Branding Gemma [Grizzly Pines 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Read online

  Grizzly Pines 2

  Branding Gemma

  Gemma Brower is determined to turn her life around. Having fallen about as far as she can, she’s ready to climb out of hell and find her way. She’s determined that she isn’t ready for another relationship after her last one ended so badly, but then she meets Synclair and Ryan Black, two brothers who are as different as night and day. She’s not the only one in instant lust. The brothers have resolved to have her any way they can get her.

  With her ex acting like a crazy stalker, Gemma has more on her mind than her love life. Trevor’s calls are escalating and she’s worried he may come after her. After one too many threatening calls, she confides in the brothers, who vow to protect her at any cost. But is Gemma ready to trust again? Her heart is already battered from one failed relationship after another. Dare she attempt to fall in love once more?

  Genre: BDSM, Contemporary, Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Rubenesque, Western/Cowboys

  Length: 67,100 words

  BRANDING GEMMA

  Grizzly Pines 2

  Paige Warren

  MENAGE AMOUR

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

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  A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK

  IMPRINT: Ménage Amour

  BRANDING GEMMA

  Copyright © 2014 by Paige Warren

  E-book ISBN: 978-1-63258-613-1

  First E-book Publication: November 2014

  Cover design by Harris Channing

  All art and logo copyright © 2014 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  PUBLISHER

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  Letter to Readers

  Dear Readers,

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  This is Paige Warren’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Paige Warren’s right to earn a living from her work.

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  DEDICATION

  I would like to dedicate this story to my readers. Thank you for your support. Without you, this journey would be a lonely one.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  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

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  BRANDING GEMMA

  Grizzly Pines 2

  PAIGE WARREN

  Copyright © 2014

  Chapter One

  Gemma threw her leg out wider, giving her fingers better access. One hand cupped her breast, her fingers pinching her nipple, as the fingers of her right hand teased her clit. She felt hot from the inside out as she panted for breath, a fine sheen of sweat glistening on her skin. Slipping two fingers inside her pussy, she brushed her clit with her thumb. Her hips lifted, fucking her fingers. She hadn’t had sex in weeks and she’d decided to waste away the time by taking the edge off. It wasn’t as good as having a man between her legs— well, a man who knew what he was doing—but it was better than nothing. She’d kill for a vibrator, but it just wasn’t in the budget.

  Her juices coated her fingers and trickled down her thighs. With her eyes closed and her head tipped back, she pretended her fingers were the cock of some sun-bronzed Greek god, thrusting away between her legs, his massive dick stretching her to the limit. She circled her clit again, the little bud standing at attention. Hips pumping in time with her fingers, she pushed herself closer and closer to the brink. The hand cupping her breast became his and, if she concentrated really hard, she could almost feel the scrape of his whiskers as he brushed kisses along her throat and shoulder.

  The trailer shook from the force of someone banging on the door, but she ignored it and kept pleasuring herself. They’d been knocking for a good three or four minutes already, but she wasn’t about to stop until she came. She was too damn close to stop now. She pinched her nipple harder, adding a bite of pain to the pleasure. Her fingers slid in and out of her body, faster and harder until her body tensed. She bit down on her lip to keep from crying out as her release crashed over her, her body thrashing on the sofa.

  Pulling her hands out of her sensitive pussy, she pulled up her panties and shorts before heading into the kitchen to wash her hands. Her heart was still pounding and she had to admit that she felt better, but nothing could replace the real thing. The only way she was going to feel one hundred percent better would be to have a real man between her legs. Sadly, that wasn’t going to happen for a while. She’d sworn off men for the foreseeable future.

  Gemma grumbled under her breath as someone pounded on the front door for the sixth or seventh time, hard enough to shake the whole trailer. Whoever it was, they were persistent. The next time the heavy fist landed on the door, she gave up any pretense of not being home and made her way over to the door. She jerked it open and her snarky response died on her lips.

  “Beau? What are you doing here?”

  Her cousin smiled and shoved his hands into his front pockets. “I
talked to Asher. He told me what was going on, about you living in this dump.”

  She bristled. “Just because it isn’t a palace doesn’t… ”

  “It’s rusted and more than one window is broken, and your front door is dented.”

