On The Rebound (Steinbeck U #1) - L.A. Cotton Page 0,57

back, and something told me, a line had been drawn tonight between me and the team.

Callum was their teammate, one of their leaders.

And I was his estranged sister. Someone he clearly didn’t want in his life.

God, what a mess.

But I’d never expected to come to SU and be completely and utterly shunned by him. It was as if I didn’t even exist. What the hell was I supposed to tell Joel? The rest of the guys? ‘Oh, by the way, I’m Calli, Callum’s long-lost sister. Nice to meet you’.

I didn’t want to infringe on his life, to burrow my way into his team, and steal his friends. That was never the plan.

Yet, here I was.

With a heavy sigh, I made my way up the stairs of the building and slipped inside. Tomorrow, my anonymity would be gone. Victoria and Kira would tell their friends, Joel and the guys would let the cat out of the bag at practice, and I’d no longer be Calli James, freshman, and quiet girl just looking to survive college. I’d be Calli James, Callum James’ sister. I’d be a question on people’s lips, a puzzle they wanted to understand.

I passed a couple of girls in the hall, feeling their heavy stares follow me.

They don’t know yet, they can’t.

But when I arrived at my door, I saw the source of their interest. “Zach?” I gasped, my heart lurching into my throat.

He was leaning against the wall, his head tipped back, and hands tucked behind him.

It hurt so much to look at him. From his dirty blond hair to his sharp jaw and defined cheekbones, his broad shoulders and tapered waist. He was beautiful enough to walk on the runway and rugged enough to be a basketball player.

I hated to admit it, but basketball looked good on him. It always had. Right since that first time I saw him at school, wearing a Vipers jersey. He wasn’t supposed to like basketball, let alone be good at it. But he was.

I guess Messiah blood ran in his veins after all.

“We need to talk.”

“No,” I said, standing my ground. “We don’t.”

He let out a heavy sigh, scrubbing a hand over his slightly stubbled jaw. “Yeah, we do.”

“So you can apologize for being an ass? Or maybe for assaulting me on the Ferris wheel?”

“Assault?” He scoffed, arching a brow. “You were begging for it.”

“I was—” I stopped myself. “I’m not going to do this with you, Zach.” I was tired. Exhausted from the constant push and pull, and hot and cold.

Zach didn’t want me. Not the same way as part of me still, after all this time, wanted him.

“You should go.”

“I’m not leaving, Calli. Not until we’ve talked.” He pushed off the wall, taking the air in the hall with him. I edged backward trying to keep a safe distance between us. If he touched me, I’d break. And I couldn’t break, not now. Not here.

I’d already cried enough tears over Zachary Messiah.

He didn’t deserve anymore.

I turned my back on him and scrambled to retrieve my key card from my purse. I needed to get away from him. But the second I got the damn thing open, Zach was there. His arm went over my head, his palm flattening against the door.

“Calli, please...”

I glanced up to look at him, a slight gasp forming on my lips as his dark gaze pinned me in place. “No. Go away, Zach, I mean it.” I slipped into the room, releasing the breath I’d been holding and slammed the door in his face.

Tears collected in the corners of my eyes as the weight of tonight’s events hit me for a second time.

They knew—they all knew, and it was Zach’s fault.

The door flew open and he stood there, breathing harshly.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I barked.

“She died? Fiona, she—”

“Don’t. Don’t you dare say her name.” My body began to tremble, the grief I fought so hard to keep suppressed crashing over me in great powerful waves.

“You never said anything.” His expression was softer now, glittering with sympathy. Zach didn’t move, just stood there watching me.

Always watching me.

“I’m not going to do this with you,” I whispered, barely able to look at him as silent tears streaked down my face.

Zach crossed the room, his long muscular legs eating up the space between us. I had to crane my neck to look up at him, to see deep into his eyes. “Talk to me, sweet pea.” He cupped my face, his knuckles skimming my