Broken Bond by C.J. Primer

27

MILES

“Knock, knock,” I call, gently rapping my fist against the wood of Nessa’s bedroom door as I push it open.

She’s curled up on her bed in the fetal position, her knees tucked tightly into her chest and a pillow clutched in her arms, hiding her face. She picks up her head when she hears me come in, frowning when our eyes meet and burying her face back in the pillow. “Go away, Miles,” she grumbles, her words muffled.

I blow out a breath, taking a tentative step into the room despite her protest. She’s been holed up in here for hours following that ugly scene in the kitchen this morning. Chase kicked Cal out right away, but I stuck around, figuring Nessa would come out eventually and need a shoulder to cry on. I iced my face and explained to Chase what went down between Cal and me, but then Vee woke up and called him back upstairs.

So I sat in the living room by myself for what felt like forever, bored as shit, waiting and waiting until I couldn’t take it anymore and decided to come seek Nessa out.

While she’s been over to my apartment a handful of times, I’ve never set foot in her space here until now. The other guest rooms in the packhouse are stark and impersonal, but Nessa has put her stamp on this one in the months since she’s moved in. Everything about it is distinctively girly, from the blush pink comforter on the bed to the black and white art on the walls- romantic prints of old -timey couples and vintage Hollywood starlets.

“I just wanted to check on you,” I offer, my gaze traversing her bare legs. “Make sure you’re okay.”

She peels her face away from the pillow and lifts her head again, narrowing her eyes on me. “Funny, aren’t you the one who got their face beat in?”

“Eh, wasn’t so bad,” I chuckle, advancing further into the room to glance at my reflection in the mirror over her dresser. I’m lying- it hurt like a bitch- but she doesn’t need to know that. The pain already feels like a distant memory. “Look, not a scratch,” I drawl, swiping a hand along my jaw as I turn back to her with a grin. “Perks of shifter healing.” I toss her a wink, but judging by her frown, she’s clearly not amused.

Guess she’s taking this whole bet thing harder than I thought.

Nessa hides her face in the pillow again and I shuffle closer to the bed, heaving a sigh as I sink down onto the edge beside her. “I know you’re upset about that bet, but you deserved to know. Cal…”

“Isn’t the only one to blame.” She lurches up into a sitting position, clutching the pillow to her chest protectively and glaring daggers at me. “You made that bet, too. And just whose idea was it to place a bet on me in the first place, Miles? Hmm?”

Well shit. She’s got me there.

I can’t exactly say I was thinking straight when I called Cal out about our bet in front of her. Honestly, I panicked- I know their history, and I saw the way he was looking at her. The way she looked back at him. In that moment, I could picture it all falling apart; him explaining himself, her forgiving him and leaving me in the dust. So in my panic, I lashed out with the first thing that came to mind to prevent that from happening.

Probably should’ve considered how it’d blow back on me, though.

“I mean… I didn’t know you back then,” I stammer, trying to find the words to somehow dig myself out of this hole. “If I did, I wouldn’t have…”

with a growl. “I’m a fucking person, Miles! My life isn’t a

back, caught off guard by both her icy tone and her use of profanity. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard sweet, calm Nessa use the f-word before, which tells me just how epically pissed-off

am I gonna talk my way

I admit, hanging my head. Deciding that humility is probably the best way to

pressing further, forcing me to own up to my role in the

My jaw twitches.

her, but I don’t really want to tell her the truth either and shift more of the blame onto myself. Or give her a reason to forgive Cal. Regardless of what went down with our bet, he still left.

the scowl from forming on my face and drawing my brows together. “He left you, Nessa.”

“That’s not

chew on the inside of my cheek, fighting an internal battle over whether or not I should admit to what really happened. Cal had have put her through that. I

things weren’t peachy at home since he avoided that place like the plague. I want him to be happy, I really do, but what if that happiness is at the expense of

the best policy, though, and I don’t want my relationship with Nessa to be built on lies. So, I swallow my

“Yeah, he did.”

been hit, blinking at me in surprise. “Then why didn’t you call it

he couldn’t fight me on getting him that part for his car that he’d wanted for so long.” I shrug a shoulder, offering her a wry smile.

darken. “As if making a bet over a person could

whole thing really backfired. Why the fuck did I have to bring up

really am sorry, Nessa.” I sigh, reaching out to take her hand in mine. “I don’t

her hand away with a scowl. “I think it’s a little late

stomach plummets, my heart slamming against my ribcage. Panic takes root inside me, worse than before, because it sounds like she’s about

She wouldn’t, right?

“Nessa…”

of her head. “I’ve dealt with a lot of shit, but this

indecision. There isn’t one. She’s clearly made up her mind about

I mutter bitterly. “I’m the one who’s been there for you

bed and pointing an accusatory finger at me. “I’m blaming you for your own.

I heave an exasperated sigh, scrubbing a hand

sure if I can trust you anymore.” She shakes her head sadly, picking up the pillow and scooching away. “Just