If You Were Mine (The Cage Family #3)

Prologue

DORIAN

“It kind of worries me that I’m so easily persuaded to get in this thing.”

My best friend just beamed at me as we looked over at the Cessna Skyhawk. “Isn’t she gorgeous? I realize she’s not mine, however, my boss lets me borrow her.”

“When you say borrow, do you mean borrow, or are you stealing this from your boss?” With Joshua, one never knew. It wasn’t that Joshua was reckless, far from it. But we had been in our fair share of scrapes throughout the years.

I had many friends throughout my life. Some that I worked with now, some that I had gone to school with.

Joshua was the only one I had met on a summer vacation that had turned into a full semester vacation when my father hadn’t wanted me to come back to town.

That wasn’t a time in my life that I liked to think of, but throughout all the pain and rejection, including neglect, I found my best friend.

Joshua worked with me sometimes at the various clubs and businesses that I owned, but he also worked with a billionaire who liked to have his hands in every single pot he could find.

When I had been shipped off to Cage Lake to stay with my mother in one of the various houses that the family owned, dear old mother had been too busy to pay attention to me for many hours of the day, so I had strolled the small-town streets and found my best friend.

Seriously, we had clicked just like that and got in enough scrapes together that the local sheriff and deputy probably still had our pictures as teenagers up somewhere.

We’d grown up, of course, and quit doing stupid things that could get us sent to jail, however, I needed to be a little clear on this.

“Who do you take me for? Of course I’m not stealing a damn plane. Adam wants me to fly it, because he just got his new baby, and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to sell this or not. So I get to take it out after they work on maintenance, just to make sure she’s doing good.”

“That still doesn’t fill me with confidence,” I said dryly.

“I’ve had enough flying hours solo that I could be a pilot if I wanted to. You know this is what I’ve always wanted to do.”

“Why weren’t you a pilot?” I asked, interested. He met my gaze, and I got it. “Harper.”

“Yes and no. When Mom and Dad died, flying didn’t feel like an option.

We were spiraling trying to deal with custody and what I’d do for school.

Then when the grandparents died and Harper was getting out of school, I didn’t want to leave my baby sister alone all the time flying back and forth.

You know that pilots don’t get to spend as much time with their families as they’d like.

And I couldn’t do that to Harper. Plus, I liked working with you and Adam.

And a business degree isn’t anything to laugh at.

Hell, I’m making more money now than I would have as a pilot.

Which means I can have a hobby now, instead of having to fly from one place to another. ”

“I guess the glass is half full in your case.”

“Damn straight.”

“So where are we going in this thing? Vegas?” I teased.

“No, I’m not taking you to Vegas in a piston single engine aircraft. This baby has six hundred nautical miles of range, can seat up to four, has over an eight-hundred-pound useful load, and needs a little over fifteen hundred feet of takeoff distance. It’s the best training plane out there.”

“Did you read that in the manual?” I asked dryly.

“You know I did. I know every inch of this baby. It’s going to suck when he sells her.”

“You really think Adam’s going to sell her?”

“Probably. He got a green Caravan, which seats up to fourteen, and I don’t know if he wants this tiny plane.”

“Maybe he doesn’t want to waste that much fuel, or deal with that many people. He won’t give up your baby easily.”

“I hope not because I love her. So get in, and I’m going to do my normal preflight checks. You just sit there and look pretty.”

I batted my eyelashes. “It doesn’t take much.”

I got into the co-pilot seat and did what I did best. Nothing. At least that’s what my father had said.

I frowned, pushing those thoughts from my head.

Why the hell was I thinking of my dead father today?

He truly didn’t matter. He was gone, and while his sharp talons of control were still dug in deep in some of us, I didn’t really care about him.

He had never liked me, pretty sure he had never loved me, and so I wasn’t going to give him the time of day.

My phone buzzed and I looked down at the readout as Joshua did his preflight checks.

Flynn:

Are you heading to town this weekend? Hudson isn’t answering my calls.

I rolled my eyes because those two might be twins, but they sure didn’t have that twin-speak like others did.

Me:

Probably. We were just there, but Amy liked the place. Plus, it’s always good to check on Harper.

