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)
“Turned on you?” I spit out, voice laced with venom. “She told me your plan to get back at her!”
The more she stares at me with a dumbfounded expression, the more I begin to doubt myself. I didn’t make this up, though. I didn’t imagine it. Neena told me.
“It wasn’t a secret you two were having issues,” I remind her. “You confessed to me all the time how you could barely stand her and if it weren’t for me and Dad, you’d have left to go back to LA long before.”
“She was intolerable,” Aubrey admits, stepping closer to me, “but I wasn’t really going to leave.”
I take a step back, not letting her distract me. This shit was bound to come to a head eventually. Might as well be now so we can move past it. Hurt shines in her eyes at my putting distance between us.
“No, if you left, it would have foiled your plan.” I cross my arms over my chest and lift a brow. “I’m still not sure if this is a mindfuck game of yours.”
“What plan are you even talking about? Whatever Mom told you wasn’t true.”
Unease settles in my gut. Something doesn’t feel right. “You threatened her. Said you were going to ruin her life by fucking me.”
“What?” she hisses. “I most certainly did not.”
“Then how do you explain the text messages?” I bellow. “She showed me her phone where you said these things. That you were going to secretly record us and then share them with the school to humiliate her. Newsflash, Aubrey, if you did that, it was going to ruin our family, not just her.”
“Did it ever occur to you that I didn’t write those texts?” She shakes her head in disgust. “How could you even believe her over me?”
“I saw the texts,” I say again weakly. “I saw them.”
Everything begins to unravel in my mind. I’d been on the precipice of doing something with Aubrey that had the power to change the dynamics of my family and put the Park name under scrutiny. I was already hesitant because of that. But then her lips were on mine and it felt fucking right.
Getting caught, though, by Neena, and then discovering Aubrey’s true motives had me backpedaling so fast. I was no longer in defense mode but had to switch to offense. I put distance between us, tormented her with my cruelty, and spread vicious rumors. She couldn’t destroy our family because I was too busy destroying her.
Her hand cups my face as she looks me directly in the eye. “Spencer, you were wrong. I don’t know how, but she lied to you. I swear on everything. I loved you. I still love you. Even after everything. The last thing I’d ever want to do is hurt you.”
Before I can process her words that don’t feel like a lie—not anymore—the doorbell rings. I push away her hand, turning on my heel to see who’s at our door. She follows behind me, huffing at my dismissal. I fling open the door, expecting to see Dempsey, but instead, I see that douchebag from my researching into Aubrey’s past.
“Ben?” Aubrey chokes out, shock in her tone. “How did you find me?”
Ben smiles, relief at seeing her, and takes a step forward. I block the doorway, giving him a menacing glare.
“Get the fuck off my property, dude,” I snarl. “Now before I call the police.”
“Back off, kid,” Ben bites out. “This is between me and my girl.”
A red cloud of fury rolls in, blinding me with rage. “She’s not your fucking girl.”
“Gorgeous, come out here so we can talk. Alone. Please. I’ve missed you. I drove all this way to find you. I love you, Aubrey.”
I shove him and then again, harder. He falls into the yard on his ass. “Get off my property!”
Ben climbs to his feet, shaking his head, and bellows at me. “Not until I have my girlfriend!”
Aubrey is screaming at both of us, but I’m focused on this asshole. I’m about to punch him in the fucking face when a figure charges for us. Dempsey tackles him to the ground and starts beating him.
“You could have killed her with that rattlesnake, you fucking prick!” Dempsey roars, slamming his fist into the loser’s face over and over again. “I’m going to ruin you!”
“You’re going to break his nose,” Aubrey yells. “Stop, Dempsey! It wasn’t him!”
I let Dempsey get a few more nasty punches on him before I yank him away. As much as I’m enjoying seeing this fucker bleed for assuming Aubrey is anything to him, I know she’s right.
This dude’s a pussy.
Whoever planted the snake and caused Tasha’s accident is far deadlier.
Hugo
Don’t think.
Run.
My feet slam against the pine needles on the worn path through the woods that makes up the base of Park Mountain. I’ve been running this same path since I hit puberty, needing an escape from the pressures of my life, if only for an hour or two. It’s warm already this morning, but the cover of trees keeps the temperature bearable.