Broken Bond by C.J. Primer

40

CALLUM

I don’t typically get nervous. Agitated and pissed off, sure. Annoyed, definitely. But nervous? It’s not a frequent state for me, at least it wasn’t until recently.

Since I returned from the mission, it’s like

I’ve lived in a constant state of

apprehension. Coming clean about my past and trying to win Nessa back came with a heavy dose of nerves, as did confronting Troy, but after successfully navigating all of that, I thought I was finally in the clear. Troy was exiled last week. Nessa has remained by my side, and we’re closer than ever. I can’t remember a time when I’ve been more at peace that I have been this week, but now here I am again, a fumbling, uneasy bundle of nervous energy as I walk with Nessa up to the front door of her family’s house.

“You’ve already won me over, but now you

have to win my parents.”

That’s what Nessa said when she invited me to this dinner, and my anxiety has been on overdrive since. I’ve never been great with parents, and the thought of coming face to face with these people after I abandoned

their daughter and broke her heart has me feeling physically ill. Sure, we’re back together now, but that doesn’t undo my past mistakes. Nessa may be giving me a clean slate, but I doubt her parents will be as forgiving.

“You ready?” Nessa asks, pausing with her hand on the knob of the front door and looking back at me with an encouraging smile.

I blow out a breath, nodding slowly. “Ready as I’ll ever be,” I mumble past the lump in my throat.

She leans in, cupping my jaw in a palm and brushing her lips against mine. “You’ll be fine,” she reassures. Her touch and scent

send a wave of calm rushing through me, but then Nessa twists the knob to open the front door and I follow her inside, stepping into a scene that can only be described as

utter chaos.

Right after I step over the threshold, a hockey puck flies at my head and I bob out of

the way at the last second, my head whipping around to see it collide with the

wall beside the door. 2

“Marco, Matias!” Nessa calls sharply, turning a glare on a set of pre-teen identical twins running through the foyer with

hockey sticks clutched in their hands. “You know the rules,” she admonishes.

“Yeah, yeah,” one of them sighs, rolling his eyes as he skids to a stop. “Not in the house.”

“Exactly,” she tuts, stooping down to pick the puck up off the floor. She hands it back to the kid and ruffles the top of his dark hair, much to his chagrin. “You’d better go put those sticks back in the garage before Mom

and Dad see.”

The twins scamper away, groaning, and a high-pitched yell draws my attention to the stairs, my eyes widening when I see a blur of motion as a younger boy shoots down them riding atop a red plastic sled. He picks up so much speed by the time he reaches the bottom that he goes crashing into the wall opposite the stairs with a loud thump, laughing hysterically when he lands in heap on the floor.

2

Nessa rushes over to help him up, her eyes wide with concern. “Raf, are you okay?!”

“That was awesome!” another young boy calls from the top of the stairs, jumping up and down excitedly. “Bring it back up, I wanna try!”

Nessa whips around, glaring up at him and pointing a finger. “Absolutely not! No more sledding down the stairs.”

The real-life crash dummy- Raf, apparently

– is still laughing like he just had the ride of his life. “Lucas, you have to try it!”

“No,” Nessa repeats, confiscating the sled from him as soon as he picks it up off the floor. “Go wash up for dinner, little

menace.” She shoos him away with a pat on the back, then pulls open the door of a small coat closet and stuffs the sled inside to hide it.

“Mom!” a shrill voice calls out, followed by a very angry looking teenage girl stomping into view from the upstairs hallway. “Mia got into my makeup again!” She freezes when she looks down and sees me standing in the foyer, her face flushing with

embarrassment before she whips around and runs out of sight.

“Did not!” a tiny voice replies defensively, and I turn to see a little girl in a bright pink dress skipping into the foyer, the evidence of her lie all over her face in the form of a truly awful makeup application. She lights up

when she sees Nessa, her face splitting into a

wide smile. “Ness!” she squeals, running up to her and launching herself into her arms.

“Hey, little one,” Nessa laughs, scooping up the small girl and balancing her on a hip. You know you’re not supposed to be playing in Elena’s makeup.”

“I wasn’t,” she protests, but then Nessa

gives her a hard look that has her heaving

a

sigh and coming clean. “I only used a little

bit. I wanted to look like Princess Aurora.”

Nessa shakes her head, an amused giggle slipping from her lips.

