Page 74 of The Tangle of Awful

Dad dismisses the latter statement too quickly with a sharp wave of his hand. “It’s not Neena.”

“Because she’s such a great mom who wouldn’t hurt her own daughter?”

“Neena would happily take the credit for something that violated your family. I don’t see her around rubbing it in your face.” He diverts his gaze. “Neena isn’t a problem anymore.”

A cold rain tickles over my flesh. It’s not the first time my problem-solving father has been on my radar for my suspicions about Neena’s whereabouts. I don’t think he’d have it in him to kill her, but I’m not so sure he wouldn’t pay someone to do it for him.

“Anymore?”

Dad leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees, eyes finally meeting mine. “She wouldn’t be caught dead touching a snake. No, this is someone more ruthless.”

“More ruthless than my wife?” I ask in astonishment.

“She was your wife. She’s nothing to you now.”

Was?

“We’re still married,” I say slowly.

“Only because she’s unavailable for a divorce,” Dad growls. “We both know you have papers sitting locked away in your desk just waiting for her signature.”

He’s not wrong.

“You need a protection detail,” Dad continues. “I can have someone watch the house twenty-four seven.”

The last thing we need is someone watching us. Our family secrets would be even more vulnerable to public scrutiny than they are now. Not everyone on Dad’s payroll is perfectly loyal to him. He may be naive enough to believe that, but I don’t think for a second we can trust some security guy.

“It’s fine,” I assure him, flashing him my politician smile that soothes people because it exudes confidence. “The code is changed and cameras are gone. We’re going to make sure Aubrey isn’t ever alone outside of the house until we figure out who’s doing this. We don’t need security. We need a private investigator looking out, not in.”

Dad studies me for a bit and nods. “I’ll get someone on it. Jude can pass on anything he’s found. We’d get further if your brother ever left his goddamn house.”

Dad and Callum don’t get along because Dad stole his girlfriend when he was a teenager.

The reason Dad doesn’t get along with Jude is because he wants Jude to snap out of the trauma that shaped him into the recluse he is. Nearly every time they see each other, Dad suggests a therapist.

Dempsey is the rebel who’s always getting in trouble and Gemma is a doll he must protect at all costs.

I’m the only child of his that he doesn’t fight with, need to fix, or protect. The golden son. The favorite.

Would I retain that status if he knew I had my tongue in my teenage stepdaughter’s pussy?

“I’ll leave you to get back to it,” Dad says, rising to his feet. “Don’t worry. We’ll figure this out and then you can focus on what’s important. Becoming attorney general. Love you, Son.”

I tip my head at him. “Love you too, Dad. Can you send Aubrey back in?”

He leaves and then a few seconds later, Aubrey reappears. She remains standing in the doorway, arms folded over her perky tits and a guarded expression on her pretty face.

“Come in,” I instruct, voice firm. “Close the door.”

She remains rooted in place and lifts her chin. “I’m kind of busy. Can it wait?”

“No. Please shut the door and come here. I want to talk with you.”

Her shoulders drop and she lets out a sigh. Slowly, she closes the door but stays close to it. “What do you want to talk about?”

I study her, taking in every slight twitch of her face muscles. She’s hiding something from me. My gut tells me it’s about Spencer.

“What happened?” I demand, a flash of anger popping like a firecracker in my chest.

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