Page 124 of I See You

But he didn’t want it to end.

Then, the shrill buzz of his phone cut through the quiet, snapping him back to reality. He reached into the pocket of his jeans, careful not to jostle her too much as she stirred against him. She shifted slightly off his chest, but he wasn’t ready to lose her warmth. So he pulled her closer, guiding her body almost fully on top of him. She mumbled something unintelligible in her sleep, but didn’t wake.

Hardsleeper,hethought.Dangerous,consideringshelivesalone. But right now? Shit, I’m grateful.

He saw Harper’s name flashing across his screen and answered quickly before it went to voicemail.

“Hassan! Where the fuck you at? We supposed to be with Madea, spending time together,” Harper snapped, her voice laced with irritation.

Hassan groaned, rubbing his forehead. He had completely forgotten.

With Helen’s health steadily declining, he and Harper made a point to carve out one or two days a week to spend time with her. And while he knew it was important… he wasn’t ready to leave Sevyn’s presence.

That realization alone shook him more than Harper’s voice. “Hellooo?”shesaidagain,sharperthistime.“Areyouwitha bitch?”

Hassan chuckled low, glancing at Sevyn still asleep—dead to the world, sprawled across his chest. If only she knew her best friend was literally on top of him.

“Nah, mane. Mind yo fucking business. I’ll be there,” he said before hanging up, not giving her a chance to keep digging.

He dropped the phone to the mattress and leaned his head back, exhaling slowly as the weight of reality crept back in.

Momentslater,Sevynstirredagain—thistimemorealert.Her lashesfluttered,andthenhereyespoppedopen.Thesecondshe realized how she was laying, she jumped like she’d been electrocuted. “Shit—sorry!” she gasped, nearly stumbling out of the bed. She tripped over the covers, and for a second looked like she was about to face plant.

“What you move for?” he asked, voice calm, expression blank, even though his eyes followed her with something softer.

Sevyn blinked away the sleep, trying to pull herself together. She looked at him like she was still processing how they ended up like that.

“I should’ve told you I’m a wild sleeper,” she said, brushing a hand over her hair. “Sorry for—”

“No need,” he cut her off, already swinging his legs over the bed. “This your shit. But you do snore.”

He said it straight-faced, and Sevyn looked mildly horrified. “I do not snore,” she said, defensive, clearly embarrassed.

Hassan shook his head, holding back a smirk. He wasn’t aboutto admit it out loud, but her little snores were oddly comforting. He could listen to them every night, and the thought freaked him out more than he cared to admit.

Hestood,stretching,andSevyncouldn’thelpbutstare.Muscles flexed under inked skin like moving artwork, and when he caught her looking, she tried to glance away—but failed.

“Want breakfast?” she offered, voice soft like it always was around him.

“Nah. I gotta head out,” he said, pulling his shirt over his head.

Sevyn nodded, but he saw it—the flicker in her eyes that said she wasn’t ready for him to go. And he’d be lying if he said he was.

“Feelingbetter?”sheasked,brushinghermessyponytailinto place, her gaze steady like she was reading him again.

He looked at her, taking in the sight of her standing in that silk pajama set, soft and still half-sleepy.

“Yeah,” he said, quiet. Cold on the outside, like always. But this time… he meant it.

Being with her made the weight in his chest just a little bit easier to carry.

“Your payment should hit in an hour,” he said, grabbing his keys without looking back.

Sevyn’s body tensed.

Just like that, the line between them snapped back into place. Business. That’s what this was supposed to be. No matter how peacefully she’d slept beside him… no matter how she’d held him through the storm last night.

She was starting to feel things she shouldn’t. And she had to stop—before it went too far.

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