Free Gemini by Rachel Billings

pussies, Gemini. Tomlinson can make any attempt at us he wants. I say, bring it on. But we’ll be damned if he gets to you without going through us. So just get that through your head and get over it.”
    Standing and turning her back on them all, Gemini looked out to the mountains. Frustration warred with shame—she’d come to them for help, after all. And she’d known Bryce was dangerous. With a heavy sigh, she looked over her shoulder at Clay. “You went to Sacramento for this? For me?”
    He nodded.
    “Thank you.”
     
    * * * *
     
    He was going to fuck her again, and soon. Clay figured her bed in Quinn’s place was as good a spot as any, and he only just held back from throwing her up over his shoulder and hauling her ass there right then. Quinn and Jace could gentle her along like a couple of little girls if they wanted to, but he was done. He wasn’t going to let her finish one more sentence about how she was going to take off in order to protect them. Or even start it.
    And it wasn’t going to be long before he had her sweet body wrapped around his cock again.
    It was a little messed up, though, with all three of them interested in her. He loved his buddies, and it was that which was keeping him from going all caveman on her. This was going to take some figuring out.
    They’d talked about it as they’d worked out after their game. They were all three smitten, though he felt like a world class idiot to use that phrase even in his head. It was too damn soon to make much of it, but he knew his friends saw the same thing he did. Gemini was bright, gorgeous, and hot has hell. Her wounded vulnerability was like an over-coating of come-and-take-me pheromone that made her staggering, surprising sexuality entirely irresistible.
    They all wanted her. But none of them could put a claim on her that superseded that of the others.
    None of them wanted to give up whatever claim he had.
    Jace suggested they draw straws. Quinn, no surprise, offered to arm-wrestle for it. Clay didn’t like those odds, one or zero out of three. He proposed a shooting match, but the other two didn’t like that, the wusses.
    In the end, they came to a highly unsatisfactory agreement which had only one thing in its favor—it was the best they could come up with. They’d each pursue her in whatever way they chose. They all wanted her in the sack again and seemed to believe they could get her there. If they all succeeded, well, so damn be it.
    It would be purely don’t ask, don’t tell. And, Clay added in his head, no holds barred.
    In the end—they had to figure there would be an end—it would be Gem who made the call. And whichever two lost out, well, they’d just have to man up. They vowed it wouldn’t affect the friendship.
    They didn’t talk about what would happen if she couldn’t or wouldn’t make a choice. Clay’s mind skirted with the possibilities, but his mind was kind of a dirty one, and he didn’t think the other two were going there.
    He’d gotten those thoughts in his head, though, and he figured he’d be falling asleep with X-rated fantasies and a hard dick for the next while.
    They’d go forward with the plan, murky as it was.
    But the deal with Tomlinson was clear. The man was a conniving, vindictive son of a bitch. Clay hadn’t shared the full extent of what he’d learned about the bastard with Quinn and Jace. And for sure, Gemmy wasn’t going to hear about it.
    Tomlinson played hardball. What he’d done to Gemini wasn’t the worst treatment he’d dealt to women. And when he fought, he made it personal, leaving bruises and blood behind. There were players in the party who respected him, but none Clay had found who liked him.
    Reading the subtext, Clay understood that the respect was laced with fear. Tomlinson senior was a wealthy attorney turned state judge, and he didn’t hold back from throwing his weight around to make sure the son achieved daddy’s expectations for him.
    Like father like son, they