and she silently nods. Something's off here. Dove's bottom lip is trembling, and she won't quite meet my eyes.
"Dove, this is my stepbrother, Kade Miller." They shake hands, but Dove still hasn't taken her sunglasses off. "Why the bandage? You didn't get your nose done, did you?"
"No," she speaks up hoarsely, not offering a different explanation.
"Dove." I reach out for her forearm, but she flinches when I touch her. "What's going on?"
With shaky hands, my friend takes off her sunglasses. The bandage covers almost half of her face, and she has tears in her eyes.
"I didn't want you to see me like this," she whispers.
"Like what?" I ask, wanting to comfort her, glancing uncomfortably between her and Kade. "What happened, babe?"
"It... it was..." She swallows thickly, fighting to get the words out and failing. "I..."
"Show me," I urge her, and she nods. Shaky fingers lift the bandage off her face, and when I see the damage to her left cheek, I gasp. "Dove!"
She covers the stitches up quickly. It's still healing, but the gash is long and deep. Her pretty face is ruined forever.
"What happened?" I demand. "An accident?"
She shakes her head.
"Then what?" I ask. It's then that I remember our night at Pulse together. The fact that Dove kept asking about Parker. That I gave her his address. That I haven't heard from her since she went to pay him a visit. My hand flies up to my mouth. "Dove... Did... Did Parker do this?"
She doesn't answer, but she doesn't need to. The truth she can't admit is written all over her face.
"I'm so sorry, Dove... This is all my fault..."
Hurriedly, my friend puts the bandage back in its place, placing the sunglasses on top of her nose.
"You can't tell anyone," she begs. "Please."
"Why not?" I demand. "If he did this to you, he deserves to be punished."
"You don't know..." she mutters, shaking her head. "I have to go. I have an appointment with a plastic surgeon to see what he can fix."
"Dove..." I'm running out of words to tell her how sorry I am for bringing Parker into her life. "I'm... I'm so..."
"Just don't tell anyone," she mutters, checking to make sure no one saw our interaction. "I have to go, or I'll be late. Don't tell anyone, June."
"I'll check in with you soon," I say. She nods and disappears down the street while Kade and I stare after her.
"I'm going to fucking kill him," Kade finally says. "He's dead meat."
"I have to go back home," I mutter.
"You won't be alone with him, will you? I should come with you. I can protect—"
"No," I reply firmly. "I need to talk to Parker alone first."
"Why are you so fucking convinced I can't take care of myself?" I demand. "I've done alright so far, haven't I?"
"June, I'm just trying to—"
"Well, don't," I cut him off, motioning to the limo that's just pulled up to the curb. "And don't think I've forgotten what you've done just because I need your help right now, Kade."
"June, please. I—"
"I'll see you," I mutter, absentmindedly waving him off as I reach the car. "I'll reach out. Bye."
My driver slams the door shut. My thoughts drift to Parker as I watch his twin's worried expression disappear out of sight.
Parker's still not up by the time I come home. With a start, I realize time's really gotten away from me. In a few days, it'll be the second anniversary of Kade and Parker's father's death—the moment that sent the rest of my life spiraling.
I knock on Parker's door, nervously biting my bottom lip. He emerges what feels like ages later, and I give him a tentative smile. I can't let him suspect something's off now.
"Hey," I mutter. "I just wanted to... apologize about last night."
He rubs his eyes. He's shirtless today, and his scars look angry and puckered in the bright light of day.
"That's fine," he finally says.
"Doesn't seem fine to me. Let me make it up to you," I offer.
"How?"
"You know it's the anniversary of Mark's passing in a few days?"
"So?" He crosses his arms defensively.
"I want to show you something," I say. "Come with me."
We take the golf cart across the property to where the family tomb is. Mom had it put in when Mark died, not expecting to be buried next to him a few months later.
Parker and I enter the stone building quietly. Despite everything he's told me, there's a certain kind of respect I have