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?”

my throat, shuffling my feet, and Nessa turns around with

“Callum, this is my littlest sister,

he your boyfriend?” Mia asks

((

incredulously.

her sister down. “Go wash

Use the makeup wipes in the cabinet under

Mia squeals in delight, rushing off in a blur of

you that my house can be a

steps closer and reaches

brow, smirking.

and fuck I love that sound. We’ve been through a lot of shit lately, but since we came out of it, she’s been laughing more and

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

twitchy, nervous feeling sets in again as we weave through a minefield of

floor, making our way to the

of the house.

It feels like

own house was always devoid of

its walls.

parents are in the kitchen, her mother fussing over something on 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

baby girl,” Mr. Diaz croons, striding over to greet Nessa 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

again, sir,” I say politely, forcing

throat.

levels me with a stern look. “We

have a talk, son.”

bottoms out,

washing over me.

can’t we get through dinner first?” Nessa sighs,

taking my hand

looks to me again, beckoning me with a flick of his head. “Come on, let’s step

getting

glass door off the kitchen, my heart racing as we step out into the

standing out here looking at Nessa’s father, my guts are so twisted up that I feel like I’m two seconds away from leaning forward

as he moves closer, clapping a

scrubbing a hand over my face and heaving a sigh. I’ve gone over what I 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,

in my brain.

your daughter,” I begin, shuffling my feet on the concrete

and that’s something I’ll always regret. But she’s giving me another chance, and I

right there,” Mr. Diaz says, holding up a hand. “I’m not looking for an apology, son. That’s between you and my daughter. Vanessa’s a good girl, and

sigh, sidestepping to a wooden patio chair and sinking down onto it, gesturing to the seat across from

follow his cue, dropping down into the chair and raking

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, his eyes twinkling with adoration at the

nod in agreement, glancing toward the kitchen through the glass

(C

with the meal. Just looking at her, at the beautiful smile on her face, my heart swells. Special is

always easy,” Mr. Díaz continues, and my gaze snaps back to

stressful, starting a family is stressful. But

run just because things

swallow past the lump in my throat, my fingers tightening on the wooden armrests

patio chair.

most important thing you can do in a relationship,” he says, leaning forward and pinning me with a somber stare.

I grind out.

in his chair and crossing an ankle over his knee. ” Good. Because second chances are a gift.” He points a finger in my direction. “Don’t squander

won’t,” I say confidently. “I know I

Mr. Diaz interrupts. “It’s human

long as you learn from them. I’m not going to hold yours against you, as long as you take good care of my daughter from here on out. Like I said, I trust her

with my baby girl. Don’t make

reply with a shake of my head. “I promise. Nessa is the best thing that ever happened to me, and I

slides across his face in response. “Good. I’ll hold you to that.” He pushes up from his chair, signaling the end

I breathe as he steps closer. ” For trusting me with your daughter.

and leading me back toward the house. Ordinarily, I’d recoil at a gesture like that, uncomfortable with human touch, but for some reason, Nessa’s dad puts me at

lot like his daughter’s effect on me. He’s a good man, a good father. Something I wish I’d had. Sometimes I wonder what my life would’ve turned out like if I’d had a real father to guide me. To love me.

opening the door to head back inside. “I heard about what happened over

here for you if you ever need

Anything.” 2

tightens, an odd

my eyes. “Thank

I say again. “I

open and ushering me 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 genuine smile stretching my lips. Truthfully, I didn’t know how this would go tonight. The

from my own father figure, and I

Vaughn. 1

pressing a soft kiss to my cheek, and

of complete peace

the corner of my eye, I see

something in her ear, and then they

Nessa, and damnit if I’m

around and causing mayhem. I slip an arm

slowly.

what I always wanted, deep down, but never let myself imagine. I never believed it could really happen for someone like me.

with Nessa’s family resembled

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