Hooked (A New Adult Romance) Read online

  “Now, here’s what I want you to do: You need a good woman. You’re too old to be single. I’ve had my eyes on a couple of lovely ladies across the bar, and before you object, you listen to me. I know people. And I can tell by the look of these fine ladies that they be quality women. And they don’t have wedding rings. Now I want you to go over and talk to them, and come hell or high water, I don’t care how you do it or how much money it costs, I want you to start a relationship! And I ain’t taking ‘no’ for an answer!”

  He lifted me up by the shoulders, turned me around, and pointed at two young women conversing at a corner table.

  And I’ll be goddamned if Zach wasn’t pointing directly at Ruby! Of the 1.2 million people in this city, he had singled her out!

  “Oh my fucking god,” I whispered, dumbfounded.

  “Yeah! See? Quality women! Now go talk to them!”

  Ruby

  Thankfully, I was able to get a hold of both my mom and Julie last night; I think I would have gone off the deep end if I weren’t able to talk to anyone. They each calmed me down and talked some sense into me in their own unique way.

  Julie, upon hearing the bad news, straightaway rushed over and spent the night to comfort me. She’s such a sweetheart.

  My mom, cool as a cucumber and ever the rationalist, suggested I firebomb Dan’s house and then visit her at my earliest convenience. I love my mom. She can always make me laugh.

  At the moment, Julie and I are sitting at one of her favorite bars downtown. She practically had to drag me out, but she insisted I get back into the world and get my life moving forward again immediately.

  “Thanks for getting me out, Julie. I’m sorry I’m not much fun right now,” I sniffed, twirling a straw in my glass of ice water.

  I had way too much wine last night. And after seeing the sorry, drunken state I had brought myself to, we both agreed that I refrain from drinking. Probably forever.

  “Hey, babe, it’s no problem. Trust me.”

  “I, I keep going back and forth,” I stammered. “I keep thinking that maybe I shouldn’t call the wedding off. Then maybe I should. Then maybe I shouldn’t. I ju—“

  Julie interrupted me midsentence. “Ruby, look: I know you’re having a rough time. I know you feel bad about calling off the wedding and disappointing everybody. But you have to get over this perception that you are to blame, that you are at fault, that you are letting everybody down. You’re not. Dan is. It’s your duty to call off the wedding.”

  “Oh I know, but what are people going to say about us?” I fretted pathetically. “I have no idea how to even bring this up with Dan.”

  “Sweetie, look. Forget what people are going to say. The wedding is off. Period. Send them the photo you took of Dan banging the redhead. That’ll say enough. As for Dan, you walk into his office, give him is ring back, show him the picture, and tell him it’s off. Real simple.”

  “Screw that! So he can turn around and give it to the redhead?” I retorted snappily. “I’ll pawn it, I’ll sell it, I’ll get some amount of money for it, but I sure as hell won’t give his ring back! It’s mine.”

  “Ha ha! Okay fine,” Julie laughed, almost knocking over her glass. “Always thinking, always calculating, aren’t you, Ruby? Say, do you want a refill on your water? I’m going to get myself another drink.”

  I nodded and slid my glass over to her.

  I watched as she approached the bar and waited for the bartender to serve her. All the guys in the room turned to look at her, as guys often do.

  Except for the two men seated at the bar. Julie was standing next to them, and they didn’t notice her, they were too caught up in conversation. Strangely, from behind, one of the guys looked exactly like Jake Bishop.

  ‘Get it together, Ruby!’ I reprimanded myself.

  Not wanting to draw too much attention, I stood up stealthily and moved slightly ahead and to the side of the table in front of ours to get a better look.

  OMG.

  It was Jake!

  I couldn’t believe it.

  Just then the guy sitting next to Jake turned to look at Julie. It was a casual glance, not a full on stare, but I quickly hurried back to my seat to make sure he didn’t see me.

  Julie came back a moment later.

  She must have noticed the change in my demeanor, because instantly upon returning she asked me what was up.

  “Oh, nothing,” I replied, playing it cool.

