Hatred With Benefits novel Chapter 75

ALIYA.

She's shaking. She's shaking too fucking much from all over and my heart is jumping in my chest in fear for her. In fear of what might happen to her.

"Deep breathes, Eva. Deep breathes. " I try my best to calm her down, but the sobs don't stop and the trembles only increase, till a point where I'm fucking scared she has no control over it either.

"Please, Eva. You need to take deep breaths. " I tell her again, rubbing her back to try to provide some warmth and her head only presses harder against my shoulder, her grip on me getting tighter as no words fall from her mouth other than cries, and my heart both hurts and shakes for her. I know the extent of Eva's love for Emerson, and I'd have thought of everything, but this. They might have misunderstandings and fight when the time comes for it to happen, but never would I have thought that Emerson Ford would take the big step of leaving her. Not this way. Not with her like this.

We remain in the position and after several minutes; Eva's sobs start to lessen and it turns into loud hiccups as she takes inhales.

I pull back to look into her eyes, and they're full of tears. "Evie. Look at me, babe. " She raises her head to mine and it only takes one look for me to recognize the familiar pain and sadness that swims around those blue orbs.

"I'm here. I'm here, Evie. " I tell her but she says no words, other than hiccup again. My chest falls in a sigh and I start to move up, curling my hand around her wrist to drag her up with me. She loses her balance, but I'm quick to wrap a hand around her waist, steadying her on her feet.

"You should take a shower to get some relief. " I let out at the sight of the tangled mess her hair has become over her head, and the tears that roll down her cheeks with her mouth closed.

"Eva, please. Come with me. " I speak again, but she doesn't move and she doesn't say a word. "Eva, the bathroom?" I repeat my request and it takes a while before she slowly shakes her head as a revolt against my words.

"You don't want to go to the bathroom? I think you should take a bath to calm—"

"No. " The one word is powerful enough to cut through my words and she finally lifts her eyes to me again. "No. I– I can't go. He's there. "

"He? There? What are you talking about?" I furrow my brows in confusion and she starts to shake her head non-stop as she opens her mouth, "I can't go in there. He's there. He's there, Aliya. He— Emerson is— he's there to torment me. He will—" the rest of her words turn into cries and I hold a hand over the back of her head as I bring her into my arms again, my eyes burning with tears at the meaning behind those words.

He's there. So many memories of him in there with her and it'll kill her to step in there now that he's no longer here. Now that he decided to leave her.

Eva hugs my body tightly, and her body is cold against mine; the pounding of her chest loud against mine and I don't know what to do other than to continue hugging her.

I don't know how to tell her he'll be back by her side when he has left. I don't know how to tell this hurting girl in my arms that everything will be fine when I know it won't; not like this. I don't know how to tell Eva that I'll always be here for her because I know that'll never be enough.

The only thing I can do is hope that she doesn't fall back into the hole she once fell into.

EMERSON.

√NEW YORK CITY.

"And look who's back. " The woman in front of the desk smiles at me as she swirls a strand of her hair around her finger and I throw her a bored look, "Is my brother around?"

"So straight to the point like always, pretty boy. Don't you—"

"I don't have time for your jokes. Just tell me if my brother is in or not. " I snap at her and she flinches a bit before she clears her throat and jerks her head in the other direction. I give her one glance down before I walk away from her and in the direction of the man I'm here for.

Standing in front of his door, I don't place a knock before I push it open and stride inside the room, and he's sitting elegantly behind his desk with his eyes focused on the screen before him.

"The one with the focus as always. " I speak out and his head snaps to me, surprise masking his expression as he slowly rises from his seat. "Emerson? What the hell are you doing here?"

"Hello to you too, brother. " I greet him, the smile that always accompanies those words now lost and nowhere to be found.

"Why are you here?" He asks again and I push away from the door to make my way toward him. When I stand in front of him, he proceeds to say, "You didn't do anything stupid, did you?"

"I did. " I confirm, settling in the seat in front of his. "And I'm here because of it. "

Elias sighs before he takes his seat again, dragging the chair closer as he places his hands in front of him. "What did you do this time?"

I remove my gaze from his, staring at my fingers as I mumble, "I left. "

"Left who?" Elias questions and I say, "Her. I left her. " And if it wasn't the toughest decision I've ever had to make in my entire life.

"Her?" When my gaze settles back on my brother, there's a look of confusion in his eyes before realization dawns on him. "Her, " he repeats firmly this time. "The girl you told me about? Why? I thought you said you love her. "

I let out a sad chuckle. "I had no other choice, Eli. "

I don't say another word before Elias mutters the only name that could have been my reason for it. "Father. "

~FOUR DAYS EARLIER~

"Can't believe you're leaving me to go meet your girl?" Jaxon whines on my way to where my car is parked and I give him a look of irritation. "Fuck off, dude. I'm not your bitch. "

"But you yearn to be. " He says as he throws a hand over my shoulder and I jerk his hand away as I take a step to the side, away from him. "Stop being sickening, Jax. "

"Oh, right. I wouldn't want to fuck an annoying jerk like you either. I wonder how Eva puts up with you. " He says as we stop in front of my car, and I open the door before I turn to him with a small smirk on my face. "She has no other choice; she's trapped in my charm. "

"Like the lot of them all. " He retorts and I give him my middle finger, earning a laugh from him before I slide inside the car and into my seat. I fasten my seatbelt and Jaxon taps on my window before he waves and walks back inside.

I shake my head, a small laugh leaving my lips before I take my hand to the steering wheel, stopping when my glance catches the screen of my phone and there's a new text.

"I'm on my way, baby. " I mumble under my breath as I stop the car and grab the phone to reply to her text, only to find out it isn't from Eva but dad Instead.

DAD: I want you at my office.

I hiss and attempt to throw the phone to the side, only for another text to come in.