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

him see it. He’s never tried

his love- craved it, even. Now, I don’t want anything from him except for him to

you want from me, Troy?” I

fingertips against the

to

his patience wearing thin. “We discussed it the last time we spoke,

he’s cutting right to the chase.

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

his face again.

grin that pulls at

permeates his features. His posture stiffens as his eyes narrow in rage, steam practically coming out of his ears.

to be ruffled. It’s so damn satisfying to see him

shakes his head in disbelief. ” You can’t accept the position, you know

not?” I scoff.

alpha doesn’t know what you did.

makes you think

interrupt, frustration

into my tone.

doesn’t miss it, nor the tight set of

into

smile creasing his lips. “He

you to

had,” he says matter-of- factly. “Friend or not,

at risk by granting rank to

loose cannon.”

flex against the armrests of the recliner as I suppress my instinctual reaction. I

plan has any hope

he asked me, actually,” I say calmly, just as we rehearsed. “He said

someone who isn’t afraid to do

be done. Someone with

killer instinct.”

his composed mask slipping again. “You almost pissed yourself that night,” he chuckles.

what I wanted you to

lie tastes bitter on my lips, but I press on, sticking to the script. “And it worked, it got

“How you’d planned?!” he barks. ” Oh, that’s rich. As if a woman like that would’ve picked up a

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

to

Bingo.

spine goes

Nessa was right- it

all along.

did I never see

this time, I never thought to examine why Troy was there that night, waiting in the wings. My mind races, and I open my mouth to speak, but

we did this, Chase let

Rob had mentioned to him; the reason behind Alpha Vaughn’s suspicion of Troy.

obtain pack rank for himself in the past and was repeatedly passed over. Vaughn speculated

project that onto his son, and given how close Chase and I were,

the writing on the

case, it could’ve been his motivation to push

makes sense. Too much fucking

Fuckface chuckles dryly, shaking his head.

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

if you own what happened that night, it somehow makes you special? That you can use it to your advantage?”

been weak, crying when I sent you to time-out, crying when you thought you’d killed that whore. I paid her

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

son.”

Wait, what?

she died,” I stammer, trying to conceal the tremble in my