Broken Bond by C.J. Primer

26

CALLUM

I stuff my keys into the pocket of my jeans as I climb out of my Corvette in front of the Norbury packhouse, staring up at the familiar building for the first time in months. The last time I was here, the trees out front were skeletal branches and there was a dusting of snow on the roof. Now, summer is at its peak. The trees are lush with foliage, the lawn a vibrant green. Even in my absence, time has continued to march forward, relentless in its pursuit of the next season.

I take a steadying breath, digging the heels of my hands into my eyes. I haven’t slept. After last night, I couldn’t. I smoked enough weed to put a lesser man into a coma, but my racing mind wouldn’t give me enough of a reprieve for sleep to take over. Every time I closed my eyes, all I saw was her.

That pained look on her face when she said I broke her will haunt me for the rest of my days. When I met Nessa, she didn’t have any damage. That was what was so damn rare and beautiful about her. She didn’t see the world for the dark, ugly place it is, but instead saw the good in everything, even me. The Nessa that confronted me last night wasn’t the same girl I left behind, though. All the agony written on her face, the defeat in her eyes, was fresh damage. Put there by me. I took a beautiful, pure thing, and I broke it.

I thought I was setting her free by leaving, but instead, I was destroying her.

And I don’t know how to fix it.

Chase’s white truck screams into the driveway right as I take my first jerky step toward the packhouse, stopping me in my tracks. Just the man I came to see. I swivel and start toward the driveway instead as he cuts the engine and climbs out, greeting me with a lift of his chin as he slams the truck door closed behind him.

“You’re up early,” Chase comments as he rounds the back of the truck, a cardboard drink carrier in hand. Nestled inside are three paper cups from the fancy-ass coffee shop in the town square, the Brewed

Awakenings logo emblazoned on the cardboard carrier.

“Didn’t sleep,” I mutter as I close the distance, stopping short in front of my friend. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Uh, you’re gonna have to give me a little more context,” Chase grumbles, sliding the drink carrier onto the tailgate of his truck, folding his arms, and leaning back to rest. against the bumper.

“Nessa,” I deadpan. “You said she was fine after I left. Happy, even.”

Chase winces, heaving a sigh and shaking his head. “Fuck, I know,” he mutters, fisting his hair and staring down at the driveway. “I know.”

“So why didn’t you tell me she wasn’t?” I demand, stepping closer and barely keeping my rage in check. None of this is Chase’s fault, but I need somewhere to cast the blame right now. If I point it where it truly belongs, I’ll self-destruct.

He lifts his head, guilty eyes meeting mine. ” I wanted to, bro. I did.” He blows out a breath, his arms dropping to his sides. “But honestly, what difference would it have made?”

I just stare back at him, blinking. I don’t have an answer.

“You made your choice when you left,” Chase continues. “You went away on that mission, and I wasn’t going to distract you with what was going on here and let you go and get yourself killed.”

“You still should’ve told me,” I growl.

He folds his arms over his chest again, arching a brow. “Would you have come back?”

I shove my hands in my pockets, kicking at the pavement as I mutter, “I don’t know. Maybe.”

Honestly, I didn’t even ask about Nessa the first few times I called Chase to check in while I was away. I didn’t want to know; couldn’t face what I’d done. At least he gave me a heads-up about Miles before I came back. Fuckin’ Miles.

Chase blows out a breath, pushing off from the truck and stepping closer. He reaches forward to clap a hand down on my shoulder, my eyes snapping up to meet his. The gesture and his demeanor remind me so much of his father that I nearly do a double take.

“Listen, man. You’re like a brother to me. Nothing will change that. But I wouldn’t be a good friend if I didn’t call you on your bullshit. You care about Nessa, don’t you?”

“Of course I do,” I snap, shrugging his hand off my shoulder as something in my chest. pinches painfully.

on the mission. She would’ve understood. Leaving like that was just wrong. You want to know how she

cut through me like a dagger to the chest, ripping open something inside and making me bleed. I shake my head, gritting my teeth against

You wouldn’t understand.”

dropping my defenses. I let him see everything I’m feeling- the regret, the anger,

a sharp edge to his sympathy, like he understands but won’t offer his pity. Good. I don’t need it, nor do I deserve it. I was the

let Troy get to me that night. I let him twist me into thinking I was no good for Nessa; that I could lose control someday and hurt her in a way I

that I’m back. Now

it was the right thing to do, why does it still

breath, my eyes shifting to the drink carrier perched on the bumper of the truck. “Since when do you drink that hoity-toity shit from Brewed

corner of Chase’s mouth tips up into a smirk. “Vee claims their caramel lattes are the ultimate hangover cure,” he chuckles, stooping to pick up the carrier. “And judging by how she tied

tease, the ghost of a

Though I probably could’ve waited to

As far as I knew, Vee was the only female living

his eyes on me, swiping a hand over his chin.

left unsaid last night, and if I ever want to sleep again, I need to get

his head. “I don’t know, man, is now the right time? You haven’t slept. You look

best friend and all, but my wolf doesn’t like it

and too many conflicting emotions, dangerously close to

mutters, starting for the packhouse and waving for me to follow.” But if Vee wakes up and sees you, it’s

Nessa. I have no idea how, but I have to try to make her understand why

the kitchen where I spot her perched on the edge of the counter, bare legs swinging. I balk when I see Miles

sleepy. Fuck, I miss her just rolled out of bed look. Miles, on the other hand, is fully dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, his hair styled and his sneakers on his feet. He looks too put together to have just woken up,

of him touching her

meet mine, rounding in surprise as she pops a cherry in her mouth from a bowl nestled on her lap. Of course she’d eat cherries for breakfast. No wonder the girl smells like them all the time.

I take a few steps toward her, avoiding Miles’ heavy stare completely, even as he shifts closer to

can we

Swallows. Then she just stares at me, her indecision

Nessa shifts the bowl off her lap to set it on the counter beside her and hops down,

giving me a

to grab Nessa by the

fucking hand off at the sight of

to hear, but I don’t miss it, nor do I miss the tension in his posture or the

worried

his fingertips tighten around her wrist.

flicks his hand away, shaking her head resolutely. “I’m fine,” she supplies, sweeping her hair over a shoulder and taking a confident step in my direction.

pinging to me.

I scoff, squaring my shoulders and leveling

me in challenge, and judging by the tight scowl on his face, I already know that the next words out of his mouth

already won

Fuck.

snaps around. She gapes

gaze back on me. “What

into keeping my rage in check. The guy may be one of my closest friends, but I’ve