48
A month later, Gage was preparing for the show, while Isis was texting silly memes to her new friends, Sahara and Candy.
Isis had convinced Gage to get help with his past trauma. It was hard for a man like him to admit abuse, and Isis understood Gage’s reluctance to go see a therapist. In the end, he agreed he needed to talk to someone.
The police had arrested Summer and Breaker for the assault that night in the locker room. Gage agreed to allow Breaker a second chance. Gage knew if Breaker endured the same torment he had, the man needed something to give him hope after they punished him for helping Summer. Gage allowed Breaker to return to work after a six-month suspension and therapy. Thankfully, Gage convinced the man to end things with Summer. They still hated the sight of each other, but the men had come to a common ground. They could work out some of their private issues by confiding in one another. Both men seemed to be happier now.
Isis was flipping through wedding ideas on Pinterest, biting her lip in frustration. Occasionally glancing at her fiancé, who was preparing for the show. She realized it had been over a month and the couple still had not told many people about the engagement, especially Cyrus and Wraith. Even Holly had been trying to get her to spill the tea to the brothers since she arrived at IWX a couple of weeks ago.
“Gage, I don’t know how to tell Cyrus and Wraith about our engagement. They’re not happy about me even starting a relationship with you. I think they are still skeptical about us being in a proper relationship. They may not like this at all. I love you, but I want them to approve,” Isis sighed as she went over and snuggled into his arms on the couch.
It was annoying him that she was keeping it a secret for so long.
“Fine.” He got up and headed to the door. “I’ll tell them.”
“Now?” Isis rushed to get up. She picked up the pace, trying to keep up with him. “Gage… not yet.”
“Stay here. I’m going to go talk to them.” Gage looked sternly at her.
“Um... I don’t think —” Isis was nervous, and it showed.
“What? Do you have any intent to tell them about us? Isis, it’s been weeks since I asked you to marry me, and I can’t even tell anyone how happy I am. The only thing people see is the budding romance between us on the show. Only three people know, and they are all your nosey friends. Are you ashamed of us?” he asked, hurt.
“Gage, no. I want the world to know. I love you. But —”
“But, what? You won’t even meet my parents. I’m going to tell Wraith and Cyrus. Cy is my best friend and lying to him feels wrong. I’m finally getting on better terms with him again, and I can’t screw it up. If you have a problem with it, tell me now. Because tonight on the show, I’m telling the world I’m in love with the most wonderful woman in my life.”
Gage waited for Isis’s response, and she just stood silently. Gage walked away, heading to tell the two men who he expected to want to end him.
“Gage,” she whispered as he walked away down the hall.
Isis ran into the women’s locker room. She rushed into a bathroom stall, afraid Cyrus and Wraith would be mad that she never told them. Ignoring she had just run right past her cousin and best friend.
Holly was standing there putting on her signature red lipstick.
Candy was pulling on her ring boots and looked at Holly with a shrug. “Holly. Our girl is freaking out again.” Candy nodded to Isis, barricaded in the stall.
Holly looked over her shoulder and went back to putting on her makeup. “So. Have you told them yet?”
Isis stepped on the toilet and peeked over the stall door at her cousin. Just her eyes shown over the stall. Holly had recently got hired by IXW and was dealing with her own drama. There was never a dull moment with the IWX roster. Especially with the ego-driven men.
Isis’s fear was written all over her face.
Holly looked at Isis through the mirror and laughed. “He’s telling them now, isn’t he?”
“Uh-huh.”
Candy giggled. “Gage is a dead man.”
“You two are supposed to be on my side.”
Holly shrugged. “Serves him right for being such a dick all those weeks. Justice and Retribution isn’t just a tagline now.”
Candy giggled. “Yep, IWX men are a handful.”
Holly and Candy looked over at Isis, who was not taking this so lightly. Holly opened the door and pulled her cousin down from her porcelain perch.
