Hatred With Benefits novel Chapter 73

EVA.

"Emerson. "

My eyes open to the while ceiling and my hand move on its own across the bed, but end up with nothing.

My chest drops as I sit up on the bed, my eyes glancing at the clock by the side which reads almost ten. And Emerson is yet to be back.

I lift my body to grab my phone, and there are no new notifications from him.

"Where did you go?" I mumble as I stare at the numerous messages I've left him before I climb off the bed and head out of his room. The uncomfortable silence in the house swims around me as I stride to the kitchen to get a glass of water. After having a sip, I take the glass with me and pace to the living room, dropping on the couch as I place the glass in front of me.

Silence. A drop. A swallow. A heartbeat– the cycle goes on and on with my feet tapping against the floor and my phone in my hand, and when my thoughts go to the point of almost driving me insane, I move from the couch and place a call to Aliya, chewing on my lips as the line rings once and twice before it connects.

"Eva?" Her voice sounds tired as it comes through and I part my lips, "Did I wake you? I'm sorry. I just need to talk to someone or my thoughts will get out of hand. "

"Did something happen? Are you back from home?" There's a sound of ruffling sheets as she asks the question and I say, "I got back a while ago, and I can't find Emerson. "

"Did you leave texts?"

I nod. "And calls. I got no response, and I'm about to lose my mind. It's unlike him and the possibilities I'm thinking of are so damn wild that I just need to stop them. "

"Where could he be?" She asks and I rub my eyes as I take a step forward. "I don't know, Aliya. I don't know, but if I don't wake up to that boy by my side, I will—"

"Don't. " She shushes me before I can finish my words. "You shouldn't think that way. I'm sure he's fine. "

"Then why isn't he taking my calls? If he's fine, then why's he not responding to my texts?"

"Think positive, babe. Maybe he misplaced his phone. " She suggests and I say, "With his car too?"

"I— I don't know what to say, Eva but don't think negatively. Don't do that to yourself. He'll find his way back to you; believe in that. " Her words aren't as convincing as they sound but I take them either way.

Aliya stays on the line for a while before there are no more words from her end, and amidst the yawns and the tired voice; I know she must have fallen asleep. When I move the phone from my ear, it's almost eleven and I walk to take a peek through the window before I stride back to the couch.

I take another gulp of my water as I put my gaze on the door, and mumble silently for Emerson Ford to walk through it. He doesn't need to say a word, I just need to see his face at this point.

I take my eyes back to my phone when Hanna crosses my mind but I ignore the thought before I send the message. There's no way he's home; he would have showed up to mine if he were.

Deciding to try again, I contact his call and for the first time, it goes from unanswered to unreachable and fear consumes my trembling being as drop after drop of my tears falls to the phone screen.

~

"Eva. Baby. " I groan, turning to the other side at the sound of the voice. It takes a second before it comes again, "Carson. Look at me. " Knowing there's only one person who calls me by that name, I jump out of bed, my eyes wide as they meet the brown ones by my side. He puts on a smile as he drops his hand on my shoulder.

"Emerson? Oh my God. " I move closer to his side and wrap my arms around his neck, throwing my face to the side of his neck to press my lips to the skin. "Where were you? What happened to you? Why didn't you—" I'm unable to finish my words as I close my eyes and let his presence calm my raging heart.

"Did I get you worried? I'm so sorry, baby. " His soft voice speaks near my ear as he strokes my back, and the words coming from him have me pulling back, a frown taking over my face. "Why didn't you come?"

"I was on my way. " He assures me as he moves on the bed completely and takes my hands in his, his thumb caressing the back of my palm as he speaks, "I was. I was on my way to you, Eva. "

"So what happened?" I lift a brow and there's a shift in his bob as he takes a big gulp, his eyes flickering from mine to our hands before he opens his mouth, "I got distracted. "

"What?" My confusion is clear from that one word, and Emerson sighs, rocking my hands slowly. "What happened at home?"

"You tell me what happened to you, Emerson. I left tons of messages and calls, and none got a reply. I was so fucking worried when I got home, and didn't meet you here. I was losing my mind, Emerson. What happened? Why did you do that?"

"I'm sorry, " he whispers, lowering his gaze from mine. "I'm sorry, Eva. I'm so fucking sorry. I'm just— I'm so sorry, baby. I'm so sorry. " He keeps repeating and I furrow a brow as I drop one of my hands from his to touch his chin. Lifting his gaze to mine, his eyes are not the usual ones I'm used to. They're warm, but there's a strong emotion that he doesn't let me decipher as he puts a smile on.

"Emerson, " I start in a low voice. "Is there something you want to share with me? Please talk to me. "

"Why'd you think that?" He asks and I say, "Because I can feel it. Did you do something? What is it?"

He shakes his head, and I drop my hand from his chin for him to palm my cheek. His thumb soothes the skin as he says, "Did you cry?"

"No. " I lie and he chuckles. "You did, Eva. You can't lie to me. Why did you cry?"

"You weren't here. " I tell him, pushing my face into his palm. "I got scared that something bad might have happened. I didn't know where to look to. I didn't know who to call, and that truly scared me. " I hold a hand over his. "Don't do that to me, again. Promise me; promise that you'll never do that to me again. "

"Come here. " He responds, gesturing for me to move closer and I crawl across the bed and onto his lap. His hands stay at the small of my back as he looks into my eyes, "I'm sorry, baby. " I open my mouth to speak, but Emerson doesn't allow it as he closes his lips over mine. His lips are unhurried against mine. No tongue. No teeth. Just his lips and mine, and it's almost like he's taking his time to savour the taste.

He withdraws after a while and holds his hand over my head as he leans forward to press his lips to my forehead and then he states to back away.

"Where are you going?" I ask Emerson, taking his hand when he tries to slide off the bed and he turns back to me with a bright smile on his face, "I just need to change my clothes. "

"Don't leave me. " I whine and he moves on the bed again, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear as he presses his lips to my cheek. When he pulls back, he says, "I'm not, baby. Come here. " I throw a hand around his neck as Emerson carries me from the bed and into his arms, wrapping my legs around his waist to steady me as he walks us to his closet.

He takes a few seconds to grab his shirt before he walks to the other corner and he drops me to the desk, caging me in his arms as he lowers his gaze, "I need to get into this, and I can't do that with you in my arms. "