The movement of the bed cautioned me but I wasn’t quick enough to turn before a hand hit me over the head.
‘What am I? A piece of meat to be bargained?’
Her scream made Liam laugh down the phone. I ducked as she swung for me again.
‘You don’t know our girl that well, do you? She can be pretty feisty. Why do you think I like her so much?’
I dodged out of the way of the onslaught. She had messed up my hair with the first blow. Running my hand over it, I tried to get it back to normal as I moved away from her.
‘And you’re worried about your hair?!’ She hobbled across the carpet towards me.
‘How much were you thinking?’ Liam asked.
I held up my hand to stop Athena’s advance. ‘Another ten thousand. Twenty grand in total.’
She paused, her eyes growing wide, her head shaking slowly. Her ponytail swung behind her. I raised my eyebrows. If she wanted to be free, it might be the perfect opportunity.
‘She humiliated me by running off with you. However, I no longer want the tart. It’s a deal. You’re both taking up too much of my time.’ Liam said something to someone else in the background. ‘Meet me at Hyde Park, near Marble Arch, in two hours.’
The phone went dead.
‘He agreed.’ I looked at the phone, gobsmacked that it had been so easy.
Athena blinked slowly before she turned away and went to the mini fridge. Pulling out a small bottle of alcohol, she downed it in one. I watched her, waiting for the backlash. It had been brash to bargain for her.
‘I’m sorry-’
‘You really think he’s going to let us get away with it that easily? Are you bloody stupid?’ She sat on her knees, staring at the ground.
I moved across the room and sat on the floor next to her. Reaching up, I stroked the skin on the back of her neck with the tip of my finger. Her hair was pulled into a small band. I resisted the urge to take it down and run my hands through the length of it. She leant away from me, causing my finger to drop.
‘We have to try. He said he no longer wanted you. I thought it would make you happy.’
It had been the only option I could think of. Liam was a gambling man. Maybe a bet would have been a better way to raise his interest. She knew him a lot better than I did.
‘He’ll be waiting with his thugs. He won’t let you get away. Or me. We humiliated him, Gemini. He’s cruel. He…’ Her throat closed, causing her to cough.
I stayed still, unsure of what to do. The memory of the cougar was still on my skin. Trying to comfort Athena wouldn’t be appropriate. In fact, I needed to let her go. Going from one gambler to another was not the best way for her to live her life. She needed someone stable. A man that was capable of settling down. With my lifestyle and mission, I would be useless for her.
‘You stay here while I go and speak to him. I’ll be back soon. I want to meet up with my brothers. I need some backup.’ I got to my feet and retrieved the bag from under the bed.
‘You’re going to leave me here?’
Athena jumped up quickly. I reached for the door. Arms wrapped around me from behind as she flung her body onto my back. I dropped the bag and spun, trying to dislodge her.
‘What are you doing?’
She grunted when I threw her on the bed. Bouncing on the mattress, she went to rear up again. I fell forward, my whole weight landing on her. I grunted as she tried to shove me off. I was too strong. Her clenched fists came towards my head. I grabbed her forearms, sliding my hands to her fists. Forcing my fingers between hers, I pinned her hands above her head on the bed.
‘Why are you attacking me?’
Our breath mingled together. Her eyes watered when I stared into them. There was only an inch between our faces. She blinked rapidly as she gave up the fight and slumped beneath me.
‘Why are you trying to buy me?’ she said quietly.
The whisper of her voice held such weight, I had to swallow. I hadn’t even thought about it that way.
‘You won’t owe me anything. You’ll be free from him.’ I shifted slightly and her eyes widened as our bodies rubbed together. I should have got up. I didn’t want to.
‘I want to be free but I don’t want to owe a debt to you,’ she said.
I closed my eyes when a tear ran down the side of her face and into her hairline. I wasn’t used to a woman being emotional. It tore at my typical split conscience. I wanted to comfort her platonically. I also wanted to rip her clothes off.
‘You will never owe me anything. We’ve been brought together for a reason. I’m helping you, that’s all.’