  Her lips turned down in a frown as she assessed the front door. “Wonder who could’ve dented the door?”

  “Sarcasm doesn’t become you.” Beau arched a brow.

  “What do you want, Beau?” She sighed. “I doubt you drove all the way from Grizzly Pines just to see where I live.”

  “We’ve talked it over and we want you to come stay with us for a while, just until you get back on your feet. I’m sure you could find a job in Grizzly Pines, if that’s what you want to do. And if not, you’re welcome to stay with us as long as you want. I’m sure Elodie feels outnumbered most days.”

  “We?”

  “Actually, Elodie insisted. She was in a similar situation. Well, not the boyfriend part, but she was being evicted from her rundown apartment when we met her. I don’t know how much your brothers told you about what was going on a few weeks ago. Not that Cody, Beck and I don’t want you there, too, because we do.”

  “Let me guess. Beck, Cody, and you swooped in like knights on white horses and saved her.”

  “Cody came in later.”

  Gemma shook her head. “You may have saved your Elodie, but no one is coming for me. No one worth mentioning anyway. Momma always said I’d have to kiss a lot of frogs to find my prince, but she didn’t mention the snakes I’d meet along the way.”

  “Come on, Gem. You know there’s nothing here for you. Leave with me. Come to Grizzly Pines and get a fresh start. It isn’t like you go visit your family all that often. Aunt Peggy said she hadn’t seen you in over a month.”

  “This is my home, Beau. My entire life, the delights of downtown Dallas have been in my backyard, just a stone’s throw away, whenever I wanted to go out and play. What the hell is there to do in Grizzly Pines? Watch the grass grow?”

  Beau’s expression turned serious. “Don’t you think you’ve played enough, Gem? I would think you’d have tired of your lifestyle by now. How many boyfriends have to beat the shit out of you before you realize you’re going about this the wrong way?”

  “Going about life the wrong way?” She snorted. “All right, Yoda, impart your wisdom.”

  “I just think maybe you need to slow things down a bit, for a little while. The air is fresh and clean where we live, you’d have a horse to ride whenever the mood strikes you, and the town might be small but it isn’t as bad as you seem to think it is. The people might not be the friendliest, but I’d like to think they’re warming up to us. There’s a bar, if you insist on going out and getting drunk, and there are some shops if you want to buy new clothes or something. We even have a small movie theater.”

  “And if I want something your little town can’t offer?”

  He shrugged. “Then one of us could go with you to San Antonio. The night life isn’t really Elodie’s thing, but she’d probably like getting rid of one or two of us every now and then.”

  “When do I have to decide?”

  “I’ll be staying with Uncle Will and Aunt Peggy tonight but, come morning, I’m heading home. If you want to come with me, give me a call and I’ll come help you pack. This is a onetime deal, Gem. I’m only here because Elodie threatened to drive here herself if I didn’t come make the offer.”

  She rolled her eyes. “I think I can handle one garbage bag of clothes and a box of books.”

  “That’s all you have?” He frowned. “What happened to the rest of your stuff?”

  “Asswipe burned my things when I bolted. I didn’t have time to grab everything the day I left, thinking I’d sneak back in and get them when he went to work, but he hauled it all out on the front lawn and torched it.”

  “Why haven’t you accepted your parents’ help?”

  “Beau, I’m twenty-three years old. I’m not going to go running to Mommy and Daddy every time I have a problem. Besides, I didn’t want to hear ‘I told you so’ from either of them. They didn’t like Trevor from the moment they met him.”

  “Trevor? Trevor who?”

  She held up her hands. “Oh no, uh-uh. I’m not telling you his last name, or where he works, or where he lives. I know you. You’ll go kick the shit out of him just for the hell of it.”

  “So, it’s okay for him to use you as a punching bag, but it’s not okay for someone to teach him not to beat on women?”

  “Beau, just forget it, okay? I wouldn’t tell Colt or Asher where to find him and I’m not about to tell you, either.”

  “Fine. Don’t tell me, but don’t expect me to sit on my ass while some dickhead abuses my little cousin. I’m leaving at nine sharp so, if you’re going with me, you’d better call before then. Otherwise, you can catch a ride with your brothers later if you change your mind.”

