by Chloe Lang
“You better slow down. We’ve got to check the roads in the morning.”
“You’re not one of my dads, Emmett. Stop trying to be. I’m twenty-seven. I don’t need a parent.”
Bryant didn’t normally share so much.
“Okay. Fill your boots for all I care.” But he did care. He cared a whole helluva lot. Cody and Bryant were more than brothers to him. He trusted them with his life. He felt responsible for them. Bryant was the quietest of the three of them. Not introverted, so to speak, but definitely a man of few words. Apparently the whiskey and Amber’s presence in the other room were having an impact on his tongue and his emotions.
Damn, how could he stop them from falling for Amber? They’d been through so much.
Bryant poured himself another drink, draining the bottle, and sat back down.
They sat in silence around the kitchen table. What were his brothers thinking? He could venture a guess that Cody was working out a plan to seduce Amber. Bryant was a mystery.
“Listen to me. We’ve got to keep our hands off of Amber,” he stated, hoping they would really hear him.
“Why?” Cody asked.
“Don’t be an idiot. You saw her. She’s gorgeous. A woman like her can’t be single. Some guy has a claim on her, mark my words.”
“Emmett, you’ve always been the guy who looks at the glass as half empty. I, on the other hand, see the glass half full. She’s here for a reason. We’re from Destiny. It’s more than a name. She’s our future. Fate brought her to us.”
What the hell was he talking about? “Fuck, you’re out of your mind, Cody. She doesn’t even know who she is. She could be anyone.”
“I don’t give a damn who she is. She’s ours. You’ll see.”
This wasn’t going the way he’d hoped. “Bryant, help me out here. Talk to your twin, please. Knock some sense into him before I have to.”
Bryant downed half the contents of his glass. “Who knows, Emmett? Maybe Cody is onto something.” His brother’s eyes were pointed in the direction of Amber, who was asleep in the other room.
“Thank you. He’s more than a little interested in Amber, too. I bet if you admit the truth, Emmett, you are, too.” Cody grinned broadly.
He didn’t like where this discussion was leading. “I won’t admit to anything. She’s in our care. None of us will make any moves on her. Got it?”
Bryant slammed his glass down on the table. “What does that mean?”
Two against one. Not good. “We’re Doms. You know what that means, or have you both forgotten?”
Cody shrugged. “This isn’t about the club.”
“No, it isn’t, but it is about what has worked for us. Just the other day you told me that being a Dom meant something to you.”
“Yes, I did.” Cody kept his eyes locked on him, though his lovesick armor seemed to be cracking a bit.
“And you,” Emmett said, turning to Bryant. “You’ve insisted we follow protocols to the letter whenever we’ve trained a sub. Why is that?”
“It’s the right thing to do.”
“Exactly. The same is true here, guys. Amber may be married. She may have kids.” His gut tightened, but he went on. “She might have a life to go back to. Being a Dom matters to me, and I know it matters to you, too. Do I hope she’s single and will choose us when her memory returns? Of course. But until then we must abide by protocols. We’ll care for her. We’ll make sure she’s safe. We’ll do whatever we need to do to help her fully recover. That’s all we do. That’s the right thing to do—for her.”
“Agreed.” Bryant stood up.
“Fuck, I hate this.” Cody’s hands curled into fists. “We need to lock up the playroom.”
“Where’s the key?” Bryant asked. “I know we have one, but have we ever had to lock it up before?”
“Never,” Emmett answered. “I think I have it on my keychain.” He pulled out the set. “Yep. Here it is.”
They’d had the playroom built a few years ago. Equipped with a wide assortment of sex toys, a spanking bench, cuffs, and more, they’d used it for private training sessions for new subs. Emmett actually preferred the club for training most of the time.
“I wish the fucking rain would stop. We need to find her car.” Cody’s tone held a possessive quality that meant the peace would only hold for a short time.
“I hope so, too.” What the hell was he going to do if Cody broke ranks and forgot what being a Dom really signified? What about Bryant? His resolve wasn’t so certain either. What could he do to force them to make the right choice when it came to Amber?
