Hooked (Never After, #1)

by Emily McIntire

The sound jumps through the silence, scratching against my insides. My teeth grind as my eyes shoot open, my ears straining for that incessant noise. Crouching down, I take the handkerchief from my breast pocket and reach into my uncle’s jeans, pulling out his gold pocket watch.

I’ve never been to Massachusetts, but I’ve heard about the lack of heat. So while the temperature change from Florida is a shock, it isn’t wholly unexpected. Still, as I shiver in my tank top, the light breeze blowing across my arms, I can’t help but wish I had stayed behind instead of choosing to follow my family to their new home in Bloomsburg.

I’ve always been a daddy’s girl, even though he makes it difficult. I’d hoped, after the move, that he’d slow down. Make more time for his family instead of constantly searching for the next big thing to sink his teeth into. But Peter Michaels is never one to settle. His thirst for new ventures overpowers his ache for a family connection. Being named the Forbes top businessman for the fifth year in a row means he has a lot of opportunity in that regard. And being the owner of the biggest airline in the Western Hemisphere means he has lots of funding for said opportunities.

“And do what?” I ask. Honestly, I was hoping to just head home and relax. I’ve only been here for a little over a month, and I’ve been working so much that I haven’t had a night to spend with Jonathan. Although he’s in the teen stage of “I don’t need anyone or anything,” so he may not want me around anyway.

Roofus—known to the world as Ru—is the only person in my life worthy of my trust. He saved me from hell, and I’ll never be able to repay that debt. But the courtesy only extends to him, which makes it difficult when he decides to bring new people into our operation.

Apparently, the legal drinking age is more of a suggestion here than an actual requirement. Embarrassment slams into me as I think of all the people outside, watching Maria yell because the bouncer didn’t fall for my fake ID. I’m not surprised. I don’t look a thing like Angie’s sister. I was two seconds away from dipping into the closest cab and bolting, but then a blond man in a fitted suit walked out and whispered in the doorman’s ear. Next thing you know, we were led to a VIP area.

I know her, of course. The daughter of the man whom I’ve been keeping tabs on since I was eleven years old. Her father stashes her in the dark now that she’s older, most likely to keep her safe from the unsavory side of his business, but when you’ve lived your life following a man’s legacy, you learn everything about him, including the shape of his shadows.

The truth is, things have been rather boring as of late. I’m salivating for something new to sink my teeth into, and Wendy Michaels is the perfect pet project. I’m giddy at the thought of taming her until she purrs, then sending her back with a new master controlling her leash—a beautiful harmony as I conduct the symphony of Peter’s destruction.

He’s not wrong. I suppose I do mother him more than a normal sibling would, but I’m all he has. Our mother died when Jon was barely one, a fatal car accident from a drunk driver. And although I’ll never admit it out loud, my dad definitely doesn’t give Jon the time or attention he deserves. It’s a sore spot in our relationship, one I don’t like to focus on for too long.

My shoe taps against the stone tile of the JR’s basement floor. I smile, remembering when Ru fought me on installing it, wanting to stick with concrete instead. But I insisted. Concrete is porous, harder to clean. He was thankful for it after realizing that having a cement dungeon in the bottom of a bar would have looked far more suspicious when the feds sniff around.

I chew on my bottom lip, worrying the flesh. My father has always been a busy man, but he used to make time for me. Over the years, he’s slowly slipped further and further away, and now I don’t know how to reach him. I’m not sure how to convince him that we need attention too.

Maybe people never change, and it’s only our perceptions that alter the view.

While I appreciate the sentiment behind his words, they cause a cramp to spear the center of my stomach regardless. Ru may think he knows my purpose in this life, but even he doesn’t know the truth. He doesn’t know that my father moved from America when he was just shy of twenty, becoming the premier businessman in all of England. That I was born into the life of luxury and until his death, there wasn’t anyone on earth I looked up to more. Ru doesn’t know that every second since has been spent focused on vengeance against the man responsible.

Heat prickles along my back, making my hair stand on end. I peer from the corner of my eye and see Maria’s face change, her lips drooping ever so slightly. Glancing the other way, I notice Angie’s gaze flickering between the man at my back and me.

Dipping my mouth to my glass, I force the bitter liquid down my throat. I don’t even like red wine, but I wanted to fit in—be sophisticated—instead of admitting I didn’t really want a drink at all. My chest pulls tight, not sure why I bothered when everything has gone to shit anyway since he walked over.

