Broken Bond by C.J. Primer

27

MILES

“Knock, knock,” I call, gently rapping my fist against the wood of Nessa’s bedroom door as I push it open.

She’s curled up on her bed in the fetal position, her knees tucked tightly into her chest and a pillow clutched in her arms, hiding her face. She picks up her head when she hears me come in, frowning when our eyes meet and burying her face back in the pillow. “Go away, Miles,” she grumbles, her words muffled.

I blow out a breath, taking a tentative step into the room despite her protest. She’s been holed up in here for hours following that ugly scene in the kitchen this morning. Chase kicked Cal out right away, but I stuck around, figuring Nessa would come out eventually and need a shoulder to cry on. I iced my face and explained to Chase what went down between Cal and me, but then Vee woke up and called him back upstairs.

So I sat in the living room by myself for what felt like forever, bored as shit, waiting and waiting until I couldn’t take it anymore and decided to come seek Nessa out.

While she’s been over to my apartment a handful of times, I’ve never set foot in her space here until now. The other guest rooms in the packhouse are stark and impersonal, but Nessa has put her stamp on this one in the months since she’s moved in. Everything about it is distinctively girly, from the blush pink comforter on the bed to the black and white art on the walls- romantic prints of old -timey couples and vintage Hollywood starlets.

“I just wanted to check on you,” I offer, my gaze traversing her bare legs. “Make sure you’re okay.”

She peels her face away from the pillow and lifts her head again, narrowing her eyes on me. “Funny, aren’t you the one who got their face beat in?”

“Eh, wasn’t so bad,” I chuckle, advancing further into the room to glance at my reflection in the mirror over her dresser. I’m lying- it hurt like a bitch- but she doesn’t need to know that. The pain already feels like a distant memory. “Look, not a scratch,” I drawl, swiping a hand along my jaw as I turn back to her with a grin. “Perks of shifter healing.” I toss her a wink, but judging by her frown, she’s clearly not amused.

Guess she’s taking this whole bet thing harder than I thought.

Nessa hides her face in the pillow again and I shuffle closer to the bed, heaving a sigh as I sink down onto the edge beside her. “I know you’re upset about that bet, but you deserved to know. Cal…”

“Isn’t the only one to blame.” She lurches up into a sitting position, clutching the pillow to her chest protectively and glaring daggers at me. “You made that bet, too. And just whose idea was it to place a bet on me in the first place, Miles? Hmm?”

Well shit. She’s got me there.

I can’t exactly say I was thinking straight when I called Cal out about our bet in front of her. Honestly, I panicked- I know their history, and I saw the way he was looking at her. The way she looked back at him. In that moment, I could picture it all falling apart; him explaining himself, her forgiving him and leaving me in the dust. So in my panic, I lashed out with the first thing that came to mind to prevent that from happening.

Probably should’ve considered how it’d blow back on me, though.

“I mean… I didn’t know you back then,” I stammer, trying to find the words to somehow dig myself out of this hole. “If I did, I wouldn’t have…”

growl. “I’m a fucking person, Miles! My life isn’t a damn game for you

off guard by both her icy tone and her use of profanity. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard sweet, calm Nessa use the f-word before, which tells me just how epically pissed-off

talk my way out of this one?

that humility is probably the best way to go in this situation. “It was stupid.

further, forcing me to own up to

My jaw twitches.

her the truth either and shift more of the blame onto myself. Or give her a reason to forgive Cal. Regardless of what went down with our

unable to keep the scowl from forming on my face

not what

I should admit to what really happened. Cal had have put her through

that place like the plague. I want him to be happy, I really do, but what if that happiness is at the expense of my own? Do

answer. No obvious solution. Honesty is always the best policy, though, and I don’t want my relationship with Nessa to be built on lies. So, I swallow my doubts and my own stupid pride, and I

“Yeah, he did.”

back like she’s been hit, blinking at me in surprise. “Then why didn’t you call

breath and stab my fingers through my hair. “Because at that point I already knew he’d win, and if he did, he couldn’t fight me on getting

a bet over a

did I have to bring

Nessa.” I sigh, reaching out to take her hand in mine. “I don’t want this to

hand away with a scowl. “I

plummets, my heart slamming against my ribcage. Panic takes root inside

She wouldn’t, right?

“Nessa…”

a firm shake of her head. “I’ve dealt with a lot of shit, but this is too

any flicker of indecision. There isn’t one. She’s clearly made up her mind about where she stands on this whole thing,

the one who’s been there for you these

and pointing an accusatory finger

wasn’t just me, though!” I heave an exasperated sigh, scrubbing a hand over my

She shakes her head sadly, picking up the pillow and scooching away. “Just go,” she murmurs, turning