Page 84 of Unwritten Rules
Speaking of the devil, my phone lights up on the bench beside me with multiple un-read text messages from Zoe.
ZOE: I wish you would stop ignoring me, Sin. I’m not letting this go.
ZOE: Come on, Sin. Don’t you remember all of the good times we had? I know I do. In fact, I think about them every night before bed.
ZOE: Do you think about me?
ZOE: Please, Sin. Don’t make me beg for your attention.
I run a hand through my hair and toss the phone into my gym bag at my feet.
“You’ve gotta block her number, man,” Khai says, eyes flicking between me and her number I, for some strange reason, haven’t blocked yet. “Is there a reason you haven’t?”
“I know it’ll piss her off more if I block her,” I grunt. “It’s not a battle I’m willing to fight yet.”
“Why not?” he questions with a frown.
I run a hand through my hair. “It’s complicated. Zoe isn’t one to back down from something she sets her mind to, and given I don’t know how far she’s willing to take this, I don’t want to poke the bear.”
“Well, I’ll save you the hassle and do it for you.”
Before I can stop my friend, he’s on his feet with my phone in hand.
“Khai!”
Khai darts out of the room and into the adjoining training space we use before games. With his fingers tapping away at the screen, I’m helpless to stop the damage he’s undoubtedly causing for me.
Standing in the open space, I watch as a grin slips onto Khai’s face. He tosses the phone at me, and I barely manage to catch it before it drops at my feet.
“All done.” He claps me on the shoulder as he passes by, acting as if he hasn’t rattled the viper that’s been waiting to strike from the edge of darkness. “You’re welcome.”
“Khai,” I hiss, slipping the device into my pocket. “Do you have any idea what you just did?”
“Yeah, I saved your ass.” Ignoring the rest of the guys hanging out by their locker space, Khai drops onto the bench in front of our spaces with a smug grin.
I drag my hand through my hair and release a pained sigh. “Zoe is going to be fucking pissed about this.”
“Good,” Khai quips with a shrug. “Maybe she’ll get the hint then.”
“No, not good, idiot.” I groan and drop my head into my hands. “Keeping the line of communication open was my only way of not getting on her bad side. As much as I don’t want to be with her in any way, I don’t need the woman to rain hellfire on me, man. And now that you’ve blocked her number, severing the only source of communication she has over me, she’s going to do everything in her power to make me suffer.”
If there is one thing I know about Zoe, it’s that she’s as ruthless as they come. She once made one of her teammates cry because the girl was out of sync in the dance routine. Zoe accepts nothing short of perfection, and the poor girl had to suffer the consequences of her iron tongue and cruel words. It was hard to watch while I was training nearby, but I wasn’t about to get my head bitten off for sticking up for a girl I didn’t know that well.
Zoe is the kind of person to stick to her word, whether it’s a threat or a promise. And if she promises to make my life hell for blocking her, I have no doubt she will find a way to do so.
Khai’s eyes round at the edges, and he blinks slowly. “Oh, shit. I had no idea.” He flicks his hand in the air between us. “Can’t you just unblock her and pretend it never happened?”
I shake my head. “The damage is done. She’s always on her phone and constantly sending texts. It would be a miracle if she didn’t notice the second it happened, but I’m not lucky enough to be blessed with miracles.”
“Fuck,” Khai hisses. “I’m sorry, Sin.”
I slump onto the bench beside him and drop my head in my hands. It might seem shady that I hadn’t blocked Zoe’s number after I called things off with her, but in my mind, I was doing it to keep her from ruining me and my career. And now that I’ve blocked her, taking the next step to cut her from my life, she’s going to retaliate in ways I’m sure I’ve never thought possible.
I can only hope Tatum doesn’t get caught in the crossfire of Zoe’s wrath, because if she does, I’ll never forgive myself if she gets hurt.
Chapter Twenty-Three
TATUM
