Chapter 13
T he sharp ringing of her phone yanked Sevyn out of sleep.
Groaning, she cracked her eyes open, only to squeeze them shut again as the morning sun poured through the large windows of Hassan’s guest bedroom.
The silk sheets beneath her felt too good to leave, but the persistent buzzing forced her hand.
Reaching over, she grabbed her phone and saw Dorian’s name flashing on the screen. She sighed, already knowing what this call was about.
The moment she answered, Dorian’s voice came through the speaker at full volume, no regard for how early it was.
“Bitch, is that coochie still alive?!”
Sevyn let out a tired chuckle. “Good morning, Dori.”
“I bet it is a good morning. You got that ‘fucked every which way but loose’ morning voice.”
Sevyn rolled her eyes. “More like ‘slept in an amazing guest bed’ voice,” she shot back, brushing off the implication as Dorian chuckled on the other end of the line.
Sevyn rolled her eyes. “Like I told you, Hassan is just my client.” She could practically hear Dorian rolling hers back. “Yeah, okay. You wake up at your other clients’ houses?”
Sevyn sighed, leaning back against the headboard. She knew how this looked. Hell, she knew how it was. Her and Hassan’s arrangement wasn’t just unconventional—it was toeing the line of unethical. Technically, if she wasn’t getting paid, it wouldn’t be a conflict. But she was.
And if anyone at the clinic found out she was handling therapy sessions off the books, at his house, instead of an office? That could get real messy.
But Hassan wouldn’t open up any other way.
And for reasons she wasn’t ready to unpack, she was willing to do whatever it took to get him to talk.
"Why are you up so early, anyway? I thought Roman would’ve worn your ass out." Sevyn joked, steering the conversation away fro m
Dorian’s nosiness.
"Oh, he did. Had to soak my girl this morning—the way he beat this pussy up." Dorian said bluntly, making Sevyn burst into laughter.
"You are so nasty." Sevyn shook her head, amused.
"And you love it. But anyway, Harper called me for a workout this morning. She said she tried hitting you up, but you didn’t answer. I didn’t wanna tell her it was ‘cause you were getting dick’d down by her cousin, so I said I’d call and let you know."
Sevyn rolled her eyes. "First of all, Harper gets up too damn early. That woman be up before the birds. And secondly—" she paused, deciding there was no point in arguing. "You know what? Never mind. I’m not about to keep explaining myself to you."
Dorian cackled. "Uh-huh. You and that little denial kink. Anyway, we meeting at the gym at nine, so don’t be late."
Sevyn glanced at the time—7:45 AM. She still had to go home and change.
"Fine. See y’all there." She hung up, sighing as she stretched out in the bed for a brief moment before grabbing her phone again.
Her breath hitched.
Her eyes nearly flew out of her sockets at the wire transfer notification staring back at her.
$10,000 deposited into your account from Gaines Inc.
Ten bands. For one session.
She’d never been paid this much before. Not even close. It wasn’t just excessive—it felt wrong. Even coming from a man like Hassan.
Heart racing, she quickly jumped out of bed, glancing down at the oversized black T-shirt and basketball shorts he’d given her to sleep in. The fabric swallowed her frame completely, making her chuckle despite herself.
Shaking her head, she headed into the bathroom to freshen up.
She grabbed the brand new toothbrush he’d left out, brushing her teeth before using a clean towel to wash her face.
Once her skin was glowing and her hair was pulled into a high ponytail, she walked back into the room and changed into her clothes from the night before.
Presentable enough, she grabbed her purse and phone before stepping out, her mind still spinning over the deposit sitting in her account.
The house was silent—so quiet that if a pen dropped, she would have heard it. But that didn’t stop the scent of breakfast from drifting through the air, instantly making Sevyn’s mouth water.
She slowed her steps as she descended the staircase, eyes scanning for her heels. They were right where she left them the night before. As she bent down to adjust the strap, an involuntary shiver ran down her spine. A feeling. Like she was being watched .
She looked up—and there he was.
Hassan stood at the entrance of the kitchen, shirtless, tattoos sprawled across his dark skin like a work of art. His black cotton shorts hung low on his hips, a coffee mug in his hand. But his eyes? His eyes were locked right on her.
Watching. Waiting.
That signature icy stare was present, but like always, it softened just a little when it came to her.
"Good morning." Her voice came out softer than she intended, but he didn’t respond right away. Just stood there, studying her like a predator eyeing its prey.
Finally, his deep, steady voice cut through the silence. "Breakfast is on the table."