My office at the JR is the largest of all the back rooms. It used to be Ru’s, but I convinced him to switch, citing the need for the en suite shower. He doesn’t necessarily do any dirty deeds, so he didn’t put up a fight, but there are certain occasions that call for stains to be washed from my skin.

Plenty of men have tried to woo their way into my heart, all with an agenda in their smile. Their gazes were sweet, but it was only a matter of time before their eyes lit up for my father in a way they never did for me. Not that I fell for them in the first place. I learned at a young age—six, to be exact—that people were more interested in how I could serve their well-being instead of them caring about mine. Even children understand the sting of loneliness, and when my mother died, everyone I had grown to depend on slipped away. As if I were the problem. As if my grief was too much of a burden for them to bear.

“And if you’re a good girl, maybe I’ll show you the real reason why my mouth should be illegal.”

Luckily, Ru didn’t ask questions, most likely assuming she was something quick for me to enjoy. If he thought about it long enough, he’d realize I’ve never had a random girl in the office, only Moira, and only when I need the release. But people see the world through a personal lens, and sometimes it’s easier to believe what you think is true instead of having to figure out others. Generally, this works in my favor.

My heart soars with his sweet caress, but soon enough, as if the fire licking my veins is reflected in his actions, he deepens the kiss, his tongue prying my mouth open. I moan at his taste, my stomach somersaulting at the way he completely consumes me. Heat shoots through my middle and throbs between my thighs, and I fling my leg over his to straddle him, my center coming to rest directly on top of his lap.

“Do me a favor, pet.” “A—anything,” I stutter out. “Grind that sweet little pussy on me until you make a mess all over my lap.”

The teakettle boils on the stove, and I stare at the backs of my hands as they grip the counter. That—what happened earlier with Wendy was unexpected. But Christ, the way she came apart under my fingers, the way she begged me to cut off her air supply and trembled beneath my touch, had me dangerously close to losing control.

Giddiness flows through my veins like pixie dust flows through a junkie, my mind racing a thousand miles a minute. I’ve been waiting for years to see Peter Michaels face-to-face, and the moment is finally here. Sooner than I originally anticipated, but welcome nonetheless.

She grins, grasping a folder under her arm as she makes herself comfortable on the dark leather couch. She’s beautiful in a spritely sort of way. Slim and petite, with a button nose and wispy bangs. But I can’t help the envy that swirls deep in my gut, knowing she gets untapped access to my father’s attention while the rest of us pray for a drop.

Meeting with Peter put everything back in focus, his death so close I can smell it in the air. Now I just have to convince Ru that striking a business deal with him won’t work in our favor. I will be extremely irritated if my plans become more difficult because our business starts depending heavily on his.

Well, that’s not true. I know some things, like he has a ridiculous nickname, and he apparently has so much clout in this town that said nickname is as good as gold. But for someone who says I’m his, I feel like he’s nothing more than a stranger.

So seeing Wendy walk into my bar wearing the exact baby-blue dress from the first night I saw her, it does things to me. Sends pleasure skating through my insides, knowing that she did it for no other reason than to please me. Like a good pet.

And sure, we haven’t talked yet, haven’t had the meaningful conversations I’ve always imagined I’d have with the person who I give my firsts, but for some reason, this feels like enough. Like he already knows me without needing to speak. It’s possible I’m making a mistake. Maybe I’ll wake up in the morning and regret my choice, but right now, I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life.

It’s been years since my mind has been quiet. Even longer since I’ve been able to relax, even in the comfort of my own home. But last night, I fell deep into a dreamless sleep and woke up wrapped around Wendy’s curves.

As our car was loaded on the ferry, my nerves ramped up to the point where I could barely focus on the small talk between James and Jon—the two of them taking to each other like ducks to water. But once we’re back on land, I’m able to focus in, and my chest warms as I listen to James give attention to my brother the way I always wished our father would. And at some point, I know I’ll need to give up my naive view of him. I’ll have to stop remembering him as the dad who lifted me on his shoulders and told me I could help him run the world and start seeing him as the stranger who likes to keep me small and useless.

“Just remember that whenever things feel bleak, all situations are temporary. It’s not your circumstance that determines your worth, it’s how you rise from the ashes after everything burns.”

The trip to Rockford Prep took longer than anticipated, but I felt it important to let the headmaster know what I expect of his staff when it comes to Jonathan Michaels. I’m not sure why I feel such a kinship with him. Maybe because he’s Wendy’s brother, and since she’s mine, by proxy he is as well. Or maybe it’s because I see so much of myself in him. I notice the way his muscles tense, defending against an offense he knows he can’t control.

