Page 69 of The Tangle of Awful

Spencer walks over to it, shoves the dead snake aside, and picks up two pictures and a note.

“What’s it say?” I croak out.

Spencer turns to look at me, features hard with fury. “Snake? Slut? Or both?”

“Can you and Willa take care of this?” Hugo barks out, waving a hand at his brother. “Please. We need a moment alone with Aubrey.”

Callum nods and then makes quick work of wrapping up the dead snake in the bedding. He passes the shovel to Willa and then they both exit, somber expressions on their faces. I stare at the center of the bed. The mattress is perfectly white. No blood droplets or any indication that a snake was just killed on it.

“Dad, look,” Spencer grinds out. “Fuck.”

I drag my gaze from the bed to the photographs in his hand. The one on top is a picture of me and Hugo cozied up on the couch when we watched a movie in the theater room. He moves it and replaces it with the other picture. It’s of Spencer hugging me from behind yesterday in the kitchen.

There are cameras in the house.

Oh my God.

The world spins and I grow alarmingly dizzy. Panic claws up my throat. I cry out, falling to my knees, and grip my neck as I gasp for air.

I can’t breathe.

I can’t breathe! I can’t breathe! I can’t breathe!

I’m going to pass out.

Everything turns black.

Aubrey.

Aubrey.

Aubrey.

The voice finally breaks through the darkness and light comes rushing in along with air. I gulp several times in an attempt to fill my lungs. Both Hugo and Spencer are kneeling beside me, matching concerned expressions on their faces.

They are father and son, but in this moment, they could be twin brothers they look so much alike.

“That’s better,” Hugo croons. “I think you were having a panic attack.”

I reach for his hand, needing to ground myself to something. His fingers thread through mine, giving me the comfort I need almost as much as the air.

“How did this monster get a snake into our house?” I croak, staring up at Hugo. “Why would they do this?”

His lips thin out and he scowls. Spencer holds up his phone and answers for him.

“It’s someone we know. Has to be. The code was disabled while I was gone.” Spencer’s jaw tightens and he spears his fingers through his hair, messing it up. “Fuck.”

Hugo’s grip tightens around my hand. “Why weren’t you here, Spencer?”

Spencer shrugs, evading his gaze. “I had shit to do.”

“What shit? You don’t have a job and college hasn’t even started yet!”

“I’m not your goddamn house sitter,” Spencer snaps back. “Lay off.”

“Stop,” I cry out. “Stop fighting. It doesn’t matter. I just want the cameras gone.”

Spencer hops to his feet and stalks out of the room. Hugo helps me up and then motions for my bathroom.

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