it's because of the smug smirk painted on his face, or the new haircut he got that mirrors mine.
"Well, well, well." He grins. "Look who snuck in. You're not welcome here, Kade."
"Where's June?" I bark.
"I don't know." He shrugs carelessly, and I know he's lying. He cares about June, too. If he really didn't know where she was, he'd be panicking as much as I am. I realize then I can't trust my brother. Not with June, not with any-fucking-thing. All he wants is to get rid of me... and get his way. "Around here somewhere, probably."
"Where've you been?" I demand next.
"Company. Working. I work with June now. It's great." He smirks at me. It fucking hurts to know he's working in the family company while I'm slaving away for minimal pay to make rent on my shitty apartment where I now live alone.
Besides, I know he's lying. He must've told the maid June was gone. But he's not telling me that.
"You know today's the anniversary of Dad's death?" I ask next.
"So?" Parker crosses his arms.
"We should go pay our respects," I mutter, thinking of the tomb Rachel had built on the property. If I can get Parker alone there, I can fucking beat the truth out of him.
"I don't have any respect for that man," Parker replies.
"What do you mean? He's our dad, for chrissakes."
"No, Kade." Parker is hissing now, approaching me, and pushing his pointer finger into my chest. "Maybe he was your father, but he was never mine. He didn't give a shit about me."
June's words from the previous day come up in my mind.
"What do you mean?" I ask even though I'm not entirely sure I want to know. I know when Parker's lying, and something tells me I won't like what he's about to tell me. The image of my father is still unmarred—for now. But my twin's pained expression speaks volumes. There's something else there, another part of the story that I never got to find out. "Tell me, Parker. I deserve to know the truth."
"The truth?" He laughs bitterly. "The truth is the man was a fucking pussy. Scared of the darkness. Scared of everything that wasn't picture fucking perfect. Just like you, Kade."
"I'm not scared of it." I glare at him. "I've lived with it my whole life, kid."
"Don't call me that." His voice is vicious. "Never call me that again."
I groan, running my hands through my hair, and he stares me down, a dark smile pulling on the corner of his lips. "But actually, you're right. Let's go to the tomb. We both need some fucking closure."
I nod wordlessly, following my brother outside where the golf cart we used for the property is waiting. Parker drives, and I sit next to him contemplating everything. We pull up in front of the tomb moments later. It's already dark outside, the dark crescent moon shining above us and guiding our path.
Parker stops the golf cart, and we get out. The atmosphere is oppressing, the tension in the air palpable. I want to ask him about June again, but something stops me from opening my mouth.
"We'll go in soon," Parker tells me. "But first we need to talk about something."
"What's that?"
"Junebug." I swallow thickly as he utters the name, fighting the urge to tell him never to call her that. He's going to ruin the nickname I gave her.
"What about her?"
"I know you're in love with her, Kade." He smirks at my crestfallen expression. "Oh, come on. It's never been a secret, has it? I've seen you pining after her for fucking years. Everyone knew."
"Who told you?" I demand.
"It was obvious." He shrugs carelessly. As he speaks, I hear a faint sound, but I write it off as a figment of my imagination, unable to quite make out the words. "To everyone, Kade. But it was wrong. Everyone knew it was wrong, including Rachel." My face falls, and he laughs at me. "Surprised I know about that, too? Rachel and I were close, remember? She trusted me. Maybe she shouldn't have."
"Maybe," I mutter. "What's your point, anyway?"
"You and June were never meant to be together," he goes on. "She belongs to me, not you."
"She's not property, Parker."
"Of course she is." He laughs easily, and I fight the urge to strangle him. Looking at him now, here, it feels like I never knew him at all. He's like a different person, making me wonder whether he's always been like this, hiding his true self from