze searched mine.
‘I’ll tell you what,’ she whispered as she relaxed, pressing her body against mine, ‘I will give you twenty thousand pounds for you to be at my beck and call. That way, I get what I want. And you get what you want.’
‘No, I want a loan.’ I was prepared to sleep with her once. I wasn’t sure I could keep doing it.
Her tinkling laugh grated on me. She ran a finger over my jaw. ‘You’re so young. So fresh. Not so innocent but still quite jaded. There’s hope for you.’
Pulling away, she peeled off her dressing gown. Her figure was extremely toned. I swallowed at her nakedness. What deal was I making?
‘No. You can only have the money if you let me give it to you. I like to give gifts.’
‘It’s hardly a gift. Okay but there will be a limit. I’m expensive, you know.’ I grew more confident as her breathing grew heavy. Her chest rose and fell as I spoke. Was I making the worst mistake in my life? I was used to whoring without money but this was a whole new ballgame.
‘How many times do I get the pleasure of your company?’ she demanded.
She liked me taking control. I could tell by the way she submitted to me so quickly. To be an old soul in a young body had its advantages sometimes. Although, maybe it didn’t. An image of Athena popped into my mind. I wouldn’t be cheating on her. We weren’t even together. In fact, I would be saving her.
‘Five nights. That’s it.’
Her eyebrows shot up but she smiled at the same time. ‘You really are expensive. Exclusive to me in that time, I hope?’ She shuffled forward again, reached up and undid the buttons on my shirt.
She wanted me to stay loyal to her because she was paying me? That seemed contradictory. However, I was willing to be hers for five nights only.
‘Deal,’ I stated, grabbing her shoulders and shoving her roughly. She fell back on the bed, laughing as she went.
‘Deal!’ she shouted as I fell on her.
*
‘I’ve got the money.’ I pushed my way into the hotel room.
Athena stepped back when she saw it was me. Her face was clear of makeup. She was beautiful. Her bare skin made her seem vulnerable somehow. She was no longer able to hide from me.
‘How did you get it?’
‘Don’t ask questions, love,’ I replied, placing the bag stuffed full of cash under the bed.
She climbed on top of it, frowning as she watched. ‘Ring Liam and arrange a meeting.’
I couldn’t look her in the eye as I undid my tie. My body was clean and fresh from the shower I had taken before leaving the cougar but my conscious wasn’t.
‘How did you get the money, Gemini?’
I turned towards where she sat on the bed. She had wrapped her sore feet in wet flannels. She wore a pair of ripped jeans and a red strappy top. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail. Moving towards her, I paused when my foot kicked an empty bag on the floor.
‘Natalie took me shopping. I needed another outfit.’
She was painting her nails bright red. They were naturally long. An image of her using them on my back made me move to the mini fridge and take out a can of lager.
‘You don’t need to know where the money came from. I’ll sort it from here but I need you to arrange a meeting.’
I watched out the window, waiting for her reply. The last couple of hours, I had fought with my conscience. Seeing Athena so natural and almost free from fear made me regret my decision. However, the alternative was much worse. I had to swallow it down and get on with it. Once Athena was free to live her life, she would probably forget about me anyway. And I would forget about her.
‘I’m not sure I can speak to him.’
I only just heard what she said. The wobble in her voice made my back stiffen. I needed to put distance between us. It wasn’t fair to expect her to understand why I would sell myself. I wasn’t sure if I could actually keep my mouth shut.
‘Throw me your phone,’ I said, turning from the window.
She caught my eye. I froze. The tears that hovered there were real. The pain she was feeling was probably deeper than I had even imagined. How did I deal with that? I was just a man. I hardly knew her and yet…
The phone hit my chest. It started to fall so I held up my hand and imagined a gust of wind keeping it upright. The phone floated in mid-air as I pulled it to me, using only my mind. I realised my mistake when I glanced up, smiling.
Athena’s mouth hung open. Her eyes were wide and the shock on her face was undeniable. I had shown her my power.
‘What did you just do?’
Getting caught in the act was something I avoided as much as possible. I had
managed to distract her from remembering the wind in the garden. Why had I let my guard down?
‘What do you mean? I caught it.’ Maybe if I pleaded ignorance, she would think it was a trick of the mind.
‘No you didn’t. You made it…float.’ She gestured with her hand, copying the same motion I had used.
‘A trick I learnt when I was young. Used to be into magic,’ I said.
She shook her head as she bit her lip. How could she read me so well? There was no way I could let her know the truth. However, I didn’t want to lie to her. Instead of offering an explanation, I dialled Liam’s number.
‘Where are you, Athena?’ he hissed into the phone.
My gaze met hers. The shiver that shook her body didn’t escape my notice. She probably didn’t hear him but the thought of him scared her. I would do anything to keep him from hurting her again.
‘Liam.’
He choked on his words before he managed to clear his throat. ‘I’m going to get you.’
His threat was real. The battering his pride had taken was not going to be easily forgotten.
‘I have your money. Where can we meet?’
Athena blew on her nails absently. The paint had already dried. Her side fringe fell forward when she looked away from me.
‘You think I’m interested in the money?’ Liam’s bark of laughter filtered down the phone.
Athena’s head snapped up. She must have heard it.
Spinning from her, I went to the window and looked out at London.
‘I want to negotiate. I have more money than owed. Will you meet without killing me? Just to talk.’
I rolled my shoulders, stretching my jacket as I did.
‘You want to pay me off?’ The sudden calm of his voice was a good sign. He was interested.
‘Yes, not only me…but Athena, too.’
Her gasp was audible in the room. I ignored it. Not telling her my plan had been part of the plan. I almost wished that I had Liam’s number to arrange the meeting without her in hearing distance.
‘What do you mean?’ Liam’s voice was low.
He knew exactly what I meant.
‘I want to give you money to leave Athena alone. She will no longer be beholden to you.’
Gemini: Book 4 in a Young Adult Paranormal Romance Series (The Zodiac Twin Flame Series) Page 10