Hatred With Benefits

T W E N T Y - T H R E E

EVA.

I stare down at Emerson's relaxed drowsing face and let out a weak sigh before moving my hand from

his curls. I'm careful to not wake him as I roll his head from my chest to the bed to sit up.

I stare around his room and it looks better than I expected– a bit bigger than mine if I want to be petty.

Every corner is in black except the bed sheets and it makes the atmosphere appear gloomy and moody

in an Emerson Ford style.

There are shelves of books on one side and a desk next to the shelves. A smile climbs on my face as I

look back to Emerson before looking back at the shelves – Ford never strikes me as a guy who enjoys

reading and it comes as a surprise that he has books with him.

I gnaw on my lips as I move from the bed and take quiet steps to the other side. I pick up a book and

my eyes widen barely at the cover and the label. Looking through the shelves, the rest are novels too—

both old and new. Who could have thought Emerson Ford read novels? Romance ones to be exact.

When Emerson groans from the bed, I'm quick to return the book and stroll back to the edge of the

bed.

I pick my clothes from the floor and raise my head, my eyes spotting the painting on the wall above the

bed. It's a painting of an eye with somewhat darkness surrounding it.

I drop my gaze to Emerson's sleeping form, wondering what the painting could mean to him and when

he rolls to his side, I take one last look at the odd painting before making my way out of his room.

I walk through my door and close it behind me. Dropping my clothes to the side, I fall on the bed with a

sigh and shut my eyes, but I'm quick to open them at the reminder of a certain guy.

"Dan, fuck. " I mumble under my breath as I search through my pant pockets for my phone.

I toss the pants to the side and guilt flows through my veins as I stare at the series of messages Dan

left me.

DAN: I'm here. Are you on your way?

The first message is about two hours ago. Two hours while I was busy with someone else.

DAN: You aren't picking up your calls, Eva. Is everything alright?

The second reads, then there are more of him asking about my whereabouts and some random sad

emojis.

With my eyes moving across the screen and my fingers floating over the keypad, I try to think of a

reply.

After much contemplation, I begin to type out a response.

ME: Hey, I'm sorry I made you wait. Something came up.

A sigh leaves my lips as I read the message continually in my head before clicking send. The more I

stare at the words, the more they become annoying. Something came up? That's the best you could

do, Eva?

I'm about to toss the phone to the side when there's a beep of a new text notification.

DAN: You're fine? You got me worried, Eva. You should have called or texted to let me know you

wouldn't make it, you know?

ME: I know. I got caught up with it.

I stare at my message and angle my head to the side as I debate whether or not to type out the next

words.

I drop my gaze at Dan's new text and a smile crosses my lips at the words across the screen.

DAN: You have to make it up to me.

ME: Of course, you would say that.

I fall back on my mattress with a breath.

ME: What do you want?

I turn to my side and coil my finger around a strand of my hair as I wait for Dan's text. There are a

couple of minutes with me just rolling from one side to the other before my phone beeps with his new

text.

DAN: Two dates? You can't say no, Eva Carson.

ME: Maybe.

I smile at my text before throwing the phone to the side and burying my head in the pillow.

~

"Hey, you. " I smile at an approaching Dan with Noel by his side and his signature scowl pressed to his

face.

"Hey, " Dan responds with that gorgeous smile of his, triggering his dimples. His eyes run down my

body before they settle on my face again and I clear my throat when he says nothing with his lips

slightly parted.

Dan's lips curves in a chuckle before he turns to Aliya and they exchange greetings. I watch in

amusement as Dan nudges Noel by the side and the man glares at him before he finally takes notice of

us.

"Hey, Eva. " He says warmly and I shake my head. "You're so addicted to that thing. " I gesture to the

phone he has in hand and Noel's face splits into a grin.

"You know how the world would be without one. " He throws me a wink, which earns him a playful hit to

the shoulder from Dan before he turns to Aliya.

"So remember your promise?" Dan steps closer to me as he leaves his friend with mine and I nod,

folding my arms against my chest. "You make it sound like I'm dumb most times, Daniel. My pride is

hurt. "

Dan let out a low laugh. "Just felt the need to remind you. I feel like you wouldn't give me your time if I

don't put in the effort. "

I hum and there's just staring into each other's eyes before I break the contact and look around us.