“This is not up for discussion, Wendy.” His voice is stern, and it cuts through me, making my lungs cramp in my chest. He speaks as though I’m a child, unable to care for myself. As if I’m not intelligent enough to handle the truth of whatever’s going on.

I pull again, and my body jerks forward before falling back against something hard. My brain is sluggish, like driving out of a storm only to end up in thick fog, but as I start to wake, I realize that I am definitely not lying down. And my arms are stuck.

My head tilts as I glare up at him. “You’ve said a lot of things, Hook. Turns out I really, really don’t give a damn about a single one.” The curse words feel strange as they fall from my lips, but right now, they’re all I have. I know they bother him, and since I can’t break free and scratch his eyes out with my nails, I have to settle for what I’ve got.

It’s been three days since I took Wendy from her home and stashed her in the basement of the JR. In that time, I’ve felt more emotion than the previous fifteen years combined. My nights are restless in a way they’ve never been before. Dreams of Ru rising from the grave and telling me how I’ve failed him keep me wide awake and frazzled.

I close my eyes and lean my head against the window, allowing the rays of the sun to soak through the glass and into my skin. There’s a constant heaviness that lives inside me now, but in this moment, I grasp on to the little bit of relief at finally being in the light. I have no idea how much time has actually passed, but when you’re stuck in the dark with nothing but your thoughts, a second feels like a century.

I’m undecided on what to do with her after the gala. Part of me wants to throw her back in the JR’s basement and let her rot. It’s no less than what she deserves. The other part wants to tie her to my bed and use other means of forcing the truth out of her. It infuriates me that she still acts as though she’s innocent. Like she has no idea what she’s done.

The heat of Hook’s palm sears my hip as we walk into the main ballroom. It’s beautiful, as these events usually are—chandeliers drenched in crystals and tables set for kings—but I’m not impressed. I wasn’t lying when I told him I’ve been to a thousand. My father has deep pockets, and that makes him a renowned guest at many charity functions.

“Dad?” she gasps. She starts to rise from her chair, and my grip on her thigh tightens, holding her in place. She turns to me, her brows drawing in, and I cock my head, meeting her gaze and holding it.

The realization splits through me and breaks the lock on all the things I let go unsaid, all the times I’ve wanted to strike back but nodded and smiled instead. I know Hook is most likely going to hurt me for lashing out, but I can’t find it in me to care. Finally—finally—being able to speak my mind is liberating. And when Hook not only allows it but encourages it, I feel like I have someone at my back.

Hook is silent in the limo ride, but I can feel the rage pouring out of him and infusing the air. It’s thick. Suffocating. My eyes flick from him to the streets whizzing by, wondering if he’s angry with me and asking myself why I care.

Still, the JR was our biggest front to clean the money, and in the end, it had more of a personal meaning. It was where I grew up, where I learned how to be Hook instead of just a monster bred inside a cage. Sure, there are other businesses we own, a few strip clubs on the edges of the city and a nightclub in the center of town, but the JR was home.

I tilt my head. It’s the first time I’ve heard anyone else call him that, and it makes me wonder just how close he and Smee are. He told me once that he doesn’t pry into Smee’s life, but I can’t imagine he lets just anyone call him by his given name.

And while I no longer wish to use her for nefarious deeds, I don’t want to leave her alone and chance her running away. Not that it would matter much. Despite her snark and attitude, she hasn’t taken off the necklace I’ve placed around her throat. And as long as she wears that, I’ll find her anywhere.

Curly sits behind the office desk, scrolling on his phone, and Moira, for some reason, has taken it upon herself to keep us company. Her glare is hot as it rakes down my insides, and I smile wide at her, hoping that it’s tearing her apart to know that Hook has me here. She brought clothes, but I declined them, not able to help the spark of pleasure that simmered in my chest when she took in what I was wearing.

I grip on to her fiercely as her tongue tangles with mine, wanting to bathe in her taste to drown the memories that are overtaking my mind. I was this close to losing it. Fear and fury pumped through my blood until all I could see was red, but I held it together, waiting to hear the name Tina Belle drop from Tommy’s lips.

“But I regret, with every fiber of my being, that for even one moment you suffered under my hands.”

“You are, without a doubt, the only good I’ve ever known.” I rest my forehead on hers, my shaky breaths ghosting across her lips, my thumb rubbing against her cheek. “So don’t lie to me, Wendy darling. Because my heart won’t survive it if you do.”

It’s in this moment that I know, as wild as it seems, that I love her. And that terrifies me more than anything else ever has.