Broken Bond by C.J. Primer

36

CALLUM

It’s going to storm.

I can smell it in the air even before I hear

the faint echo of thunder in the distance, a warning of what’s coming.

We need the rain. The blistering summer sun has made the grass brittle, the forest foliage withering with thirst. Even the river is lower than I’ve seen it in years, in desperate need of a top-up. Sitting

outside on the patio behind the packhouse, there’s an unmistakable

energy in the air, almost like the parched landscape is quivering in anticipation for the storm to roll in.

Within myself, the storm is already raging. It has been for a long time, born in a dark room in a basement, fed by

anger and resentment. Until I found the

one person who could calm it: Vanessa

Diaz, my muse, my light.

“You good?” Chase asks, his eyes still bloodshot from the joint we smoked.

I grunt in affirmation, nodding. My own high is already gone, but the weed calmed me down as it worked its way through my system, tempering my agitation. Pulling the skeletons out of my closet over the last week has taken its toll. Rehashing things with Rob didn’t particularly bother me; it was the reason behind it that

struck a nerve. I was fine right up until I saw that hopeful look in Nessa’s eyes, like

she was searching for some way to excuse my past indiscretions. Like she needed

some sort of validation that I’m not a cold

-blooded killer.

I’d give anything to go back and change that night, but I can’t. What’s done is done, and it’s a stain I’ll bear on my soul

for the rest of my life. There’s no excuse or hidden explanation, it just is what it is; I am what I am. I thought she’d come to terms with it, but seeing that look on her face tonight, I realized that sweet,

virtuous Nessa may not ever be able to reconcile the man with the monster. 3

That’s what made me break.

Chase leans forward in the wrought iron patio chair, fixing me with a solemn stare. “Ready to go back in?”

I nod again, thankful that he sat out here with me until I got my head on straight but recognizing that this isn’t really his battle. It’s up to me and Ness to figure out our shit; whether we’ll be able to make this work now that all the cards are on the table. I was hopeful until I saw that look. Now, I’m not so sure. 2

Chase pushes up from his seat first,

leading the way back inside. The girls are

still on the couch, both of them craning

their necks to look over the back of it with

wide, curious eyes as we enter. Nessa’s gaze collides with mine and she

immediately hops up, not breaking eye

contact as I stride over to her.

“Can we talk?” I ask as I reach out to take

her hand, my thumb gliding over her

knuckles.

“Yeah,” she breathes, almost in relief. She threads her fingers with mine, stepping out from around the coffee table and tugging on my hand. “C’mon.”

I’m glad she wants to have this

conversation in private. Not that I have

anything to hide anymore, but it seems like Vienna is always glaring daggers at me these days. I suppose I understand. I can’t fault her for wanting to protect her friend, and truthfully, I appreciate the

fact that Nessa has someone like Vee in

her corner.

I nod to Chase and Vienna as we leave the room, the latter giving me a hard look, as if to say ‘don’t fuck it up’.

Yeah, I’ll try not to.

We’re both quiet as I follow Nessa down the hallway that houses the guest roo our feet treading softly against the

hardwood floor. When we arrive at the last door on the left, she turns the knob to open it, dropping my hand as she strides inside and flips on the light.

I’m immediately greeted by her scent- even if she hadn’t led me to this room, I’d know it was hers by the sweet smell of cherries that hangs in the air. And if that failed me, then I’d definitely know it by a single glance inside. It’s feminine and romantic and so perfectly her, exactly

how I’ve always imagined her space would look if I was invited in.

Nessa strides over to the bed, breathing a

heavy sigh as she sinks down onto the edge, coasting her fingertips over the

fluffy pale pink comforter. She kicks off her shoes as she crosses one long tan leg over the other, then plants her palms behind her, leaning back and beckoning me with a flick of her head. She’s the picture of a sweet girl nextdoor fantasy, my pulse racing as I stand frozen in the doorway, practically drooling. We need to have a conversation, but those legs, those eyes, that coy smile tugging at the

corners of her mouth…

It takes me a second to snap out of it and push those nefarious thoughts aside. I stride further into the room, moving closer but keeping enough distance so I’ll still be able to think straight. I stop in front of the dresser positioned across from the bed, folding my arms over my chest and leaning back against it, gazing at Nessa as I draw a slow breath.