Harper was Joshua’s little sister. Eight years younger than us, barely out of college, and owned her own business that was doing damn well in town. Yes, she rented from us and had taken a loan from the Cages, but it was better us than the bank. At least, that’s what my father had said.

I frowned, annoyed he was in my head once again.

Flynn:

Get him to call me. I have paperwork to go over, and I don’t have time to head out to the lake this weekend.

Me:

I thought you had to work on whatever the mayor had asked of you?

While our family owned and operated much of the town, Flynn was the one who took care of many of the businesses in Cage Lake.

With Hudson being his proxy, as our brother was the only one who lived there full-time.

Of course, that would change in the future since Isabella was moving there for most of the year to be with Weston.

And wasn’t that a change? I had known Weston for as long as I had known Joshua, though he had been a couple of years older than us.

It was a damn small world it seemed. But that was small towns for you.

Even though I didn’t live there, I stayed there enough that I got the idea of it.

Flynn:

I have a meeting that I can’t get out of. And I need Hudson’s help.

Me:

I’ll take care of it if he can’t. Maybe he’s working.

Considering Hudson got lost in his work when he was painting, it made sense.

But I knew we were both worried about the unsaid things. That maybe Hudson was in another spiral. Neither of us wanted that to happen.

Me:

I’ll check on him, and whatever business things you need me to do. I don’t mind.

Flynn:

You’re a lifesaver. And please check on my twin for real. He’s scaring me.

Me:

I’ve got it.

I nearly put my phone away when it buzzed again, and I smiled down at who was calling. I picked up and wiggled my brows over at Joshua.

“Hello Harper darling.”

Joshua curled a lip at me, and I just laughed.

“Hey, is my lovely brother with you?” she asked, her voice all soft and happy. She also sounded a little tired, but considering what hours she worked at the bakery, that made sense.

“He’s right next to me. We’re about to take off, though.”

“Hand me your phone,” Joshua grumbled, and I did as he ordered, grinning.

When their parents had died, Joshua hadn’t been able to get full custody of Harper.

She had been shipped off to her grandparents, since she had been a minor and Joshua had just turned eighteen.

It had been a huge fight for custody with only partial visitations.

My best friend had done his best by Harper, but I knew he didn’t feel like it was enough.

Then their grandparents had passed right when Harper had graduated high school, so she had come back to Cage Lake, at least for the summers while she finished school.

I didn’t know exactly what it had done to Joshua to lose out on being with his baby sister for so long.

But they made it work. They were all each other had now.

“Yes yes. I’ll bring home milk too, how’s that?”

I rolled my eyes at the two, though I didn’t know what they were talking about, and held out my hand when he hung up.

“We ready to go?”

“Almost. Your girlfriend texted when I was on the phone. Sorry.”

I frowned and looked down at the readout.

Amy:

I miss you. Are you coming over tonight?

Me:

Yes. As soon as I’m done with Joshua. Need me to bring something for dinner?

Amy:

I think I can be dinner. What do you think?

Then she sent a photo that made my eyebrows raise, and Joshua whistled through his teeth. “Well then. That’s an invitation.”

“Hey, eyes on the runway and not on my girlfriend.”

“I didn’t see much. Although you should probably put a screen on your phone or something if she’s going to send so many of those.”

I made a note to do just that and was grateful I didn’t have to adjust myself. Flying with a hard on didn’t sound like a picnic. “My girlfriend likes me. And she’s hot.”

“Well that is true,” Joshua said dryly. I said my goodbyes to Amy, as Joshua did the rest of his checks, and soon we were going down the runway, and in the air.

Despite my joke to my best friend earlier, I loved flying.

It didn’t matter what kind of plane. I loved being in it.

I also liked bungee jumping, skydiving, and just anything that gave that little burst of adrenaline.

And Joshua always did it right with me. My best friend had had his license forever, and I was thinking maybe it was time to get mine.

Everything just felt right. After so many years of bullshit and stress, things were finally coming together.

“I’m thinking of asking Amy to move in with me,” I blurted.

We spoke through our headsets, the sounds of the engine loud within the small compartment. But even with sunglasses on, and that huge headset, I saw the way Joshua’s eyes widened with his eyebrows lifting. “Really? I didn’t think she was really your type.”

