by Bianca D’Arc
Gemini Project 3
Deuces Wild
by
Bianca D’Arc
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Copyright © 2019 Bianca D’Arc
All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Her heart is wild, but can she handle two mates for the price of one?
Jeff and Marlon are men on a mission. Highly-trained special operatives with a hidden talent for telepathy, they’re infiltrating an illegal high-stakes poker tournament in order to gather intelligence on the other players.
Maya has been invited to the tournament to help guard an ancient vampire. She’s a bear shifter, who has never found her mate. When fate introduces her to two men who make her inner bear turn into a hussy, she’s not sure what to make of it. Can she really have two mates? It doesn’t seem likely, but the more she’s around them, the more she wants to keep them...both...forever.
When terrorists attack the mansion where they’re all staying, the boys will have to swing into action, to save the day. Will they be able to handle Maya’s secret dual nature, or will the bear frighten them off? And, will they all survive the battle to discover if they are meant to spend the rest of their lives together, or will they never get the chance?
*Author’s Note: This story more firmly establishes the connection between the Gemini Project and Grizzly Cove, Jaguar Island, and all the rest of my paranormal series. Yes, they are all set in the same world—just different parts of it.
DEDICATION
Many thanks to Peggy McChesney for reminding me of what had come before. Your friendship and help is invaluable to me.
Special thanks to my dear old Dad, who put up with a very grumpy me for a few days while computer issues made this book’s file a bear to work with—even aside from the bear in the book! Dad is 94 now, and I’m the one who looks after him. Sometimes, it gets to be a little… Well, a little too much for my fragile nerves. Trying to keep my books coming out at regular intervals, keep Dad alive and happy, with all that entails… It’s a lot of work for a gal and sometimes, I feel the stress. When Mercury in Retrograde (if you believe in that sort of thing) started messing with my book file and my editor’s computer, I admit it—I got grumpy. Sorry, Dad. I know I was less than sunny those few days.
And, last but not least, thanks to my fans. This book is a sort of party, with a lot of old friends invited. I hope you all enjoy it. This one is definitely for you!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Epilogue
About the Author
Other Books by Bianca D’Arc
PROLOGUE
Major Daniels didn’t look happy when Marlon and Jeff reported to his office, as ordered. They were a team that had been brought together by common backgrounds.
Marlon’s people were dyed-in-the-wool Texans who had gained both influence and power because of huge oil fields under their land. They’d parlayed those original strikes into an empire over the years, but Marlon had felt the need to serve his country and had gone into the military.
Likewise, Jeff’s folks owned huge tracts of land in what had started as a large ranch on the Oklahoma panhandle and had grown into something enormous. Cattle barons, that was what people like his father and uncles were called, even to this day. They were proud of their boy, who had answered the nation’s call to serve in the military.
Once Marlon had met Jeff, they’d found they had more in common than most, and had forged a friendship that had lasted years. That friendship had led them both to volunteer for the Gemini Project, which had resulted in a change in their lives that could never be undone. They could share a brain… Or, at least, their thoughts.
But they remained silent, both physically and mentally, as they faced their commanding officer.
“You two have a reputation as card sharps,” Major Daniels began. “Is there any truth to the rumors? Do you cheat, or are you just that good?”
“What the hell is he asking that for? Do you think we’re in trouble for gambling?” Jeff sent to Marlon in the blink of an eye. They’d been told by the scientists in charge of the project that their telepathy was among the best of the test group. Fast and accurate, but not very long distance.
“I don’t know, but I think we’d better play it straight with him,” Marlon shot back before stepping forward to answer the major’s question.
“We mostly play poker, and not for stakes. Neither of us need the money, sir.”
“It’s just a way to pass the time, sir,” Jeff put in, also stepping up.
“Yes, but are you really any good at it or are you using your telepathy to win?” Daniels probed.
Jeff looked affronted, just as Marlon felt, but it wouldn’t do to berate an officer. “Sir, we don’t cheat.”
“Ever,” Jeff added, leaving off the obligatory sir in his anger, but Daniels let it pass.
“At ease, boys. Take a seat,” the major said, waving them toward two chairs placed in front of his desk. Marlon and Jeff sat. “If you really are good at poker, and not just bragging, then I might have an op for you.”
“An op where we play poker, sir?” Jeff asked, disbelief and a bit of humor in his tone.
Surprisingly, Daniels nodded. “The stakes are high. The caliber of player is elite. And the whole thing is very shady. We need someone on the inside, and though this sort of thing would normally be handled by the CIA, they need people unknown in intelligence circles to infiltrate because the vetting of players is apparently done on a level that’s hard to crack.”
Both Marlon and Jeff waited to hear more. The major didn’t disappoint.
