Page 73 of I See You

Harper shrugged, her smirk deepening. “I mean, why else is his ass on the way? For you?”

Sevyn’s lips parted, ready to argue, but she stopped herself. Her gaze softened, her voice following. “I guess… to talk.” Even saying it felt strange.

Harper scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Girl, please. That’s one thing that nigga don’t do.”

Sevyn sighed, shaking her head, but before she could respond, Harper stood and stretched dramatically. “Welp, I’m going upstairs. There’s a guest room in the corner. Y’all do what y’all gotta do, just don’t add to the population. Let himtake awayinstead.” She threw a sultry smirk over her shoulder.

Sevyn blinked, frowning. “What the fuck is he taking away? And we’re not doing shit.”

Harper’s laugh was low and taunting. “Girl, my cousin will kill that pussy. And the way these hoes be crazy behind that nigga? I believe it.”

Sevyn’s breath hitched, but she quickly waved Harper off, refusing to engage in her foolishness. “Goodnight, Harper. You delusional as hell.”

“Yeah… okay,” Harper said with a knowing smirk before disappearing upstairs.

Sevyn tidied up, her hands moving on autopilot as she tried to shake the nervous energy coursing through her. She didn’t know why she felt this way—like she was sneaking around, like she was inviting someone over when she wasn’t supposed to. But maybe that’s exactly what this was. Hassan showing up forherhad her insides twisted with intrigue, anticipation, and something else she wasn’t ready to name.

This wasn’t her office. This wasn’t neutral ground. This was Harper’s home, and it felt too intimate. Too risky. Too exciting. Too dangerous.

A knock at the door made her roll her eyes, grateful for the momentary distraction. “Hood niggas don’t know shit about a doorbell,” she muttered under her breath as she made her way over.

When she pulled the door open, she was met with Hassan, dressed in an all-black Nike Tech, his usual unreadable expression in place. But something about the way his beard was lined to perfection, the sharpness of his edge-up, the way his dark eyes lingered on her—it had her gripping the doorknob a little tighter.

She watched his gaze drop, his attention roaming over her likehe had every right to take his time. She followed his eyes, cursing herself when she realized exactly what she was wearing—tiny black silk shorts that clung to her curves, a white tank top she’d cut into a slit that dipped low, exposing just enough cleavage to tease. No bra.Fuck.

Hassan didn’t hide the way he took her in, starting from the messy bun atop her head, down to the soft fabric of her top, the curve of her thighs in those shorts, and finally landing on her fresh white-painted toes.

“Come in,” she said, her voice softer than she intended, catching the moment his eyes flicked back up to hers. She stepped aside, brushing off the heat crawling up her skin.

Hassan stepped in, scanning the space like he was assessing his surroundings, despite having been here countless times. His presence alone filled the room, heavy, commanding.

“Where Harper?” His deep voice broke the silence, his eyes finding hers again.

“Upstairs, probably sleep by now,” she said with a small smirk, shaking off the tension. “Midnight is like 3 a.m. to her.”

Hassan gave a slow nod, his lips twitching like he was slightly amused but too guarded to show it. He stood there, unmoving, unreadable. Watching her. Like he was waiting on her next move.

And damn it, she was waiting on his.

They moved further into the living room, Sevyn sinking into the couch first while Hassan remained standing. She didn’t pressure him to sit, just watched him, waiting. The way he stood, still as a shadow, unreadable as ever, made her shift slightly, tucking her feet beneath her.

“So what’s going on?” she asked, resting her head against her arm on the back of the couch, her eyes locked onto his.

His expression remained blank. “Who said something is up?”

She rolled her eyes at his usual lack of emotion. “Then why are you here, Hassan?”

No response. Just the slow, deliberate step he took toward her, his presence making the space between them shrink. Her breath caught— just for a second, but she knew he noticed.

“You smoke?” he asked, holding up a perfectly rolled blunt between his fingers, his tone as casual as if he were asking about the weather.

Sevyn didn’t answer. Instead, she stood, moving toward Harper’s backdoor, pushing it open without a word. She could feel his eyes on her, following every motion, studying every shift of her body.

She turned slightly, glancing over her shoulder. “Coming or no?” she asked, her voice sharp, not in the mood for games.

Hassan chuckled, a deep, low sound that sent something warm down her spine, and finally moved, stepping past her and into the night. Sevyn followed, shutting the door behind them as the cool air met her skin.

Harper’s backyard was big, open, the silence between them blending with the distant city hum. Sevyn sat at the patio table while Hassan remained standing. The breeze picked up, sending a chill across her skin, but she stayed still, refusing to react.

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