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I heard a gasp and I turned to see Kyle standing a couple of feet away from me with his gaze fixed on me in surprise. His mouth was slightly open in shock.
It was like he'd seen a ghost.
"Eyes off her," warned Cade when he saw Kyle gaping at me. Cade took a menacing step toward him. Kyle was yanked back to reality as he shot a glare to Cade. This guy was really acting weird. Then, despite the warning from Cade, he turned to me. His eyes softened slightly as he searched my face.
"Scarlett?" he whispered.
Cade stopped mid-step. Confused, he looked from Kyle to me. I didn't know why Kyle was acting the way he was, but I stood firm.
"Yes, I'm Scarlett," I confirmed while holding his questioning gaze.
A few moments of deathly silence descended.
"I'm sorry, should I know you?" I asked, feeling a little impatient that I wasn't seeing the whole picture.
"Yes...you should know me," he replied cryptically. I racked my mind, but I'd never seen him before today. He didn't go to our school and he didn't live in our town so I wasn't sure how I was supposed to know him.
In the meantime, Cade looked deep in thought as he rubbed his chin and then it was like a light went off in his mind.
"Scarlett?" he said to Kyle. Kyle nodded his head gently, but his attention didn't move from me. I hated not knowing what was going on.
"Where am I supposed to know you from?" I asked, feeling a little impatient as I cocked my head to the side and studied him.
"You..." he began, "... are my sister."
My eyes narrowed for a moment as I considered the fact that he might be high on something. I looked to Cade but Cade's expression was blank as he watched my reaction. The fact that Cade wasn't laughing his ass off told me that he believed what Kyle had just said.
A brother.
It was unbelievable. I heard a rush of blood in my ears as the room suddenly became too hot. I took a deep breath and released it.
"Sit down," Cade instructed as he steered me to a chair and I sat down.
One thought after another ambushed me. More questions than answers flooded through my mind. How was it possible? I dropped my head into my hands for a moment to try and get a hold of myself.
"You okay, Scar?" Cade questioned with concern and I looked up to see him bent down on one knee in front of me as he searched my face.
A brother.
The thought resounded through my mind and my eyes went to Kyle's, who was watching me just as carefully as Cade was.
It was his eyes—they were gray, like mine. Could he really be?
I stood up and Cade shifted out of my way as I walked to Kyle. Everyone else in the room was forgotten about. I stopped just in front of him and he stood watching me as I studied his eyes. The more I looked at him, the more I saw glimpses of my dad's strong features and my mom's coloring.
Then it hit me. He was my brother and I felt a sob rip from inside of me.
I wasn't the emotional type, but in that moment I threw my arms around him and hugged him tightly. Another sob followed as I felt the tears start to run down my cheeks while I cried.
The parents I'd mourned since I was a little girl lived on in him and I held him close, feeling like I was connecting with my parents in some small way. The grief that I'd wrestled with began to break free at the thought that I had a brother I knew nothing about.
His strong arms wrapped around me and held me tightly against his chest. That small gesture made me sob even harder. I didn't know how it was possible, all that I knew was what I saw confirmed that he was my brother.
For the first time since I'd lost my parents, I didn't feel alone in the world.
I pulled back and brushed his cheek with my thumb and he smiled at me. Feeling vulnerable as my throat thickened with emotion, I took a step back.
"I'm sorry," I mumbled, averting my gaze. I felt embarrassed at my outburst.
