Free Caged In by J.D. Lowrance Page A

When no one answered, Cage led me down the hallway to a
huge kitchen with a beautiful view of a waterway. We walked out onto the porch
hand-in-hand, earning us stares from the small group already there. “Shutter,” Cage
said in greeting to one of the most tattooed guys I had ever seen, but also one
of the most gorgeous.  He wore a white wife-beater that showed off his arms and
neck covered in ink, as well as what I could see of his chest. Even his face
had ink on it. Pictures of this man did not do him justice as he stood before
me in all his tattoo glory. Shutter met us, exchanging a bro-handshake with
Cage before turning his ocean blue eyes on me. They were such a striking
contrast to his black faux-hawk.
    “This is Charlie,” Cage said
introducing me. “Charlie this is Shutter, Caged In’s drummer.”
    “And best friend,” Shutter
said as he took my hand , placing a kiss on the top of it.
    “Hogwash,” came from behind
Shutter as Locke stepped around him. “I was the one who brought this bloke into
the band, so I get to claim best friend.” Locke’s rant had me smiling as the
fourth and final band member joined our circle. Linc was gorgeous in a punk
rock kind of way with his blonde hair buzz practically bald and warm, chocolate
brown eyes. His “Save the Ta-Tas” t-shirt was sleeveless revealing arms that
were covered in tattoos from his wrist to his shoulders. One dimple winked at me when he smiled.
    “Or so you claim,” said
Linc, as he extended his hand.
    I took it in greeting, as I
said, “I’m Charlotte.”
    “Oh trust me love, we all
know who you are,” he said, tugging me into his arms and away from Cage’s. “Cage
was right to keep you from us all those years. I definitely would have tried to
steal you away.”
    “Hey now, hands off my girl,”
Cage laughed as he pulled my back against his front. The phrase “my girl” was
not lost on the guys as they all shared a look before turning their attention
back to me. “In fact, keep your everything to yourselves,” which earned a laugh
from everyone.
    “Well make yourselves at
home. Lord knows these fuckers have,” remarked Shutter, gesturing all around
him as he turned and made his way back across the deck.
    “Ay Cage. Tons of beautiful feeks tonight,” said Locke as Linc wandered off.
    “Did you say geeks or freaks
Locke?” Cage joked and I laughed. Locke’s face grew as red as his hair.
    “Women. I said fucking
women.” Locke flustered was pretty funny to see.
    “Nah bro you didn’t,” Cage
said as I nodded my head in agreement.
    “Feeks is women in gaelic.”
    “Sure it is buddy,” teased
Cage, “sure it is.”
    “You wanker. Go get a drink.
You are no fun sober.” I stood corrected. Locke in a tiff was even funnier. I
giggled as he shook his head and walked away.
    “I love giving that guy a
hard time.”
    “I can tell,” I said as Cage
led me over to the bar and asked for two longnecks.
    “Cage,” came a gravelly
voice behind us. “Introduce me to your newest flavor.”
    Cage cleared his throat,
sending me a sideways glance before turning around. “Hogan, how are you?”
    “As good as always,” he
replied as he practically eye-fucked me. I knew I pushed the envelope a little
tonight with my Ryan Wethers’ mini-dress choice, but not enough for me to be
visually raped by this forty-something, balding creep. “Hello there beautiful.
I’m Hogan Reynolds, manager extraordinaire for the very famous Caged In, and
who might you be? Don’t tell. Let me guess. A porn star?” My mouth hung open at
his suggestion. “From the look on your face I would say no. Ok how about a
Sci-Fi channel actress? Did some zombie beaver eat you out or something?” Holy
shit who was this asshole! I looked to Cage to see him as shocked and appalled
as I was. “Still a no, huh? Ok, lay it on me, who are you princess?”
    I wanted to tell this guy “someone
who was too classy to even talk to him,” but if this really was Cage’s