  She brushed it off and continued our conversation where we left off.

  But my eyes continued to dart from time to time to Jake and his companion.

  “What are you looking at?” Julie asked again after a couple of minutes, puzzled by my lack of attention.

  She turned to look in the direction of where my eyes kept flitting to, and slowly it dawned on her that I was checking out Jake and his friend.

  “Aw, so that’s what you’re looking at,” she smiled wryly. “You’re getting over Dan pretty easily.”

  “Oh hush,” I scolded. “It’s just that I know that guy up there. We went to high school together. The one in the grey t-shirt.”

  She turned to get a better look. “Oh, hey, I know him. He’s my boss’s cousin. I think his name is Jake. He’s super hot, and rich. I’ll introduce you, right now.”

  She got up rather quickly, and I panicked.

  “Sit down,” I hissed, clutching her forearm and pulling her back to the table.

  Apparently I was a little too loud, because several patrons turned to look our way.

  Fortunately Jake and his friend were too absorbed in their conversation to notice.

  Chapter 7

  Jake

  “What do you mean, ‘That’s the girl’?” Zach asked after I quickly spun him back around and forced him into his seat before Ruby and her friend could spot us.

  “That’s Ruby,” I whispered, still reeling from the fact that she was sitting only ten feet from us. “Don’t look, they might notice us.”

  Very casually I turned around to take one more peek.

  Yup, it was Ruby all right. And, oddly enough, her friend looked familiar, too. I took one more glance back; they were hunched over and talking in a way that made them look suspicious, like they were conspiring together in an act of terrorism, or maybe plotting to overthrow the government.

  “You can look, but be casual and quick about it,” I explained. “Ruby’s the one on the right, in the blue shirt.”

  Zach twisted to his side slightly as if he were looking at the people playing darts. “I can’t see ‘em real well; they’re turned a little too much away from us.”

  “Yeah, I know, but I’m telling you, it’s her.”

  “Who’s her friend?”

  “It’s funny, but I’m trying to figure that out myself. She looks familiar, but I can’t place her for the life of me.”

  I turned around one more time. Nice! No wedding ring!

  “Shit, dude. You know what? They’ve spotted you already. They sitting funny, like they don’t want you to see them.”

  “Huh. Really?”

  “Without a doubt. They on to you, bro.”

  I wanted to turn around but I didn’t.

  Part of the wall behind the bar was a mirror, and if I moved my head ever so slightly to the left I could peer between the liquor bottles on the shelving and the beer taps to get a good look at her.

  Just then she got up and walked over to the bathroom.

  My dick unexpectedly jumped for joy at the sight of her.

  Sweet Jesus she was fine!

  Who would ever think a loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirt and pair of sweatpants could ever look so good? Normally, I like girls dressed to the nines, but in Ruby’s case, she was so sexy she could have worn a used garbage bag and still look devastatingly attractive. Actually, it was a good thing she wasn’t dressed up: she would have probably stopped my heart right then and there, or at the very least given me a stroke.

  From the mirror I could see the other men
in the bar turn to stare at her. In my already frustrated state it was hard to watch. A couple of guys in particular really ogled her hard, all the way to the bathroom; I thought about going over there and bashing their faces in.

  Guys can be such tools.

  She returned a couple of minutes later, walking past the same two horny dinks. My blood positively boiled as they drank her in with lecherous eyes.

  “So man, you gonna go talk to her?”

  “Yeah, I should at least say ‘hi’ or something.”

  Of course I was going to say ‘hi’. I just wasn’t ready yet.

  Ruby

  “Really? You know Jake? Tell me about him.”

  “I don’t know much, other than he’s the cousin of my boss. He comes into The 69er frequently. I’d say once a month maybe.”

  “The 69er? How long have you been working there? You never told me that.”

  “Like, since, a year ago.”

  “Oh. Geez, we don’t get out much anymore, do we?”

  “Yeah girl, you’ve all but disappeared on me since you started nursing and dating Dan. How do you know Jake?”