It wasn’t a question.
Sevyn adjusted the strap on her purse. "Thanks, but I can’t stay. I should be leaving."
Hassan’s expression didn’t change. "How you gon’ leave? You didn’t drive."
"It’s called Uber." She shot back.
His jaw flexed slightly, but his tone remained unreadable. "Nah, I don’t like random niggas at my crib. I’ll take you home. But you eating first."
A command. Not an offer.
Sevyn chuckled, shaking her head. "Staying the night was already unethical. Sitting down for breakfast? That’s crossing the line."
Hassan let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "You always play by the book? ‘Cause you don’t give me that type of vibe."
Her brow lifted. "When it comes to my career, yes. And what type of vibe do I give off, then?"
He raked his eyes over her slowly, deliberately. Then, without answering, he simply turned and walked back into the kitchen.
"Come eat."
Just like that, the conversation was over.
Sevyn took a deep breath, already knowing that nothing came easy when it came to Hassan.
"Hassan, I really need to leave. I have a workout session with Harper and Dorian that I’m really not trying to be late for.
Both your cousin and mine are nosy as hell, so I’m trying to avoid as many questions as possible.
" She explained, watching him sit there, eating his breakfast like she hadn’t said a word.
He didn’t even glance up. Just kept eating.
Sevyn rolled her eyes, frustrated, before glancing down at the plate that was obviously meant for her—pancakes, bacon, scrambled eggs, and sausage, with a glass of orange juice on the side. The food smell ed incredible.
Her arms folded. "So you’re just going to ignore me?"
Hassan finally spoke, voice steady, calm, and commanding. "Sevyn, sit."
She exhaled sharply, already knowing she wasn’t going to win this battle. So, with a heavy sigh, she pulled out the chair and sat.
The second she took a bite of the eggs, her annoyance wavered. She wasn’t expecting them to be this good. Fluffy, seasoned just right. And the bacon? Crispy, flavorful—perfect.
She’d never admit this out loud, but Hassan’s cooking might’ve just rivaled her mother’s.
When she looked up, he was already watching her.
"This is good," she admitted, taking another bite, this time of the pancakes.
Hassan nodded, uninterested in compliments as he kept eating. "Did you get your payment?"
Sevyn put down her fork. "About that… That was way too much for one session. I’m sending most of it back."
The look he gave her made it clear— don’t you dare.
But, as always, Sevyn didn’t follow orders. "I’m serious, Hassan. I don’t feel right accepting ten grand for a two-hour session. That’s excessive."
His jaw tightened. "Don’t send that shit back. I paid you what I thought you were worth."
Her lips twitched, fighting the smile threatening to break through, but she wouldn’t be Sevyn Love if she didn’t challenge him. "I’m good, but I’m not ten thousand dollars for two hours good, Hassan."
Hassan leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. "I don’t give a fuck how you feel. Send that shit back if you want to."
The weight of his tone left no room for argument as he stood, grabbing his empty plate and walking to the sink. Sevyn huffed, already knowing she’d lost yet another battle with this man.
She finished her food and carried her own plate to the sink, washing it before placing it on the rack. The scent of his coffee reached her, and curiosity took over.
"Why do you do that?" Her voice carried an edge of irritation. Hassan didn’t even look at her. "Do what?"
She turned to face him fully. "Try to control everything. Everyone." His eyes finally met hers. "I don’t."
She scoffed, drying her hands. "You do. But I’m not one of those people you can control. You will be getting most of that money back by the end of the day."
Sevyn turned to walk past him, but before she could make it two steps, a firm grip caught her waist, pulling her back hard against him .
She gasped, her heels making her lose balance, but Hassan caught her effortlessly. Their bodies pressed together, his grip firm, steady— possessive.
The air shifted instantly. Sevyn’s breath hitched.
His face was right in front of hers. Their lips mere inches apart. She could smell the faint bitterness of coffee on his breath, feel the heat radiating from his skin. His hand lingered on the small of her back, fingers grazing the fabric of her shirt, sending a shiver down her spine.
He said nothing. Did nothing. Just held her there. Watching. Waiting.
"I'm gonna say this shit as nice as I can, Sevyn."
Hassan’s voice was low, steady, but there was an unmistakable edge to it. His free hand ran down his beard, a small, controlled movement, but Sevyn knew better. He was trying to keep himself from saying—or doing—the wrong thing.
She stayed quiet, knowing she’d probably pissed him off, but also knowing if she spoke now, she might not like his response.