The little girl in her arms suddenly spots me, brown eyes widening as she points a finger in my direction. “Who are you?”

throat, shuffling my feet, and Nessa turns around with a bright smile.

Callum,” she provides. “Callum, this is my littlest sister,

your boyfriend?” Mia asks

((

incredulously.

to set her sister down. “Go wash that makeup

all about him. Use the makeup wipes in

delight, rushing off in a blur of

warned you that my house can be a little crazy

steps closer and reaches out to take my hand.

brow, smirking.

of shit lately, but since we came out of it, she’s been laughing more and more. It’s quickly becoming my

Nessa urges, tugging my hand to lead me from the foyer into the

in again as we weave

the living room. floor, making our

of the house.

feels like a real

but never believe exists in real life. My own house was always devoid of all that, cold and empty like a tomb. Tidy and sterile, in stark contrast to

within its

the stove while her father carries platters of food over to the table. Mrs. Diaz is bopping along to an old Billy Joel song blaring from a small speaker that effectively drowns out the noise emanating from the rest of the house. Nessa clears her throat to announce our presence, and both of her parents look toward the doorway,

with a warm embrace. He drops a kiss atop her head, stepping back to give her a once-over. “We’ve missed you, Mija.” He lifts his head to glance in my direction, greeting

you again, sir,” I say politely, forcing the words

throat.

levels me with

to have a talk, son.”

out, a cold

washing over me.

on, Dad, can’t we get through dinner

my hand

stoic expression. He looks to me again, beckoning me with a flick

finish getting the table

stiffly, dropping Nessa’s hand and following her dad to the sliding glass door off the kitchen, my heart racing as we step

father, my guts are so twisted up that

over my face, because he gives me a tight smile as he moves closer,

wanted to say so many times, but now that I’m standing here across from Nessa’s father with his tight-set jaw and sharp expression,

up in

shuffling my feet on the concrete patio below. “I

But she’s giving me another chance,

That’s between you and my daughter. Vanessa’s a good girl, and I trust her. That means trusting her to make the best decisions for her own life, so if she chooses you, then I trust that she

chair and sinking down onto it, gesturing to the seat

movements are jerky as I follow his cue, dropping down into the chair and raking a hand through my

later, she got pregnant. We were still kids ourselves, we had no idea what we were going to do with a child of our own. And then Vanessa came along.” His lips pull into a smile,

nod in agreement, glancing toward the kitchen through the glass patio doors. Nessa is grinning, talking animatedly to her

(C

she assists her with the meal. Just looking at her, at the beautiful smile on her face, my heart swells. Special is an understatement. Nessa is

Mr. Díaz continues, and my gaze snaps back to

of struggles in those first few years. Life is stressful, starting a family is stressful. But we worked through all of it

just

in my throat, my fingers tightening on the wooden

the patio chair.

do in a relationship,” he says, leaning forward and pinning me with

going anywhere,” I grind out. “I won’t make

ankle over his knee. ” Good. Because second chances are a gift.” He points

won’t,” I say confidently. “I know

Mr. Diaz interrupts. “It’s human nature. It

okay to make mistakes, as long as you learn from them. I’m not going to hold yours against you, as long

you with my baby girl.

sir,” I reply with a shake of my head. “I promise. Nessa is the best thing that ever happened to me, and I won’t risk losing her again. You have my

up from his chair, signaling the end of our conversation, and I quickly scramble to my feet across from

as he steps closer. ” For trusting me with your daughter. I won’t let you down.”

Diaz nods, slipping an arm around my shoulders and leading me back toward the house. Ordinarily, I’d recoil at

his daughter’s effect on me. He’s a good man, a good father. Something I wish I’d had. Sometimes

if he’s reading my mind, Mr. Diaz pauses before opening the door to head back

know that Lia and I are here for you

Anything.” 2

throat tightens, an odd burning

behind my

again. “I

back inside. As we enter, Ness immediately shoots me a look as if to ask if I’m good, and I nod in response, a

ever got from my own father figure,

Vaughn. 1

and pressing

of complete peace washes

the corner of my eye, I see Mr.

arms around her waist and whispering something in her ear, and

my future with Nessa, and damnit if I’m not looking forward to it. Those

I slip an arm

slowly.

believed it could really happen for someone like me. And now that I have it, I’m never

Nessa’s family resembled the

into when we arrived. The two younger boys kept flicking spoonfuls