Only a few days had passed since Halloween, and I still couldn’t look Ryker or Abraham fully in the eyes. They had both spent their fair share apologizing to me for the way things had happened that night, and I had too. But it didn’t seem to make any difference. I could admit to myself that I secretly tried to blame it all on the drugs and the euphoric state were forced into without our knowledge. But now that I was back to my regularly scheduled sobriety, I still couldn’t keep my mind away from the memory of them both.

I leaned forward against the surface of the counter in my first class of the week, propping my head against my hand and trying hard to keep my eyes open that so desperately wanted to close. I yawned as I pulled my study material closer to me and my eyes lingered on the words without actually reading anything.

I could not remember the last time I was as tired as this. In an attempt to avoid all the men in my life, I had taken to watching over Giovanni at an alarming rate. I spent the last two nights shacked up on his fire escape, fully loaded with a blanket and hand warmers shoved into my gloves, boots, and coat. I kept both of my phones on silent and busied myself all weekend with catching up on class assignments at the coffee house. Sleeping came rare, and it was finally catching up with me.

Between the bitter cold and the echo of Giovanni and Sarah’s argument, I couldn’t decide which had been worse last night. If it was not obvious before that there was trouble in paradise, last night was proof of that. Their yelling could be heard clearly through the glass windowpane facing his kitchen. I had kept myself tucked neatly into the corner against the brick to avoid being detected, the only evidence were little wisps of my breath in the frigid air.

His door had slammed closed, and I could hear Giovanni’s grumbling as he stalked into the kitchen, slamming dishes into the sink. He sighed before he leaned against the counter and ran his fingers through his hair. In that moment, I hadn’t the slightest clue as to what advice I could really offer him, with my fucked-up history and all. I fought down the urge to open his window and crawl through to distract him from his obvious discontent.

It was not much longer before he decided that sleep would be the best course of action, so I stayed put. It looked like the only one of us who seemed like they had the most of their shit put together was Elsie, whom I had intentionally been avoiding too. She didn’t know what had happened that night, luckily having Niklaus to step in on her behalf. As far as our messages had been, it had all seemed like a really drunk night, following a serious hangover.

She was back to her bubbly self, whereas I was still dealing with the consequences of my actions and complete lack thereof.

I snapped out of my thoughts as the eruption of students talking grew in volume. I looked up and realized the lecture had been dismissed and I was the only student not making my way to the front to leave the hall. I groaned as I gathered my book and the papers that I had sprawled out in front of me until I had them firmly clutched to my chest and stood.

I had to pause as a wave of vertigo washed over me and my head spun, resulting in the churning in my stomach. I really needed to find food and then sleep. I forced one foot in front of the other and tried to put on my best face as I emptied out with the stragglers of the class and took care not to bump into anyone in fear of releasing the dry contents of my stomach.

When a brick wall landed in front of me in a near miss, I cursed under my breath.

“You really need to watch where you’re walking some time.” The wall rumbled.

I used the last bit of stored energy to roll my eyes as I looked up. “You are just always in my way.”

Abraham smirked.

“What is it now?” I pinched the bridge of my nose.

“Your presence has been requested. I offered to pick you up.”

My heart sank as my mind perked out of its dizzy state and into one of alarm. I could feel my heart rate quicken as newly found adrenaline kicked my senses into the preliminary stages of fight or flight.

“Don’t get your panties in a knot.” Abraham fell in step beside me as we headed in the direction of the parking lot. “It not Black. Well, not Dominik. Your brother has requested to see you.”

My pulse started to slow, but my chest still ached with the sudden rush of adrenaline. “One. He is not my brother. Two. He has no right to summon me anywhere.”

“Come on, Jay.” He sighed. “He just wants to talk. Is that so bad?”

“Could be the death of me, honestly.” I said, miffed.

“Highly unlikely.” He stopped as we approached his truck and opened the passenger door for me.

Part of me was curious for what Niklaus had to say. Part of me didn’t care anymore.

It was a bittersweet internal battle.

“Fine.” I growled. “Five minutes. That’s all he gets.”

The café was smaller than I would have liked. It made this meeting seem more personal than I felt was necessary. I still wasn’t able to wrap my head around the existence of my twin. With everything you hear and read on the internet about special connections between twins, I hated to admit that I always knew he was out there. Or at least, I liked to think so.

I paused with my hand on the doorknob, Abraham respectfully still waiting out in his truck. People passed by on the sidewalk, giving me odd glances that I paid no mind to. I steadied my breathing, trying to calm the storm before it had a chance to start.

I snapped to when a man behind me cleared his throat. I was completely blocking the entrance.

“Sorry.” I mumbled as I opened the door and stepped inside.

I looked around the tiny shop looking for the unfamiliar familiar face to find Niklaus staring at the direction of the door, his hazel eyes meeting mine. I swallowed, trying to not make it obvious that this was the hardest thing I had done in my life up until this point. I pulled my leather jacket at the zipper, closing it tightly around my center, hopefully to keep my feet on the ground and stepped over to the tiny alcove, staring down at him without blinking.

“Sit.” He motioned for the empty chair across from him, only a measly table in between.

I raised an eyebrow.

“Please, Jaylyn.”

I internally crumbled at his plea. There was no evidence in his tone, but his eyes softened just a smidge before they resumed their earlier coldness. Against my better judgment, I sat, still unwilling to add to the requested conversation. If he had something else, he wanted to say, it would be completely one-sided. I folded my arms across my chest and waited patiently.