I frowned. “What the hell do you mean by that?”

My best friend winced. “Sorry. I just, well, I thought you guys were just having fun? I didn’t know it was serious.”

“I think it is.”

“Do you love her?” Joshua asked.

Surprised, I just blinked at my friend. “I don’t even know what love is really. But I like being with her. And she makes me happy.”

“Okay, so that’s a no.”

“Why are you acting like this? I figured moving in with each other was just the next thing to do, right? I suck at dating. We both know this.”

“Considering Amy’s your fourth girlfriend in how many years?”

“In a year.” I swallowed hard, ignoring that familiar sliver of doubt that always threatened when it came to settling down. “Which seems like a lot in retrospect, but Amy’s great.”

“I’m sure she is.”

I glared at my best friend. “I’m not a player like some people think. I just can’t find the right person.”

“And Amy’s that right person?”

Unsettled, I shrugged. “Maybe.”

Joshua fiddled with a few things on the dash. “Okay, if that’s what you think.”

“That doesn’t sound very helpful.”

The other man let out a breath. “I’m not trying to be helpful.

I’m trying to be your friend. I mean, you were there for me when Harper needed me.

When my parents died and the grandparents were hell-bent on trying to split us apart.

You were there for her to open up her shop.

To make sure I knew what I was doing in each of our businesses.

You’re the best, man. Fuck whatever your daddy thought.

And fuck the fact that your mom thought that she was going to mold you into a perfect pawn. ”

I swallowed hard at that diatribe, wondering exactly how long Joshua had been holding on to this particular rant. “Why does that make me sound weak?”

“No, it makes you sound like you had family issues. Believe me. I know what you mean.”

“This is about me and Amy. Not my past.”

“Okay then. Ask her to move in. If she says yes, I’ll be right there with boxes and tape to help. I promise. But Amy—”

“But Amy what?” I bit out, annoyed now. I thought Joshua would be happy for me finally trying to settle down.

Joshua didn’t have a serious girlfriend, but he had one at one time.

And he was still looking for that perfect person.

They didn’t have to be perfect, just perfect for him.

That’s what I thought I was doing with Amy.

Once again, Joshua was quiet. “I love you, Dorian. You’re my best friend. And I’m sorry if I’m off base. If I’m wrong, then you can punch me in the face later. But I don’t know if you’re truly seeing what we see.”

“Who is we?”

“I misspoke,” he said quickly, and I didn’t believe him. “But Dorian? Amy likes Fun Dorian. Club Owner Dorian. Cage Money Dorian.”

“That’s a fucking lie.” I practically spat the words into the headset.

“If that’s what you think. But I think it’s the truth.”

“Just because you can’t get a woman to actually love you doesn’t mean you have to shit on my relationship.”

I didn’t even realize the words were out of my mouth until they filled the small cabin. And they were such a goddamn lie, that I hated myself.

“Well, good to know how you really feel, Dorian.”

“Joshua. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that. Seriously. I don’t think that. At all. I love you, damn it. Just like one of my brothers. I didn’t mean it.”

“Whatever. Shit.” There was an odd sound, and I swallowed hard, realizing we were descending faster than we had been before. Joshua had started the descent for our landing earlier, but now, everything got oddly quiet.

“What’s going on?”

“The engine stalled.” Joshua cursed again. “Mayday, mayday, mayday. November-niner-seven-eight-Charlie-Papa. We have engine failure upon descent and request immediate landing. Mayday, mayday, mayday.”

He continued to say a few other words, and I barely swallowed, panic rising. I knew Joshua trained for something like this, but the ground was coming up really fucking fast.

“What can I do?” I asked, bile coating my tongue.

“Just breathe. Tighten your seatbelt. And hold on.” He let out a slow breath, his entire body focused as he worked. “We’ve got this, Dorian. I’ve got you.”

He met my gaze for a bare instant before turning to once again to speak to the control tower, his gaze on the runway. The engine sputtered once and started again, and my heart leapt out of my chest.

“I trust you,” I repeated.

“I know, buddy. I know.”

And then there was nothing.