“You wouldn’t be officially military for this,” Daniels told them. “Officially, you’d be on leave. Your pay for the op would be funneled through the CIA, but not until after the mission has ended. You’d be going in on your own merits since your family backgrounds might just be sufficient to get you in the door. Whether you stay, will be up to your caliber of play.”
“Is it some kind of tournament, sir?” Marlon asked. He’d heard about secret tournaments for rich folks. He’d even been invited to one or two when he’d been home in Texas, but he’d never accepted the invitations.
Daniels nodded. “An illegal one catering to power brokers, billionaires, the odd politician and, we believe, several underworld characters. It’s the politicians we want you to watch. There is concern a certain senator has been compromised by his fondness for five-card stud.”
“That’s not good,” Jeff sent to Marlon silently.
“You th
ink we should do this?” Marlon asked his partner. He was willing, but he knew they both had to be on board to accept such a mission.
“I don’t think there’s anybody else who can do this job the way we can,” Jeff responded.
Marlon thought about it for a second then made his decision. “You’re right about that, partner.”
They both turned to Daniels in unison and said, “We’ll do it.”
CHAPTER ONE
“This will never do,” Hiram muttered, looking at Maya’s choice of eveningwear with despair. “My dear Miss Marshall, you’re supposed to be a femme fatale, not a frump.”
Maya laughed. There wasn’t much any man could say to insult her. She knew she wasn’t glamorous. What she was, was sturdy. Dependable. Big-boned and big-hearted. She was tall and leanly muscled. She’d heard people call her an Amazon once or twice, but she didn’t mind. The Amazons in those old myths had been kind of cool, after all.
“Sorry, Hiram. I have a hard time finding clothes that fit right,” she told him, tugging at the rising hem of her sweater. “I’m either too tall or too busty, or hippy, or whatever.” She’d long ago given up trying to find dresses that would fit off the rack and had filled her closet with separates that she could mix and match—with varying results.
Hiram threw his hands up in the air. “There’s nothing for it. I will call Maximilian, and he will custom tailor a wardrobe for you. You will not be taken seriously at the tournament if you don’t look the part. How are you set for jewels?”
“No worries on that score. You may recall that I own a jewelry boutique and make my own designs. I don’t wear other people’s creations, anymore. Only my own.” She touched the intricate fall of gold around her neck. The setting had an organic look that held precious and semiprecious stones in a waterfall configuration. An original design of which she was very proud. “I only work with and wear gold, I assure you. No silver. I also cut and carve many of my own gemstones.”
“Ah, yes. I have seen your designs. They are quite spectacular, and will do nicely for this occasion. I hope you packed enough for a week’s worth of outfits. Show Max what you have, and he can design your wardrobe around them.” He got up to leave. “The clothes will be yours to keep after the tournament, of course.”
Maya was surprised. She’d known Hiram was filthy rich—and she would be well paid for her time—but bespoke clothing to match her jewelry designs seemed overly extravagant. She’d heard of Maximilian. He was an up-and-coming designer who catered to the tech tycoons all over the Pacific Northwest. He was a native of Seattle and kept his main workshop here, but his designs were seen all over the world.
To have Maximilian design clothes specifically to go with Maya’s jewelry was an incredible opportunity. She’d have to make sure she would be able to use them in her store’s catalog. She and her business partners were just starting out with their new shop, but they had big plans for a mail order business, where they could send their designs to anyone, anywhere.
“Jesamine will set everything up,” Hiram said on his way out of the room, gesturing toward one of his personal assistants. “We leave for the tournament in three week’s time. Make sure Max understands our timetable. I’ll see you tomorrow night for an update, Miss Marshall. For now, I will bid you good night.”
The dutiful Jesamine was taking notes, even as Hiram swept from the room. Maya knew from her recent experiences with Jesamine’s efficiency that she’d have an appointment with the reclusive designer before she knew it.
Maya had been surprised when eccentric billionaire, Hiram Abernathy, a new ally from Seattle, had asked her to accompany him to a high-stakes poker tournament on the East Coast. He’d made the offer, and she’d accepted with the understanding that she would be employed for no less than one month, and possibly longer.
Hiram had asked her to relocate from Grizzly Cove to Seattle for the duration. She’d arrived earlier that morning, and this was the first meeting she’d had with her new, albeit temporary, employer. She’d waited all day to see him. Hiram only came out at night.
The idea was for Maya to get to know him and his people a little better before they embarked upon the trip to the tournament, which was being held on the other side of the country, somewhere near Washington, D.C. She needed the extra time because she was going to be playing the part of overt girlfriend and covert protector. While she definitely wasn’t the former, she always enjoyed her role as the latter.