‘That’s all?’ Her hand ran up my arm. I tensed when her fingers skipped over the collar of my jacket and brushed the back of my head. My hair rose on its ends when she moved closer and flicked her tongue over my lips. I didn’t part them as she explored the skin there. My heart rate soared as I fought against myself.
‘Athena…’ When my mouth opened, her lips descended on mine, shutting me up. I squeezed her raised hands in mine as I let my tongue join hers. The only sound in the room was our heavy breathing as we inhaled through our noses.
My phone burst out in song. I reared off the bed, away from the goddess. She had bewitched me against my better judgement. I answered the phone in a hurry, not looking down at her.
‘Gemini. What’s going on?’ Taurus said.
I hadn’t spoken to my brother that morning. ‘What do you mean?’
His deep voice chuckled at something someone said in the background. ‘I’m with Aries, Leo and Scorpio. We’re ready to help you beat this man. I hear you’ve got a hot piece of-’
‘No, I haven’t!’ I snapped.
I glanced at Athena. Her eyebrows pulled low. Was my phone speaker really loud or something? She had heard what my brother had said. I could see it in the stiffness of her back. Climbing from the bed, she started to put on her shoes. I let the air leave my lungs as I turned from her and tried to concentrate on what Taurus was saying.
‘This Liam bloke. Are you sorting it out?’
Nodding my head, I sighed down the phone. ‘Yes. I have money. I’m going to pay my debt and bail Athena out too. I’m meeting him in Hyde Park in a couple of hours. Meet me at the south entrance of the park. I don’t think he’ll play as nice as he’s making out.’
‘Okay. We’ll meet you there in a couple of hours. That’ll give Athena - is that her name? - enough time to give you-’
I switched the phone off before he could finish his sentence. When he was in a good mood, Taurus was the crudest of them all. A text beeped. Seeing it was from him, I ignored it, knowing that he would have text me the rest of what he wanted to say.
‘This is a big joke to them, isn’t it?’ Athena asked.
Putting my phone in my pocket, I turned to her. She was standing by the door with the bag of money in her hand. Her feet were encased in her high heels. They must have been agony but it didn’t show on her face.
‘No. That’s just the way my brothers are. They’re twenty -two. They’re lads. That’s all. When they need to fight, they’ll be on form. Our family is a little…’ How did I describe the craziness? She had seen life but families like ours rarely existed.
‘Unconventional?’
I laughed. I couldn’t help it. It was certainly more polite than I would have called it. ‘Yes, that’s right. Let’s get going. I’m starving.’
She shook her head. ‘So, you’re letting me come?’
My foot was about to move forward when I paused. I was about to get into a fight. The threat of her trying to disarm me with a kiss again was too much. She was beautiful. But I was no good for her. Considering I represented the same lifestyle as Liam, I couldn’t figure out why she kept kissing me.
‘I don’t want you to. I thought we could eat in the hotel restaurant. Then you could come back here while I go and sort him out.’
Her jaw tightened at the same time her hands clenched on the handle of the bag. I wasn’t going to
win the fight. I saw the movement before she made it. I was across the room when her hand shot behind her and opened the door. She was about to make a run for it. I grabbed her back, slammed the door and pushed her against it. The bag fell from her hands.
‘Why are we fighting like this?’ I asked.
A growl rumbled in her chest as she brought her hands between us and tried to shove me away. My chest pressed her against the door. As we breathed, the tension grew heavy in the room. This was getting too much. I had already spent an hour in bed not too long ago. I couldn’t do what I wanted to do to Athena. It wasn’t right.
‘Okay. You can come.’ I relented when her head tilted back and she stared at me. ‘But you have to do exactly as I say. This is your chance to be free. If you lose it, I can’t help you. You’ll be stuck with him forever.’
Her lips parted slightly as she watched me. ‘Do you think I might be in on this?’
The thought had crossed my mind. I couldn’t help it. Thugs had clever ways of getting money. How did I know that she wasn’t an amazing actress? I had seen many films where women lured men into traps. They were secretly in league with the bad man.