Hell, what about me? Emmett wasn’t confident in his own granite, which seemed to crack whenever Amber was near him.
“She’s the one,” Cody said quietly. “You’ll see. I know we’ve shared women before, but none like her. You have to admit that.”
“Even if I do, that doesn’t mean she’s for us.” He’d always expected they would eventually settle down with a woman, likely one of the locals. Amber’s arrival had come out of nowhere. He didn’t like surprises, preferring to be ever prepared for the unexpected.
“You do like her, don’t you?” Cody asked.
“She’s quite a woman. What man wouldn’t?” Like her? Oh yes, but he was also worried she would rip his heart out and his brothers’ when her memories returned. “We really don’t know her, Cody.”
“I know enough.”
“Chill out,” Bryant said. “We don’t know her. She doesn’t know herself. It isn’t fair to her to push. Right?”
Cody didn’t answer. He picked up the framed photo of their parents Amber had left on the table. The pain in his eyes was familiar to Emmett.
Why had they told Amber about their parents? About what a family meant to them? She’d asked. That was why, but ever since, he couldn’t stop imagining her in his and his brothers’ bed. A real family. Fuck, he was even imagining raising kids with her.
“Damn this rain.” Cody raised his fists up and stared at the ceiling. “Rain or shine, tomorrow I’m looking for her car.”
“Deal. Besides, we need to check the road. I’m betting it’s blocked.” Keeping their minds on work instead of Amber and pie-in-the-sky scenarios was definitely best.
Bryant let out a long, sad sigh. “What if she is married?”
He turned to his brother, who looked more lost than he’d seen him in years. “We’ll deal with it as it comes.”
“I don’t think I can. Maybe it’s the whiskey talking, but I’m with Cody on this. Amber certainly feels like the one I could spend the rest of my life with, Emmett. I know it’s ridiculous but it’s true.”
Emmett felt the same way, but he couldn’t admit it to his brothers. “I know the ratio of single women in town is low, but there are some. I’m not ready to settle down yet, but when we do, we should choose someone from Destiny, don’t you think? Someone who knows our ways? I can think of five attractive dolls who would fit the bill perfectly for us.”
“Bullshit.” Bryant’s tone cut him to the core. “Don’t try to sell us a bill of goods, Emmett. I saw how you looked at Amber, how you took care of her. If she’s married, it will kill me. It will kill Cody. And you know it will kill you, too.”
He nodded. “We still have to keep our cocks in our pants. Things with Amber will either go our way or they won’t. I pray Cody is right and fate brought her to us, but we all know how cruel fate can be, don’t we?” He didn’t wait for either of them to answer. “We’re agreed then. Until we know who she is, we follow protocols and are hands off?”
“Agreed,” Bryant said.
“Yes,” Cody said through clenched teeth. “I agree.”
“Great. I’m going to check on Amber. Every couple of hours I will wake her up to make sure she is still okay. Good night.” Emmett stood and left his brothers still brooding at the table. He needed to be alone with his thoughts. He’d always thought Cody’s romantic nature to be foolish, mocking him at every turn. Now, Emmett’s thoughts were running the same route,
imagining a forever with Amber, the woman he couldn’t get out of his head no matter how hard he tried.
He walked up to the door to the playroom. He opened it and peered in. It was so easy to imagine placing Amber on the spanking bench, seeing her eyes unfocused, her jaw slack, her body pink, all from the pleasure he and his brothers could give her. He felt himself smile at the thought.
Just as fast as the grin had spread out, it turned down into a frown. He was a fool to think things would turn out good for him and his brothers. That didn’t happen for them. Strength mattered. That was what had gotten him through many a nightmare.
The pit of his stomach clenched tight. Would this time be different? Would he survive? Would his brothers? Somewhere deep inside, he knew they would not come out of this time with Amber unscathed.
Everything had changed for them since he’d found her in the road. He closed the door to the playroom and put the key in the lock, resolving to keep his guard up. He would make certain that Amber would never see this room.
