Because He Steals Me (Because He Owns Me #6) by Hannah Ford Read Free Book Online

with my laptop, some pajamas, and a book. I headed for the bathroom and added my makeup, shampoo, and conditioner, along with my electric toothbrush.
    When I got back to the living room, Nessa was sipping her tea, her hands wrapped around her mug.
    “How you doing?” I asked.
    “Better.” She held up her phone. “My mom and sister just called. They’re looking for parking.”
    “You want me to wait with you until they get here?”
    She shook her head. “No. I’ll be fine.”
    “You sure?”
    “I’m sure.”
    I let out a quiet little sigh of relief and hoped Nessa didn’t notice. Of course I would have stayed if she needed me, but I was happy she didn’t. The idea of running into her mom when she was going through something so major wasn’t exactly appealing. And her mom probably didn’t want to see me, either.
    It was a time for family, not a random roommate she barely knew.
    I would head outside and wait around the corner at Jitters, my favorite coffee shop, until Callum got there.
    “Text me if you need anything,” I called to Nessa on my way out.
    When I got out onto the street, I ran into Isaac again. He’d changed from his work clothes into jeans and a navy blue sweater.
    “Hey,” he said, looking pleased to see me again. “Heading out?”
    “Oh,” I said. “Um, yeah. Just to Jitters.”
    “I’ll walk with you.” He reached over and took my duffle bag from me before I could tell him I was fine. I still had an uneasy feeling in my stomach about him asking me to hang out. But maybe he’d invited Nessa and she’d told him she couldn’t because of her mom. And that was why he’d invited me, so that Nessa could have some alone time with her family.
    “Did you hear about Nessa’s mom?” I asked as we began making our way down the street. The sidewalk was teeming with people now, as we were fully into rush hour, and I had to raise my voice to be heard over the din of voices and car horns and engines.
    “Yeah.” Isaac nodded. “I was really sorry to hear that. Is Nessa okay?”
    “She was hanging in there,” I said. “Her mom and sister were coming to stay at our apartment tonight. I’ll probably text her later to make sure she’s okay.”
    He nodded, but didn’t say the same.
    “Are you going to see her tonight?” I asked pointedly.
    “Probably not,” Isaac said easily, and I had just decided that I was going to press him this time, that I was going to ask him why he wasn’t going to see her, if maybe they’d had a fight or something, when I heard a voice calling my name.
    A very angry voice.
    “Adriana!”
    I looked up.
    Callum’s car was parked on the street, and he was getting out of the driver’s side and striding toward me purposefully.
    “Oh,” I said to Isaac. I reached out and took my bag from him. “That’s my ride.”
    “Isn’t that the guy who threatened Garrett?” Isaac asked, his eyes widening in alarm.
    “He didn’t threaten him,” I said, before I realized it was a total lie. Callum had threatened Garrett. “I mean, it was kind of a misunderstanding.”
    “Whatever.” Isaac shrugged. “Catch you later, Adriana,” he said, and then he was gone, doubling back and heading down the steps for the subway.
    “Who the fuck was that?” Callum demanded when he got to me. He looked just as sexy as he had this morning, his suit perfectly pressed, his hair perfectly placed, his shoulders broad and strong under his jacket.
    “That was Isaac. He’s my roommate Nessa’s boyfriend.”
    “Why was he holding your bag?” Callum demanded. He reached out and took it from me.
    “He was just helping me.”
    Callum took in a breath through his nose and then turned and began striding purposefully for the subway stairs that Isaac had just gone down.
    “Callum!” I rushed to catch up with him, stepping in front of him and attempting to block his path. “Callum, stop! You can’t go around threatening every guy who talks to me.”
    “Why not?”
    “Please,” I