‘You do! I can see it in your face. I can’t do this. I need to go. I have to get away from you.’ She thrust against my chest but I didn’t budge. I lowered my face to hers to try and calm her.
The slap sounded throughout the room. My cheek stung as I grabbed hold of her hand. She slapped me again on the other side of my face. I still didn’t move.
‘Why are you doing this?’ she cried. Tears ran down her cheeks as she went to hit me again.
I caught her arms and held them to her side. ‘Who are you?’ I whispered.
She froze, glancing up at me through the salty water hovering in her eyes. When she looked back down, she stared at the bracelet on my wrist. It had fallen out from under my shirt sleeve and now rested against the top of my hand.
‘What is that?’
Another reason why I wore a suit was to keep the stupid bracelet hidden. The leather was clean, the charm was sparkling. I made sure to wipe it over every few days. I didn’t like dirty things on me. The symbolism of the charm was a pattern that was stamped into my memory.
‘Gemini?’
I closed my eyes at the sound of her whispering my name. Letting her go, I stepped back and stared down at my arm. My mission had been pushed out of my mind. The others had hinted that Athena was my twin flame but I hadn’t paid any attention. I had been too wrapped up with the worry of money to seriously consider it. Could she be the one?
‘You’re beautiful, you know that, don’t you?’
My sudden change in topic stalled her. She scratched her arm, watching me as I tucked my bracelet away. I would get the meeting out of the way before I tried to think about the connection between us.
‘You’re right. He’s not going to let you go. That’s why my brothers are coming with us. Please don’t worry. I trust you.’
Her shoulders dropped as she looked at the ground. I had to forget about my concern for her and focus my attention on Liam. It wasn’t going to be easy.
‘What should I do?’ I blurted.
Her gaze shot back to me. ‘What?’
‘Tell me what to do. I don’t know what to do for the best.’ I didn’t. She wasn’t happy with my plan. I didn’t know if it would work.
‘You were confident two seconds ago. What’s changed?’ Her hand came out but she pulled back when I took a deep breath. What did she want from me?
‘I want to make you happy,’ I muttered.
She reached out and grasped my arm. Stepping forward, she looked up at me. ‘Why?’
The answer ran through my head. I couldn’t tell her that for the first time in my life I was thinking of someone other than myself. When I was with her my doubts seemed to go quiet. My mind didn’t race when she was near. I was confident that she would stick by me, even though I hardly knew her. I wanted to be her knight in shining armour. Even if I didn’t think I could be. Just one look from her made me want to settle down. I wanted her to adore me. She probably would, given the chance. I could tell from her body language. The words she spoke kept her feelings hidden but the communicator in me could see that she felt the same.
‘We need to go.’ I ripped my arm from her, grabbed the bag from the floor and stepped around her.
‘Gemini?’
I stilled as my hand wrapped around the door handle. Not turning, I waited to hear what she wanted to say.
‘This conversation hasn’t finished. When we’re free, I want to know the truth.’
I ran my hand over my hair before opening the door. Her footsteps were light behind me. The truth? What was the truth? I didn’t even know myself.
Chapter Fourteen
‘Are you done with gambling now?’ Scorpio said.
The sensitive male stood by the hedge, chewing gum. His gaze raked over Athena as soon as we joined them. Leo and Aries bickered about something. The park wasn’t too full. It was the middle of the day, although London was never quiet.
‘It was a minor setback,’ I said, glaring at Scorpio when he slunk over to Athena.
‘Why are you hanging around with him?’ he asked, looking down at her.
Her head tilted back as far as it would go. At six foot four, Scorpio was the same height as the other two. My six foot form felt small in comparison. As he battered his eyelashes at Athena, I was tempted to step between them.
‘Fate brought us together.’ Athena stood with her hands on her hips, sizing him up. She tried to make herself bigger so that she didn’t feel threatened by him.
He stepped back, glancing at me with raised eyebrows. ‘You believe in fate?’ he said.
Her gaze found mine. We stood, watching each other. I had no idea she thought that way.
