Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 99500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 498(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 498(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
Dad sets a plate in front of me. Where Aubrey’s plate is a mess of scrambled, cheesy eggs, bacon and toast crumbs, and jelly globs, my plate has a pile of flat, crispy bacon, perfectly round fried eggs, and a golden piece of toast with a slight sheen of butter over the top. My food doesn’t touch and looks neat. I prefer it that way.
Even though Dad’s sudden domestic air perturbs me, I don’t let it be known. If he wants to pretend we’re a happy little family, then I’ll pretend. Aubrey will discover soon enough there’s nothing happy about this house.
“Aubrey is going to be living with us,” Dad states, shoulders stiffening as if he’s ready for a fight.
I shrug as I pick up my toast. “So?”
Dad deflates, exhaling a sharp breath of air. “And I want you to treat her with respect.”
“Does she deserve respect?” I snort out a laugh and cut my eyes her way. “Do you, leech?”
Her green eyes flash with a barely contained emotion—equal parts shame and fury.
What are you hiding, little sis?
“Spencer!” Dad growls. “Enough. If you can’t follow the goddamn rules, you can get out.” He points toward the front door, emphasizing his words. “I won’t allow it this time.”
This time.
But last time was okay?
I bore my gaze into Dad, not saying what’s on my mind but letting him feel the impact anyway.
He shifts on his feet and clears his throat. “You will be nice to your sister. That’s all I require from you. If not, you know where the door is.”
Aubrey, who’s been strangely quiet, finally pipes up, “I don’t want to cause any trouble.”
I roll my eyes as I tear through my breakfast. She’s playing the docile, innocent girl she once was, but we both know she came back with claws, jaded, and harder than before. I’ll soon peel back her layers and reveal just who she’s become.
“You’re no trouble at all, Love,” Dad croons. “You’re welcome here. This is your home.”
Politician Papa is here now, saying all the right things to make everyone hang on every word he says and every smile he directs their way. But I’ve seen the real Hugo Park. He’s a lot more like his disrespectful son than he realizes.
“Speaking of trouble,” I add in a cheerful tone, cutting my gaze to Aubrey. “My car got keyed yesterday.”
Aubrey freezes, fork poised at her luscious pink lips.
“What?” Dad crosses his arms over his chest, glowering down at us like we’re two children misbehaving. “Where?”
“Right here at home,” I say with a sneer. “What kind of ballsy asshole would come onto Park property and do such a thing?”
“Have you checked the cameras?” he demands, already grabbing for his phone to save the day.
I let Aubrey sweat it out for a beat before waving Dad’s efforts off. “Nothing. Wi-Fi was conveniently down. It’s fine. Pops is handling it.”
Her exhale of relief is barely audible, but I hear it.
Dad nods in approval. “Good. This campaign puts a target on our family’s back. Whoever would stoop to such childish levels should be punished.”
“I imagine they’ll get their punishment in due time,” I say coolly. “Don’t you think, little sis?”
Though it pains her to do so, she nods, smile tight. “Absolutely.”
Satisfied, I push my plate away and rise to my feet. “As much as I’m enjoying this chat, I have important errands to run.”
Dad flashes me a grateful smile. Gullible fucker.
Aubrey, on the other hand, eyes me warily. She knows the kind of man I am. Awful and vindictive. She also knows we’re not friends.
We’re enemies.
She made sure of that a long fucking time ago.
This thing between us is a war I plan on winning.
Normally whenever I get laid, I’m satisfied. I’m able to go about my day and feel good about my life’s choices. All is well in my world.
Not today.
After running my necessary errands, I took out my frustrations while fucking—hard, furious, and unapologetic—no doubt leaving behind bruises and teeth marks.
But am I satisfied?
Fuck no.
For some goddamn reason, I kept thinking about her. Aubrey Love. Little girl all grown up and transformed into this woman with secrets. Darkness lurks beneath her seductive green eyes. Her new tattoos and piercings seem to paint a picture of some of her past, though it’s hard to decipher this early in the game.
I will figure her out, though.
Starting with what the fuck she’s been up to for the past two years.
The house where Jude and my great-grandfather live is enormous and imposing. It sits nestled in the trees at the base of Park Mountain just up the road from where the rest of the family resides. Where we all have new, modern homes, Jude and Grandpa live in an old, dilapidated house that looks as though it’s barely standing from the outside. But, on the inside, it has good bones and the décor is a little better maintained. I’m pretty sure the crotchety bastards keep the outside looking like shit to keep everyone away.