Hatred With Benefits novel Chapter 33

EVA.

"Where are we going?" I ask Emerson and he spares me only a glance before gazing ahead of him. "You'll know when we get there. "

Rolling my eyes at his response, I grab my phone from my side and turn on the screen to be met with new text notifications— Dan and Aliya.

I open Aliya's first and a laugh falls from my mouth at the words across my screen.

ALIYA: Hey bitch, just a reminder but did you tell Delilah you were the one who told me not to come with and check on her beautiful face?

ME: I didn't. I told her you were being an ungrateful bitch, and what are you on this morning? You sound excited, and that's saying a lot because I can feel it from here.

With the click of the send button, I scroll to Dan's texts, which will be the first ones I have had from him since I left school.

DAN: I'm devastated you didn't think to check on me, Eva.

DAN: Busy again?

DAN: Your blue-haired friend told me you left to take care of some things, so this is me checking up on you. Is everything alright?

ME: I was quite busy with stuff. Sorry, Daniel and thank you for the checkups. Everything is fine.

As soon as I send my reply to Dan's text, Aliya's reply comes in.

ALIYA: I was right to have called you a witch, Evie. What other powers have you got?

ME: Don't fuck around with me, bitch. What happened with Sage this time? Or is it Chloe?

I stare at my sent message before I begin to type out a new one, just to infuriate her.

ME: Or is it both?

"I see you're having a lot of fun over there, Carson. " I lift my head at Emerson's voice and look around us to see the car has stopped moving and we're in front of a familiar restaurant.

"A restaurant?" I say when my gaze rests on Emerson again and he hums as he unfastens his seatbelt, "I'm famished, Carson. You can stay in the car if you aren't, that would honestly make things easier for me. "

He walks out of the car, and I don't exactly feel like taking something, but just to annoy Ford after his words; I climb out of the car and follow behind him.

As I walk through the door, half of the seats are occupied and I slide into one at the far end while Emerson walks to the front counter. He mumbles some words that certainly don't sound like an order to the woman in front of him, who have too bright of a smile on her face. Emerson's stance and the easy exchange with the woman as she pushes him by the shoulder tell me this is a place he's familiar with.

After a few minutes of watching Emerson's interaction with her, I drop my gaze back to my phone and open the new texts.

ALIYA: We have something going on doesn't mean they are the reason behind my excitement. I received a call from my mom earlier.

Aliya's mother is a busy woman who rarely has time for her family, but when she's around– she lightens up everyone's mood and makes the world around her so easy. Despite her busy schedule, I consider her a beautiful mother and that comes a lot from her daughter.

ME: It's hard to tell when you're in love, baby. What did Mrs Collins say? Is she back home?

I lift my head from my phone to take a peek at Emerson, only to meet his eyes and he jerks his head with an odd look on his face.

"What?" I furrow my brows and when my eyes trail the direction; he's nodding towards the exit.

"You want me to leave?" I mouth to him and he nods before he mouths back, "Now. "

With a frown, I move from my seat and stride toward the exit. I stand by the car and Emerson motions for me to get in as he walks out of the restaurant and moves around the car to get into the driver's seat.

"Did something happen?" I ask him as he fastens his seatbelt.

"My sister is in there. " He says as he starts the engine and drives from the spot without taking another glance back. Emerson's sister: Hanna Ford. I've seen her only a few times and she looks the nicest out of the family with her brilliant eyes and a gorgeous smile that's always on her face whenever I see her.

"You're scared of your sister?" I chuckle as I sink into my seat and Emerson throws me a two-second glare before he takes his eyes to the front of him and says, "I'm not. She's annoying, and I don't want to deal with her. "

"She looks less annoying than you do in my opinion. " I tell him and Emerson snorts out a laugh before he says, "You're yet to meet her, Carson. I promise you; if you ever do, you'll wish you never had. "

"I'm not surprised you feel that way when I'm sure you're the bad egg. " I let out and Emerson's hand falls to my exposed thigh as a response to my words; giving the flesh a tiny, but effective pinch that makes me glare at him before he removes his hand with a smug smile on his face.