Hatred With Benefits novel Chapter 37

EVA.

"Eva. " Dan calls next to me and I look away from Emerson's gaze to him. He's staring at me with confused eyes. "Is everything alright?"

With another glance at Emerson, I see the rest of their friend group behind them and I look back at Dan with a small smile. "Yeah, sure. Everything is. "

"Do you want to go back to the seats?" Dan asks again and I nod before he leads us away from the crowd. Just as he's about to take a seat, he presses his hand to the back of his pants and pulls out his phone.

"Give me a minute. I need to take this. " Dan says, and I nod, assuring him I'll be fine before he walks away.

I adjust in my seat and stare in front of me as I wait for Dan's return, and just out of curiosity; I twist my head to the space where Emerson previously occupied with Paige, only to find it empty. I crease my brows as my eyes begin to move across the room, only to be stopped by Dan's voice.

"We have to leave. " I turn to meet his eyes and a frown covers his face.

"Is everything alright?" I ask with raised brows and he nods with a sigh, "Yeah, everything is. Something urgent came up so I have to leave. I'm so fucking sorry. "

"You don't have to be if it's something urgent. " I tell him and he narrows his eyes, "Are you sure? You aren't mad I'm bailing on you?"

A chuckle slips through my lips as I say, "Of course not. I already had a lot of fun so you don't have to worry. "

Dan's frown turns into a smile as he says, "I'm glad for those words. "

I move from my seat and jerk my head towards the exit. "Come on. "

Dan nods and presses his hand to the small of my back as he leads us to the exit. We walk out of the club, and to where his bike is parked.

"Climb on. I'll take you—"

"I'll take her home. " Dan's words are interrupted as Emerson appears beside me and I look at him before I avert my gaze to Dan's, whose eyes move between me and Emerson.

"I don't think so, dude. She—" The rest of Dan's words are once again silenced as Emerson says, "We live together so it's easier if I take her home. "

The surprise in Dan's eyes as they look back at me is clear, and disbelief dances through me as he waits for me to disagree with Emerson's words, but I'm only able to agree as I tell him, "We do. "

His mouth hangs as he stares between the two of us before he drops his helmet on his bike and moves to me. He pulls me by my arm to the side and says, "Is this why you never wanted me to come to your place? Because you live with him?"

"No, " I'm quick to disagree with that thought of his. "It's not. It's far from it. "

"Then why didn't you tell me you live with him when I met you back then?" He persists and I say, "I didn't think it was necessary? What good would the information have done? And I didn't think you needed to know who I live with. "

Dan's shoulders sink in a sigh and he withdraws his hand from my arm as he looks behind me at Emerson. I turn in the direction of his eyes, and Emerson is still standing in his spot; his eyes on me and Dan.

"She came out here with me. " Dan says to him and Emerson snickers before he says, "And she's leaving with him. " The tone of his words leaves no room for opposition, and I'm a bit surprised when Dan proceeds to argue with him.

"And who do you think you are to decide that? She's a woman of her own, and she gets to make her own decisions. You don't get to drag her out of here. "

"Neither do you. "Emerson responds, and tired of the back and forth that seems to keep going between the two; I place a hand on Dan's arm and he looks back at me, a determined look on his face.

"I'll leave with him. It's like he said; it's easier. "Dan's face falls and his lips twitch but he says no words as he looks back to Emerson.

"I had fun tonight, Daniel. Thank you for bringing me here. " I tell him with a small smile on my face and his chest falls in a sigh as he throws me a smile; a smile that appears to be forced.

"I'm glad you did. " He says before opening his arms. "A hug before you leave?"

"You're obsessed with that. " I joke and Dan chuckles. "Maybe I am. " And he pulls me into his chest, his head leaning on my shoulder for a few seconds before he pulls back and pinches my cheek.

"Give me a call when you get home, yeah?" He lifts a brow and I shake my head, purposely taunting him as I say, "I can't make any promises, Daniel. "

When a frown covers his face, I add, "But I'll try. "

He nods and presses his lips to my cheeks before he moves to stand by his bike while I twist my body in Emerson's direction.

"Let's move. " I tell the man as I stand in front of him and he glances at me before he turns away and walks ahead. With a scowl on my face, I follow after him and we reach the spot where his car is parked with Emerson sliding inside the driver's seat while I climb in next to him.

Emerson is silent as he places his hands on the steering wheel and I turn my body completely in his direction. Parting my lips, I say, "I didn't know you would be–"

It happens in a blur; so fast that I barely have time to take a breath before he moves. One second, Emerson's hands are on the wheel and he's staring ahead of him, and the other second, the rest of my words remain nothing but unspoken ones at the tip of my tongue as Emerson pulls me to him by my jacket and closes his lips over mine.

His lips touch mine for two seconds before he pulls back and stares into my eyes. My breathing has quickened up and I swipe my tongue over my upper lip. Emerson's eyes follow the movement and he's dragging me out of the seat, pulling me over the divider to settle me on his lap. My hands instinctively go to the back of his head as Emerson lowers his hand to my hips and mashes his lips against mine again. I hum against his mouth as he nudges me closer till I'm almost straddling the bulge poking through his pants.

A moan leaves my mouth as Emerson moves from my lips to my neck, his lips brushing barely against the skin as he shrugs my jacket off my shoulder, leaving me in my sleeveless top. He litters kisses across my shoulder and down to where it meets my arm before he pulls back with his breathing heavy.

"Where?" He pants as he grabs my ass, and drags me closer to the edge.

"Where?" I repeat the word in a breathless moan as Emerson lifts me slightly before he drops me to straddle the right spot– on his hardened cock.

"Where was the touch?" He asks, annoyance creeping into his voice and I furrow my brows in confusion. "What do you mean? What are you talking about?"

Emerson opens his mouth to speak then closes it again and when seconds pass without a word from him, but just stares; I proceed to ask the question that's been on my mind since I saw him inside the club.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were using one more day at home. "

"Why do you care?" Emerson's response is quick, as if he'd been expecting me to ask him that question.

"I don't. " I tell him, adjusting on his lap so my legs are bent properly.

"Then you should stop with the questions. " His voice is cold, and doesn't sound Emerson-like. Emerson Ford has been mocking, taunting and insulting, but he's never spoken to me in a cold voice. At least not when I purposely get on his nerves when he's clearly in a bad mood.

"Are you sure you're..." I start to ask, but he cut me off.

"You don't get to ask me questions, Carson. You get to take every pound I give into that pussy of yours, do you understand?" His words are raw and a scoff falls from my mouth.

"I fucking hate you. "

"And I fucking hate you too. So how about you spread those thick thighs of yours and let me show you just how much I hate you?" He lifts a brow, one that annoys me and he knows it.