Chapter 15: Chapter 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 I scowl, shaking my head and dropping my voice low. “I told you the stupid bet was off.”

“You never handed over your spot on the mission, so you never technically forfeited,” Miles points out.

He’s talking a little too loudly for my liking.

“We’ll call it a wash then,” I murmur. The only way that fucker is getting my spot on the mission is if I’m cold and dead in the ground.

“Nah, I pay my debts,” Miles replies matter- of-factly, folding his arms across his chest. ”

Don’t want anyone accusing me of not holding up my end of a bargain.”

“Callum!” Nessa calls from the bathroom, and I glance that way, my blood turning to ice in my veins.

Shit, did she hear our conversation? 1 Miles’ smirk deepens. “I’ll leave you to it,” he drawls, patting me on the shoulder and turning to exit the apartment. 1 I grumble under my breath, shoving him out the door, pushing it closed behind him, and flipping the deadbolt. 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 flooring. The door to the en-

suite bathroom is ajar, and I poke my head in, the room already filling with steam from the running shower.

“What’s up?” I ask warily, glancing around the empty bathroom.

Nessa peeks 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, little droplets of water clinging to her eyelashes.

I scrub a hand over my face to mask my look of relief. “Er, no… sorry.”

She shrugs, pulling the curtain open halfway and smiling seductively. My eyes drop to her tight body, tracking the soap suds carving a path between her breasts and sliding over her pert nipples. “Wanna join me?” she purrs, batting her eyelashes. My eyes follow the path of the suds as they trail between her thighs and I lick my lips hungrily.

Another knock on the front door interrupts me before I can answer.

“Jesus, who the fuck is it now?” I groan, fisting my hair as I glance toward the hall. I turn back to her, putting up a finger. “Hold that thought, I’ll be back.” 1 She tosses me a wink, pulling the curtain back over as I back out of the bathroom, stomping toward the front door as another knock sounds out.

Miles must have a fucking death wish.

I adjust my hard-on in my sweatpants as I flip the deadbolt, pulling open the door with every intention of taking my friend’s head off. I’m caught off guard when I see that it isn’t him on the other side, though.

It’s Fuckface, no doubt here to ruin my goddamn day.

Before I can step in front of the doorway to block his entry, Troy shoulders his way inside like he fucking owns the place.

“You really need to learn to start picking up your phone.”

Fuck. I need to get him out of here.

“What do you want?” I ask, agitated. I kick the door shut behind me, following him into the living room.

He grinds to a halt, swiveling around to face me. “You need to come home for dinner next week,” Troy murmurs. “We have some things to discuss.”

I narrow my eyes on him suspiciously. ” What things?”

Troy shoves his hands in his pockets, a slimy grin sliding across his face. “Come to dinner and you’ll find out.”

“I’m busy.”

“I haven’t even said which night yet.”

“Doesn’t matter.”

Troy frowns. “What are you so damn busy doing?” he asks, eyeing me with disdain. ” You’re an unemployed high school dropout.”

I grit my teeth, wondering how long he’s been waiting to pull that one out. My stepdad never misses 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 needs his friends right now,” I shrug.

“Riiight, your good buddy Chase.” The patronizing prick rolls his eyes, picking a piece of lint off his shirt and flicking it onto the floor. “I wonder if he’ll be as lenient as his father was as Alpha. If he’d keep you so close if he knew what you did.” 1 His threatening tone has me balling my fists at my sides. I shove them into my pockets to hide my reaction. “Chase knows me,” I say, my voice calm.

Troy lifts a brow. “Does he?”

The sound of soft footsteps in the hall draws both of our gazes in that direction and my heart leaps into my throat.

“Who was it?” Nessa asks as she strides 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 widening and her mouth rounding in a cute little ‘o’.

Fuck.

Troy’s lips curl into a grin as his gaze slides from Nessa back to me. “Well, aren’t you going to introduce us?” he asks mockingly.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

“Uh, Nessa, this is Troy,” I grumble, gesturing to Fuckface.

“Cal’s stepfather,” he supplies, sticking out his hand for her to shake. 2 “Oh! It’s so nice to meet you!” She smiles brightly, crossing the room and taking his hand, shaking it eagerly. She steps back and I curl an arm around her waist, pulling her backwards into my chest. I wrap both arms around her protectively, hooking my chin over her shoulder and glaring at Troy.

His eyes are still fixated on her in morbid fascination. “I didn’t know Cal was seeing someone,” he drawls smoothly. “You should come by for dinner next week with him.”

“No,” I snap.

Nessa’s body tenses in my arms and she cranes her neck to look up at me, a flicker of hurt in her eyes.

“Aw, c’mon,” Troy goads, his gaze returning to mine. “Your mom would love to meet your girlfriend.”

I grind my molars, leveling him with a glare.

“Alright,” he shrugs, taking a step toward the door. “Give it some thought. I’ll call you next week.” Troy strides to the door, pulling it open and turning back to glance at me over his shoulder. “Oh, and Cal?

Pick up your phone so I don’t have to keep making these visits, eh?”

“Yeah,” I grumble, the muscle in my jaw twitching.

“So nice meeting you, Nessa,” he calls on his way out the door.

“You too!” she chirps.

As soon as the door closes behind Troy, Nessa wriggles out of my arms.

“Hey, where are you going?” I protest, reaching for her.

“I’ve got a shift at the lodge today,” she replies dryly. “Can you drive me home?”

“Ness…” I reach out for her, snatching her hand and pulling her into my chest. She lets out a little puff of air as our bodies collide, staring up at me through her eyelashes. Please don’t take the dinner thing the wrong way, okay?” I tuck her wet hair behind her ears, curling a finger underneath her chin and tipping it up. “My relationship with my family is… complicated. I’m just trying to spare you.”

She stares up at me, searching my eyes.

After a moment, she nods, relaxing into my hold. “Okay.”

“Are we good?”

She nods again.

I breathe a sigh of relief, dipping my face. down to press a kiss to her lips. She cups my jaw, her lips sliding against mine, her body pressing closer. My hands tangle in her wet hair, tugging at the strands as my tongue traces the seam of her lips.

Fuck. I have half a mind to carry her into the bathroom and take her up on her prior offer of a shared shower. I could grab onto that perfect ass of hers, lift her up and pin her against the wall…

“Hey Ness?” I murmur against her lips.

“Hm?”

“Would you rather go to work today, or blow it off and we can stay in bed all day?”

She pulls back, grinning at me. “Nice try, mister.”

Nessa wriggles out of my arms, ducking away and swinging her hips as she struts down the hall to the bedroom to gather the rest of her things. I trail behind her, not minding the view one bit.

“For the record,” she tosses back at me over her shoulder when she hits the doorway of my room, hitting me with a sultry little smirk. “What I’d rather do and what I have to do are two very different things.”

Damn.

Would tying her to the bed and forcing her to stay be out of the question? I grin at the thought of that, watching her with a predatory gleam in my eye.

She has no clue what she’s doing to me. I’m fucking hooked on this girl.