Chapter 5

• Emma
• “Maybe I wanted to be the one to fuck him on my time,” Emma retorted, her voice quivering slightly as she attempted to distance herself from him.
• Feeling trapped between Ash’s imposing figure and the door, Emma despised the vulnerability in her voice. Thankfully, her anger prevented any physical response, saving her from the humiliation of an unwanted arousal that Xavier would undoubtedly mock her for.
• “Sure, Emma,” Xavier chuckled, his tone low and seductive in her ear. “I totally believe you’re a big bad bitch just waiting to find the perfect boy to pop your cherry with.”
• “Just because you’ll sleep with any girl who gives you attention doesn’t mean we all have to be like that,” Emma snapped back, her frustration fueling her words.
• Stepping back, Xavier maintained his infuriating smirk. “It’s cute that you still believe in love and romance. You want a boy to come and sweep you off your feet? Shower you with gifts, sweet words, and poems about your beautiful eyes?”
• “I. Hate. You. So. Much,” Emma seethed, her emotions raw and tumultuous.
• Xavier wasn’t entirely wrong. While the idea of flowers and poetry was a bit off, Emma longed for someone who genuinely cared about her beyond the bedroom. She didn’t necessarily need romance and love, but having an actual boyfriend who valued her company would be a welcome bonus.
• “Likewise. Now move away from my door before I make you,” Xavier commanded, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.
• Emma reluctantly complied, berating herself inwardly for giving in to him once again. She knew all too well that engaging in a physical fight with Xavier would be futile.
• Not only was she physically smaller, but she had no experience with combat, while Xavier certainly did. The memory of Ben Webster confronting Xavier in a school dance during their junior year and leaving with a bloody nose and black eyes served as a vivid reminder of Xavier's capabilities.
• They spent the next hour carrying their belongings upstairs and settling them into their respective rooms.
• Emma couldn’t help but notice the absence of desks in their apartment, leaving them with only the kitchen table for studying.
• Annoyed, she had left her desktop computer at home, but had brought her laptop, monitors, and PS5 with her. However, in her cramped room, she had no space to set them up properly. For the time being, she placed them on top of her footlocker, unsure of what she would ultimately do with them.
• Emma’s room felt cramped as she struggled to fit all her belongings inside. The dresser was packed with her clothes, and the footlocker was filled to the brim after emptying her bags.
• Thankfully, they had used oversized duffle bags for the move, which could be squeezed into the tiny linen closet. If they had brought suitcases, they would have been in serious trouble finding storage space.
• By the time Emma finished arranging her books in the footlocker, the room had become uncomfortably hot. She realized she would need to get a lock for it since she didn’t trust Xavier not to snoop through her belongings. Craving some fresh air, she went to the window and attempted to open it, only to discover it had been nailed shut and sealed with paint.
• “Fucking typical,” she muttered in frustration, leaving her stuffy room and entering the empty main area of the apartment. Calling out for Xavier yielded no response but silence.
• “Fuck,” Emma cursed under her breath, her annoyance growing. She rushed out of the apartment and hurried down the five flights of stairs to the cracked and uneven parking lot. To her dismay, the van was nowhere to be seen.
• “God, that asshole,” she seethed, stomping her way back upstairs. With no food in the apartment and dinner time long past, she wondered how she was going to eat.
• The nearest store was a thirty-minute walk away, and her lack of cooking skills made matters worse. Having had a meal plan for the past three years, she had never needed to prepare her own meals.
• Grumbling to herself, Emma pulled out her phone and searched for the closest pizza place that delivered. Her food budget was meager, but she needed sustenance.
• Her mom and Ken provided her with some money each month since her scholarship prohibited her from working. This year, they had promised her a weekly food budget, but it wouldn’t stretch far if she continued to rely on takeout.
• She would have to find a way to get the van keys from Xavierso she could go grocery shopping later.
• They also needed to come up with a schedule for driving to school.
• Emma snorted, skeptical that Xavier would be cooperative when it came to sharing the van. Closing the apartment door behind her, she couldn’t shake the feeling that navigating this living arrangement with Xavier was going to be a challenge.