Read Because He Steals Me (Because He Owns Me #6) for Free Online Page B

around.”
    “Yeah,” he said, giving me an easy smile. If he felt guilty about asking me out, he wasn’t showing it. Was it possible I’d totally misread the situation? Probably, I told myself, sliding my key into the lock. God, could I be any more arrogant? Not every guy has a thing for you, Adriana, I told myself. Like that whole thing that had happened with Dean. Yeah, he’d given me his card and told me to call him, but that didn’t mean anything.
    Still. You should have told Kiersten.
    I was going to. First thing in the morning. She was already so upset with me, it wasn’t like it could get any worse.
    I was turning the doorknob and vowing to try to forget about my horrible day, when the door opened from the other side and Nessa grabbed my arm and pulled me into the apartment. I lost my balance and almost fell as I flew through the door, my bag flying every which way and my phone skittering across the floor.
    “I thought I heard you out there,” she said. “Thank God you’re here.”
    “Why is it thank God I’m here?” I asked as I picked up my phone.
    Thankfully it wasn’t broken.
    But I had a text from Callum.
    Stay at work, Adriana. I do not want you traipsing around the city by yourself.
    Too late, I tapped back quickly. I’m already here. Just pick me up at seven.
    The reply came immediately.
    On my way.
    I sighed.
    “Why is it thank god I’m here?” I asked again, looking up from my screen. And that’s when I got my first good look at Nessa. “Oh my God, Nessa,” I said. “What’s wrong?”
    Her face was streaked with tears, her skin oily, her hair a tangled mess. Her eyes were puffy and red, and when she spoke, she sniffed before speaking. “It’s my mom,” she said. “I think she’s sick.”
    “What do you mean you think she’s sick?”
    “She went for a physical yesterday, you know, just routine. But she’s been feeling tired, so she mentioned it to her doctor, and they ran some extra blood tests. And they found something off with her blood counts. Some kind of blood disorder, I’m not totally sure.” She sniffed again, and I reached over and ripped a paper towel off the roll in the kitchen and handed it to her.
    “Thanks,” she said, and blew her nose. “Anyway,” she said, and now she sounded a little calmer. “The doctor is sending her to a specialist, so she’s coming to the city.”
    “Nessa, I’m so sorry.” I reached over and rubbed her shoulder. She was hunched over, and she felt so small. “Are you okay? Is there anything I can do?”
    “I’m okay. I mean, I’m not okay, but I’m sort of okay. My sister is going to bring my mom in from New Jersey. We’re all going to go out to dinner and then they’re going to spend the night here. Is that okay? I know I should have asked you first.”
    “No, no, it’s fine,” I said. “I’m going to be out tonight anyway. Unless you want me to stay here?”
    I crossed the kitchen and opened up the cupboard, pawing through it until I found a satchel of Nessa’s favorite green peppermint tea. I filled up the tea kettle like I knew she liked – Nessa always said that tea tasted better from the kettle rather than if you just heated the water up in the microwave -- and then put it on to boil.
    “Where are you going?” she said with another big sniff.
    “Callum’s.” It was deliberately vague, and it wasn’t a lie. I was going to Callum’s. “He’s on his way to pick me up.”
    Nessa managed a smile. “I’m glad,” she said. “I had a feeling you guys would work it out.”
    “Thanks.” I finished fixing her tea then settled her down on the couch with it. “Are you sure there’s nothing else I can do?”
    She shook her head. “I’m fine,” she said. She glanced at the clock on the wall. “My mom and my sister should be here any minute.”
    I nodded. “Okay. I’m going to go grab some stuff from my room, okay?”
    “Okay.”
    I ran to my room and grabbed one of my duffle bags, quickly filling it