Niklaus was the air of sophistication. I couldn’t help inspecting his features as he gently stirred the espresso in front of him, the picture of ease. His raven-black hair mirrored my own, only lacking the curls I had inherited from our mother. His almond shaped eyes were rimmed with dark lashes, just as my own, our lips curling at the same junctures. Where his nose was sharp and aligned, mine was small and slightly upturned in comparison. Compared to my ruffled appearance, Niklaus was clear cut in a sharp suit, lacking the coat, in a color that rivaled the dark shade of his slicked back hair.

I waited patiently for him to speak as he kept slowly churning his drink, as if searching for the right thing to say in this moment.

He sighed, the first sign of true emotion. “We started off on the wrong foot.”

I had to fight the urge to scoff, and he noticed as he glanced back up.

“I meant to say something to you.” He continued anyways. “A long time ago.”

I raised a brow.

“Do you remember our childhood?” His question caught me off guard.

Even though I had come here with no intention of speaking, I was beside myself. “In vague bits and pieces. It comes and goes.”

“I remember it like it was yesterday.” He almost sounded solemn.

“I’m not really up for a trip down memory lane, Niklaus.” At least I earned a cookie for honesty.

“It’s not a trip, Jaylyn.” His eyes glinted with silent anger. “This isn’t a game.”

“Even if it were, I take it that I’ve been an unwilling participant.” I huffed, stifling my own rising anger.

“Jaylyn, our lives have been complicated since the day we were born.” He punctuated his statement with the clench of his jaw. “There were things that were kept from you, not of my own doing. It was out of my control.”

“What things, Niklaus?”

“If I told them to you now, it would defeat the purpose of protecting you as mother wanted.” He didn’t blink as he watched the waves of emotion crawl up my face.

“Then why bring it up?” I pushed against his cool attitude.

“Because regardless, some things can be said now, but not all.” He was running my brain in circles.

“Then spit it out.” I urged, impatient for my date with my pillow.

“You remember my long trips throughout our childhood, yes?” He went back to stirring his damned coffee, still yet to take a drink. “Do you also remember how little you were allowed to go beyond the confines of our home?”

“Your point?” My voice lowered with bile in the back of my throat. “I remember my gilded cage. I was a slave to it just as much as mother was.”

Hell, I hadn’t even been allowed, except on exceedingly rare occasions, to play in the backyard. I always came to the conclusion that our mother was just terrified to let me out of her sight. Now, there was a question there.

“It was to keep you hidden.” He stopped stirring and stared into the swirls, stiffening his back, and adjusting his shoulders.

“From what?”

“Not from what. From whom.” He corrected. “Not that it matters much now.”

“What are you talking about?” I pressed on.

“Those details do not matter.” He was speaking in riddles.

“I’ve had enough of this.” I slammed my hands on the table as I stood, causing his coffee to splash over the rim and the lady sitting behind me to jump.

“Sit down, Jaylyn.” His voice froze over, and I stared at the sheet of ice that was my sibling, before lamely falling back into my seat. “Thank you.”

He showed no emotion besides the change in his tone and the clench of his jaw.

“Now.” He continued, ignoring the spilt mess on the table. “If you’re done with this childish façade.”

I glared as I pursed my lips. “No, it’s my turn to talk.”

His glare matched my own.

“You sure as hell don’t get to turn up at drop of a dime and speak to me as if I am a child.” The voice that came out was not my own. “You have no idea what I have been through up until Dominik enlisted me in his Company.” I nearly spat out the words. “I wasn’t a fucking pampered prince who got everything he desired at the flick of a wrist. I wasn’t adopted into the wealth and privilege that chose you. Regardless of how Black makes his wealth. Regardless of the horrors you faced growing up. Nothing, and I mean, nothing, will ever compare to the tragedy that is my life.”

He simply watched, expressionless, as I unloaded a decade’s worth of aggression.

“I had to watch in horror as the only life I knew was ripped away from me. I had no social skills, no talents, basic to the core. I was left unwanted and thrown into a life lacking basic human needs, emotion or otherwise. I had to fend for myself and then fend for others when they couldn’t. I had to work for every bit of my life for it to even have made it this far.”

I simmered in my seat, my hands starting to shake with rage.

“I have been lied to my whole life. I was never given options until I made my own. So, either you’re going to tell me what the hell you had Abraham drag me here for or you’re not. But I am done with getting the run around. Be frank or shut the fuck up.”

His eyes briefly flashed amusement.

“You have our mother’s anger.”

I rolled my eyes. “So do you. You were just taught to contain it better.”

“Jaylyn, our mother didn’t want you to have anything to do with the Company.” He said, a storm brewing behind his eyes.

“Our family wasn’t a part of the mob, Niklaus.” I rolled my eyes.

“Jason Sloan was Dominik Black’s right-hand man.” His tone was flat, but full of venom. “And his best friend.”

I blinked. And then blinked again. Reality was a luxury.

It wasn’t like what he had said didn’t make sense. It just made the puzzle pieces all fall into place perfectly. All the broken memories, all the secrecy. A bit too perfectly.

“Our father was decent.” I tried to defend what goodness I could remember. Those memories came earlier than the rest.

“Jason Sloan was a bastard.” Niklaus finally took a sip of his drink.

“Niklaus.” I warned.

“He also isn’t our father.” He looked grim.

“Then who is?” I challenged his bluff.

He seemed to fight himself on whether or not he wanted to answer.

After a long bit of him stewing on his unknown dilemma, he swallowed hard.

“Dominik Black is our father.”