Broken Bond by C.J. Primer

38

CALLUM

“I was beginning to think you were avoiding me,” Troy mutters dryly as he

forces his way past me into my apartment.

My muscles lock up as his shoulder knocks into mine. “Yeah, well I knew you wouldn’t stop calling until I picked up,” I

grumble.

I glare after my stepfather as he strides right into the living room like he owns the damn place, and all the effort I put into calming myself prior to this interaction is immediately wasted at the sight of him in my space. My jaw ticks in agitation, fingers twitching at my sides. I’m not fond of anybody intruding on my space, Nessa being the only exception.

That’s who I’m really doing this for. My

girl is an idealist; she can’t abide not seeing wrongs righted, so if there’s one to uncover here, I’ll try, for her. I finally picked up one of Troy’s calls this

morning and told him he could come over for a chat, though I still have doubts about Chase’s plan actually working. It’s

clever, but he doesn’t know Troy like I do. It’d take a sledgehammer for this man to

crack.

“Your mother’s hurt that you haven’t stopped by since you returned,” Fuckface comments as he sinks down onto my

sofa, throwing an arm over the back and settling in.

“I doubt that,” I snort.

He gives me a once-over, the corners of his eyes crinkling with a smile. “You’re right. She hasn’t even asked about you.” 7

He’s clearly wasting no time in trying to get under my skin. He should know by

now that I’m not phased by my mother’s indifference, though. I just shrug, striding into the room and taking a seat in the recliner on the opposite side, maintaining a detached, aloof exterior even though I feel bile crawling up my

throat.

Realizing his first barb didn’t land, Troy switches tactics. “Pity about that girlfriend of yours,” he murmurs as he picks a piece of lint off the sofa, flicking it

away.

My pulse picks up speed. Damnit. “What about her?” I grit out.

That patronizing grin of his that I fucking hate makes a swift appearance, my stepdad delighting in managing to strike a nerve. “Spencer said he’s seen her out with Miles,” he says, attempting to twist the knife. When I don’t immediately react, he presses on. “It must hurt, seeing her move on so quickly. And with one of

your so-called friends, no less.” Troy sucks in a hissed breath through his teeth, feigning a wince of sympathy. “You did the right thing, though, breaking that

off. Glad to see you took my advice to

heart.”

“We’re back together, actually,” I mutter before I can stop myself. I wasn’t

planning on revealing that little tidbit of information to this asshole, but seeing him sitting on my couch looking so smug, it just slips out. This is what he does; burrows himself under my skin until my knee-jerk reactions overpower rationality.

Troy’s brows shoot up, his impenetrable mask slipping momentarily. Then he fucking chuckles, like my life is all some big joke to him. “Interesting,” he tuts. ” Surprised you’d want her back after

another man had her.”

“You wanted Mom.” 13

I see the split-second reaction, the curl of his lip, the flash of anger in his eyes. But just as quickly as it appeared, he smooths it over, schooling his expression. “Well, I certainly hope she isn’t pregnant,” he muses. Pausing, his eyes narrow, that familiar look of hatred swirling behind them as he fixes me with a venomous gaze. “I’d hate for you to have to see what it’s like to live with another man’s

mistake.” 7

see it. He’s never tried to hide

kid, I wanted his love- craved it, even. Now, I don’t want anything from

from me, Troy?” I

fingertips against

want me to apologize for being born?”

the last time we spoke, though it seems that you’ve

least he’s cutting right

I reply smoothly. “I put in a good word for Spence, just like you asked me to. Problem is, the position you were

face again.

the grin that pulls at my

can’t hide the indignation that permeates his features. His posture stiffens as his eyes narrow in rage,

widening. I can’t help it- this guy never allows his feathers to be ruffled. It’s so damn satisfying to see him being the one to squirm for once, knowing that for the first time, I’m

” You can’t accept

I

draws a steady breath, his composure slowly returning. “Because our alpha doesn’t know what you did. I’d hate to be the one to have to tell

you think

interrupt,

my

doesn’t miss it, nor the

back into

creasing his

asked you to

if you had,” he says matter-of- factly. “Friend or not, no alpha would put

risk by granting rank to

loose cannon.”

flex against the armrests of the recliner as I suppress my instinctual reaction. I won’t let him see that he’s

not if this plan

say calmly, just as we rehearsed. “He said

someone who isn’t

needs to be done. Someone with a

killer instinct.”

again. “You almost

wanted

wanted Alpha Vaughn to see.” The lie tastes bitter on my lips, but I press on, sticking to the script. “And it worked, it

on a maniacal laugh. “How you’d planned?!” he barks. ” Oh, that’s rich. As if a woman like that would’ve picked up a seventeen-year-old brat willingly.”

of my neck prickling. Somehow, I keep it together, though. Somehow, I press on, without missing a beat. “You were

to be,” Troy

Bingo.

goes

Nessa was right- it was a setup. Troy

all along.

did I never

why Troy was there that night, waiting in the wings. My mind races, and I open my mouth to

Chase let me

to him; the reason behind Alpha Vaughn’s

in the past and was repeatedly passed over. Vaughn speculated

onto his son, and given how

saw the writing on the wall;

for pack rank over Spencer. And if that were the case, it could’ve been his motivation to push me out of the picture.

Too much fucking sense to

so clever, huh?” Fuckface chuckles dryly, shaking his

back up to his, and for a second, I think he’s caught onto what I’m. trying to do here.

it somehow makes you special? That you can use it to your advantage?” His

Cal. You’re a fucking embarrassment. You’ve always been weak, crying when I sent you to time-out, crying when you thought you’d

she thought it was hilarious, a prank between a father and

son.”

Wait, what?

stammer, trying to conceal the