Page 46 of One Quick Obsession

I opened my mouth to tell him that Hudson and I weren’t exactly in a relationship, that I didn’t know what we were, but then again, here I was, at his art show when his family hadn’t even been invited. I wasn’t even sure they were aware it was happening. Not telling Isabella or Harper had been painful, but what was I supposed to tell them? That I was leaving town with Hudson, and I had no idea what I was doing? That would’ve been my truth at least. But Hudson was clear that he doesn’t want to bother his family, and I didn’t think overstepping the first time I left town with him on a trip like this would be appropriate.

Or maybe I was just terrified as to what the others would say. I didn’t want to have them worry about me or Hudson.

“I can’t believe you’re trying to keep the family a secret,” a slightly familiar voice said from behind us, and I turned as Hudson cursed under his breath.

Theo Cage stode toward us, wearing a suit without a tie. He winked at me before glaring at his brother. “You don’t call, you don’t write, you don’t look at the group chat.”

Hudson laughed, his whole face brightening. How the hell had that made him even more handsome?

I took a deep gulp of my champagne, and Ellis gave me a knowing look that I ignored pointedly.

“How did you know I was here?” Hudson asked before giving me a look.

I held up my free hand. “I didn’t tell anyone. You asked me not to. I think that was a mistake, because now I feel weird for keeping secrets, but it wasn’t me.

“She didn’t tell me a thing, but I’m taking notes now,” Theo said as he hugged his brother, and the two did that backslapping thing that I never understood, before Theo took my hand in his own and kissed my knuckles.

“Oh, Scarlett. It’s lovely to see you.”

I rolled my eyes because I knew he was just trying to get a rise out of Hudson, who in turn glared at his brother and put his arm proprietarily around my waist. I didn’t dislike it. Yet it was just one more complication.

“How did you find out?” Hudson asked once again.

“I saw it on the flyers that went out. You do realize that I’m in the high-end restaurant scene, and sometimes we work with the gallery. I’ve catered here before.” Theo gestured as he looked around the place. “You’re stuck with me as the resident Cage.” Then he pointed towards the man I hadn’t noticed behind him, who also wore a suit without a tie. “Scarlett, I don’t think you’ve met my business partner, Luke. Luke, Scarlett. And you know the asshole over here, Hudson. This is his work. Apparently, he’s some brilliant artist.”

He rolled his eyes as he said it, but I heard the pride in his tone. You couldn’t help it. All of the Cages were proud of Hudson, even though they did their best not to show it. After all, Hudson would just get growly, and while I didn’t mind some of the growls, I knew sometimes it was a little too much.

Of course, when had I learned to love those growls?

“Scarlett, it’s lovely to see you.” Luke took my hand just as Theo did, and this time Hudson grabbed my elbow, pulling me back.

“Hands off, Luke.”

The hoop in Luke’s nose glinted under the light as he laughed. “Well, well, well.”

Theo winked, the tiny stud in his nose also shining underneath the strategic lighting of the gallery.

“It’s good to meet both of you. And I do believe somebody else just arrived that’s going to take focus away from both of you. Sorry.” I winked as I said it, and the other two men turned.

Hudson closed his eyes and groaned. “Was there a bulletin in the group chat that I missed?”

I laughed, leaning into his side as Kyler Cage Dixon made his way into the gallery. Though he didn’t have any of his team with him and was dressed in a suit with an open collar, where the tattoos on his chest and neck were easily visible, he didn’t look quite like the rock star he usually did. Yet, there was no mistaking exactly who he was.

“Your group chats seem wild. But from what I heard, you don’t pay attention to them. So maybe there was an alert in one, and you just missed it.”

“Oh, I like her,” Theo said with a laugh. “She has you there, bro.”

“Don’t bro me,” Hudson snarled before turning to the resident rock star of the family.

“I didn’t know you were in town,” Hudson said as he lifted his chin towards Kyler. Kyler in turn lifted his chin back, and the two continued their male greeting. They might as well show their plumed feathers, and shake on it.

I held back a grin, my lips twitching. There was no need to tell them that they all resembled those birds from the Amazon with the black and blue feathers that would do the little dance to attract women.

“I know the manager,” Kyler said in answer, and I laughed along with the others as Hudson sighed.

“If any other Cages walk through that door, we’ll fill the whole place.”

“I wouldn’t mind that,” Ellis said as he came to my other side. “And if those Cages like to buy things, the more, the better. We do have a couple other artists here that aren’t Hudson, that are new to the area. We’d like to use Hudson’s reach in order to help other artists.”