Page 18 of An Unexpected Everything
I held up my hand, noticed it shook, and set it down. “Aston, I don’t blame you for the background check. Your family comes with a lot of strings. A lot of money.”
“It’s your family now too,” Aston corrected.
I froze, wondering if I was ever going to get used to this new dynamic. There were so many people in my family now. It was hard to keep up with everything. I had eleven brothers and sisters. Eleven people who were now part of my life, and even though I felt alone most days, we were still finding our way.
I had no idea what the hell my father had been thinking keeping us from each other, and now forcing us together. I wasn’t even sure the fact that we were somewhat getting along was what dear old Dad wanted. But he was dead and there was no asking him. He had taken his secrets to the grave, and I still didn’t understand why my mother had gone along with it all.
“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to,” Aston continued. “If the police are already aware, then that’s enough.”
“You’re right. I don’t need to know. No one needs to know.” Flynn paused. “Though it might be good if Ford knew. Considering he owns a security company and deals with protection services. In case of stalkers, or things like that.”
“The others know. At least the Cage Dixons,” I clarified. It was hard to call my initial group of siblings just my brother and sisters considering I had a whole new slew of brothers, and I wasn’t sure how to qualify them without making someone feel left out. It wasn’t as if there was a manual on what to do whenyour dad had a secret family. Maybe I should write one. And now my thoughts were spiraling again.
“I was attacked a couple of years ago. I was walking through the parking lot at night after working far too many hours, and this guy pressed me up against the car, put his arms around my neck, and I blacked out. He dragged me to the bushes and beat me in order to wake me up. He didn’t get to do anything else though, because a random stranger was jogging at night, and he got the guy to run away. He didn’t chase after him though, instead stayed with me until the ambulance came.” I shuddered, bile rising in my throat. “I don’t want to talk about it anymore though. About what could have happened.”
“Shit, Isabella. I’m sorry. So damn sorry.” Flynn met my gaze, and I knew he didn’t have any more words.
Then again, neither did I. Not the ones that would help erase the memories at least. “He didn’t, he wasn’t able to do anything else. But he was able to do far worse to the next girl.” I shook my head. “But because he left DNA evidence, he was caught. And he was supposed to be in jail for a long time. Because it’s a class four felony. At least that’s what he was in for. Two to eight years in prison. And he got one. One year because it took so long to get through the system, and he got out for good behavior.”
Those were the letters that William had sent. Taunting me that he was out.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Aston snapped. “They just let him out like that. You were alerted?”
“Yes. And he sent a letter.”
Flynn began to pace, running his hands through his hair. “Does anyone else know about the fact that he’s out or the letter?” he asked, his shoulders tense.
“I told Kyler, and according to the police, William is still in Wyoming with his parole officer in Cheyenne,” I said, my voice soft. “So while this mugging wasn’t connected as it’s not him,it brought it all back and that’s why I’ve been having panic attacks.”
“Fuck,” Aston muttered. “So it wasn’t him.”
“No. But I thought it was at first. So it was some other lunatic out trying to harm women. And between that and William sending letters, I’m just tired.”
“Isabella!” Blakely called as she pushed through the door, past my brothers, and pulled me into her arms.
I didn’t cry. I was the eldest sister. The strong one. I was the one that my sisters and Kyler needed to lean on. But as soon as Blakely wrapped her arms around me, I burst into tears. The pressures of the week, of waiting for the next shoe to drop, hit me, and I just let Blakely hold me.
“I’ve got you. It’s okay. I’ve got you.”
“It wasn’t him,” I muttered.
My best friend’s hold tightened. “They caught the guy and he’s going to go to jail. He’s just lucky I didn’t get to him first or I’d kick the crap out of him.”
“Blakely, it seems William is out of jail,” Aston murmured, and my chest felt as if it were gripped in a vise. I knew he had to tell her because I couldn’t, but everything felt as if it were falling out of my hands and control, and I couldn’t focus or deal.
“I just don’t want to be a burden.” I leaned back and wiped my face.
“Isabella Cage. You are not a burden. Do not call yourself that.”
“I’m going to let her yell at you for that,” Flynn added dryly.
“I just, I don’t know what to think. It just brought it all back, and I’m tired. Maybe I’ll just go home and breathe. And the police will find everything by the next day.”
The guys met each other’s gazes as Blakely ran her hand up and down my back.
“Maybe you should take some time off,” Flynn put in.
I narrowed my gaze. “I’m not weak. I just need to pull it together. I don’t need to take time off. I’m fine.”
