Page 14 of The Tangle of Awful

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.

I rap on the door, waiting for one of the many house service people to answer. Jude and Grandpa rarely answer their own door. And if Jude does answer, it’s to send you away because he can be an asshole like that. Seconds later, the door swings open and a tall, thin man answers. He’s about as old as Grandpa but a lot friendlier.

“Anderson,” I greet. “Looking good, man.”

Anderson grins, his white mustache bouncing up comically on each corner of his mouth. “Miss Violet’s been fattening me up with her world-famous pies. I could have her bring you a slice if you’re hungry.”

Pie would erase the taste of pussy from my mouth and I’m okay with that. “I’d like that. Where’s Jude?”

Anderson chuckles. “Mr. Park is in Mission Control. World domination is a full-time job.”

I smirk as I pass by him to enter the cold, dark home. They may keep the interior looking better than the exterior, but there’s a certain chill that settles in your bones whenever you step foot into this house. When I was a kid, this place used to scare the shit out of me. Dempsey and Gemma once locked me in a closet when I was six or seven and I nearly hyperventilated until Pops rescued me.

My shoes echo on the wood floors as I make my way through the foyer to the stairwell. Grandpa is around somewhere. Usually, you can hear him before he shows up, the whine of his electric wheelchair an eerie warning. It’s Jude who’ll sneak up on you soundlessly and nearly make you piss your pants.

I take the steps two at a time, heading straight for Jude’s massive office. I’m not sure what sort of work he does for the family, but I know it’s important. His efforts bring in enormous amounts of cash that keeps the Parks perched on top of this town like the royalty we are.

The halls upstairs are dark, every door closed except for the one at the end. The glow of computer monitors casts light into the hallway. It’s quiet aside from the hypnotic tapping of fingers on a keyboard. Slowly, I approach Jude’s office. I know better than to assume I can sneak up on him. He’s far too paranoid for that. Screens line every wall, pictures lit up of every angle of both the inside and outside of this monolith home. Hell, I’m surprised he doesn’t have a camera feed in my house too.

“My favorite uncle,” I state as I saunter in.

He grunts, not bothering to turn away from his screen. Jude is the biggest man in our family. Pops and Dad have told me stories about his stellar football career back in high school. How he could have gone off to not only play college ball but also have a place in the NFL as well. All that changed on the day of the fire that took his mother away from him.

“What’re you working on?” I sit down on one of the armchairs in the room, sprawling my long legs out in front of me. “Besides spying on your staff and visitors.”

Jude mashes a button on his keyboard with enough force I’m surprised he didn’t Hulk smash all the way through the table, before spinning around in his chair to face me.

Another thing about this house that used to creep me the fuck out.

Uncle Jude.

Latex mask wearing, Freddy Kreuger slash Jason Voorhies wannabe Uncle Jude.

“Things your small mind can’t begin to comprehend even if I explained them to you,” he says icily, words slightly muffled behind his mask. “Are you here to shoot the shit or do you need something, Spencer?”

A soft tap on the door signals Violet’s arrival. She’s an old lady with wild white hair and a missing front tooth, but the woman can make the most fantastic pie in the world.

“Mr. Park,” she says, setting the plate down on the end table next to me. “Still warm, hon. Hope you enjoy.”

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