Hatred With Benefits novel Chapter 43

EVA.

"You need to start leaving, Hanna. " Hanna groans next to me at the voice of her brother, and I chuckle, throwing her a smile as she meets my eyes with a small pout.

"He's chasing me away. " She purrs and I look at Emerson behind us before looking back at her to say, "I'm sure he has good intentions. "

"You're defending him?" She narrows her eyes and I shake my head. "I'm not. Just pointing that out. "

"Fine, " she rolls her eyes before moving to her feet then a smile covers her face. "I look forward to spending more time with you, Eva. "

"Me too. " I utter sincerely and her smile widens before she turns to her brother, "I'm leaving now. Are you satisfied?"

"Do you want me to take you back?" Emerson asks her and she says, "No, I don't think so. I'll be fine "

"I'll take you. " Emerson persists now and Hanna shakes her head again as an opposition to his words, "I'll honestly be—"

"I want to make sure you head directly home, and not some other places. I'm taking you, and there's no place for an argument. " He states, the finality in his voice quite obvious and Hanna's shoulders sink in a sigh before she bobs her head in agreement.

"Good. Stay here, I'll be back. " With those words, Emerson turns away and Hanna falls back beside me. "He's annoying, isn't he?"

"At times. " I chuckle and she smiles, shifting closer. "I'm kind of curious. How did you guys go from hating each other to hanging out and being housemates? "

"It's complicated. " I tell her and she says, "Go ahead. I'm all in for complications. "

When I do not answer, she proceeds to ask, "Do you like him? You know, like like him?"

"What? No! " I'm quick to deny and Hanna laughs. "That was a quick answer. It's usually termed a contradiction when you give a quick answer like that. " She teases and I finally see a resemblance between her and her brother.

"I should let you know, though. Emery is a—" Hanna doesn't get to finish the rest of her words at Emerson's reappearance, and she groans before moving from the couch. "We will have this discussion another day, Eva. You'll need it. " She winks and throws me a flying kiss before she strides towards the door.

"Are you sure you can handle yourself without me?" Emerson taunts and I snicker. "I love it more without you. "

"Careful what you say, Carson. I can easily tell when it's a lie. " He chuckles before he turns in the other direction and goes after his sister. Just before he walks through the door, he turns around and throws me a salute with a tiny smile before he moves out of sight.

I shake my head, and grab the remote with a smile playing by the corners of my lips– a smile that's triggered by the sight of his.

~

"Semester is almost over, and I just can't wait to fucking get back home. I've missed my mom's meals. " Aliya complains as we slide into a booth after a tiring walk from the campus, and I snort. "You're only saying that because you can't take care of your damn food. "

"You didn't have to call me out, bitch. " She frowns and I throw her a wink.

"So what did you guys do last night?" She places her hands on the banquette separating our seats and pushes her face closer with a small glint.

"What do you mean?" I ask, confused and when a tiny smirk appears on her lips, I figure out her words just before she says, "Emerson. I'm pretty sure he gives it to you every night. I can't believe I didn't notice sooner. That explains why you never complain about fucking these days. I'm so fucking mad I didn't pay enough attention. " She lets out in a breath.

"Maybe I'm not as bad at lying as you think I am. " I say with a proud smile and Aliya grimaces, "Please, you're so fucking bad at it. I would have figured it out if I weren't too busy with my complicated life. "

"You mean your two girls?" I point out just to tease her and she throws me her middle finger, causing me to laugh.

"Speaking of your two girls –" I speak when I caught sight of a certain blonde behind her. "One might just be right behind you. " Aliya furrows her brows before she turns her head to the side, and I watch as she freezes for a second before she turns her attention back to me.

"Who is that?" I ask her, jerking my head towards the guy who stands beside Sage with an arm wrapped around her waist as they speak to the lady at the front counter.

"I don't know–" Aliya mumbles, pulling my gaze back to her. "But they look super close. "

"Are you bothered?" I ask her and she snaps her gaze to me. "Why the hell would I be?"

I let out a small laugh at her attempt to appear tough. "You don't have to hide it. I can tell you are; it's practically written all over your face, babe. "

"I'm not. " She persists and I lift my brows, "Are you sure? So you don't mind the way he's holding onto her? The arm looks very close, and she doesn't seem to have a–"

"Stop. " She hisses, and I cackle. "You're so fucking bad at hiding it. I can tell you are, but you shouldn't be. I'm sure he's just a friend. She's got eyes for you only, babe. "

"I lost my appetite. We should leave. " She suddenly says, grabbing onto her bag by the side, and attempting to move from her seat, but I stop her as I say, "Too late. They are coming towards us now. "

Aliya's eyes widen. "You can't be fucking serious. "

"Oh, I am. " I respond and throw a smile at Sage when she steps to our side. "Hey, you. "

"Hey, pretty. Where the fuck have you been? It feels like I keep missing you. " She says and I nod to Aliya who has her eyes on Sage, "She's the one keeping me away. Wants you all to herself. " Sage's cheeks redden at my words, and Aliya kicks my leg under the table, throwing me a glare when my gaze settles on hers.

"It's more like Emerson has been keeping you away from us. " Sage responds, and I let out an awkward laugh as Aliya rests back in her seat with a proud face.

"Fuck you. " I mouth to her and her smile widens as she presses her middle finger to the side of her face.

"Um, guys. This is my friend from high school, Josh. And Josh, this is Eva. She's a super nice girl. "

"Don't flatter me. " I say to her before I look to Josh who extends his hand to me and I take it in mine.

"Have anyone ever told you, you're an angel?" Josh tells me as he lowers his head towards my palm and presses his lips to the skin.

"Not in that way, but thank you, Josh. " I match the smile on his face with a small one of mine and Sage clears her throat when it takes too long for him to let go of my hand.

"And Josh, this is Aliya. My um–" she pauses and I look between the two of them as they exchange heated gazes. God, one look at these girls and you'll realize they're too fucking deep in it.

"She's my um– my gir–" Sage doesn't get to finish the rest of her words before Aliya interrupts, saying, "Friend. Her friend. " I watch Sage's face falls and I mentally facepalm myself at my best friend's dumb intervention as I watch her exchange greetings with Josh.

"So you're the Aliya, uh?" Josh says and Aliya exchanges confused gazes with me. When I raise my shoulder in a shrug, she looks back at him and says, "The Aliya?"

"Yeah, Sage here just happens to talk a lot about–"

"Okay, guys! I think that's enough discussion. We have to get going. " Sage pulls Josh by his arm and an amused smile rests on my lips as I watch her glare at the guy discreetly.

"I'll see you around, Eva?" Josh meets my eyes and I give a nod with a small wave before he's dragged out of our sight.

"What the fuck just happened?" Aliya speaks from her seat when they're out of sight and I turn to her with a grin on my face. "Seems like you mean more than just a friend to your precious Sage, idiot. "

When she gives no response, I say, "You might want to make up your mind, Aliya. She likes you. Like a lot. "

"I know that. " She responds with a groan and I lean forward. "Then why are you hurting her? If you ask me, I think it's better with her than with Chloe. "

"You don't get it. " She mumbles with a small shake of her head. "It isn't just about how Sage feels towards me and how I feel for her. It's about Chloe being in the middle. She just– I can't explain it, Evie. I wish I could, but I truly can't. I can't resist her, but I can't lose Sage either. "

"Well, you will have to do something, because if you don't– you'll end up losing someone who loves you more than you think. Maybe the semester break will help with your decision. " I tell her and she nods, before sinking into her seat with a fall of her chest.