Hatred With Benefits novel Chapter 83

EMERSON.

A frown takes over my face. "It's you. "

I leave the door open and turn back into the house with Jaxon's voice echoing behind me. "That's so rude of you, dude. I thought you'd be happier to see me. "

"You aren't exactly the face I was expecting. " I tell him as I drop on the couch. But again, she was determined to break up with me that night, why the hell would she show up now? You truly love to get your hopes up, Emerson.

"And let me guess the face you were expecting. " Jaxon's voice pulls me out of my thoughts and he's settling next to me. "Blue eyes and quite different hair. "

"Shut up. " I tell him and he laughs before he says, "Are things better between the two of you now?"

"Not quite. They're far from being better. " I say and he lifts a brow, "Why not? I thought you said your brother was going to help with it?"

"I said he was going to help with the father's issue. I didn't say he was going to help with the girlfriend issue. " I explain and he nods, "So the other issue is solved?"

"Let's just say the problem between me and Eva right now is more important. "

"Is that why you're not showing up at school yet?" He asks and I hum as I sink back against the couch. "I don't think school is the right choice at the moment. "

There's a moment of silence between us before Jaxon says, "Do you need my help with anything? "

I turn my head to him and smile, slapping a hand on his shoulder. "No, man. Thank you for offering, though. "

He nods and I watch as his eyes move down my body. When he raises his head, he says, "You look like you lost weight. "

I remove my hand from his shoulder and look down at myself, "Do I? "

"You do. This love shit is really hard, isn't it?" He says and I chuckle, "It isn't always. "

"Well, I've seen enough to know I wouldn't want to fall into one. " He declares and I lift my gaze to him, "Everyone says that, until they eventually fall into it without realizing. "

"Nah, man. I think the love I have for myself is enough to last me through my lifetime. " He states firmly and I snort at his words, "You never fail to say the stupidest things. "

"There are no other truer words from men than mine. " He winks and then breaks into a laugh himself and I merely shake my head as I hold a cushion to my chest.

"Will you be fine?" I meet his eyes at the sudden change in tone to serious and when I smile, he adds, "I'm serious. I know you said you can handle it, but I also know when you try to hide your pain. "

"I'll be fine. " I assure him and when he narrows his eyes at me, I say, "Promise. "

"Good. " He mumbles before he proceeds to say, "I'd be laughing my ass off if you turn out to not be as strong as you always claim. " He jokes and I hit his shoulder, earning a laugh from him.

"Do you want me to move in with you till your girl comes back? I can think of many different ways that we could have fun. " Jaxon throws his legs over my lap and I look at the legs before I throw him an irritated look, "Fuck no. And get your dirty legs off me. "

I throw his legs off, only for him to shift closer to my side. "I think I'll be a pretty better boyfriend; you'll forget about—"

"Say one more word and I'll be throwing you out of here. " I glare at him and he rolls his eyes as he moves back to his space. "Reject me, man. I wouldn't want to leave those pretty boobs either. "

"You're insane. " I tell him and he smiles as he throws a leg over me again. "Why do you think I'm your friend?"

√THREE DAYS LATER.

"Fuck, I miss you. " I groan into the pillow as I fall on Eva's bed, spreading my arms across the sheets and wishing I had her here to wrap them around instead. I've been trying to get to her, but all she does is ignore me or tell me to leave her alone. Not that I don't deserve it, but I badly need her here. Standing by her window every night in hope of her opening up to me is starting to wear me out.

The vibration of my phone makes me lift my hand to retrieve the device, and I'm quick to sit up on the bed at the sight of her name on the screen.

She's calling me. Eva is calling me. She's fucking—

"Eva. " I'm quick to glue the phone to my ear with a heart that beats too fast than normal, only to pull it back a bit at the loud sound that echoes through.

Furrowing my brows, I recheck to ensure it's her name across the screen before I press it back to my ear. "Eva?"

"Emerson!" Her loud voice finally comes through, and the sound mixed with the cheerfulness with which she calls my name both calms my heart and makes it races.

"Eva? Where are you? Why's it so loud there?" I ask her and there are some giggles, and unfamiliar voices before she speaks again, "Emerson! I'm at the club and I'm having so much fun!"

I move to my feet, tossing the pillow to the side, "The club? What the fuck are you doing at the club?"

She ignores my question and says, "A club. Do you want to come? Should I let you— get your hands off me!" Panic rushes through me at the change in her voice and I open my mouth again, "Eva? Eva?"

"Oh, hi Emerson. " She responds and I let out a breath of relief. "Eva, tell me which club you are in. "

"Why should I do that?" She chuckles and I say, "Because I want you to. "

"But I don't want to. " She argues and I pace across the room. "I want you to. Eva, please tell me the name. "

"I'll think about it. " She says and I rub my forehead in frustration. "Eva! Tell me which club it is. "

"Will you beg me for it?" She asks and I nod, "Of course. Of course, I will ba— Eva. Please. I want to know which it is. "

She hums. "Not enough. " Oh fucking God.

Closing my hand to calm the raging emotions inside me, I let out my next words in my softest tone. "Please, baby. Tell me the name. "

There's nothing from her end before she finally answers. "Echostage. " And that's all I need to grab my keys and rush out of the house.

~

I hurry out of the car, slamming the door behind me as I stride inside the club. My vision is blurred by the lights that shine through every corner and I can barely hear a thing from the loud noises, but it isn't long before I find her; her ash blonde hair standing out among the rest.

Finding her comes both as a relief and anger, and my hands form into fists, my teeth grinding against each other as I watch her dance with a strange guy in a short skirt and a quite revealing top. His hands... He has his hands on her fucking waist. He's touching her. And she's there. Seeming to enjoy his presence.

I don't waste another second before I march towards her, moving his hand off her with a firm grip and his wide eyes meets mine as he snaps his head to my view.

"Who the fuck are you?" He dares to ask me when all I want to do is throw my fist into his face.