Chapter Six
Amber sat on the rocking chair on the front porch of the cabin and watched the three cowboys who had taken her into their home as they saddled two of their horses. Six days and nights of rain had kept them inside, though Cody and Emmett had tried to get down the road a few times. No luck. Every low spot was flooded.
The morning after she’d arrived, Emmett had hiked down to a nearby payphone and called the doctor. He’d given Emmett instructions, which the men had followed exactly. All three cowboys had watched her closely those first couple of days. The care they’d taken with her had touched her heart. Her headache had gone away quickly and she hadn’t had any dizziness after that first day. She was going to be okay thanks to her soldier cowboys.
Amber and the guys had been reduced to staying indoors. She’d talked to them about everything. They’d had a great childhood until their parents’ accident. Emmett had kissed college good-bye, deciding it was best to keep his brothers together. Quite the sacrifice.
“You going to be okay with Bryant, Amber?” Cody asked. “I think my bedside manner is better than his, don’t you agree?”
“I’m not bedridden, cowboy. Go. You have work to do.” After so many gloomy days, it felt good to have the sun warming her face.
Emmett jumped on his horse. “You going to check out the south gate, Cody, or will I have to run the entire line by myself?”
Cody glared at him but didn’t answer. He got on his horse and tipped his hat toward her. “Sweetheart, don’t fret. I’ll be back soon.”
The tension between those two had grown and grown. She wasn’t sure what the problem was, but it was obvious that they were on opposite sides of some issue—likely something to do with her. Cody’s blatant flirtations were coming faster and faster as each day passed. Emmett had no interest in her, of that, she was certain. She’d misread him the first couple of days. Unlike Cody, he barely gave her a first glance of late, let alone a second. What had she done to cause such a turnaround in him? She had no idea.
“Be careful,” she told them.
“Always, love,” Cody answered, but as expected, Emmett didn’t say a word.
After learning about them having two dads and the makeup of what a “normal” family for them was, she’d dreamed of what life might be like in such an arrangement. Foolish really, but she couldn’t stop playing and replaying the mental movie in her head. All three of the gorgeous men had been so kind to her the first couple of days. Cody continued to charm her. Bryant still seemed to like her, but his quietness kept her guessing what he really thought about her. Emmett was the one that had changed the most. It wasn’t what he did that troubled her. He ran her bath every night. He made sure her every request, no matter how small, was met instantly. He insisted she get to bed early. His actions seemed to indicate some level of caring, but other things made her wonder.
As he and Cody rode off in opposite directions, she prayed they would find a car that would have her personal effects in them. According to the brothers, there was no way she could’ve gotten on their ranch without a car or a horse. The clothes Emmett had found her in didn’t seem conducive to riding horseback. A car. That had to be how she’d come. What if the boy that haunted her dreams was in the car? That thought had troubled her more than once over the past few days, but she kept reminding herself that Emmett had found her alone. No one else had been with her.
Bryant sat down next to her. “You okay, Amber?”
“I’m fine,” she lied. She didn’t want them to know how worried she was.
He grabbed her hand. “You don’t have to lie to me.”
“Maybe not to you, but to Emmett, I do.” She closed her eyes tight, wishing she could take back her words.
“Give him time, sweetheart,” Bryant said, squeezing her fingers. “He’s dealing the best he knows how.”
“I know. You guys have been great. Really. I don’t know what I would’ve done if Emmett hadn’t found me.” She could have just died there on the road.
“Stop, Amber. He did find you. Cody thinks that it had something to do with fate. I’m beginning to think he may be right.”
Of course Cody would think that. Cody saw the world through rose-colored glasses. It was sweet and sexy, but Amber knew the truth. “Emmett doesn’t want me. I won’t change the future you guys are supposed to have.”
“You’re wrong, honey.” He stroked her hair. “Emmett wants you more than you can possibly imagine. I know him. He’s into you bad, but he won’t act on that until he’s certain about something.”
