*potential triggering scene ahead*
Miles
When we got to Luke's room, I looked at him and folded my arms. "That's the exact sort of thing I was trying to tell you not to say."
Luke glared at me, his hazel eyes angry. "Miles, please. You can't tell me you wouldn't be mad if you were me."
I sat down in his desk chair and propped my bare feet on his bed. "Of course I would be. But Luke, you're forgetting something really important here."
"What?"
"Your dad is awesome, Luke. He's everything a dad should be – supportive, kind, loving. Who cares if he wasn't the sperm donor? He's been your dad your whole life – and I'm frankly jealous of you. Our 'father,' bro, is the opposite of your dad. He's horrid."
Luke considered this, and his face softened. "Maybe you're right."
"I am," I confirmed.
He rolled his eyes. "Fine. You're right. But how do you explain my mom? How could she do this?! How could she betray Dad like that?"
I shrugged. "Maybe there's more to the story... Rachel seemed to think there was."
He clenched his teeth. "I have to talk to her."
I nodded, getting up and stretching. "I have to get out of this uniform," I said, sniffing my underarm.
"Gross. I'll wait for you to shower and change – I need you with me on this, Miles."
"All right, then. Give me a few minutes."
***
When I got to my room, I called Rachel as I was getting undressed.
"Hello?" she answered eagerly.
"Hey baby," I said, turning on the shower so the water could heat up.
"How did it go?" she asked immediately.
"It could've gone worse... but it also could've gone better. As soon as I get changed, Luke wants me to come with him to talk to Jane. He was really hard on her," I said, my voice muffled as I pulled my undershirt over my head.
"Okay – let me know what happens." She paused. "Miles, are you getting in the shower?"
I grinned despite myself. "I certainly am," I said teasingly.
"Damnit," she cursed. "I wish I were there," she murmured into the phone, and I could almost feel her breath on my neck.
I tensed, my pants getting a little tighter. "God, me too," I replied, freeing myself from them.
"I'm going to need you to come over later..." she whispered. "My parents are going to a dinner party tonight – in Destin."
"Hell yes... I'll be there as soon as I get done with Luke."
"I'll be ready," she said meaningfully.
I groaned. "I'm going to go take a cold shower now."
She giggled. "Love you."
"Love you too."
I disconnected the call and turned the water all the way to cold.
***
I put on some basketball shorts, a grey Bay High t-shirt, and Nike sandals with socks (Rachel hated it when I wore sandals with socks – I was doing it to spite her for turning me on earlier with no means to deliver).
I knocked on Luke's door, and we headed downstairs to find Jane.
"Mom?" he asked tentatively, knocking on her bedroom door.
She didn't answer, but the door was slightly ajar. We went in slowly, carefully.
"Jane?" I asked, rounding the corner to see her on the bed, holding an unopened bottle of Jack Daniels in her hands.
Luke gasped. "Mom. No, please don't do that," he said, rushing to her and taking it from her hands. He thrust it toward me and I held it awkwardly, kind of wishing I could take a quick swig.
He sat down next to her on the bed, putting his arm around her. "Mom, I'm so sorry for what I said."
She shook her head. "Lucas... you have every right to be upset. But you don't know the whole story."
"I know. That's why we came down here. I'm listening now, Mom."
Jane looked at me sadly. "Miles, you may not want to hear this."
I shook my head and sat on the other side of her. "I need to hear it, Aunt Jane. Please."
She sighed and closed her eyes.
"It was New Year's Eve... 1998..."
Prince's "1999" was playing on the stereo, the drinks were flowing, and everyone at the party was having a blast.
The party was at one of William's hotels– one of the first ones he ever owned. It was private – William and his wife, Adam, some old high school classmates and college fraternity brothers, co-workers, and I... we were all there, and everyone was having a good time.
And as usual, I was having too good of a time. I was on my fifth margarita, and I was dancing with Adam in the middle of the dance floor.
"Jane, maybe you should stop drinking," Adam murmured in my ear.
"No way! It's New Year's Eve," I slurred. "Forget it!"
He rolled his eyes and wrapped his arm tighter around my waist. "You're going to end up sick."
"But it's so much fun!" I cheered, dragging him off the floor to where my margarita waited.
I drank it... and then I had some tequila shots... and before I knew it, Adam's prophecy had come true – I was swaying on my feet, just before passing out.
"God damn it, Jane," Adam muttered, holding me up. He waved William over.
"Jesus, Adam. Your wife is fucking embarrassing," he scoffed.
"Shut it, William. Is there a room where she can go lie down?" he asked.
"Yeah... I'll take her. You really need to pay your tab – the bar is shutting down for the night," he said.
