Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

DOM

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 12:30 P.M.

Cage takes my hand and leads me into a small café with an old-time diner feel. The black-and-white tiles gleam and the stools lining the counter are red vinyl. It's lunchtime, so the diner is packed. But Cage speaks to the host to get us a table. I'm barely listening. His big hand wrapped around mine feels right. More than that. Exciting. Promising. And that isn't fucked up at all. But I don't let go. And neither does Cage. Not until we're standing by a table for two tucked in the corner. My stomach flutters with excitement and nervousness.

This is my brother. But I don't believe that. Or at least my body doesn't. I don't understand the how or why, but I'm going with my gut on this one and just enjoying it. His eyes are on my face as he settles in his chair. I lift my hand to check if there's something there. A crumb I've missed. Strawberry filling.

He grabs my hand and holds it on the table. No one here knows us. At least, I tell myself that. "Dom…" he starts, but I don't want the bubble to burst.

"Let's talk about your dreams, Cage. What do you want?" Am I testing him? This? My heart pounds as he considers my question.

"I've talked about them often enough."

"Once more won't hurt then."

He smiles, and I want to kiss him. What the fuck? I glance away before I give in to my impulse.

"I want to be the one in charge. Not the one taking orders. I love baking, but I want more than that."

I nod, confused by the sadness pulling my body down like a weight on my heart. Am I disappointed?

"Owning my own business has been my dream for a while."

My eyes dart to his. The hope flaring to life like the candle on the table. But maybe Xander didn't mention this part of his dream?

His voice drops to a whisper. "Right now, I want something I shouldn't."

My face catches the flame and heats up. His eyes shine with something I hesitate to name. To want. "Cage, I?—"

"Are you ready to order?"

I jerk my hand away like it's been caught in the cookie jar. Or stealing one of my mother's brownies. Our mother. I fumble with the menu while Cage instructs the server to give us a few minutes.

My thoughts are jumbled. How can I think about food? About eating? I'm hungry for something I can't have. Can't want. This is so hopeless. Why am I even here?

Cage taps the table to get my attention, and I let him have it. Would I let him have anything and everything he wants? Probably. He turns his hand over palm up on the table, and I return my hand to his.

"I don't understand what's going on, Dom. But I refuse to believe we're doing anything wrong."

We're brothers. Holding hands. Wanting more. But I don't point that out. I don't want to break the spell. Or stop what's happening. Even though I should.

"Let's order." I smile so he understands I'm not disagreeing with him. But the server will return. And I need a minute. But I don't pull away. My hand likes where it is.

When the server returns, I mumble something. Not sure what or if it even matters since eating seems impossible. Have I said that already?

Once the server steps away, Cage squeezes my hand. "What about you?"

I pull my hand away and wipe it on my pants. Is he asking if I think we're doing anything wrong? The words stick in my throat.

"It's only fair you share your dreams, right?"

Relief floods my body. I'm not the dramatic one, but my emotions are over the top right now. "My dreams?" Do I have dreams of my own? I can feel Cage's eyes on me as I pull out my wallet and set the picture on the table. "I want to know more about our family. Who the other woman in the picture is." I've discussed this with Xander. But have I discussed it with Cage? God, my life is messed up.

Cage pulls the picture closer and turns it so it's facing him. "Mom looks so happy here. I don't think I've ever seen her smile like this. And lately, she seems…" He shrugs.

"Sad." No one talks about it, but Mom has been getting sadder, and this year has been the worst.

"Yes." His brow furrows and a line I've seen a lot less with Cage appears on his forehead. "You carry this picture around?"

I swallow, hoping against hope that he isn't the brother I've known for the last twenty-five years because it seems impossible. "I want to know what happened."

"After the tornado?"

I sit up straighter, my eyes on his face. "Tornado?"

He starts to answer when the server appears with our food. I want to tell him to go away. Or at least hurry up. Cage smiles at him—so unlike Xander that it strikes me again. The man leaves and Cage takes a bite of his fry.

"Tornado?" I try to keep my voice calm. Casual. But he gives me a confused look.

"The day we were born, remember?"

"No. I can't say I remember that day."

He doesn't laugh. "But…Mom…" Instead of explaining, he takes out his phone and fiddles with it before handing it to me.

An article. The headline reads Tornado Hits Grandville . The date is the day we were born. The article talks about the devastation to the town and how the twister tore the hospital apart. Many lives were lost.

How did I not know about this? Mom never said anything.

"I think Mom lost her friend that day," Cage says, "and that's why she's so sad."

Lunch goes smoother after that. We don't talk about Mom or feelings or anything charged with emotion. We eat our food. I manage to get it down and talk about things not so important. Movies. Ice cream. The best way to make an apple turnover.

I never want to let this Xander go. As we walk back to the hotel, my steps feel heavier the closer we get. Once inside, he lets go of my hand. Which is smart, but it still stings. We don't discuss where we're going, but when we get to the hallway, I head toward the elevator.

Cage puts his hand on my back. "Let's take the stairs."

Emotion overwhelms me. Do I have it all wrong? Is this my brother? Am I a terrible person? But as soon as we step into the stairwell, he crowds me against the wall.

"Is this okay, Dom? I just want a moment alone with you."

Which, on the surface, makes no sense. We could go to our room and have all the privacy we wanted. But neither of us believes that. My voice doesn't want to work, so I nod instead.

"Tell me to stop if you don't want this," he whispers, gently cupping my face. "You're always the voice of reason." His thumb brushes my cheek as we share a breath.

"Don't stop." I push up on my toes, my hands going to his waist. His eyes drop to my mouth, and that's all the permission I need. I surge forward, kissing him before either of us can change our minds. He gasps and my mind short-circuits as we share open-mouth kisses. The sounds he makes, the taste of him, spurs me on. His hand wraps in my hair, pulling me closer. Taking charge. Possessing me. We explore each other's mouths, and it's like breathing for the first time. Being alive for the first time. I've never felt like this before. This man—whoever he is—is my everything. My hands wrap around him, pulling him closer as I cling to his strong back.

His beard scratches my face, turning me on even more. I'm needy and desperate as I fuse our bodies together. His hard cock presses against my hip, and I spread my legs, wanting more. He moves until our bodies are slotted together like pieces of a puzzle. The friction has me gasping as he kisses my neck. I press our mouths together again. Needing his mouth on mine. We kiss like this is the only chance we'll get. It's desperate and messy and hot as fuck.

The door to the stairwell swings open and we jump apart. My chest heaves as I try to catch my breath. It's no one we know, thank God. But what if someone had caught us? Brother kissing brother?

The person runs down the stairs, leaving us alone. But the spell is broken. What have we done? I can't read his expression. Shock? Regret? Want?

"Say something, Cage."

"Holy shit. That was hot," he says with a laugh. Maybe we're okay. "Don't overthink it." He kisses me again. Softer. Sweeter. "I'm going to walk around for a bit. I'll see you later, okay?"

I nod. As he turns, I grab him again for one last kiss and then let him go. Hoping with everything I have that he's right. That I will see him later.

My Cage.