  “Well, like I said, we went to high school together. Our social circles never really overlapped, so I don’t know him that well. But he liked me.”

  “Oh really?” Julie arched her eyebrow. “Do tell.”

  “It didn’t amount to anything. I blew him off. He was popular, and a total player, with a capital ‘P’. He was always getting into fights and trouble, and I wanted nothing to do with his promiscuous, dangerous lifestyle.”

  I paused for a second, reflecting on how he used to be. Then I continued, “How is he now? He still hooking up with every girl who catches his eye?”

  “Umm, I don’t know. I don’t think so. At least he doesn’t have that reputation at The 69er. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen him go home with girls before, here and there, but he’s not known as a player, that’s for sure. And when I think about it, just because he left with a girl doesn’t mean anything happened. There are plenty of douche bags at The 69er, but Jake isn’t one of them.”

  “What does he do there, then?”

  “Like I said, his cousin owns the joint. Jake has made quite a name for himself MMA fighting, and after he wins a fight he parties at The 69er with pals. The guy is sooo fucking hot! I have to admit, I have a little crush on him. Ooo, and he’s rich! Loaded with money from what he earns fighting. At least that’s what I’ve been told. I guess his older brother is hot, too. But he doesn’t live here; he’s in the military or something.”

  My interest was definitely piqued.

  I wondered if that was a bad thing.

  Jake’s a bad guy.

  Or at least he used to be.

  In any event, he’s not at all my type.

  I glanced over at him again. Every muscle rippled underneath his tight t-shirt, and tattoos covered his arms.

  He screamed ‘trouble’.

  At that moment Julie sat up, grinned enthusiastically, and leaned her face in close to mine. “You know what you need, Ruby,” she began with a sparkle in her eye. “You need a rebound! I should get you a date with Jake!”

  “Oh my god no! Stop!”

  I smiled for the first time that day.

  I didn’t mean to. I wanted to stay angry. But I couldn’t.

  “Oh yes! And what better way to move on than to have a rebound sex session with the handsome and wealthy Jake Bishop?”

  “Julie, really. Stop this nonsense!”

  “I’m serious. Shit girlfriend, you’ve still got your V-card! I mean, really, what are saving it for? Your dreamy Prince Charming? Sorry, honey, but he’s already screwing someone else. As much as I wish life were a fairy tale Hollywood romance, it isn’t. You’re still sexy as hell! He’ll love you, I’m sure. I’m going to introduce you to him right now.”

  “You absolutely are not,” I exclaimed through clenched teeth and with terror in my eyes. “You will do no such thing, Julie. Please.”

  Chapter 8

  Jake

  Just as I was about to get up and introduce myself to Ruby and her friend, a gruff voice called out from behind me.

  “Hey, ladies. How you doin’ tonight?”

  Without turning around I knew the voice belonged to one of the jerks who watched Ruby go to the restroom.

  Not a peep was heard from the women.

  “What? Cat got your tongue? Hey, I’m talking to you,” the guy sneered crudely.

  “Fuck off, creep,” Ruby’s friend growled. “Go crawl back into the sewer from where you came.”

  Zach and I looked at each other and chuckled quietly.

  “Ouch. Ya hear that, Cal? She says we ought a go back to the sewer, ha ha. Hey, we ain’t gonna harm ya.”

  “I said fuck off.”

  “Now wait a minute, we just wanted to get to know you ladies a little better, you know, in the touchy-feely sort a way.”

  Both men laughed twistedly.

  I sighed and gulped down the last of my beer.

  Time to put a stop to this.

  I hoped these worthless pieces of shit had good Obamacare plans, because they were going to need it.

  I got up and said, “Hey, man. They’re not interested. Leave them alone.”

  The douche bags turned in my direction. They looked like your stereotypical overall-clad hillbillies who would rape a man in the middle of the woods if they got the chance. How they ended up in a large, cosmopolitan city was a mystery to me.

  The bigger of the two stood up and got right in my face. He was a good three inches taller than me, but was so inebriated I knew he wouldn’t be able to put up much of a fight.

