Page 13 of Unwritten Rules (The Sunburnt Hearts #1)

“What? No, I had no idea who she was at the time.” I clench my jaw. “I didn’t know until Coach introduced me to her after the game.”

“Shit,” he breathes, chewing on his bottom lip. “I mean, even if he finds out about it, he can’t be too mad since you didn’t know who she was at the time.”

“I didn’t even know he had a daughter.” Tatum’s eyes find mine across the room, and I suppress a groan at how easily they lock me in, pulling me toward her like a siren song. “And if Coach finds out, he’s going to hand me my ass.”

“Forget handing your ass to you, he might just kill you, Sin.”

I swallow hard, unable to tear my gaze away from Tatum.

I’m so fucked .

“He can never find out. You know how intense he can be, and if he finds out about this, what I did with Tatum, who knows what he might do. My contract is up at this end of this season, and he might use it as a reason to dissuade the club from offering me a new one.” My voice is low, almost a whisper in the loud space.

“Do you really think he would stoop that low for his daughter?” Khai questions.

“I’m not willing to find out.” Exhaling a deep breath, I run my hand through my hair. “Promise me you won’t tell anyone.”

Khai holds his hand over his heart, straightening his spine. “Scout’s honour.”

I chuckle, unable to stop myself. “You’re an idiot.”

“An idiot who will make it his life mission that you don’t get murdered by our coach for clapping cheeks with his daughter.”

I lift my arm to shove at his shoulder when a familiar voice calls my name. My eyes instinctually flutter close and ice floods my veins.

I’m in no mood to deal with this. Or her.

Khai grins. “I would say I feel bad for you, but I did try to warn you about sticking your dick in her last year. I’m pretty sure she has velcro attached to her hip.”

My palms dig into the curves of my eyes, and I wish I could pluck them out so I don’t have to look at her. “You’re of no help.”

Khai shrugs. “Look, I can only help you so much before I’m left beating a dead horse.”

“Sin!”

Fuck me .

My hands fall to my lap at the same time Zoe steps in front of me. Manicured fingers dig into her hips as she stares down at me with the heat of a thousand suns. If it were possible to be ten feet under from the look alone, I would be.

“Are you deaf?” she hisses, honey eyes meeting mine.

“Nope, just talking.”

Zoe folds her arms over her chest, barely contained in the white tank top. “Why haven’t you been answering my calls or texts?”

Because I would rather gauge out my eyes than spend a second talking to you . “I’ve been busy.”

“Well, I’ve hardly seen you since you got injured and I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

Why? So you can continue sleeping with me? “I’m fine, Zoe.”

Zoe huffs at my lack of interest in speaking with her and runs her fingers through the ends of the brown hair resting on her slender shoulders.

I wish she would take the hint that I’m no longer interested in her, but it seems she lacks the brain cells to pick up what I’m so clearly putting down in front of her.

Surely my zero communication would be clue enough.

I made the mistake of hooking up with her during last season.

We won the first game in week one of the finals, and I found myself celebrating a little too hard with some of the boys on the team.

Zoe and her group of friends—who are part of the Wolves cheerleading squad—joined us in the sheds for some drinks.

Zoe had been trying to make a move on me all season, so after consuming a lot of alcohol, my senses were lowered enough to throw her a bone.

And from there, I was unable to stop going to her house whenever she texted.

It was a routine I couldn’t get out of because it was an outlet I often needed after games or tough training sessions.

But it wasn’t until I couldn’t stand being around her, even when we were having sex, that I put an end to it. That was last month.

But it seems Zoe isn’t on the same page as me yet.

Zoe lowers her arms to her side and tilts her head, batting her eyelashes—a move that no longer works on me.

“You seem stressed, Sin. I know something that might help take the edge off.” Her suggestive tone reminds me of every other time she would use that same line on me, and I’d fall into her trap like a blind man.

“I’m good.” I jab a thumb at Khai, who smiles and waves. “Khai and I are just gonna head home.”

Zoe’s red-painted lip turns down in a pout. “Come on, Sin. I can’t keep playing this cat and mouse game with you.”

“You’re the only one playing,” I point out, tone sharp. “I told you last month where I stand.”

If we weren’t in a room full of people, I have no doubt she would stomp her foot on the ground like a child who just got their favourite toy taken away.

“What are you even doing here?” Khai asks, voice light.

“Some of the girls wanted to watch the game,” Zoe responds, her eyes locked on mine. “And I wanted to see Sin.”

“Well, you’ve seen him now, so you better run along.”

I can’t stop the grin forming on my face at Khai’s dismissal. I may not have listened to him when he warned me against getting involved with Zoe, but I appreciate his effort to keep her away from me now.

A red hue coats the curve of her olive-toned neck. She huffs out a breath, pinning me with her eyes. “This isn’t over, Sin.”

“I think it is, though.”

