“Hi, it's Malia. I'm probably at work. Leave a message and I'll call you back."

Zephyr hung up for the thirteenth time. He'd fucked up. That shit in Lipten’s office had been … fuck. It had been what it had been. He'd been pissed off. She'd been pissed off. He'd wanted to prove to her that she wanted him as much as he wanted her. That despite the bullshit, they belonged together.

All he'd been trying to prove to her was that she belonged with him.

Instead, he'd fucked her. On the table in Lipten’s office. Like an asshole. Bent her over the desk and claimed her like some kind of caveman. Then he'd told her he loved her.

Idiot.

Of course she'd run. And now she wasn't returning his calls.

He wanted to talk to her, needed to talk to her.

That morning, he'd planned to tell her that he was going to lead Becky out and to meet him at the student center so they could at least go to class together. But she was gone. Climbed out the fucking window like she was ashamed of him. She'd really gone down the fire escape. Jesus Christ. Terror hit him first then the knowledge that she still saw this as fun and not real.

He understood her concerns, he did. But he was being careful. Why didn't she know he'd protect her? Why didn't she trust him? Maybe because you haven't told her Tanashi suspects.

How had shit gotten so fucked up?

"Dude, you look like shit.” He looked up to find Cooper coming down from the architecture building.

"Hey, what's up?”

"Nothing. Been calling you for days. Where you been?"

Between Malia's legs. No, he wasn't going to say that. "You know, busy. Stressing that presentation."

Cooper studied him for a long moment and then nodded. "You fuck up again?"

Zephyr scowled. "Why do you always assume that?"

His best friend laughed. "Because you're a dude. First, you let the girl get to you. Then you say the wrong thing. You apologize the wrong way. So chances are your current foul mood has to do with something you said or did.”

Zephyr sighed. "Fine. Whatever. I might have fucked up in class today. And … after."

"In front of everyone?"

"Yeah.” Zephyr rubbed the back of his neck. "I was giving their feedback on their presentations from yesterday. I might not have been entirely truthful with her when I told her about hers."

Cooper frowned. "Why? What purpose does that serve? To get you no sex?"

Zephyr cleared his throat. "Would you keep it down? Anyway, I made it worse when she came by for office hours."

Cooper hung his head. “Fuck.”

“Yeah exactly. We, uh, had make-up sex, except it was ‘we're still angry sex.’ Then I told her I loved her.”

His best friend's mouth hung open.

"Look, it just got heated. I want to spend time with her and be with her, but she's always feels the need to run.”

“The good-old feeling-rejected situation. So you acted out? Dumbass. And she is scared for her future. I mean, she was barely surviving."

"Are you sure your major isn't psychology?"

“I know how to deal with women." Cooper shrugged. "Find her. Talk to her."

"Don't worry; I plan to." Because he knew what would happen if he didn't. She wouldn't come back. She has to. But try as he might, he couldn't stop that panicky feeling that came with not knowing if she was safe or where she was sleeping.

She’s going to eventually move out. That is the plan. She was saving money. What the hell did he think was going to happen? You’re even making it easy for her. He still hadn't dropped that other little bomb that he’d paid for her sister's admission fee. He wanted to talk to her about it. But he hadn’t quite gotten around to it yet. Because he knew she wouldn’t appreciate him meddling in her life.

“I’ll see you Saturday?"

His friend nodded. "Yep. Always happy to take your money."

Zephyr rolled his eyes. "You wish."

"Later man."

Cooper had given him a lot of food for thought. He had to tell her everything. And he would. Just as soon as he saw her.

But even that would have to wait. Because when he arrived home, a different woman was waiting for him inside his apartment.