  “What’d you say, boy?” His breath smelled disgusting, like bourbon and cigarettes.

  I matched his gaze and looked him squarely in the eyes. “I said leave the women alone.”

  “Boy, you’re making a real big mistake,” he threatened, his bloodshot eyes burning deeply into mine. I could tell he was a moment away from springing, but I was ready for him. “I suggest you mind your own business and sit your pretty ass back down before I shred that pretty face of yours.”

  “I don’t think so, fag. You’re the one making the mistake. And if you and your buddy don’t leave my girl alone I’m going to ram the few remaining teeth you have down your fucking throat and out your ass.”

  Did I just say ‘my girl’?!

  Jesus Christ I did!

  I do need professional help.

  No time for that, though, because instantly the man’s jaw clenched tightly, his eyes grew wide, and his face turned bright red.

  I guess he didn’t like being called a ‘fag’.

  A second later he released a right hook with all his might, which sadly wasn’t much.

  Without flinching I caught his fist with my left hand. Then I began to squeeze and twist.

  Two small crackling, crunching sounds came from what was probably his scaphoid and third or fourth metacarpal.

  “Ow! Aww! Shit, motherfucker! Let go of my hand!” he screamed.

  Stillness settled over the entire establishment; all eyes fell on us.

  Suddenly his partner got to his feet and rushed towards me. With my right fist I landed a sharp blow to his face. The women jumped and gave a frightened little shriek as he crashed loudly onto a table.

  I continued to apply pressure to the other man’s hand and arm, bringing him to his knees. He whimpered and begged like a little girl to be released.

  “Okay, shit-for-brains,” I said threateningly, bowing over him. “I’m going to give you some options. First option: I release you, you apologize to these women, then you get you and your friend’s sorry ass out of here. Second option: I jack your arm until every bone, tendon, ligament, and nerve is severed, stretched and or broken, rendering your hand permanently useless. Your choice. What’s it going to be?”

  “Ah, ah, okay, okay, jus’ lemme go,” he begged. “Please lemme go, I’ll do anything you want, just don’t break my
arm!”

  I released him.

  Immediately he cradled his broken hand.

  “Sorry, ma’am,” he mumbled pitifully without looking at either of them. Then he helped his buddy to his feet and out they went.

  I straightened up and walked over to where Ruby and her friend were sitting.

  “Hey, sorry about that. You ladies okay?”

  They both looked up at me with big doe eyes and nodded.

  “Hi, Ruby. I’m Jake Bishop,” I said, extending a hand. “I went to high school with you.” Up close Ruby appeared slightly tired and disheveled, as if she was going through a rough patch.

  “Yeah,” she squeaked, taking my hand with frightened eyes. “Uh, how have you been?”

  Her hand was soft like a flower petal; her voice still rang divine after all this time.

  What is wrong with you, Jake?

  “I’ve been good. Keeping busy. Uh, anyway, I’ll let you get back to your conversation. It was good running into you. Have a good night.”

  “Yeah. Good seeing you, too,” she smiled weakly. “Thanks again. Bye.”

  Ruby

  “Oh my god,” Julie gushed as soon as Jake and his friend were out of earshot. “I can’t believe what I just witnessed!”

  “Tell me about it,” I exhaled as I watched them exit the bar.

  We both sat silently for a minute as our brains processed what had occurred only minutes ago.

  “That was so fucking hot,” Julie declared. “I thought fight scenes like that only happened in movies.”

  “Yeah,” I replied absentmindedly.

  Maybe I should fuck Jake Bishop—he would be all the rebound I need, and then some. I sighed, harkening back to my grim situation with Dan—and with men in general.

  But god is he hot.

  And he’s only gotten hotter.

  Julie is right. Saving my virginity for a mystical Prince Charming is stupid. Why bother? Maybe I should be a promiscuous little whore. Whores have more fun…

  I could whore it up with Jake; an experienced guy like him could certainly fuck a virgin the way she needed to be fucked.