Chapter 2 #2
When Dad had died, all his secrets had been unveiled.
We had sat in that lawyer’s office with a huge wooden table and learned our fate.
Five siblings had to meet for dinner once a month.
We had to photograph our evidence and send it to the lawyer.
The time crunch on those dinners would end after three years, but that wouldn’t be the end of it.
There were always other tribulations when it came to that will and the company itself.
There was also paperwork that needed to be done, and Aston and I usually took care of it.
I was the oldest sibling on one side, he was the eldest on the other. And while we had butted heads at first, he had turned into someone I could rely on. I couldn’t take my anger out on the other Cages because they were in the same boat we were in.
Only they had a lot more to lose.
If we didn’t have dinner where three siblings from one side and two siblings from the other met up, not only would the company be dissolved, and inheritances would be an issue, but a small town in the mountains of Colorado outside Denver would lose everything.
Because of course the Cages owned a town.
Cage Lake was situated a couple of hours outside Denver, and the Cage family as well as the company itself owned a majority of it.
They had founded it, and expanded just enough to have that small town feel without losing all its amenities.
Apparently, Dad had wanted his children to get to know each other at the expense of thousands of people’s livelihoods.
That wasn’t outrageous at all.
“Isabella. Are you listening to me?” Mom asked, and I looked up to see her eyes filled with tears.
I wasn’t sure why my mother had agreed to go along with this soap opera of a relationship. Why she was okay with being the other woman. But I hated to see my mother cry.
“Okay. I won’t talk about them anymore. But you can’t change the court’s decision. And they are our brothers.” My mother flinched. I ignored it. I had to. “They aren’t too bad once you get to know them.”
“They are the best,” Phoebe corrected, grinning at me. “It helps that I’ve known Ford for a while now.”
“Considering I own a business with them, agreed,” Kane put in as he leaned over to hug Phoebe. Kane and Ford were part of a security company they owned together and one of Ford’s spouses was Kane’s cousin.
There were so many connections, threads that tangled and wore over time. But I wasn’t sure what to do. I didn’t know how to get over this anger when it came to my mother.
Frankly I wasn’t sure I could.
“Let’s just have dinner then. You can tell me about your day,” Mom said as she bustled to the kitchen.
Kyler finally sat up and rolled his neck. “I don’t know why she’s acting like this was a surprise. She might not have known every detail of the will, but she knew Melanie had our brothers.”
It was still a jolt to hear ‘our brothers’ aloud even though I’d thought the words as well.
Kyler had been my only brother for my entire life.
I wanted to ask him what he felt about not being the only boy in such a large family, but Kyler was more closed off than I was when it came to the subject and I didn’t want to hurt him any more than he already had been.
He’d come to one of us when he was ready—I hoped.
“Maybe it’s just hitting her now. Everything she could have had, everything that we’re now faced with.” I let out a breath, trying to let out the anger. Only it wasn’t working.
“Hey, what’s this?” Kyler asked as he lifted my chin before looking down at my wrist.
I winced and pulled away, doing my best not to be too suspicious. I had worn a long sleeve top and had been generous with my concealer, but since I had literally fallen off a cliff, I couldn’t hide everything.
“I tripped and fell,” I said, and it wasn’t really a lie.
He narrowed his eyes. “You might be my big sister, but I’m bigger than you. Don’t lie to me.”
“I’m fine. Really. I promise.” It didn’t even hurt anymore. Weston had seen to that.
I needed to stop thinking of him. There was no way I could go back to Cage Lake now. And frankly, I had more pressing matters that had nothing to do with the man who I thought I’d once loved and the family that kept me on my toes. Something far darker.
“You would tell us if you weren’t, right?” Sophia asked as she reached out and squeezed my hand.
I looked at my siblings and their men and beamed. “Of course I would. We keep secrets well, the Cages.”
“Truth and lies, the Cage Dixon motto,” Kyler muttered before he dropped his hands and we followed Sophia into the dining room for dinner.
I did my best not to bring up the other Cages because I didn’t want to start a fight, but then my mother had to step in it. Because the hard truth was that our family and troubles were wrapped up in everything we did now.
“How is work, Isabella?” Mom asked as she nibbled on her green beans. I wasn’t sure she remembered exactly where I worked now.
I met Sophia’s gaze, and really wanted to lie at that moment.
Instead, I told the truth. Because somebody had to in this family.
“I really love it. I work with Flynn, James, and Aston often. And I can work remotely. Which is great because I don’t have to dress in a suit every day.
But the company is brilliant. I can see why they want to preserve it.
I’m really enjoying my job. Which is an odd feeling considering I hated the other one. ”
My mother dropped her fork before wiping her mouth with her napkin. “I had forgotten you moved companies. I still find it peculiar that they hired you out of the blue. I thought you were doing well and rising in the ranks of your other place of employment.”
Kyler raised a brow, glancing at me as he sipped his beer. We hadn’t mentioned my job change often, and for good reason. And yet here we were, in the same conversation.
Mom’s eyes tightened.
“They treated Isabella like crap. They gave her way too many projects, little to no money, and made her work long hours. Plus there were no paths to higher positions because she’s a woman.