“You were hoping Rob would have more to say,” I murmur, not as a question, but

a statement. When we sat

disclosed that Nessa

doubts as to what really happened

believe I killed

that I’d already

her hands in her lap. “Well yeah, but I think he gave us enough to go on for now,” she replies, a

maybe we can find a way to get to the truth

answer for what he did.

})

name?” I interrupt, pushing off the dresser and taking a

there, Ness. Whether it was a

mean for it to come out as harsh as it does. She stills, her throat

swallow as she peers up

into her wide brown doe-eyes. The

doesn’t break eye contact, but for

can’t read her

lower lip between her teeth,

the last bit of distance between us. Reaching down,

finger under her chin, tipping it up. My throat tightens at the sight of the raw vulnerability in her gaze. “If there’s nothing else to the story, if it happened exactly how I say it did, is

you could hear a pin drop.

((

it. The moment of truth. The one that’ll change everything.

away, giving me my

chin and take a jerky step back. It was too much

Maybe if I’d

her with

before, when things were good between us, she could’ve accepted my past. I fucked it all to hell when I left her. There’s too much pain

should’ve

painfully at the connection. “I know I can’t change my

we had. I wouldn’t change

burns as I turn away,

I

Ward the door.

“Wait.”

My muscles lock

and I freeze in my

suddenly she’s right in front of me, staring up into my eyes as she

pulse races, my throat

((

hand to cup my

after you left, I never

long as you can

trips over its valves.

frozen, and the next, I’m lunging for her, grabbing her by the hips and yanking her body into mine. I slam my lips down over hers, swallowing her little gasp of surprise as I claim her mouth in a desperate, filthy kiss. She reacts with equal urgency, clutching my face and tugging me impossibly closer, parting her

tangle my hands

the floor, but

else fading

encounter since I

has been building up

the tension between us

we give in.

me again,” Nessa gasps against my lips, fingernails digging into my shoulder blades like

She doesn’t have

anywhere.

I’m not going

jaw. I lick a path

palm her ass, lifting her to wrap her

the dresser

in the process. Neither of us pay

my torso, fighting to get it past my shoulders. I stumble

immediately drops to her flushed chest, her round, perky tits

a white

into my lip, stifling a

about this girl is fucking perfect.

Her cheeks are rosy, her lips puffy, her

of her

as I palm her gorgeous tits in both hands, kneading the supple flesh and pinching her stiff nipples.

I trail kisses down her neck, along her

Her fingers tangle in my hair as I bite and suck her nipples, the

falling from her

Nessa whines, pinpricks of pain spreading over my scalp as she yanks on my

pop, stumbling back when she shoves at my chest. Even then, her

dresser, covering her tits with

clicks- the damn thing is still open. She pulls it closed and

the painful strain of my hard-on against

Nessa’s eyes as she

approach intently,

the door and drawing heavy breaths. As soon as I reach her, I drop to my knees, yanking her shorts down her legs with my descent. Her panties come off with them, and she gasps as I wrench her thighs apart, diving right in to lick a hot path up her center. 2

out, her

“Callum

trembling against my

ear

her belly to pin her securely against the door, lapping up her sweet nectar like

her hands fisting my hair

her lips drives me

sucking her clit while fumbling with the button on my jeans, scrambling to shove them down and release my throbbing cock from

groan, squeezing her hips tightly as I inch deeper inside. It’s been a while, so I’m trying to hold back from pounding into her the way

moans, rocking

my hips forward, gliding into her tight channel easily since she’s so damn wet for me. Wrapping my arms around her thighs, I pin her

on its hinges with every forceful thrust. A

my hold on them, and

my waist instead as

her with