Chapter 10: Chapter 10

Read Broken Bond by C.J. Primer Chapter 10 – CALLUM I leave the hot springs with the worst blue balls of my fucking life. I go straight home, hop in the shower, and jack my dick to get the poison out, but then I start thinking about the sounds Nessa made when she was falling apart on my fingers and I‘m instantly hard again.

So I jerk off twice.

Even then, it‘s not enough– not when I can still picture the flush of her cheeks right after she came, how swollen and puffy her lips were as she fought to catch her breath I‘ve never been a giver. When I‘ve hooked up with girls in the past, it was always about my own pleasure, not theirs. I didn‘t kiss them if I could help it, and I sure as hell didn‘t rub them out without getting anything in return. I grew bored with hookups quickly, and then it got to a point where I stopped even bothering because it was easier to just jerk off to relieve the tension rather than hassling with the neediness of another human being.

But this is different because of the bet, right? Nessa isn‘t easy prey; I have to employ other tactics to ensnare her. Sacrifice my own pleasure to win her over, try to make her think that I‘m not like those other assholes she‘s been with that always expect something in return. Play it smart so she doesn‘t pick up on my nefarious intent. It‘s just about the bet.

Fuck, it isn‘t just about the bet.

It‘s her. The bright–eyed curiosity where there should be fear. The way my name sounds when it rolls off her lips. The fact that she looks like a goddamn fashion model, but doesn‘t rely on her looks or even seem to recognize how fucking stunning she is.

I want her, and it has nothing to do with Miles‘ stupid wager.

She‘s fascinating; a puzzle that I haven‘t been able to solve, while remaining intriguing enough to hold my interest. It doesn‘t hurt that she‘s a knockout, either. Seeing her in her underwear today was a fucking treat. I committed every line and curve of her body to memory, and I could‘ve watched the water roll off her bronzed skin all day long. She‘s like a work of art; almost too flawless to be real.

I have no idea why she‘d grant a monster like me the privilege of touching her, but far be it for me to question her motivations when my own are less than noble.

With one of my appetites satisfied in the shower, I get dressed and rummage around in my fridge to satisfy another. There‘s a lone apple that looks like it‘s a day or two from turning, so I settle on that as my snack. I never waste food; I can‘t afford to.

I nudge the fridge closed with a shoulder as I slide my phone out of my pocket to check the online message board for maintenance requests in our apartment building. I check it a couple times a day in case there‘s anything urgent, honoring my agreement with Alpha Vaughn in exchange for living here.

Today, there‘s a message from Ms. Donnelly next door waiting for me, requesting help with her leaky kitchen sink.

If it were anybody else in the building, I‘d probably put it off until later– but I like Ms. Donnelly. She‘s a cranky old kook and we mostly communicate by exchanging insults, but that‘s what I like about her. She doesn‘t fake niceties or pretend to be someone she‘s not. I respect that.

I stuff my phone back into the pocket of my jeans and tuck the apple into the front pocket of my hoodie, deciding to head over now to take a look at Ms. Donnelly‘s leaky sink. When I pull open the door to head out, though, I spot Miles walking down the hall with a determined stride, making his way from his own apartment to the exit door of the building.

“Where are you off to?” I ask as he draws closer.

“The lodge,” he replies with a shit–eating grin. “A little birdie told me that Nessa‘s working this afternoon, so I‘m gonna go pay her a visit and invite her to the party this weekend.”

I lean a shoulder against the doorframe as he passes by, pulling the apple out of my hoodie pocket and buffing it against my shirt. “I already invited her.” I lift the fruit to my mouth and bite into it with a loud crunch.

Miles skids to a stop, whipping around to face me, his mouth agape. “What? When?”

“We met up earlier today.” I shrug and take another bite, grinning widely as I chew. Yeah, I‘m smug as fuck right now, but it‘s worth it to see the way Miles‘ face reddens with frustration.

Words aren‘t his forte, so while he struggles to come up with something to say, I finish chewing and swallow, licking the juice from my lips. “Honestly, you shouldn‘t make bets that you have no chance of winning. You can save yourself the embarrassment, though. Just get me that transmission and we can call the whole thing off.”

“Yeah right,” he scoffs. “You haven‘t fucked her yet, have you? There‘s still time for you to screw this up.

And when you do, I‘ll be waiting to swoop in.”

Irritation prickles up my spine at his cavalier comment, but I don‘t let it show. I shrug nonchalantly, sinking my teeth into the apple for another bite, then chew slowly, enjoying how my silence rattles him. He shuffles his feet, shaking his head with a scowl. Then, wordlessly, he turns on a heel, striding toward the exit again.

“Hey, where you goin‘?” I call after him with a laugh, but Miles just flips me the bird over his shoulder, muttering curses under his breath as he pushes out the door.

The party at the packhouse is in full swing on Saturday night when Nessa and Vienna arrive. I‘ve been on edge since it started; on high–alert for Spence to walk through the door given Fuckface‘s visit earlier this week. My half–brother hasn‘t shown his face yet, though, and Nessa‘s arrival serves as a welcome distraction. Those impossibly long legs of hers are on full display in her tiny black mini–skirt and matching ankle boots, and I can‘t take my eyes off them as she weaves through the crowd to make her way to the sectional where me and my boys are posted up. She looks good enough to eat, and tonight, I‘m starving.

