Double or Nothing by N.J. Walters

was renowned for his low-key manner with animals. But Cherry was different. She was important to both of them. Remy wanted her as much as he did.
    He wanted to warn his brother to go slow, but knew it wouldn’t make any difference. It was already too late. Remy sensed Cherry was getting ready to bolt and was getting ready to rein her in. Wes feared if he did she’d eventually run and this time she’d never be back.
    “Remy.” There was a wealth of warning in his tone, but his big brother wasn’t listening.
    “No, if she’s going to leave, I want to give her something to remember.” Remy shouldered him aside and scooped Cherry into his arms.
    “What are you doing?” she demanded. “Put me down.” She slapped at Remy’s shoulders but didn’t really struggle.
    Wes followed his brother up the stairs and into Remy’s bedroom.
    “Put me down,” she demanded again.
    “Anything you say, darlin’.” Remy opened his arms and dropped her onto the bed. She gave a small scream and bounced on the mattress before settling. She started to scramble away, but Remy pulled her back. “Oh, no you don’t. You’re not getting away so easily.”
    “Remy,” Wes began, slightly worried about what his brother would do next. Oh, he knew Remy would never hurt Cherry, but he could make her mad enough to leave for good.
    Remy tossed her back onto the bed and reached under the bed by the bedside table. Wes’ eyes widened when he saw the length of old bridle in his brother’s hands. Cherry saw it too and scrambled toward the other side of the bed.
    She almost made it too, but Remy grabbed her and quick as a wink wrapped the leather around her hands, binding them together. Then he looped the length of leather through the slats in the heavy wooden headboard, tying them off.
    Cherry pulled at her bonds, but she wasn’t going anywhere.
    Remy knew he should stop and let her go, but he couldn’t. Hearing her talk so casually about leaving snapped some tether deep inside him and unleashed the more primitive side of his nature. His woman wanted to leave him.
    The more logical part of his brain argued that she wasn’t his woman, not yet, and maybe not ever if he didn’t let her go. But the more emotional side of him urged him to stake his claim, to make her understand exactly what lengths he’d go to in order to keep her with him.
    He knew Wes was concerned about him and the situation, but there was no turning back, not for him. And Remy knew that no matter what he did, Wes would back him.
    Sure enough, Wes sighed. “What now?”
    “Now you two Neanderthals let me go.” Cherry was so mad she was practically spitting fire at them. Her lips were set in a firm line and her glare scorched him.
    Remy went to her feet, capturing one when she tried to kick him in the balls. He grinned. Cherry was on hell of a woman. “Now I remove all your clothes.” He tugged on her shoe, tossing it aside. His words stunned her enough that he was able to remove her other shoe without worrying about serious injury to his person.
    “Then I’m going to kiss and lick every inch of your delectable body.” He slowly peeled her socks off. Her lips were parted now, her breath coming in short puffs. Her cheeks were no longer pale, but a pretty pink. “Then I’m going to fuck you until you come again and again.”
    Cherry licked her lips. “Why? I don’t understand.”
    Remy paused with his hands at the snap of her jeans. “Why? Because you belong to me. To us. Don’t you see? Don’t you feel it?” ‘Cause he sure as hell did. Remy knew he was a lot like the animals he worked with. He listened to his instincts and understood his own nature. Cherry was the right woman for him and Wes. He’d spent the last decade without her, living but not truly happy. Having her here made everything seem…right.
    Cherry didn’t know whether or not she should laugh at Remy or yell at him. Her mind was screaming that this wasn’t a good idea, but her body had other