"Stop answering a question with a question!" I snapped.

I had been pleasantly surprised to receive a call from Julian about an hour ago, asking me to meet him here, but I had been even more surprised by what I found here.

There were so many things running in my head from the moment I saw Tyler here with Julian and I really needed some quick answers, to silence my thoughts. It didn't help that they were equally surprised by the situation and were asking questions of their own, instead of answering mine.

"Sorry. And yes, he is my brother, " Tyler answered.

"Half brother, " Julian corrected.

I nodded while staring at both of them. That's when I noticed the small similarities between them. They had the same dark messy hair and chocolate brown eyes, but except that they looked nothing alike.

Everything was falling into place slowly. The cheating dad, their hatred towards Max, how did I not see it before?

Julian and I were secretive regarding most of the parts of our lives, but Tyler? How had he never mentioned that he had a brother and that too who goes to Edgewood high? I bet even Neil doesn't know about Julian.

"I have some questions, " I said looking at Tyler.

"I know, " he said, "But I think it's better if Julian is the one to answer them. It's more of his story to tell than mine."

I looked at Julian expectantly, who removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He let out a long sigh and nodded, "Fine."

We walked towards the small gazebo in the center of the park and sat down. The park is completely silent and deserted. I felt like it provided us a strange sense of privacy.

"So? What do you wanna know?" Julian asked.

"Ahm..firstly I have known you for around 2 years now, Tyler. We may not have been close, but how does anyone not know that you have a brother?" I asked looking at Tyler.

"Well...Jace, Ryan, and Eric know. But nobody else, " Tyler said, "Look I was 7 years old when I discovered that I had a half brother. It was also the first time both my mom and I found out that dad had been cheating on her. I don't think we would ever even find out if it wasn't for.....you know what Julian, you should be the one telling this."

"Okay, " Julian sighed. "Dad had refused to marry my birth mother after he had knocked her up, but to compensate and to keep her quiet, he sent her monthly allowances to help her look after me and all the expenses. I was four when my mother was diagnosed with cancer. 4th stage. The doctors gave us no hopes.  Desperate for some help and worried about my future, my mother reached out to dad and asked him to take me in, if she didn't make it. Which obviously my dad refused to in the beginning but when she threatened to go public regarding this whole issue, worried about his reputation, he finally agreed. She made him adopt me, which made him my legal guardian. Dad had to finally come clean to his real family when my mother died later that year, " he let out a long breath. His jaw clenched as he stared off into the distance.

There was an unreadable but distant expression on both Tyler and Julian's faces. It was like they were reliving an old memory. An old painful memory.

And I didn't dare to break the silence that followed after Julian suddenly stopped talking. I didn't know what to say, I couldn't imagine what he must have gone through.

"Obviously I expected my new family to be horrible to me. I mean why would they accept me and be happy to have an orphan boy who just lost his mother? A mother who was a homewrecker to them, the outsider who was apparently the reason for their broken family. But with my mother gone, I had nothing more to lose. For a four-year-old me, it was the end of the world.

"What I didn't expect, is to find a brother and a mother at this new house. I didn't expect to have someone who would hold my hand, and help me navigate through one of the most difficult times of my life. I didn't expect that I would be able to call someone my mom again, " teary-eyed Julian looked down, a small smile on his face.

I looked over at Tyler who was smiling fondly at Julian. My heart melted at the sight, and I quickly wiped away a single tear that fell on my cheek.

"I was here for a year, before people started talking, and asking questions about who I was, and dad couldn't take it anymore. He decided to ship me off to a boarding school in Boston. Both Tyler and Mom begged him to let me stay but he didn't budge. I have been there ever since. Roughly for around 10 years and my dad never visited me. Not once.

"When I used to come home for the vacations, in the beginning, he hardly spared me a glance, and when he did, he looked at me like I was a bitter memory, a dirty mistake, he regretted. I stopped coming home altogether because I didn't want either mom or Tyler getting in any more fights with dad because of me. Tyler always visited me for a week every summer and so did mom. And in time I somehow got used to that life, " Julian said and looked at me for the first time since he began telling me his story.

"Why now? I mean how did he let you come back home now?" I asked quietly.

"Mom wanted me to start high school here and also it was Tyler, I don't know what he told dad but he convinced him somehow, " Julian answered.

"But it didn't work out as well as I had thought. Dad got him enrolled into Edgewood high, instead of our school and with this whole mess with Max, I didn't want him to be bullied there just because he is my brother. We thought of applying for a transfer but Julian thought it might be a good chance to get close to Max and use it to our advantage, " Tyler answered looking visibly unhappy with the arrangement. "And hence all the secrecy regarding this matter."

I nodded, trying to take it all in. While I couldn't help them with their family problems, I could somehow help them take down Max and solve that mess.

"You could use me to get to Max, " I blurted out.

"What?" they both said together.

"I got away from him and managed to ruin even the tiniest bit of his reputation. He hates me because he could never control me, he could never resist the chance of getting his revenge on me. Maybe I can help."

"No! Absolutely not. There is no way I am letting you go anyway near him, " Tyler said sternly.

"I agree." Julian nodded.

"But..." I began to protest but Tyler cut me off.

"No buts Veronica. This is not some childish high school drama. That guy is a psychopath, he is rich and now with his dad running for the mayor this year, he will be powerful. He hates me because I am his competition, but he hates you because he couldn't get you. He came very close to hurting you once, and I'll be damned if I let it happen again, " he said in a voice that left no room for argument. I felt like a little child being scolded, even though I knew he meant well.

I was slightly pissed at Tyler for acting all bossy on me and irritated that Julian seemed to agree with him. I didn't say I was going to serve myself on a platter to him, I was not a fool.

No need to go all Alpha male on me!

"Look, we will find a way. You don't have to worry about it, okay?" Julian said gently.

I sighed and nodded. "Okay Crosby brothers, this has been fun, but I have to get home now, " I said as I got up.

As they walked me to my car, I turned to Julian and asked, "So what are we now? Real friends? The regular way?"

He grinned, "I guess so."

I gave him a smile and turned to get in my car when Tyler caught my hand. "What?" I asked.

"I'll wait for you in the car, " Julian said to Tyler and walked away.

"I am sorry for yelling at you, " he said softly. "I have known Max for years, I know what he is, and even the thought of letting you go anywhere near him, especially after what he did to you.....I just...I can't handle it, okay?"

I smiled, at him and took his hand in mine. "I know. And it's okay. But you have to know that I can take care of myself, and I wasn't being reckless, I was just trying to help."

"I know. I am sorry, " he smiled. "And I know you can kick his ass, you have already proven it."

"Good."

My breath got caught in my throat when he suddenly leaned in and pressed his lips on my forehead.

"My little tiger, " I heard him murmur and then he pulled away.

"Who are you calling little mister? I am 5'6," I said trying to hide my blush.

"Good night, Veronica " he chuckled.

"Good night, " I said and got into my car with a goofy smile plastered on my face.