Even though Nessa let it slip the other day that Vienna and Chase have been secretly hooking up, Levi still falls all over himself to greet Vienna, somehow still under the delusion that he has a chance with her.

There‘s no fucking way. Vienna goes rigid when he leans in to kiss her cheek, darting glances in Chase‘s direction while Levi chats her up and orders Miles to get her a drink. If the guy knew anything about body language, he‘d be able to pick up just how uninterested she is, but nobody‘s ever accused Levi of being observant.

Miles returns with a cup of punch for each of the girls and proceeds to try to start a conversation with Nessa when he hands her one. She‘s not looking at him, though.

She‘s looking past him.

She‘s looking at me.

Our eyes meet, gazes locking together, and I lift my chin, beckoning her to join me on the couch. With a polite ‘excuse me‘ to Miles, she obliges, leaving him slack–jawed as he watches her stride over to the couch and drop down beside 1. me.

“Hi,” I rasp, sliding an arm around her shoulders if only to further embed myself under Miles‘ skin. It feels a little too natural, though. Too comfortable. But when Nessa leans in, her sweet cherry scent enveloping me, I forget why that even matters.

Her bright smile lights up her whole face. “Hi.” A pink blush tinges her cheeks and she covers it with her cup, taking a sip of the fruity punch that Levi mixed up for the party. She swallows it down, running her tongue along her lips to lick off the residue. “How‘s your night been?”

“Boring, until you showed up.” The corner of my mouth lifts and I take a sip of my own drink; the gin and tonic I‘ve been nursing it for the past hour. Gotta keep a clear head just in case Spencer does decide to show up.

“Oh yeah?” Nessa muses. She smirks, and that cute–as–fuck dimple sinks into her left cheek. “I would‘ve been here to cure your boredom earlier, but my little sister threw a fit when we were leaving.

Vee got roped into reading her a bedtime story, which led to another, and another...” she waves a hand, rolling her eyes. “You know how little kids can be.”

She mentioned brothers the other day, and now a sister? “How many siblings do you have?” I wonder aloud.

“Six.”

My brows shoot up. “No shit?”

“Yeah, I know. My parents are breeders.” Nessa giggles, shaking her head.

I crack a smile because that little giggle of hers is damn contagious. It’s like if sunshine had a sound.

“Where do you fall in among the brood?” +

“I‘m the oldest,” she states, and given what I know of her personality, that definitely tracks. “I‘ve got four brothers and two sisters. My youngest sister is only four, but she‘s got everyone in our house wrapped around her little finger.” She smiles fondly, raising her cup and taking another small sip. “What about you? Any siblings?”

“One,” I grunt, the grin fading from my face. “A half–brother. We... don‘t get along.”

Nessa‘s eyes round in sympathy. “That‘s a shame.”

“Nah, not really,” I shrug. I nod toward my friends seated around us on the sectional. “These guys are the only brothers I really need.”

“Well, if we‘re counting friends, then I‘ve got three sisters,” she amends, grinning. “Vee‘s practically family. She‘s even staying with us for the time being, so she‘s officially joined the Diaz zoo.”

“You still live at home?”

“Yeah,” she replies, taking another sip of her drink. She swallows it down and licks her lips again, and I swear if this girl doesn‘t stop licking her lips like that, I‘m going to bite them. “I mean, I‘ve thought about moving out,” she continues, shrugging. “But I‘d miss the chaos.”

I nod in understanding, although I can‘t relate. I couldn‘t get out of my parents‘ house fast enough.

Truthfully, Nessa and I don‘t have much in common at all. It‘s a wonder that we have anything to talk about, but I can‘t remember the last time I enjoyed making casual conversation this much. She’s fascinating; a beautiful enigma that I‘m still trying to work out. Time passes quickly, and I‘m completely caught up in her. I forget to watch for Spence to walk in the door. Forget to clock the comings and goings of the other party guests. I‘m completely enraptured by Nessa, pulled further in with every smile, every little giggle.

I don‘t even notice that Chase and Vienna have slipped away until Nessa‘s gaze lifts and her lips part in surprise, and I follow her line of sight to see Chase starting up the stairs with Vienna wrapped around him. Guess those two are over being subtle.

“Looks like your girl‘s spending the night,” I mumble, finishing off the drink I‘ve been sipping on all night.

Nessa sighs, shaking her head with an amused smile. “Guess so. She must‘ve forgotten she was my ride home.”

“I can give you a lift,” I offer. I don‘t have my own vehicle– at least not one that runs– but I doubt Chase would mind if I borrowed his truck. From the looks of it, he‘s preoccupied and won‘t be needing it.

“Uh, yeah,” Nessa replies, finishing off her drink and depositing her empty cup on the coffee table in front of us. “That‘d be great.” Her tongue snakes out to wet her lips.

I pause, my gaze dropping to her lips to track the movement. “Or you could come to my place.”

Every expression on her face is so readable.

Surprise.

Interest Consideration.

Excitement.

I‘m not sure I‘ve ever met anyone who wears their emotions as openly as she does, which only leaves me more intrigued. She smiles shyly and purses her lips, but I already know what she‘s decided before she verbalizes it. Her expression gives her away, and I‘m practically buzzing with anticipation.

Nessa nods, sliding her hand on top of mine and weaving our fingers together.” Okay.”