“If I’m married or not, right?” Amber knew Emmett was trying to protect her. She could have kids and a husband out there looking for her right now.
“You got it.”
Her head started pounding. Why were her memories so locked away from her? “What kind of person can I be, Bryant? What if whatever I left in the past was horrible? What if I was alone? If I was in love, don’t you think I would remember that? Remember some man who held my heart in his hands? It just doesn’t make sense to me that I would forget someone like that. My whole life experience available to me is the past week with you, Cody, and Emmett. It’s been amazing. I can’t even conceive of hitting my head hard enough to jar your images out of my mind.”
It had been an incredible week. The guys had taken turns cooking for her those first couple of days. They’d eaten their meals together, talking and laughing the whole time. They’d told her funny stories from their childhood on the ranch. When they’d finally decided she was getting better, they’d let her help in the kitchen. She’d been surprised to know she had some basic cooking skills. She could make a mean grilled cheese.
“Sweetheart, you’re worrying too much about this.”
“Am I, cowboy? I don’t think so. I don’t want to remember. Whatever it was must’ve been horrible. What other explanation is there? Tell me.” Why would she have been in the middle of nowhere, alone? It didn’t make sense.
“I don’t know what to say.” Bryant left his chair. “Let’s go inside. I’ll make you some tea.”
Her heart was racing in her chest, making her light-headed. Once Emmett and Cody returned, the dream would be over. She would have to return to reality. What if her memories came back and her tomorrows would be without Bryant, Cody, and Emmett? She couldn’t bear the thought. “I’m in the mood for something besides tea.” She stood up and stepped right in front of him.
Her initial attraction to the three cowboys had grown and grown until now, it was an uncontrollable desire. She’d gone from being enticed by the three to being unable to shake her need for them. When she’d questioned the locked door across the hall from her room, they’d told her that it was their playroom. The next half hour was spent with them explaining BDSM to her. Emmett had kept trying to change the subject, but Cody hadn’t been dissuaded. He’d furthered her curiosity and salacity by spending several evenings telling her about it in more detail. She knew it was a mistake, but all she’d been a
ble to think about since was submitting to the three men.
Bryant’s eyebrows shot up. “And what would you be in the mood for, sweetheart?”
“This.” She came up on her toes and pressed her mouth to his thick, manly lips. Melting into the kiss was her whole world at the moment. She closed her eyes, enjoying the intimacy with this amazing cowboy. Nothing else mattered. Not her memories. Not her past. Not her future. Now. Here. With Bryant.
She opened her eyes and saw his big orbs staring back at her. She pulled away. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”
He stroked her hair. “It’s all right, baby. It’s okay.”
“No it isn’t. I shouldn’t have—”
His lips crashed against hers, silencing her protest. He held the back of her head with his left hand. His right hand feathered her neck as he continued to kiss her.
She shook her head, freeing herself from his devastating kiss that was awakening something deep inside her. “This is stupid. We shouldn’t.”
He kissed her temple. “You’re such a tiny thing, Amber. So sweet. I don’t think this is stupid. It’s fate. It’s our destiny. You were right in saying that if you were in love with someone, you would remember. I believe you. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before, Amber. You’re the one. I’ve been following Emmett’s protocols. No more. I don’t care if you do have a past. You’re mine. I’m certain of that. You’ve been mine since you arrived. I know that now. You know it, too. These are the only memories we need. I want to make one with you today. Right or wrong, we have now. Today. This moment. I’m not willing to wait. Understand?”
She hesitated. “What about Emmett? What if you’re wrong? What if he isn’t interested in me? Won’t this head us down a path we need to avoid?”
“Fuck it. I’ve always been the peacemaker between my two brothers. Emmett, so serious and so cautious. Cody, a complete mess, chasing dreams. I’m done with that. I want the dream. Let them figure out what they want, Amber. I want you. I want you now. I will have you. You can’t imagine how hard it’s been. I’ve hungered for you.” He scooped her up and carried her into the cabin. “My starvation is about to come to an end. I’m going to drive you mad with pleasure, Amber.”