  “My brothers? Are they coming to visit you, too?”

  “That’s their story to tell. They were supposed to already be in Grizzly Pines, but something came up. If you don’t know what’s going on, I’m not about to inform you. Ask Asher your questions. I’m serious though, Gemma. I’m outta here by nine.”

  “Anxious to be back with your sweet, precious little Elodie?” she asked with a smirk. She wasn’t trying to be a bitch, but she was more than a little jealous that the woman had found such perfect men, like her cousins, and hadn’t run off with just one but three. How the hell did she sign up for that mailing list?

  “Yes, I am. Maybe one day you’ll understand.”

  Her jaw dropped as he turned and walked off. She knew he was older than her, had made something of his life, but did he have to sound so condescending? Gemma was going places, and she had plans… she just wasn’t sure how to implement them yet. It didn’t mean she hadn’t done her research though. When the time was right, she was going to take the world by storm. Her family thought they knew her? They knew nothing about her.

  She wasn’t the fuck-up everyone thought she was. Okay, so she had wretched taste in men, and had no way of supporting herself at the moment, but that was all going to change, and it was going to change soon! She just needed to get another laptop somehow. Trevor had killed her precious baby. It was the one thing she should have grabbed, but it had been in the room with him, on his side of the bed, and she hadn’t wanted to risk waking him, not even for something so important. Her life had more value than a machine.

  It wasn’t like he hadn’t hit her before, but he’d always apologized so sweetly. She’d been an idiot to listen to him, to believe him when he’d said he’d change. None of them ever had. Trevor hadn’t been the first man to hit her, but she vowed he’d be the last. She didn’t exactly have a winning streak when it came to men. She had a type though, the bad boys, and she was fast learning that they were considered bad for a reason.

  She closed the door to her trailer and looked around, taking in the dirty walls, peeling linoleum, and disgusting carpet. Maybe Beau had a point. Maybe it was time for that next step in her life. She’d been the wild child for a while now, since her early teens, and maybe it was time to get serious. If she truly wanted to succeed at her little pet project, her life’s work really, then she needed to make some life changes.

  It wouldn’t take her long to pack, especially since she’d been living out of that trash bag for the past few weeks. It was hard to unpack when all you had was a twin bed and a couch, both of which she’d gotten at a secondhand store. She hadn’t spent seventy-five dollars on the two items together. They were so rundown, but it’s what she’d been able to afford. Beau was right. She should have returned home to her parents, but she refused to admit defeat. Going with Beau was different. It wasn’t relying on Mommy and Daddy to take care of her. She’d think of it as a vacation.

  She hadn’t told anyone, but she’d started writing six months ago. She could only work on her novel when Trevor wasn’t home, so she wasn’t as far along as she
’d hoped, especially since she’d been working at a diner part-time during the day. Gemma was grateful for that job now. It didn’t give her enough money to live off, but it had aided her in getting away from Trevor. Her wages had been so paltry he’d let her keep them as spending money, mostly so he wouldn’t have to spend money on her. Instead of using them on new clothes or books, she’d hoarded the cash until she had enough to pay first month’s rent and to buy what little furniture and groceries she had. That was nearly three weeks ago and she realized that Beau showing up when he did was nothing short of a miracle. She had no idea how she was going to pay for another month of rent, much less food to put on the table. Well, if she’d had a table, that is.

  It didn’t take her long to work through the logistics of moving in with Beau, the advantages and disadvantages, and come to a decision. She picked up the phone and called her parents’ house, hoping he’d already arrived there. She didn’t feel like getting into another discussion with her dad about how much she’d screwed up her life. It rang a few times and finally her mother answered.

  “Mom, is Beau there yet?”

  “He pulled in a few minutes ago. Is that all you have to say? No ‘hello’ for your mother?”

  “Hi, Mom. I just really need to talk to Beau.”

  Her mother sighed. “All right. Let me get him.”

  She heard her mother move through the house, listened as she told Beau the phone was for him, and he was on the line a moment later.

  “Hello,” he said, sounding hesitant, as if he couldn’t imagine who would call him on her parents’ line. If she’d had his cell number, she would have used it.