The Rejected True Heiress (Liora and Callum) novel Chapter 332

Callum’s POV

Avoiding Bianca became my sole purpose that semester.

I had always kept a certain distance from her, even before that miserable holiday break, but this was on another level. I ate all of my meals in my room. I took different routes to all of my classes, always switching it up so she could never find a pattern. Sometimes, I even hid in the bathroom if I saw her in the hallway.

Like right now.

“Caaaallum!” Bianca’s voice called, echoing down the corridor. “I know you’re around here! Where’d you go, silly?”

I held my breath and waited.

“This is fucking pathetic,” my wolf snarled.

Yeah. I knew that. I really did. But right now, I just couldn’t face her. Especially not after the first day back.

I kept thinking about those moments in the parking lot. Zane’s challenge, and the fact that for one second, I had almost said yes. Not out of competitiveness, not because Zane had goaded me into it, but because I actually wanted to.

I had wanted to race for her. And then Liora had shut it down with an angry remark and a look that could kill.

The guilt of it had followed me around like a shadow ever since.

“Callum!” Bianca’s voice was growing a little impatient by now. I could hear her stop outside the bathroom door, her shadow moving underneath. She knocked. “Callum, you in here?”

I didn’t answer. Finally, Bianca seemed to give up, and I heard her heels clicking down the hall.

Liora.

She was at the far end of the room, hitting a punching bag with a fervor I’d never seen before. Her back was to me, so she didn’t notice me, and for a moment, I just watched.

Her tank top was dark with sweat, plastered flat against her skin so I could see every curve. Her braid swung behind her with each movement.

My eyes moved downward, then, taking in the curve of her waist, the definition of her legs beneath her shorts, her glutes. Sweat traced a slow line downward between her cleavage. Her breasts heaved at her shirt as she moved.

I stood there like an idiot, just… gawking.

Then, she stopped moving, gasping for breath, pressing her wrapped hand against the punching bag to slow its swinging. I tried to duck out of sight, but it was too late. She heard the door creak, and she turned quickly, spotting me immediately.