Page 100 of The Wicked

“I don’t buy it. You say you wanted Easton to lose out, so why wouldn’t you let the codicil stand? It would have increased his target.”

Nothing made sense today. Not my cousin’s words, not the nightmare I was living through, not that stupid little bud of hope that kept trying to blossom in the darkness.

“I couldn’t let the codicil stand,” Parker said.

“But why not? It doesn’t affect you. You’re not even mentioned.”

“How closely did you read it?”

“I…I’ve never actually read it. I just heard about it.”

“From who?”

Without thinking, I glanced toward the store, and Parker nodded.

“Ah, from Darla?”

Great, now I’d dragged her into the mess.

“She’s always been kind to me, unlike everyone else in that house.”

He ignored the dig. “In the final paragraph, East refers to me as his grandson.The conditions for my remaining son, Easton Baldwin II, my grandson Parker Baldwin, and my granddaughters Kayleigh Baldwin and Lillian Baldwin remain as stated in my original will.” Parker’s tone turned bitter. “Only it turns out I’m not actually his grandson. EJ informed me of that little fact when I confronted him with the codicil. If I’d called in a lawyer as I threatened, he would have fought to get me thrown out of the will completely.”

What?I sank onto the couch, reeling, because if that was true, then…my so-called family had been lying my entire life. Was thereanythingthey’d been honest about?

No.

No, of course there wasn’t.

“I can’t believe this.”

“You don’t believe much, do you?” Parker gave a quiet snort. “But I did a DNA test, and for once, EJ was telling the truth.”

“Then who’s your father?”

“That’s the big mystery, isn’t it? I’ve never discussed the matter with Mom.” A shrug. “Which means that if necessary, I can deny the conversation with EJ ever took place, just like I’ll deny this one. I still don’t trust him not to try and screw me over in two years.”

I had so many questions… “Did Grandpa know? Why didn’t EJ say something sooner? Why did he take the codicil if it didn’t benefit him? Was he protecting Easton?”

“I have no idea if Grandpa knew, and I can’t be sure when EJ found out, but I do know that he needs me right now. He can’t run Baldwin Estates alone, and Marianna didn’t have the right skill set either.” Parker raised his gaze to the ceiling. “Damn, I was hoping he’d go down with her, but it wasn’t to be. As for taking the codicil, I’m not sure if he was protecting Easton, or he just hated your father enough to screw over his descendants. Either way, I have two years left to work out a way to fuck EJ over, and I intend to make the most of them.”

“This whole time…you’ve been feeling the same way as me? As if you didn’t belong, but you were trapped? Like you’ve been pushed into a family you didn’t want to be a part of?”

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I was never sure whose side you were on.”

“I was on my own side.”

“So was I. I won’t pretend to be a good guy, Sara, but I’m not the man you think I am.”

I wasn’t entirely sure that I believed that, but I did find myself wanting to. Having an ally, an ally who understood a little of what I’d been through over the past sixteen years, let a petal on that bud of hope unfurl.

“Saralisa,” I corrected. “I want that part of my old life back.”

“Saralisa.” Parker nodded. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry things didn’t work out with Dorsey. I only met him a couple of times, but he seemed like an okay guy.”

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