‘I believe everything happens for a reason. Gemini is my-’
‘Pain in the arse?’ Leo interrupted, jumping on my back. I shook him off, grumbling as he knocked my hair.
‘Don’t mess up his precious hair.’ Aries grinned at Athena.
Her smile was small. She obviously found my irritating brothers funny.
‘That’s enough. We need to get on with this,’ I said, pulling Scorpio away from Athena when he moved towards her again.
He frowned at me. ‘Okay, okay…I get it…she’s off limits. Shame though,’ he said, winking at her.
Athena’s cheeks glowed red as her back went straight. ‘Pack it in. I’m not a piece of meat. Gemini will tell you what happens when you treat me as if I am.’
I chuckled. Liam was right, she was a feisty woman. I liked that about her. She wasn’t completely defenceless, even though I had to rescue her from the thug.
‘Where’s Taurus?’ I asked.
Leo shrugged his shoulders, a grin splitting his face. ‘He got distracted. He said he would get here as soon as he’s finished sh-’
‘Okay!’
‘What’s the plan? Can we go now?’ Always the one that barged straight in, Aries was ready to go. We had to be a little calculated, although it was tempting to get it over with.
‘Not yet. I want to work out where everyone’s going to be. Specifically Athena.’
‘I’ll be with you,’ she stated, folding her arms across her chest.
I shook my head. My brothers laughed.
‘Got you under her thumb already, Gem,’ Leo said, clapping me on the back.
I undid the buttons on the cuffs of my shirt, ignoring their jovial teasing.
‘You’re nervous,’ Athena said.
All eyes were on me. I glanced down. I was redoing the buttons on my cuffs, even though I had just undone them. How did she know me so well already?
‘Athena will go with Gemini to speak to Liam. Scorpio, you get behind them but far enough away that Liam doesn’t realise you’re there. Leo, you circle around behind Liam and whoever he brings. It’s a shame Taurus isn’t here. There’s plenty of trees to uproot.’
Aries took contr
ol. It was what he did best. I was happy to take direction from him, even if it was my mess.
‘What will you do?’ Athena asked.
She had listened to him intently. The fight was going to happen, I could tell. She knew Liam better than any of us.
‘I’ll wait here until it’s over.’ Aries bounced on his prosthetic legs. They were perfect for running. There would be no way that Aries would stay out of the fight. What did he have in mind?
I zipped up my jacket and held out my hand to him. He frowned when he glanced down at it. ‘Thank you for not losing it with me. I thought you might beat me up yourself.’
Rolling his eyes, he batted my hand away as he shook his head at Athena. ‘You’ve softened him up. Never been one to be sentimental, have you, mate?’
Leo reached out and grabbed my hand, shaking it violently. ‘You owe us a beer! I was supposed to be in the studio but I fancied a fight.’
I ripped my hand away and turned to Athena. ‘Stay by my side and don’t say anything.’
She nodded once, sliding her hand in mine when I offered it. Her skin was cool to the touch. Her chest rose and fell rapidly.
Glancing at the boys, I smirked when they wiggled their eyebrows. I had an incredible beauty by my side but they knew it was different. Lovely women were often draped over me. Athena however, was not. Yet, there she was…with me.
‘Gemini, what about…’
Aries paused. He swirled his hands in a circle. Our powers. In our usual fights we would face the Dysfunctionals. Men that knew all about our abilities. This was even more dangerous. Athena, Liam and anyone else around, wouldn’t know about us. We couldn’t risk them seeing what we could do. The thread of media coverage or scientific interest was too great.
‘For once, I’m actually glad of your muscles,’ I replied.
They chuckled as I led Athena away. We would have to rely on the brawn of my brothers if it came to it. I was still hopeful that Liam would play ball and all would go to plan. The slight shake of Athena’s hand told me that she wasn’t so optimistic.
‘What’s Liam’s style? Will he have a lot of men? Only one or two?’ I asked, trying to distract her as we walked through the park.
Gemini: Book 4 in a Young Adult Paranormal Romance Series (The Zodiac Twin Flame Series) Page 11