Lose Control (The Jewel Project #5)

8.1|| Cage Uncaged

"Joey Wilkes, bass!" The light shone on Joey who reached out his hands and grinned at the crowd. "And, ladies and gentlemen, for the first time in five years, give it up the original lead of Uncaged, Kyle Grant!"

Kyle appeared too in a shower of lights and crazed screams, and Sam had never felt like he didn't know him more than then. There was an air of power around him, a sort of shine that justified all the gushing and swooning around them.

"Ah, it's good to be back," Joey said, wiping away a huge fake tear. "Especially when it's for a joyous occasion. Everyone, give a huge hand to Dustin and Sonia, the future Mr. and Mrs. Berk!"

Sam could clap to that, but was shocked at how excited everyone else around him seemed to be. Just how big was this band? Once they started playing, he sort of figured it out. They were insanely good, so they deserved to be much bigger than they were.

And Kyle... Sam had always known his brother was very talented, but seeing him perform was different. He seemed to be born for the stage. The way he moved, the ease with which he played and sang, it was like he was a different person. One who didn't deal with death threats and bombs. One who was born to entertain.

The music, the lyrics, the presentation, it all screamed professional, spoke of passion and dedication. There was so much chemistry between the band member it was hard to believe they hadn't performed together in five years.

Sam's bewilderment lasted for the entire performance. It was hard to wrap his mind around this new reality so he just went through the motions as they headed back stage, as he met the band, as they drove back home.

"Did you like it?" Kyle asked, watching Sam in the rearview mirror of his Ferrari.

He just nodded. Because he had, even if like wasn't the right word.

"I have another surprise waiting for you tomorrow, so you'd better get some sleep."

Sam nodded again, vaguely aware that Kyle had noticed how surprised he was. Though surprised wasn't the right word either. He wasn't very sure how he actually felt. But what he did realize was that it felt like he'd been drenched in frosting. He knew it wasn't real, and yet a sweet, hard shell had encompassed his heart, shielding it from harm.

♠️

"You're joking!" Sam looked from the Ferrari to Kyle and Kay.

Kyle had already climbed on his Ducati, dressed in full motorcycle gear and passed another helmet to Kay who wore some really unsafe looking torn up jeans and a leather jacket.

"I'm not," Kyle said with a shrug. "You'll need it."

"You're letting me drive the Ferrari."

Kyle just rolled his eyes. "Yes, I'm letting you drive the Ferrari. You're a grownass man, Sam, not a shaky sixteen-year-old with a new permit. You have thousands of miles under your belt."

Good point. But sometimes it was so easy to forget. So he nodded and got in the car and managed to drive it out of the ranch without ramming it into the gate. It was a little temperamental, but nothing he couldn't handle. Still, it felt so weird. His family had always had money, but they'd never spent it on luxury items like this.

To be honest, he liked it. He liked the Ferrari a lot. And Kyle had been right. He needed it to keep up with them as they flew through the small, sleepy town, and into a neighborhood where the building were smaller and shabbier, finally reaching what looked like a warehouse district.