Maya had been born with special skills and abilities that made her a natural bodyguard. She’d done the same kind of work in the past and was familiar with the routine. The only hiccup in this arrangement was that Hiram wanted her to pose as his girlfriend, for some unknown reason. She supposed it was part of his ongoing efforts to make himself appear more human.
Whatever the reason, she didn’t mind. She was unattached and had never found the right man to flip her switch from uninterested to whoa, mama. Not that she hadn’t indulged in several rather energetic relationships in her past, but none of them were lifetime commitments, and both parties had known that from the start.
Maya was glad her brother had finally found someone to share his life with. She wasn’t jealous…exactly…but she was glad to get away from Grizzly Cove for a little while, all the same. The fact that she could strengthen the alliance with Hiram while doing so was all to the good.
The next day, Maya met with Maximilian, and they got down to the serious business of preparing her new wardrobe. With input from Jesamine on the scheduled functions and events during the tournament, they were able to come up with a viable plan. Every outfit Maya would wear was penciled into the schedule.
In one way, Maya was glad to have the thought work taken out of what she would wear when accompanying Hiram. In another, it all made her feel a little claustrophobic to have every last minute—and every last item of clothing—planned out ahead of time. Maya was usually more of a free spirit. She wore what came to hand and didn’t worry too much about appearances… Except where her jewelry was concerned.
Her gold-smithing skills had been honed to perfection over years of study and practice. She’d been designing for one or two exclusive boutiques for a number of years already. Only recently, though, she had finally been able to put down roots and open a little shop with her friend, Jayne Sherman, in the town of Grizzly Cove. It was a perfect fit. Grizzly Cove had been created by her brother and his friends as a safe community for people like her. The town had been set up as an artists’ colony with numerous boutiques, art galleries and artisan’s workshops. Their little artisanal jewelry store fit right in, offering her most eclectic designs and Jayne’s interesting gem and mineral finds.
Already, she had sold quite a few replicas of her of originals, cast from molds she had made of each piece. That was the process she had been perfecting over the past few years. She would create an original piece, then use it to make a mold from which she could cast as many of each piece as she needed. She could make things to order that way, and that business model lent itself to the idea of creating an exclusive mail order catalog.
She hoped to attract high-end buyers who would pay a little extra for her limited edition designs. With Maximilian’s clothes made to match some of her best pieces, she could model a few of her designs herself for her first catalog. And, if she got to show off her work at this swanky tournament Hiram was taking her to, she might just find the beginnings of her new customer base.
This little job for Hiram might just help her fledgling business in ways she hadn’t anticipated. She’d bet Hiram had thought about every angle, though, even before offering her the job. She’d come to respect that he was always several moves ahead of everyone else. Hiram Abernathy was a strategic thinker. She was used to that, because her brother, John, was the same.
In some ways, Hiram was a lot like John. In others, Hiram was very special, indeed. He’d come ashore in Grizzly Cove a while back and had proved himself worthy of further investigation. John was the mayor of the ne
w town on the rugged Washington coastline. He was also the head of a group of retired Special Forces soldiers who had pooled their money and their futures to create the new town…together.
The men still called her brother Big John, but to her, he’d always be little Johnny, her childhood playmate. She’d joined him in Grizzly Cove, glad that he’d finally retired from the military, but when he found his mate, Maya had decided to give them some space for a bit. The offer of travel and employment from Hiram had come at just the right time, and Jayne didn’t mind watching the shop for a bit on her own. Maya would run the store when Jayne went on her prospecting trips, so it was natural that Jayne do the same for Maya when the need arose. They were well-suited as business partners, and were close friends, as well.
Within days of her first meeting with Maximilian, Maya’s new wardrobe began to take shape. She was staying in a guest room on Hiram’s walled estate, not too far from Seattle. It was a fortress, of sorts, but Maximilian seemed comfortable traveling out with his assistants to do fittings every couple of days.
Maya learned he was making a few outfits for Hiram, as well. Apparently, they would coordinate with her new clothing—especially for those evening occasions, where they would be expected to dance and mingle with other rich folk in luxurious style. Maya just shook her head at the idea. She had never been into high society.
Certainly, she knew having her jewelry designs exposed to a bunch of billionaires and their wives, girlfriends, or mistresses might be good for her fledgling business. She didn’t mind that aspect at all. But the event Hiram would be taking her to was quite different from anything she’d ever done before. She just hoped she didn’t mess up, somehow.
The entire new wardrobe was ready with just enough time to spare for proper packing. Maximilian had outdone himself. The evening dresses, casual wear for daytime, plus two spectacular gowns were just incredible. Maya had allowed Maximilian a free hand with the gowns and dresses, but he’d consulted her tastes on the casual daytime clothes she would be wearing most often. What he’d come up with had been both practical and super comfy. Maya actually looked forward to dressing in them, which was a new experience for her.
