Page 159 of I See You

Hassan didn’t wait for a response. He just drove off, letting her sit with his truth. Her silence didn’t bother him. He knew she was thinking. And honestly, so was he.

He meant every fucking word. And for once, he wasn’t scared to admit it.

Minuteslater,theypulledintothehospicefacilityparkinglot.

Sevyn looked out the window, confusion settling across her face. “Where are we?” she asked, her voice soft.

“The hospice my granny’s in,” Hassan answered simply, and Sevyn’s head snapped toward him in surprise.

“I respect if you want this to be strictly therapist and client,” he added. “You said you wanted one of our sessions to include Harper and my grandmother... they’re waiting inside.”

Sevyn’s heart thudded louder in her chest. She remembered asking for this—but that was before the night they crossed the line, before the feelings crept in, before he cracked open and let her see the storm that lived inside him.

This wasn’t just some session. This was intimate. Deeper than deep. This was Hassan pulling her into a space he kept locked from the world. A place not even his demons touched.

Her ignoring him for the last couple days must’ve rattled somethinginhim,becausethis?Thiswasn’tthemanwho’dwalked intoher office two months ago with eyes like steel and a presence that screamed danger. That man was Ice. This was Hassan. Still cold, still guarded—but open. Vulnerable. Letting her in.

“I’m nervous,” she finally admitted, staring down at her hands. He chuckled. “Why? You just my therapist, remember?”

She shot him a glare, which only made him smirk harder.

“First,” he said, nodding toward the Cartier bag on her lap, “open your gift.”

Sevyn sighed, rolling her eyes, but curiosity got the best of her. She pulled the jewelry box out, snapping it open—and her breath caught. Inside was a stunning emerald greenRévélation d’une Panthèrewatch. Her mouth parted slightly as she took it in.

“My mother’s favorite color was emerald. Just like yours,” Hassan said, his voice a shade softer than usual. “Her home office was the exact same color as yours. When I stepped into your space that first day, it fucked me up. Had me feeling shit I wasn’t ready to feel.”

Sevyn’s eyes lifted from the watch to his face, the weight of his words hitting her harder than any price tag ever could.

“Is that why you didn’t want your sessions in my office? It reminded you too much of her?” she asked quietly.

He nodded, then let out a low chuckle. “Yeah. But there was no escaping it since your damn bedroom was the same color.”

She laughed despite herself, placing the watch gently back in the bag. “Who coached you on how to apologize to a woman?”

He smirked and shook his head, ignoring the question completely. “Come on, Sevyn.”

He stepped out and came around to open her door. As she stepped into the cool evening air, the breeze lifted her straightened hair, and the nerves returned, wrapping themselves around her chest.

But then he spoke again.

“Before we go in... I said a lot in that car. More than I wanted to. More than I ever have. And I know you probably saw it coming, but I need to say it anyway.”

Sevyn didn’t say a word. She just looked at him, knowing what he needed—letting him say it on his own terms.

“I need a hug. I need to feel you in my arms again before we walk in there... and before you hear the shit Madea and Harper about to say that’s gon’ piss me off.”

That made her laugh. “Aww, come here.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he pulled her close, hishandssettlingonherwaistlikehewasgroundinghimselfin her. Holding on like her touch was the only thing keeping him from spiraling.

“Don’teverfuckingignoremethatlongagain,”hemurmured against her neck, inhaling her scent like it was medicine.

The way he said it—like her silence had been unbearable—told her everything she needed to know. She wasn’t just a quick fuck. She wasn’t just another woman who got too close. He needed her. That was what this was. A need. A craving. A connection deeper than either of them were ready to admit.

When they finally pulled apart, she didn’t speak. Her hand lingered on his chest for a moment before they turned and walked toward the entrance.

As they stepped inside, Sevyn could feel the energy shift. Nurses at the front looked up in surprise, eyes flicking to Hassan, then her. Their stares didn’t bother her—what rattled her was the rapid pace of her own heartbeat. It only got louder with every step down that quiet hallway.

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