Hatred With Benefits novel Chapter 61

EVA.

"I told you not to drop me here. " I hiss at Emerson as I unfasten my seatbelt before I turn to grab my bag from the backseat.

"And who are you trying to hide from?" He queries when I move back to my seat.

"I'm not hiding. It just feels... Weird?" I tell him as I duck my head from his gaze and Emerson drops his hand to my chin, tipping my head to meet his eyes. "Then you should get real with it because this isn't a one-time thing. "

"It is. You won't be taking me tomorrow. I don't care what you use. "

"Is that a challenge?" He raises a daring brow, the corners of his lips curving when I hum before I push forward to press my lips to his. "Take it as you feel. " I tell him when I pull back, attempting to move out but Emerson's hand slides to the back of my neck and he takes my lips in his again, not stopping the luscious attack of his lips and his tongue till I'm left breathless and gasping for air.

"My eyes are always on you, Diva. " He says when he pulls back and I smile, giving a playful squeeze to his crotch and jumping out of the car before Emerson can do anything about it.

"I'll get back at you for that, Carson. " He speaks through the window and I throw him a wink before I turn away.

I instantly cuss under my breath when I catch the sight of Aliya across the field with her eyes on me and a taunting smile on her lips.

"Oh, God. It just couldn't get any worse, uh?" I keep on a straight face as I make my way toward my best friend, and she drapes a hand over my shoulder when I'm close.

"So that's why you told me to come on my own? Because your boyfriend was driving you to school?" She teases and I swat her hand from my shoulder as I adjust my bag. "Let's get to class, please. "

"Bitch, you are not escaping this. " She promises and I groan, "Aliya–"

"Eva–" she calls my name in the same tone, causing us to break into a laugh and I shake my head as we make our way to class.

EMERSON.

"Why did you ask me to come?" I question as I stride into Paige's room and she lifts her hand from her phone, her face brightening up at the sight of me.

"Hey, you. You made it. " She smiles as she drops her phone to the side and rises to her feet.

"I told you I was on my way. " I remind her as she edges closer to me with open arms, "I didn't think you meant it. You rarely listen to me these days. "

When she gives me a pointed look with her head angled to her open arms, I throw her a look of confusion, "What?"

She sighs and lets her hands fall to her side. "What else would I be spreading my arms for? Give me a hug. "

"You didn't call me just to get a hug, did you?" I arch an eyebrow and she shakes her head, "I didn't, but we could start with a hug. "

"Why did you call me, Paige?" I ask her, ignoring her request and she frowns, "You can't hug me now? First, it was the sex, and now the hug? What's it going to be next? Will you stop me from getting the slightest touches too?"

"So you called me to waste my time? "

"Are you even listening to what I'm telling you?" Annoyance creeps into her voice.

"I am. I just don't make sense of it. I told you I won't fuck you any longer, and you seemed to understand so why are you bringing it up again?"

"I understood until you started to pull away from me. It's just a Goddamn hug, Emery. What's so fucking hard about giving one?" She doesn't tone down her voice and it's starting to irritate me.

When I don't give a response, she proceeds to say, "It's her, isn't it? The chick at your place? You found a new toy and forget all about me?"

My head snaps to her at the disgust in her voice and I match her frame with a glare as I open my mouth, "Firstly, she isn't a chick. Her name is Eva, and you'll not speak of her like that. Secondly, she isn't a toy. She's my fucking woman so you'll treat her as such. "

"Since when do you care about having a woman?" She scoffs, not hiding the irritation in her voice in the slightest way and I say, "Since I found her. "

"So she's the reason you're pulling away from me? "

"Oh God, " I groan, turning away from her. "We talked about this before, Paige. Why the fuck are you acting this way? I thought you were mature enough to understand the fucking part in our relationship is done. It was bound to end one day; one way or the other. "

When I turn back to meet her eyes, she bites the inside of her cheeks before she parts her lips. "I know that, and I have no problem with it. But it's starting to be more than that. You're pulling away from this friendship too, and that hurts, Emerson. "

"I'm not pulling away, " I tell her. "I'm putting a distance between the relationship we once had, and the one we have now. Otherwise, there would be nothing between us. "

"Fine, " she grumbles under her breath as she returns to her seat and I take the chair across from her. "All these because of one hug?"

"I've missed you. You can't possibly understand how I feel. " She mutters and I clear my throat in an attempt to dismiss the topic. "Why did you call me here? You said it was urgent. "

"Yeah, " she responds, rubbing her palms against each other. She stares at the floor for a while before she lifts her head to meet my gaze, "I'm going to visit her tomorrow and I want you to come with me. "

"No. " My response comes quick and sharp, and Paige's face falls.

"No?" She repeats the word, as if she couldn't believe her ears and I nod as another confirmation. "No, I can't come with you. "