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“I was going to tell you guys, I just—” My blood runs a little colder.

We don’t keep things from each other—not this big, at least. Rising from my slouched position, I try to come up with a reason for keeping this from them, all the while, trying to figure out how to get away with slapping my eldest brother in the face.

How could he go behind my back?

“We’re not upset,” Duke starts, putting on his dad cap. Diffusing things, like always.

“I just felt like I needed to do this alone.”

My confidence in my decision is slowly disintegrating, but I won’t forgo my mission.

I have to do this.

Ivan steps around the front of the desk, his sincerity floating in waves between us. “Trust me, Bro. You’re not going to want to do this alone.”

Flinching just slightly, his words hit me like bullets.

“What did Royce tell you?” I feel my jaw tighten, my molars grinding.

I thought I’d made it clear that I wanted this to stay between us. While it’s not like Royce to be loose-lipped, this feels abrupt.

“Don’t be upset with him. He thought we should know before you, so you’d have a good support system if you still want to meet him.”

The room stills. I don’t really know why, but embarrassment pumps through me.

“Why do I feel like I’m missing something?”

“Jett, are you sure you want to do this?” Ivan asks, crossing his arms over his chest.

When Duke does the same, I feel like I’m under a microscope. They aren’t judging me, but that doesn’t stop the heat of their stares.

“Is there a reason you’re so adamant about meeting your father?” Duke asks this time.

The question of our biological families came up from time to time growing up, but once we were in middle school and realized our life was more than extraordinary, the question never really popped up as much.

But I still thought about it constantly.

Sharing the same experience with three out of four of my brothers always felt like enough. Nothing would’ve been different if we knew anyway; we’re family, blood or not.

It wasn’t until I found a reason to dig deeper that I realized just how impactful the closure of finding out where I come from would be.

I can’t see myself being who I fully want to be without it.

“I just have to,” I harp out, my dry throat doing a damn poor job at hiding how much this means to me.

“Why?” Duke pokes again for understanding.

“I’ve spent the last two years trying to re-invent myself. It was time for me to grow the fuck up. I’ve thought about this since we were kids. Felt like I was running from myself for years, felt neglected for years, wondered why for thirty-one years. I love my life, and I’ve done everything I can to better it on my own, but I need to connect the dots. I need to see if this will help me understand who I was.”

Both Duke and Ivan are rendered speechless. Their previous looks of misunderstanding are now layered with brotherly compassion. Clearing my throat, I sit with my admission. Vulnerability has never been much of my thing, but feeling love has made this entirely necessary.

Taking a deep breath, I refocus. “It was just time I got the closure I’ve been thinking about my whole life.”

“And what if you don’t get the answers you’re searching for?” Duke asks.

“What if you get hurt?” Ivan shows more emotion, enough to shake his voice.

“Then I have some pretty great people to fall back on.” I rise, needing my full height to ensure my sincerity. “I know this is out of the blue, but I just need this right now. I’m a Parker. I was born to be a Parker. I just need answers.”