Broken Bond by C.J. Primer

15

Callum

“Do you have any coffee?” Nessa asks, her sweet voice pulling me from sleep.

I peel my forearm away from my eyes, squinting them open to look up at her. She’s bouncing on the bed on her knees beside me, clad only in those little red panties and one of my old t-shirts. She looks sexy as sin with her bedraggled hair and sleepy eyes, the hem of my shirt sweeping the tops of her bronze thighs.

How the fuck is it possible that she looks this good first thing in the morning?

“Top shelf of the cabinet next to the fridge,” I grumble, licking my lips as my hungry gaze traverses her body.

“Thanks!” she chirps, leaning in to give me a peck on the cheek before shuffling off the bed and padding out of the room. My eyes linger on her bare legs until she disappears through the doorway, heading down the hall and to the kitchen.

I blow out a breath and tuck my arms behind my head, my mind conjuring up memories of last night as I hear the coffee start to brew. The little cries of pleasure that left her lips. The way her pupils were blown, eyes clouded with lust. The way she wrapped those long legs around me and rocked her hips against mine, taking everything I had to give her like she was fucking made for me. 2

It may have been her first time, but she was so sexy and confident, so uninhibited. Last night was a first for me, too. It was the first time I actually connected with a woman while getting intimate; the first time I put her needs and pleasure before my own. The first time I slept beside someone else all night, and the first time I cuddled.

Yeah, we fucking cuddled afterwards, and you know what? I don’t regret a single thing.

I got the best night’s sleep of my life with Nessa wrapped up in my arms, her head against my chest, her warm breath fanning my skin. I didn’t even have to shove my earbuds in and turn music on to fall asleep, I just listened to the sound of her soft breathing and for once, the quiet didn’t bother me.

I trace the pads of my fingers along my lips, remembering how she sunk her teeth into them as I pushed deeper inside. I held back because I was afraid I’d hurt her, but she took it all and even asked for more. Fuck,

I’m rock hard again just thinking about it.

The sound of a knock at the front door of my apartment rips me from my delightful daydream and I sit up in bed, wondering who the hell could be here at this hour. It isn’t even ten yet, for fuck’s sake.

Maybe they’ll just go away.

Then I hear the deadbolt unlocking and the creak of the hinges, bolting out of bed at the 2016 realization that Nessa has taken it upon herself to answer the door. 3

“Oh hey,” she greets, a friendly lilt to her voice.

“Hey yourself,” I hear Miles reply as I stumble into a pair of sweatpants, darting out of my bedroom and down the hallway to intercept him.

His gaze lifts to meet mine when I emerge from the hall, a shit-eating grin spreading across his face. “Long night?”

“Something like that,” I grumble, raking a hand through my disheveled hair.

Nessa peeks over her shoulder at me as I approach, smiling sweetly with a blue ceramic coffee mug clutched in her hands. I slide up next to her and wrap an arm around her waist, tucking her into my side possessively and leveling Miles with a warning glare.

He’d better not say something stupid.

“I’m gonna go take a shower,” Nessa says casually, passing me the coffee, lifting up on her tiptoes, and planting a kiss on my cheek.

I turn to watch her walk away, my eyes fixated on the way the hem of my t-shirt brushes her upper thighs. Something about seeing her in my clothes triggers this primal, possessive part of me and has my wolf preening. The feeling quickly warps into agitation, though, when I turn back to Miles to see that he’s also watching her, a smirk on his lips. I ball my fists at my sides, resisting the urge to punch that stupid look off his face.

“Looks like I’ve gotta pay up,” he chuckles, nudging me with a fist. “A deal’s a deal.” 3

dropping my voice low. “I told you the stupid bet was

over your spot on the mission, so

a little too loudly for my liking.

call it a wash then,” I murmur. The only way that fucker is getting my spot on the

my debts,” Miles replies matter- of-factly, folding his

holding up my end

Nessa calls from the bathroom, and I glance that way, my blood turning to ice in

she hear our conversation? 1

me

My heart’s pounding in my chest as I abandon the coffee on the counter and make my way down the hall toward my bedroom, my feet slapping against the vinyl plank

ask warily, glancing around the

her head out of the shower around the curtain, tendrils of wet hair clinging to her face. “Do you have any conditioner? Or just this weird three in one stuff?” She blinks,

face to mask

over her pert

interrupts me before I can answer.

fuck is it now?” I groan, fisting my hair as I glance toward the hall. I turn back to her,

pulling the curtain back over as I back out of the bathroom, stomping toward the front door as another knock

a fucking death

deadbolt, pulling open the door with every intention of taking my friend’s head off. I’m caught off

to ruin my goddamn day.

I can step in front of the doorway to block his entry, Troy shoulders his way inside like he

learn to start picking

get him

do you want?” I ask, agitated. I kick the door shut behind me, following him

to face me. “You need to come home for dinner

Troy murmurs. “We have some things

my eyes on him

pockets, a slimy grin sliding across his face. “Come to dinner and

“I’m busy.”

said

“Doesn’t matter.”

asks, eyeing me with disdain. ” You’re an unemployed high school dropout.”

an opportunity to point out my shortcomings. “Been busy with Chase,” I mutter, knowing that the one thing Troy can’t argue against is me being of service to our pack’s future alpha. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that he resents the fact that Chase and I are so close, so it’s a way to dig back at him. “He’s going through a lot, he

onto the floor. “I

fists at my sides. I shove them into

a brow.

soft footsteps in the hall draws both of our gazes in that direction and my heart leaps

from the hallway, running her fingers through her wet hair. She’s wearing her denim skirt and cropped t-shirt from last night, and she freezes when she sees Troy, her eyes

Fuck.

gaze slides from Nessa back to me. “Well, aren’t you going to introduce

fuck, fuck.

I

he supplies, sticking out his hand

and I curl an arm around her waist, pulling her backwards into my chest. I wrap both