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

Nessa had come to

express her doubts as to what really happened last year. She’d told

didn’t believe I killed that

the fact that I’d already told her exactly how

up, folding her hands in her lap. “Well yeah, but I think he gave us enough to go on for now,” she replies, a determined glint in her eye. “If Troy was

was a setup, then maybe we can find a way to get to the

him answer for what

})

this about justice, or is it about trying to clear my name?” I interrupt,

“Because I was there, Ness. Whether it was

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

as she peers up

rasp, staring into her wide brown doe-eyes. The question

break eye contact, but for

can’t read her

lip between her teeth, wringing her

the last bit of distance

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 there

so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

((

The moment of truth. The

giving me my

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

Maybe if

to her

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

should’ve left.

to meet mine, and my chest squeezes painfully at the connection. “I know I can’t change my past or the pain I caused you, and I’ll regret the way I left every day for the rest of my fucking life. But I’ll never regret

change that for a thing.”

burns as I turn away,

I

Ward the door.

“Wait.”

My muscles lock

freeze in my

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

my throat tightening.

((

lifting her other hand to cup my jaw, warmth blooming beneath her

I never stopped. So

As long as you can promise me

heart trips over its valves. One

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 lips to let me in and hiking a

lick her teeth and tangle my hands in her hair. She’s pressing against me

to the

fading

Every encounter

has been building up to

the tension between us

as we give in.

my lips, fingernails digging into my shoulder blades like she’s trying to anchor

She doesn’t have

anywhere.

I’m not going

in response, kissing my way to her jaw. I lick a path down the column of her neck, sucking marks into her silky

her to wrap her thighs

dresser and

process. Neither of us

shirt up my torso, fighting to get it past my shoulders. I stumble back a half step

while she tears off her own. My gaze immediately drops to her flushed chest, her round,

a white cotton

my lip, stifling a groan.

girl is fucking perfect.

Her cheeks are rosy, her lips puffy, her hair mussed. “So fucking beautiful,” I think aloud, tucking my fingertips

band of her bralette

gloriously. I dive forward to capture her mouth again, kissing her hungrily as I palm her gorgeous tits in both hands, kneading the supple flesh and pinching her stiff nipples. She squirms and

I trail kisses down her neck, along

over the swell of her breasts. Her fingers tangle in my hair as I bite

and cries falling

spreading over my scalp as

pop, stumbling back when she shoves at my chest. Even then, her words haven’t quite registered,

dresser, covering her tits with an arm and

That’s when it clicks- the damn thing is still open. She pulls it closed and

predator, the painful strain of my hard-on against my zipper

in Nessa’s eyes

my approach

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

out,

“Callum

trembling against my

ear

in my hair. I press a forearm against her belly to pin her securely against the door, lapping up her sweet nectar like a man starved. I growl

her hands fisting

regrets. Every pant, every mewl, every breathy whisper of my name on her lips drives me fucking

on my jeans, scrambling to shove them down and release my throbbing cock from their confines. Nessa’s legs are still trembling when I shoot to my feet, throwing one of her thighs over my

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 I want to, but damnit if it’s not taking

Nessa moans, rocking

Wrapping my arms around

fingernails dig into the backs of my shoulders as I pull out halfway and slam back home again and again, the door rattling on its hinges

my hold on them, and I

as I

into her with