Adam paused, looking between me and the bar, where a rather long line was forming. "Go ahead, honey," I slurred. "I just need a lil nap."
"Fine. Which room?"
William looked at the key in his hand. "205."
"All right. Go get some rest, love. I'll be up to check on you soon," Adam said, pushing my blonde hair off my forehead.
"Mmmhmm," I hummed, my head falling against William's shoulder.
Adam turned and went toward the bar, and William took me to the elevator... to the fourth floor.
When we got to the room, William shut the door and locked it behind us.
"What are you doing?" I asked, sitting on the edge of the bed and kicking off my heels.
He chuckled. "You really need to ask?"
I blinked, my drunk mind trying to understand his words. "Come again?"
He grinned devilishly. "I plan on it."
I shook my head. "What do you – "
But then he was in my face, leaning over, his hands brushing against my legs, pushing my short sequined dress a little further up my thigh.
I swallowed. "William, stop." I felt myself begin to sober up a little, adrenaline coursing through my veins.
He pushed me backward, and I scrambled against the headboard, trying to get away from him. "What's wrong, sis?" he asked menacingly.
"William, stop. I mean it. Adam will kill you." My brain was still fuzzy. I tried to concentrate, but everything was a little out of focus.
"I don't think so," he growled, pinning me to the bed, and I began to cry, trying to fight, but my body just didn't want to cooperate. My limbs felt like jelly. "Shhhh," he hissed, pressing his lips to mine – hard, rough, not like Adam's sweet, soft kisses.
I bit his lip, but that just seemed to fuel his fire. He pressed himself against me, and I recoiled in horror. "No... please."
He ripped my dress off, then his pants. I tried to cover up, but I hadn't worn much in the way of underwear.
He looked at me hungrily, leaning down to kiss my neck. But before he did, he whispered: "You ever tell anyone about this, I will fucking kill you. And you know I'll do it."
Then he took what he wanted. And I was powerless to stop him.
"You were born 9 months later... September 16, 1999," Mom said, wiping tears from her face.
I sat in shock, unable to process what she had just told us.
Luke's mom hadn't cheated – she was raped– by my father.
"Oh my God," I whispered, and got up, running to their bathroom. I made it to the toilet right before I vomited everything I had eaten that day. When my stomach was empty, I coughed violently, resting my head against the cold tile floor.
"Miles? Are you okay?" she asked, her and Luke appearing in the doorway.
"Yes," I mumbled. "I'm fine." I stood up, rinsed my mouth out, and we all sat back on the edge of the bed.
"Go on, Mom," Luke prodded, the shock evident in his voice.
"Well, your father and I had been trying for a baby for over a year. So when I found out I was pregnant in February, I hoped and prayed it would be Adam's. But as soon as you were born, I don't know, I... I knew somehow. I hadn't told Adam anything about that night. I was too scared of William – I knew what he was capable of. But when I realized you weren't Adam's... I had to tell him." She shook her head. "It was so hard to stop Adam from just going over there and killing him. But by that time, Miles, you had already been born. Adam and I adored you. And we adored your mother. So we just put it behind us." She turned to Luke and held his hands in hers. "Lucas, we have never ever seen you as anything but our son. You're our baby."
Luke wiped away a tear, and I swallowed over the lump in my throat. Luke hugged his mom tightly, and they stayed that way for a few moments.
But there was one thing I didn't understand – something Rachel had said that hadn't been mentioned yet. "Aunt Jane?" I asked.
"Yes, Miles?"
"Can I ask a question?"
"Of course."
"Rachel heard William say something else today... something about $100,000? To keep your mouth shut?"
She scoffed. "That's bullshit. I guess William felt guilty for what he had done – or something – because he opened a college fund for you, Luke. He put $100,000 in it that couldn't be touched until it was time to pay your tuition. I've never seen a dime of that money. It was not hush money, and we never asked for it."
I nodded. That made sense.
Luke laughed. "I don't want his money," he said, shaking his head.
I looked at him over Jane's head. "Dude. I'd take it. He owes you that, at least."
Luke shrugged.
Jane patted his leg. "We can talk about that later."
"Does my father know that Adam knows the truth?" I asked.
She shook her head. "It's never been spoken about since you guys were babies. He's always acted like it was consensual... and we just let me think he's got the upper hand."
We sat quietly for a moment, thinking about everything that had just been said.
"You know what's actually sort of cool about this whole thing?" Luke said suddenly.
Jane and I both looked at him incredulously. He held up two pointer fingers as if to say wait.
"I have a brother," he said, looking at me and shrugging.
I grinned. "Hell yes, you do."
Jane smiled and put her arms around both of us, and I felt, once again, like I was part of a family.