Caged

30

"I'm not going!" I screamed, crossing my arms across my chest.

Kaiden ran a rough hand through his hair and glared at me. His patience was running thin, I could tell.

"Yes, you are," he said calmly. "Elijah won't be home for the next two days, and you're coming with me, Izzy. Whether you want to or not."

"I said no, Kaiden," I hissed. "I told you that I won't listen to any of you anymore. Why can't you get that through your fucking head?"

I was almost surprised at the words that were coming out of my mouth, but I didn't let that stop me.

"You don't have a choice. Now stop wasting my time, let's go," Kaiden gritted out.

I was fuming, so I acted without thinking.

The book was on my bed, right next to me. Kaiden was standing on the opposite side of my bed, so I grabbed the book and threw it as hard as I could.

Unfortunately, he dodged it just in time before it hit him in the face. I frowned in disappointment.

He smirked. "Real mature."

"Weren't you the one who almost attacked me because he was drunk and found out I went into his twin's room," I raised an eyebrow in challenge. "Who also happens to be my sister, you know."

Kaiden's smirk disappeared and I almost, almost, felt bad.

But then, I thought of everything that they'd done to me, and I pushed away that voice. I shoved away the guilt because I didn't want to feel it anymore.

He deserved it. They all did.

You should hate the people who've hurt you, Izzy.

Ethan was right. I should.

He closed his eyes briefly, and I saw the irritation in them when he opened them. "Izzy, please," he began quietly. "Just come with. I can't leave you alone, you know that. It's dangerous."

I held his stare for a few moments. "And I'm guessing you won't tell me why it's dangerous?"

His head fell forward and he turned around, before spinning back towards me. "You don't have to listen to anything else I say. You can stay in your room all day at my place, if you want."

I rolled my eyes. "Get out. I'll be down in five."

Kaiden held my gaze for a few more seconds before he left without another word.

***

"Isabella, I swear if you don't stop..." Kaiden trailed off when I kicked the back of his seat once again.

I'd switch between kicking Kaiden's seat, which was the driver's seat, and Ethan's, who was in the passenger seat.

Maybe it made me childish, but I could not care less. Anything would suffice in order to annoy them.

"I'm not doing anything," I said flatly, followed by another knee to the back of his seat. Caleb shook his head next to me.

"Izzy," Ethan growled, reaching around and shoving my leg away when I kicked his seat again. "Stop or I'll throw you out of the car."

I smiled sweetly at him. "Go ahead. You'd be doing me a favor."

Ethan rolled his eyes and turned around again, his attention drifting to his phone. I sighed and fell back against my seat, letting my gaze wander out the windows as we stopped at a red light. My focus shifted to my phone when it rang with a text and I barely noticed Kaiden turning into the parking lot for a hardware store. I got out of the car with my eyes on my phone.