“Come on short-stuff. Let's make sure Wraith or Cy don’t go to jail for killing Gage. I might need some bail money later, and Wraith’s the only one who doesn’t leave me in the clink to rot.”
***
Gage made his way down the hall and found Wraith and Cyrus talking with Jacob and Davis Preston’s nephew, Sam.
“Guys, I need to talk to you. I want you all to hear this.”
Wraith stood from his motorcycle and rubbed his fist, ready to pounce. He could see Wraith was ready to bash his face in.
“Chill, big man. This is important. First, I am glad we have somewhat come to an understanding about Isis. I care for her. I do. I love her.” Gage gave time for it to sink in.
Sam’s head shot up in shock. “Gage? You’re in love with her?”
He looked over at Sam, who was always a tad annoying. “Don’t you have work to do?”
Sam cringed and headed down the hall to his uncle’s office. Gage went back to addressing the subject at hand, watching the socially awkward man slink away.
“You guys know I have been more myself lately. She’s why. I need to ask you both something. You may be furious and want to kick my ass. Hell. I know after how I treated Isis you want to, anyway. I can’t say I blame you. I was self-destructing, and she took the brunt of it. I love her. More than I have ever loved anyone.”
Gage rubbed his chin, knowing how bad it would hurt if Wraith hit him again. Wraith got into Gage’s face, staying calm as best he could. Gage waited for their reply, assuming they understood.
“You better not be asking what I think you are.”
“Wraith, I love her. I want to marry her. Isis wants your blessing, and so do I. I know you guys hate me for what I did. You’ve known me for years. That wasn’t who I am. I’m asking you to trust me, again,” Gage said, not backing down.
Cyrus walked over and took off his hat, placing his hand on Wraith’s shoulder to back him down. “Did you ask her?”
“I did. On the trip to Europe. It wasn’t business like we said. I needed to take her away to show her the real me.”
Wraith looked mad. Maybe even planning Gage’s death.
“And this freaky sex shit? Are you done with that?”
Gage’s eyes grew wide. “What?”
“Don’t play that innocent shit with me, Gage. I hear you talk to her about this submissive crap. I see everything going on around here. Do you think I didn’t notice her change? How she stopped having as much contact with us. Until the last couple of weeks, she had virtually shut us out. I know what a submissive is, you fucking asshole. I see right through you. We have known each other for years. Did you think I’m some kind of idiot?”
Gage looked down at the floor. “How did you know?”
“All you care about is controlling everything and everyone. I know her like a book. As fucked up as it is, she’s clearly a submissive. I don’t want any part of this shit. Where is Isis? I’m taking her out of this place.” Wraith turned to walk away.
“Wraith, wait. That is all over now. We stopped weeks ago. Please? I need your blessing. She won’t go through with it unless you are okay with this. I can’t lose her.” Gage sighed. “Please.”
Wraith stopped in his tracks, running his hand through his hair. For a second he was deciding where would be a good place to dispose of Gage’s body. “You hurt her again, Gage; I won’t stop until I end you. If she loves you, you have my blessing. I’ll be watching you.”
Isis walked up behind Wraith with Candy and Holly in tow. “I love him, Wraith. I always have. Please, forgive me? I just want your blessing.”
She walked up to Cyrus, and he wrapped his arms around her, smiling at Wraith. “What do you say, brother? Should we forgive these two for all the lying? Or do we have some fun and kick his ass anyway, for old-times-sake? Then send her back to Tennessee with that mean ass cat?” he joked.
“How about we still kick his ass to get it out of our system? Then we can give them our blessing.” He turned back to Gage and stuck out his hand to shake it. “Don’t hurt her. I meant what I said.”
Wraith went to Isis and hugged her. “You have my blessing, baby girl.”
“Justice is needed on stage.” The stagehand told Gage.
Gage walked over to her and took her hand, kissing it. “Time to tell the world.”
Isis smiled and followed, relieved her cousins didn’t kill her fiancé.
