Page 74 of Blissful Hook

"You're six months older than him, Tyler."

"Is this some sick fucking joke?" I hiss before clenching my fists and throwing one straight through the living room drywall, unable to hold myself back any longer. "Fuck!"

The sound vibrates through the room as broken pieces fall to the floor, covering the wood in a thick layer of dust and leaving the beam that I punched exposed as I grunt in pain. I don't have time to feel a blimp of regret or guilt about the mess before I'm shaking my busted, bloody hand in the air to help ease some of the pain.

"Do you really think that I would joke about this? I've known you for years—treated you like a son without knowing that you've been my blood the entire time. That's the sick joke!"

The force behind his shouted words smacks me in the face and brings me back down to earth. Brooks has always been a father figure to me—teaching me more about the world than I would have been able to learn from any book or movie and disciplining me when I let my anger and hatred for the world get out of control. This all feels like some sort of heartless joke. Lord knows I deserve to feel this knife twisting in my gut. But there's also a tiny shard of hope flickering in the anger and betrayal that this is real. That I wasn't always alone as I thought I was.

"I don't know what to say," I sputter, and I mean it.

"She knew you deserved better than her, Tyler. I think that's why she told me after all these years. In her fucked up way, she loves you enough to let you be happy without her. She trusted me to take care of you."

I shake my head at him and slam my open palms into my forehead before sliding them behind my head. "She didn't just willingly give me up. She wouldn't do that to me." I hate that I don't know if I'm trying to convince him or myself. I feel a hand squeeze my shoulder tightly, grabbing my attention as I steal a quick glance in his direction.

"She didn't give you up. She's letting you start over."

"What if I didn't want to start over? Huh? Why does she get to make that decision for me? It's not fair!"

"She had her chance, Tyler. You can't force someone to change who doesn't want to change."

"But she's my mom." I can hear my heart being thrown through a grinder by the crack in my whimpered words.

"Maybe she'll find her way back to you when she's ready. She'll always be your mom. But right now, she's no good for you. You know that."

He's right. I know he is. But that doesn't make it any easier. "What now? What are we supposed to do now?" I ask as I push myself away from the wall and wipe a hand down my wet face.

"I have no fucking clue," he laughs. There’s only a fleck of humour in the rough sound. "I guess we take it one day at a time."

"Does Braden know?"

He nods his head. "Yes. He has an awful habit of eavesdropping." A loud rumble sounds outside, followed by the slam of a car door.

My eyebrow cocks as I stare at Brooks, silently asking him if he's expecting anyone when the front door is swung open with enough force for the door handle to dig into the wall behind it.

"Tyler?"

A weight lifts from my chest as soon as I see Gracie come running into the room. My sweatshirt covers most of her body and her messy hair hangs out of the ponytail flopping against her back. She's jumping into my arms without a second thought to the watchful eyes around us and I grab her thighs with ease, holding her in place. I close my eyes and press my forehead to hers, letting her familiar scent calm me down.

She smells like home.

"I was so worried," she whispers, warm breath hitting my lips as she uses her thighs to squeeze my waist.

"I told you I would be okay."

"Braden told me everything." Her words are soft as she runs her hands through my hair. I meet Braden's eyes over Gracie's shoulder and roll my eyes when his fingers form a V around his mouth before he flicks his tongue between them. His childish behaviour makes it hard to be upset with him for telling Gracie, but lord knows that I probably wouldn't have been able to do it on my own. It's hard to stay mad at that fucker, that's for sure.

Gracie slides back down a few seconds later before wrapping herself around my arm and eyeing up the other two men. "So, what now?" A choir of mixed laughter floats around the room as we all shake our heads at the beautiful blonde.

One day at a time, baby. One day at a time.

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