She groans and spins on her heels, storming out of the room. Multiple eyes track her movements, even the jade eyes in the corner of the room. I can only imagine what Tatum is thinking right now, but I don’t have the energy to explain myself, even if I wanted to.

“We should go,” I murmur, turning my body to face Khai. “Before I drown between the regret from my past and my most recent decision.”

Khai chuckles and shakes his head. “You’ve gotten yourself into a pickle, haven’t you?”

“Don’t I know it,” I grumble, folding my arms over my chest.

“All right, give me ten minutes.”

Ten minutes pass by at an agonisingly slow pace. Khai fucks around with getting out of his uniform and collecting his gym bag. He stands around talking with some of the staff and players while I pace by the entrance to the sheds, even more on edge than I was earlier.

Khai has always been Mr Popular in the team because of his friendly nature and ability to hold a conversation. But right now, I wish he would shut up so we can get the hell out of here.

A presence at my side stops my pacing, drawing my attention to the kid not much younger than me.

If you can call a nineteen-year-old a kid.

Jace has his gym bag slung over his shoulder, his dirty-blonde hair slick with water after showering after the game.

Dressed in black jeans and a white long-sleeved button up, he looks ready to go to a fancy dinner.

“Going out tonight?” I ask, shoving my hands into the pocket of my jeans.

Jace shakes his head. “I’m heading over to my girlfriends house.”

“Dressed like that?”

A smirk curls up his lips. “Well, some of us like to dress up for our girls instead of stripping the moment we walk through the door.”

The jab at my complicated relationship with Zoe should annoy me, but I can’t deny he’s not wrong.

Every guy on the team knows about Zoe, which doesn’t bother me in the slightest. With how much time we spend together each week training, travelling to games and flying interstate, the team is like an open book.

It’s hard to keep secrets, so them finding out about Zoe was inevitable.

“You got me.” I clap him on the shoulder. “You did good out there, J.”

Jace’s lips thin, the corner of his mouth curling up. “Yeah, well, stepping up to halfback is no easy feat, especially when I’m filling your shoes.”

When I got injured two weeks ago, Jace was pulled from the reserve grade team to take on my position until I returned.

While I was fucking pissed that I was going to be contained to the sidelines for six weeks, I was at least pleased knowing Jace was going to get some field time with the main squad.

At first, I didn’t know how he would gel with the team, but to my surprise, he slipped into the role tonight with grace and took on the advice I gave him last night when he called.

I can see this kid going far as a halfback if he refines his skills.

“The Dolphins are a tough side, but you held your own out there,” I tell him. “Great job.”

The praise lights up his pale blue eyes. I don’t know if he was expecting me to offer the compliment after his first game as the starting halfback, but it is well-deserved after the win tonight.

“Can I expect to hear this every week?” he teases, pumping his eyebrows.

I roll my eyes. “Don’t get too ahead of yourself. If we start losing, I’ll have to come up with other ways to encourage you.”

Jace chuckles and claps me on the shoulder. “Noted.” He drops his eyes to my leg, rolling his lips. “You all good?”

No . “Yeah, yeah, I’m all good, man. Nothing I can’t handle, right?”

He doesn’t look convinced, the crease in his brows say so. And honestly, neither am I.

“Well, rest up, okay? Let me know if you need anything.”

“Will do.”

Jace moves past me, walking out of the room. I exhale and run my hands through my hair; my earlier pacing resumes. I shouldn’t be putting this much pressure on my leg, but I need to do something to keep the adrenaline pouring through my veins from exploding.

When Khai finally joins me, Coach Phil and Tatum are walking in our direction. I silently curse Khai for taking his sweet ass time, because now I have to face the one person I can’t seem to forget.

“Great job tonight, Khai,” Coach says with a warm smile, clapping his five-eighth on the back. “I’ll see you on Monday.”

“See you then, Coach.” Khai returns the gesture with a smile of his own.

Coach turns his attention to me. “Take it easy, Sin. Okay?”

“Yes, sir,” I murmur, shoving my hands into the front pocket of my hoodie.

He nods. “I’ll also see you on Monday. The team wants to go over your recovery schedule to make sure you’re on track. And, of course, Tate will look over your records before Monday so she has an idea of what is going on.”

“Yes, of course.” I meet Tatum’s eyes. She stands beside her father, peering up at me through thick lashes.

Electricity crackles between us, embedding itself into my skin and heating my veins.

My body aches to feel her again, to touch her skin and feel her warmth.

But I can’t. Not now that I know who she is.

The best thing for both of us is if I keep my distance from her.

“Good night, then,” Coach says, directing it at both of us. “Get home safely.”

Tatum tears her eyes from me as she follows her father out of the room, disappearing from sight. My focus stays trained on the door long after she leaves. It isn’t until Khai’s deep laughter sounds in my ears do I crash back to reality.

Khai claps my shoulder as he slips past to leave. “Oh, dude. You’re so fucked.”

I exhale a breath and follow him.

Yeah, in more ways than one.