Page 9 of Snagged By Hook

Perfect.

Hook decided blackout drunk was called for. It wasn’t Nova and her rejection that were riding him, but what it had brought to the forefront of his mind. Shit he’d dealt with and buried a long time ago, but her rejection was there with a shovel raspinginto the earth of his brain and exhuming shit that should never again see the light of day.

Gwen met him as soon as he entered and led him to the couch. With her sitting in his lap, he licked the valley between her breasts. Her skin tasted like perfume, and she was doing nothing for him sexually.

Limp as a noodle.

Squatch whistled, gaining his attention from the pool table, where he’d racked up the balls and needed a partner.

“Sounds like a swell idea to me,” he called from the couch before he stood on drunken legs.

Expending some energy, knocking some balls around seemed like it’d help. Maybe not as much as knocking heads around, but he had to make do with what was available. He could take out some tension on the table and the rest later.

“Best two out of three,” Hook offered after they’d each won a game. “No slop this time,” he groused as he racked the balls.

“I’m not the one relying on slop, brother,” Squatch said below his breath, but Hook heard it anyway.

As the game dragged on, Squatch started singing to the same damn tune he had since Devin arrived. Only the lyrics changed.

“I just don’t know, man. Should I take that chance? If shit works out, we can have fun and part on good terms. Everything will be golden. If it doesn’t, it can fuck up everything with my club brother.”

“Dude. Just shit or get off the pot already, damn.” Hook sank his next-to-last ball.

“I can’t.”

“Yes, you fucking can. Either talk to Croon or don’t. Either fuck her or don’t, but quit fucking whining about it.”

Hook knew he was being an asshole, but his brain was ripping itself apart. The past was clawing to the front of his thoughts.

His brother’s parting words from decades ago were pinging around his brain like the billiard balls banking off the sides of the table. Their exchange was playing out in living fucking color behind his eyes.

“You’re twelve now. My freedom is finally bought and paid for,”he’d said as he shoved his clothes in a duffel.

“What do you mean, Casey?”

His brother turned on him with cold eyes and a Playboy in his hand.He slapped the magazine against Hook’s chest.“Take this. Think about the blond in the center. It’ll help. To a certain point anyway,”he’d said bitterly,shouldering the duffel and heading for the door.

“Wait.”Hook stood to follow. “I don’t understand. You’re my brother. I need?—”

Casey turned furiously.“I’m not. And if you don’t understand by now, you’re a fucking idiot, and there’s nothing I can do to help you.”He turned again,and as he fled from their room,his last words echoed after him.“If you’re smart, Jeremy, you’ll pick an older one than I did so you can get away before your soul is completely destroyed.”

The full scope of his brother’s words and deeds didn’t sink in for some months after that.

“Shit, Hook. No need to be a dick. I’m just sharing my problems with you and looking for a little advice.”

For a big guy, Sasquatch was probably the most in touch with his feelings than anyone else. It was a true contradiction. Most days Hook was happy to be there for any of his brothers, but the past was riding him like he was the longshot at the Kentucky Derby.

Hook thrust his cue forward, and before the cue ball made impact with the eight ball, he tossed the cue stick to the floor. He knew the words about to spill from his mouth he couldn’t take back, and Squatch would never see him the same again, buthe couldn’t stop them. Lord knew if he could chew them up and choke them down as he’d done for the last couple of decades, he would’ve, but it was too late.

“I’m broken!” he shouted. “I’m the last person qualified to give you advice on whotofuck. I spent too many years without that choice. My brother bought his freedom from that same hell with me, and when I had the chance to buy mine the same way—” He cut himself off. He’d said way more than he ever intended to. Squatch was looking at him with shock, not judgment, which just made him feel worse.

The fire had burned out in his head, leaving just ash and char in its wake. “Just make your choice, brother. Life’s too short to wait to act. Best case scenario, you get a happily ever after. Worst case, you get your ass handed to you and a few months of dirty looks. Believe me, neither choice is so bad you can’t handle it.”Especially if there’s a chance for your happiness without costing someone else theirs,Hook added mentally.

“Hook,” Squatch breathed out with sorrow and a million other soft feelings that he wasn’t equipped to handle while the past was busy fucking him.

“Gwen!” Hook shouted and snapped his fingers. She appeared at his side before Squatch could say another word. Hook couldn’t even look at him.

On the outside, he was a grown-ass man with ink every-fucking-where one could ink. One who could and did make his own choices, but inside, in that moment, he was a twelve-year-old fresh-faced boy who was popular with the ladies hismotherchose for him who wasn’t allowed to say no.

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