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)
I stew on that statement for several minutes. I should call Theo to see what’s going on.
“He’s on the payroll,” Jude reveals, already two steps ahead of me.
“What?” I snap my attention to my brother. “Why wouldn’t he tell me he was working for Theo?”
Jude lifts one muscular shoulder. “He didn’t tell me either.”
Rising to my feet, I hand him his iPad back. “Can you stay a little while to look after Aubrey? I’m going to have a talk with my little brother about what he knows about Spencer.”
Jude grunts and I slip out of the office.
I listen for Aubrey and can hear her music playing beyond her closed door. I want to go to her but know now’s not the time. As much as I’d rather stay in our love bubble, there’s a reality I can’t ignore: Someone is still stalking her.
At Dad’s house, I can hear him and Jamie talking in the kitchen. I catch a glimpse of them holding each other tight. A pang of jealousy twists my stomach into a knot. Dad’s been happy ever since he got with Jamie. They’ve always had this fiery, intense, passionate love that I never knew.
Until Aubrey.
Unlike Dad and Jamie, though, I can’t love Aubrey for all to see. For one, she’s my stepdaughter, and two, I’m sharing her with my fucking son.
I pass by them without greeting and head up the stairs to Dempsey’s room. The thumping of the bass gets louder with every step closer to his space. I don’t bother knocking and let myself in. Dempsey is sprawled out on his unmade bed, shirtless, and staring up at the ceiling. Tattoos litter his chest. I’m surprised Dad condoned that shit. There would have been no way in hell I’d have been allowed to get one tattoo at seventeen, much less a whole shit ton of them like Dempsey has.
Storming over to his Marshall Bluetooth speaker, I flip the switch to turn off the loud rock music. This earns Dempsey’s attention. He sits up on his elbows and glowers at me.
“What the fuck, Hugo?”
Scowling, I cross my arms over my chest and pin him with a hard glare. “I want to know everything.”
His brow deepens. “What are you talking about?”
“The lodge,” I growl. “I know you and Spencer go there. I know he’s there right now. Question is, why?”
Dempsey’s face doesn’t twitch or give anything away, which probably is what gets him out of so much shit with Dad. He can turn on the innocent look, just like his twin Gemma can, and pretend he’s a perfect little angel.
My gut, though, doesn’t deceive me.
He’s hiding something.
Dempsey cuts his eyes away from my penetrating ones. “He got a job there.”
This I knew as well because of Jude, but something about the way he says it is off. It sounds a little too rehearsed.
“What does my trust fund son, who essentially never has to work a day in his life if he so chose to do, have any business working at a lodge?”
Dempsey stands up and throws his hands in the air. “I don’t fucking know, Hugo. Maybe he wants to get away from your suffocating presence. Ever consider that?”
I don’t take the bait. Aside from the time since Aubrey returned, me and Spencer have always gotten along just fine. He’s never once indicated to me that he feels smothered by me. It’s bullshit and I can see it a mile away.
“Enough with the crap, Demps,” I growl, stepping toward Dempsey until we’re nearly nose to nose. “I know you both went to the police station and I know you know all about whatever it is Spencer is up to.”
“Are you tracking us?” He pokes me hard in the chest. “Back the fuck off, bruh, or I’ll knock your ass out. Today is not the day to be messing with me.”
Footsteps thunder our way and seconds later, Dad strides in, concern etched on his distinguished face. We both shut our mouths, turning away from each other to face Dad. As much as I want to knock my little brother on his ass, I refrain. Barely. Dad’s disapproving frown reminds me of when I was a teenager and me and Callum would pick on Jude. I haven’t felt this judged by him in a long time.
“What’s going on, boys?”
I nearly cringe at being called a boy.
“Just having a chat with Dempsey, but we’re working it out,” I grind out, forcing a reassuring expression on my face. “Right, bro?” I clap him on the shoulder and squeeze.
Dempsey shoots me a scathing glare, but to my surprise, nods. “You can leave the belt on, Dad.”
I roll my eyes. Dad has never, not once, whipped his children. Not even the shit starter baby boy.
Dad nods and strides into the room. He bypasses us and walks over to the window. His body is tense as he stares down at the pool. “Has your or Callum’s pool been cleaned lately?”