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 how

it, even. Now, I don’t want anything from him except for him

do you want from me, Troy?” I sigh, leaning back in the recliner

fingertips

me to apologize for being born?”

thin. “We discussed it the last time we spoke, though it seems

least he’s cutting right

didn’t,” I reply smoothly. “I put in a good word for Spence, just like you asked me to. Problem is, the position you were

across his face again. ”

the grin that pulls at my lips.

might, Troy can’t hide the indignation that permeates his features. His posture stiffens as his eyes

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 the one with the upper hand.

in disbelief. ” You can’t accept

I

draws a steady breath, his composure slowly returning. “Because our alpha doesn’t know what you did. I’d

makes you think I

interrupt,

into my

nor the

into the sofa, a

smile creasing his

you to be an

had,” he says matter-of- factly. “Friend or

pack at risk by

loose cannon.”

fingers flex against the armrests of the recliner as I suppress my instinctual reaction. I won’t let him

me. Especially not if this plan has any hope

say calmly, just as we

someone who isn’t afraid to

be done.

killer instinct.”

scoffs. He shakes his head in disbelief, his composed mask slipping again. “You almost pissed yourself that night,” he chuckles. “Cried

I wanted you to

I press on, sticking to the script. “And it worked, it got me out of being punished. But I knew what I was doing when I lured that woman upstairs. It went exactly

his head back on a maniacal laugh. “How you’d planned?!” he barks. ” Oh, that’s

my 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 there, you saw her,” I say with an arrogant wave of my hand.

she was paid to be,”

Bingo.

goes ramrod straight,

it

all along.

did I never

there that night, waiting in the wings. My mind races, and I

did this, Chase

to him; the reason

rank for himself in the past and was repeatedly passed over. Vaughn speculated that after Troy’s own

his son, and given how

saw the writing on

Spencer. And if that were the case, it could’ve been his motivation to push

much fucking sense to be

think you’re so clever, huh?” Fuckface chuckles dryly,

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

think if you own what happened that night, it somehow makes you special?

You’ve always been weak, crying when I sent you to time-out, crying

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

son.”

Wait, what?

she died,” I stammer, trying to conceal