Page 119 of The Forever Rule

“Aston’s going to need a beard,” Theo said, studying me with worry in his gaze. “Do you think you can grow one.”

“I grew one before you even hit puberty and your balls dropped. So I’m pretty sure I’m fine.”

“If you could refrain from talking about my balls at the dinner table that would be great,” Theo said with a laugh.

“I’m just surprised you are the one that brought it up,” Dorian said, staring at me. “After all, you told us to be on our best behavior.”

I rolled my eyes, the slight humor sliding through the gloom. “You have already discussed accidental boners, girlfriends who tried to key your car, and the one time we had to help you out of handcuffs. I think we’re well past that.”

Blakely snorted beside me, and I looked down at her smiling face, once again that kick in the gut surprising me.

“When you first mentioned the handcuffs, I didn’t realize it was becausehewas handcuffed to a bed.”

Dorian fluttered his eyelashes. “What? I wanted to see if it was fun.”

“I don’t need to know any more,” Blakely said with a laugh, and they continued on with their teasing of each other.

Soon we were cleaning up, with Theo putting Dorian and Flynn on dish duty. When Blakely got a call from one of her team members, she went out onto the back patio, needing to handle it. Hudson was already out there, also dealing with something from the town, and I stood between the back French doors where she had just walked through, and the kitchen where my brothers were all working.

“So you going to tell us what the fuck is wrong?” Dorian asked, his voice low.

I stiffened, shaking my head. “I’m fine.”

“You aren’t fine. Don’t fuck this up with her,” Flynn whispered. “And I’m not talking as someone who works with her. I’m talking as your brother. A guy who likes Blakely.”

“It’s none of your business.”

“It is, and that’s the problem,” James added.

“What’s going on in that brain of yours?” Theo asked.

I swallowed hard, hoping to hell Blakely’s call lasted a bit longer. And then I pulled the envelope out of the drawer nearest to me. I could have kept it anywhere, but I kept it in the junk drawer, where it needed to be.

I handed it over to Dorian, without thinking, and then pulled back. As my father clearly hated me, he hated Dorian the most. So seeing that familiar handwriting had put a gray pallor on Dorian’s skin.

James moved forward, and cursed, pulling out the letter. “What the hell is this?”

“Apparently we’re each getting letters from beyond the grave.” I explained about the timing, and the lawyer, and while they each wanted to get into the group chat to ask what the hell Ford was thinking not warning them, I had a feeling that Ford and Phoebe had different instructions or were still dealing with the ramifications of Dear Old Dad’s honest cruelty.

“I’m going to kill him all over again,” James growled.

“What does it say?” Dorian asked, his voice slightly fearful.

James cleared his throat, his hands tightening on the paper.

“And do it fast,” I said, nothing left in me at the moment.

Aston,

If you’re reading this, I’m dead. Or I’ve decided it was time to tell you.

Now that I’m gone, either physically or metaphorically, you are The Cage. But are you really?

You have always been a disappointment to me. Never truly able to step up into the paths that your grandfather and I had chosen for you. If you would have been paying attention, you would’ve learned long ago about your other siblings. But no, you were so busy trying to move out of my shadow, you never could see what was right in front of you.

It’s your fault that your siblings will be hurt. Because if you had been smart enough, powerful enough, you would’ve known.

I was the one who built this company to what it is. And the changes you have been making have been breaking my heart. You’re so worried about keeping the environment safe you’re not thinking about what we could truly do with those plots. What we could truly become worldwide instead of stuck in this state. We could have been something more, but no, your job as The Cage will never slide you out of the shadow of who your grandfather and I were.

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