She'd accused me of hating her before, but it was about as far from the truth as it could have been.
I had a full-blown lustful crush on June, and it was unacceptable for so many reasons.
I stayed quiet and kept away from her. I looked away when she tried to find my gaze, ignored her attempts to reconnect, and distanced myself from the entire family. I knew it would hurt our parents if something happened between us, so I lurked in the shadows, watching the happy family as an outsider. A lurker. A stalker.
When we turned twenty-three, our father died.
He was a big man, and we knew he had some health issues, but we were shocked when he dropped like a stone. He was gone, just like that—just a body before the ambulance even arrived. This time, we didn't get the chance to mourn.
My father left everything he owned to Rachel, the woman who showed him love again after our mother died. And it was never thought to be an issue—we were Rachel’s children as well, and she would take care of us.
During a meeting at the firm, Rachel collapsed while discussing her new position as head of the company. June was terrified after what happened with our father, but we kept telling her it would be okay.
Rachel was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer.
She was gone in less than a month, like a flame someone had blown out.
I had three parents, and they’re all buried now. I’ve had two siblings, yet I now only have one. Because after what happened, I couldn't bring myself to let June fucking Wildfox in my bed.
When Rachel died, we were forgotten. The only person who mattered to the lawyers was June, the clumsy girl who had blossomed from a girl with muddy knees into a stunning young woman. She was Rachel’s blood relative, and Parker and I… we were nothing. Rachel didn’t legally adopt us. In the eyes of the law, June was worth millions, and my brother and I were collateral damage.
And now June held the company in her hands.
We fought, and we threatened to sue, but it was all in vain.
At the time, we were both in college, and we were informed we couldn’t return home. That the judge had ruled in June's favor, that most of the money was tied up, and nobody could help us. But our bills would need to be paid, and no one really cared where that money came from.
June was desperate after the news broke out. She offered us money, a fund in each of our names, but that fell through after realizing most of the money was out of her hands. She had her pocket money, sure, but the rest of it was tied up in the company.
It gave her the chance to live a comfortable, luxurious lifestyle.
And left us rotting in a shitty one-bedroom walk-up in the Bronx.
I take another swig of booze from the bottle and groan as I bury my fingers in my hair. Fucking shit. I really let myself go tonight with Parker. I should've kept my mouth shut, should've been the better brother and not attacked him like that. He's just a stupid fucking kid.
I put the bottle down on the coffee table when I hear the buzzer. I figure it’s Parker since he didn't grab his keys when he left. My shoulders tense instantly. I don't know if I'm ready to deal with my brother just yet. Still, I buzz him through, not bothering to ask who it is.
Who else could it be at fucking three thirty in the morning?
When there's a knock on the door, I turn my back to it so I don't have to face Parker right away, and hiss over my shoulder, "It's open."
"You should really lock your door."
I turn around in the direction of the voice. June stands in our dingy kitchen. She's wearing a pink coat today, her glossy hair falling down her back while her face is makeup-free. She's got black leather boots on that make my head fucking spin. Not just because I can't stop imagining her naked in them but because her shoes alone are probably worth more than what we pay for a month's rent. I can tell by the red fucking sole.
"You hand out free advice now, or do I have to pay you for that golden nugget of wisdom, Miss CEO?" I grunt at her, crossing my arms. She has the decency to flush, leaning against the kitchen counter.
"I've never been here before," she mutters. "I never thought I'd be away from the two of you for so long."
"What the hell are you doing here, June? It’s the middle of the night." I rub my temples, the vodka hitting me hard. "How many fucking times do I have to tell you to leave us alone? How the hell did you even find us?"