” Sophia played with the stem of her wine glass.
“At least our brothers treat her well and it’s a real job they needed someone for. They really needed her.”
My lips twitched, and I winked at my sister. “It’s true. The person before me was decent at the job, but I’m better.” Perhaps I was a bit boastful. But I never aspired to be humble in positions where a man could easily say something and not be looked down upon.
“I love when you’re sure of your talents,” Phoebe put in. “It makes me smile. And it’s true. You are one of the best forensic accountants I know.”
“I think I’m the only forensic accountant you know,” I added dryly.
Mom was quiet for so long I was afraid another piece of my already shattered heart would erode into dust, but she surprised me with a tight smile. “I’m glad they were able to fit you into the company. You deserve the best, Isabella.”
I knew my mom was trying, but I didn’t understand her motivation. Was she showing her true colors underneath the woman we thought we’d known? Or perhaps she was hurting as much as we were—after all, she’d been Dad’s mistress. Either way, I was just tired of this. Tired of so much.
And my family didn’t even know the half of it.
We finished dinner with relative peace and afterward, we each helped with dishes.
Kyler ended elbow deep in dishwater and later took out the trash, which I smiled at.
The man was a freaking rockstar who had paparazzi and fans screaming for him and following him daily.
If they only knew the real man behind Caged and Reckless.
I finally headed out to my car. I had more paperwork to deal with when I got home, and not because I was forced to, but because I wanted a second look.
I hadn’t lied to make my mother feel bad.
I liked working with my brothers and wanted to make their company shine.
I didn’t consider it my company. I hadn’t worked toward that and while it was a family company, I wasn’t physically or emotionally ready for that talk.
“You want to tell me what really happened?” Kyler asked.
I whirled, not having realized he had been behind me. My heart raced, my hand shaking. I really should have been better at knowing my surroundings. Especially after everything that happened.
Kyler’s eyes widened before he reached out and gripped my shoulders. “What’s wrong, Isabella? Why the hell are you so jumpy?”
Bile rose in my throat, and I did my best to calm my breathing. I hadn’t had a reaction like that for too long, and I didn’t want to have it again.
“William is out,” I blurted, hating that I said the words. Because William didn’t even earn a place in my life. And yet, he was in my nightmares.
The reason that I couldn’t breathe. The reason I woke up in a cold sweat nearly every night and had trouble focusing at work. The reason I had needed to visit my best friend Blakely in Cage Lake. The reason I had fallen. The reason I had seen Weston again.
Kyler’s face went stony, his eyes narrowing, his jaw tightening. He gripped my shoulders even more and let out a harsh breath.
“Why the hell is he out?
I nearly let a tear fall but I held I back. “He got out early. He only served three years. I don’t know why they let him out but he’s on parole.” I swallowed back bile, knowing the worst was coming. “And he sent a letter letting me know. He said he wouldn’t visit but I don’t trust him.”
Kyler cursed, then began to pace. “I’m leaving on tour soon, damn it.”
“I know you are. We are proud of you.” Talking about him let me breathe. Honestly thinking of the immense talents of any of my siblings helped.
“You should stay with Aston. Or one of the other Cages that have those big houses that have high security. I don’t like you alone.”
I raised a brow at my little brother, a slight warmth sliding through the cold. “I have security at my place. I just freaked out for a moment because you startled me. William hasn’t seen me in years. He probably isn’t even thinking of me after that letter.” All lies.
Kyler raised a single brow at my lie, and I let out a soft breath.
“I’m not going to spill all of my secrets to everyone. Nobody needs to know what happened.”
“It’s not your fault, Isabella.”
“I know,” I said quickly, too quickly. “Don’t tell them okay? You’re the only one who knows.”
“I hate more secrets. Considering that you’re angry with Mom about keeping them.”
“That’s completely different. This is about my past. Not about them.”
“Maybe. But you know you can always lean on us.”
“I know that. Just startled me is all. I’m going to go home and be safe. I promise.”
“Text me when you’re home.”
“Okay.”
“Think about telling the others, okay? And there’s something else you aren’t telling me, but I’ll let you have it.”
“There’s something you’re not telling me as well,” I shot back.
“Well it seems that we are the Cages after all. Secrets and everything.”
With a look of regret on his face, Kyler kissed the top of my head, hugged me tightly, and helped me into my car.
“Text me,” he said again.
I nodded and headed home. It was only later that I realized I hadn’t told him about Cage Lake. Or seeing Weston. My siblings knew of Weston, I hadn’t been able to hold back my love for him. Kyler had even met him once. But that had been a long time ago and we were all different people now.
I was so tired. Of everything. Fighting with my mother, being worried about William and his letter. And I was tired because I hadn’t slept well for the past three nights. Not since I had seen Weston. I couldn’t believe he was in Cage Lake. After all of these years, that’s where he had run off to.
I had loved him. He’d been every part of my soul.
And then he had left me with a note.
Yet seeing him reminded me exactly where I needed to be—safe, alone, and not dealing with the threads of my past that had worn beyond who I’d thought I could be.
There was nothing left for me with Weston.
That was something I had learned long ago, something I needed to grip on to if I wanted to make it through these weeks.
Even if it killed me to do so.