Chapter 10 #2
I could have invited any one of my friends to join, so I wasn’t alone, and I knew any of the Cages or other businesspeople would have shown, but that wasn’t what today was for. Cora needed me, and I didn’t want to bring anyone who would stress her out.
I truly hadn’t even thought to bring Sophia until the words were out, and now she was here, and my sister had kidnapped her.
I had a feeling this wasn’t going to end well.
By the time the wedding itself came to fruition, my chest tightened, and I looked down at my baby sister and her beautiful cream gown, and just shook my head.
“When did you grow up?” I asked, my voice rough.
“Long ago, big brother. Thank you for this.” Her eyes filled, and I cursed under my breath.
“Don’t cry.”
“I won’t. Well, I will, but not for anything other than happiness. Because I have my family here. The family that matters.”
“Damn straight.”
“Sophia is beautiful, you know.”
“I hate the fact that we have the same taste in women,” I teased.
“Always have. She is gorgeous though. And seems nice. You should bring her to more family events.”
“We’re just friends. It’s not like that.”
“It should be. It could be.”
“We’re at your wedding. So we’re discussing your relationship. Not my lack thereof.”
“I love you, brother of mine. And I truly believe the two of you would be amazing together. Just saying.”
I shook my head, then leaned forward and kissed the top of her forehead, careful of her makeup and hair. “Focus on the love of your life.”
“And not yours?”
It was like a kick to the gut, and I scowled at my beautiful baby sister.
“Cora.”
“I know. I know. I’ll tease you later.” She went up to her tiptoes, kissed my cheek, and then the music began.
It was an out of body experience, walking my sister down the aisle.
Her friends all stood, staring at her, as I led Cora to Juliet.
Juliet had walked first, without us near so we wouldn’t be able to get the first look.
But as I realized that the two had not only chosen similar styles, the colors themselves, an off-white and cream that complemented each other so well, I knew that they were soulmates beyond anything.
Cora began to cry as soon as she saw Juliet, and Juliet just smiled wide and held out her arms.
My sister practically ran to her future wife, and I held back a chuckle even as others laughed, before I handed over the person I adored more than anyone else in the world to someone I knew would care for her in all the ways that mattered.
The two clung to each other, laughing as they complimented each other’s dresses, and as everybody else joined in on the laughter, I moved to sit in the first row, taking Sophia’s hand without thinking.
She leaned into me and whispered, “I have never seen such a beautiful couple.”
I swallowed hard and nodded, careful not to look at her.
“You’re right.”
And with that, I watched as Cora and Juliet professed their love and dedication to each other, their values and futures entwined, and a small part of me believed it could work.
Because forevers might not be ordained or destined, but I had a feeling these two would make it work.
And throughout it all, I held Sophia’s hand and refused to look at her. Because if I did, I was afraid of what I would see. And worse, what it would do to me.
By the time the reception began, I needed a fucking drink and a place where people didn’t look so damn happy.
“Congratulations,” a man I didn’t recognize said as he shook my hand. “Those two have a bright future.”
I nodded tightly. “They do.”
The man gave me an odd look, before he said something similar to Sophia, and moved on to another couple.
Sophia tugged on my jacket and scowled up at me.
“Stop looking like you want to beat up everybody who compliments your sister.”
“I don’t know why I’m so angry,” I muttered, and Sophia just patted my chest and stared at me. And then it clicked, and I was a damn idiot. “They should be here.”
“No, they shouldn’t. Her family is here. You’re here. Her friends are here. Heck, I’m even here. That girl adopted me in two seconds flat, and I would do anything for her. Just like I would for my daughters. She’s not alone.”
And with that, the urge for a drink lifted, and it was all I could do not to pull her into my arms and hold her until my dying breath.
But that would never be happening.
Instead, I slid my knuckle over the side of her dress over her hip and licked my lips.
“Have I told you how beautiful you are?”
“A few times.” She blushed, looking so fucking delectable. “And you better stop looking at me like that, or you’re going to have a hard time walking soon.” She gestured towards my crotch, and I snorted.
“I think I can deal with a hard-on.”
“I think you mean you want me to deal with that hard-on,” she teased.
I closed my eyes and groaned. “I didn’t know you were a sadist.”
“I try my best,” she teased.
I shook my head, ready to say something, but Cora patted my shoulder. “I’m sorry to interrupt, well, because, well… you know. That was way too much information.” She blushed the same deep red as Sophia, and I sighed.
“You weren’t supposed to hear any of that.”
“You didn’t exactly whisper it,” she said pointedly. “But it’s time for the first dance, and so you’re stuck with me. Sorry.”
I looked down at my sister and knew that tears threatened, but we weren’t going to think about our parents.
They loved me, or at least they professed they did. But they had said point-blank that they didn’t love or like their daughter, so they could burn in hell for all I cared.
So I squeezed Sophia’s hand, gave her a nod, and then moved towards the center of the dance floor as Juliet brought her father out.
“You ready for the family dance?” she asked, her voice low.
“I’ve already given you away, and now you want me to dance. So needy.”
She shoved at me, and I pulled her into my arms as the music began.
We swayed back and forth, before I used those dance lessons that our parents had forced us to take to waltz her around the edge.
From the look on Sophia’s face, I had surprised her, and I couldn’t help but let the pride filling me explode.
She wasn’t the only person who could dance out of the two of us. Of course, I was nothing compared to her, nor in the way that I knew dancing made her feel, but that was neither here nor there.
Because she wasn’t mine and that shouldn’t matter.
When the song ended however, and Juliet’s mom moved towards Juliet for another dance, I realized that I would be on the dance floor for a while. Juliet had other siblings who wanted to dance with her, and I was Cora’s only family.
“It’s okay. I can dance with my friends.”
“What about with me?” Sophia said as she moved forward, her chin lifted slightly. “I mean, I have no idea how to lead, but I figure all of those years in ballet could be used for something. What do you say?”
“Sophia, I would be honored.”
I moved back as the two of them began a complicated waltz around the dance floor, and I just shook my head, at a loss for words. Because without even trying, Sophia had showed Cora that she would never be alone. Even a woman that she had just met would be in her corner.
My heart ached and I rubbed it before I forced myself to turn away and head towards the bar. I ordered a whiskey, and downed it in one gulp, before going for a second.
It was time.
I had broken a promise to myself, and there was no going back.
We would have tonight, and maybe tomorrow, but that would be it.
It was time to break it off before anything got worse.
Before Sophia realized the man that I was.
Or before I did something monumentally stupid.
Like fall in love with a Cage.