When my eyes settle on him again, I say, "I have an idea. " Dan nods for me to continue. "How about

you let me decide this time? That way it'll be all on me and I'll know it's my plan. "

He seems to think about it before he gives another bob of his head. "That sounds better. "

"I know. " I chuckle and Dan steps to my side as I walk in the direction of the class.

"Your class is that way. " I halt my steps when Dan continues to follow my path and he smiles. "I know

that. "

"So why are you following me?" I arch my brows and he shakes his head. "Wrong choice of words,

sweetheart. I'm not following you, I'm walking you to class. "

"No, you're not. You're heading to your class. " I nod behind him and Dan chuckles before moving

ahead of me.

"Just go with the flow, bitch. He's hot. " Aliya whispers near my ear and I twist my head to glare at her.

She laughs and ruffles my hair before stepping away.

"You're insane. " I tell her as I smooth my hands down my hair before moving to catch up with Dan. I

stop when there's no sound of Aliya's footsteps behind me and when I turn around, she's standing in

her previous spot.

"Why are you not coming?" I ask her.

"I need to meet up with Sage. She said she want to see me before class. " She mumbles with

reddened cheeks and a smirk climbs on my face as I cross my arms against my chest. "To have you

against the wall?"

"Fuck you. It's not like that. " She's quick to defend and I laugh. "If that were so, you wouldn't be so red,

Lia. You're terrible at hiding your emotions from me. " I call her out and she gives me the middle finger.

"Don't be late. " I tell her and she nods with a smile before turning around. Before she takes the first

step, she turns to me again, "Take notes for me. "

"No promises, bitch. You're the one choosing your sexual desires over your class. " I don't wait to see

the scowl she'll give me before I turn around to catch up with Dan.

"Do you enjoy your classes?" Dan asks as we draw closer to the entrance and I hum. "You could say

it's exciting. "

"Why does that sound like you don't enjoy it?" He laughs as he stops in front of the class, slipping his

hands into his pant pockets.

"I do. " I giggle and he nods.

He releases a heavy sigh before he takes his gaze to the class and I angle my head in the direction of

his eyes. The class is almost full with the students discussing in groups and my gaze lands on a dark-

haired with a gorgeous face.

One of Emerson's friends is standing next to him, mumbling some words but his eyes are on me—

deliberately and intensely even with the distance between us.

His gaze turns from me to the figure beside me and I watch Emerson study Dan for a few minutes

before he takes his eyes back to me and throws me a smile. A smile I find taunting.

"Go on in. " Dan's voice pulls me out of my staring competition with Ford and I twist my head to meet

his eyes, a smile gliding on my face at the sight of his. "Thank you for walking me to class. "

"I wanted to do it. " Dan responds as he steps closer to me. The space left between our bodies is

almost invisible as he tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear and leans over my shoulder.

"Enjoy your class, Princess. " He whispers, his breath fanning the skin of my neck before he pulls back

with a soft smile on his face.

"You too, Dan. " I tell him and he hums, giving a rub to my arm before he turns around and walks away.

When his frame disappears out of sight, I make my way inside the class— completely aware of

Emerson Ford's focused gaze on me. I meet his eyes with a scowl that matches the smirk on his face

before I slide into my seat.

"Looks like it's going well, Carson. " Emerson says as he pushes his face forward, pressing his cheek

next to mine.

Drawing back to get a better view of his face, I show him my middle finger and Emerson chuckles

before inching closer. My blue eyes meet his dark ones and my eyes fall lower, concentrating not on his

voice but the movement of his lips as he says, "We could do it once the lecture is over. I'll fuck you on

that desk before you. "

"Too bad that's only a scenario that happens in your head, don't you think?" I match his smirking form,

blocking the image that begins to form in my mind.

"Watch me, Carson. " Emerson responds with a wink before moving back with a satisfied smile and

when I adjust in my seat to the wetness that's suddenly pooled between my legs, I know the rest of the

class will be hell with Emerson Ford right behind me.

~

I drop the highlighter to the middle of the book and shut it, tossing it to the other side of the bed before

climbing off to make my way out of my room at the grumble of my tummy. Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

I let go of the doorknob and take a glance at Emerson's door before walking down the hallway. The

voices that echo around me with each step that brings me closer to the living room tell me Emerson

has a guest.

Emerson is on the couch with Jaxon by his side as I walk inside the room, and both heads turn to me at

the sound of my footsteps.

"Hey, Eva. Emerson didn't tell me you were in. " Jaxon greets me with a bright smile and I throw him

one of mine.

"It isn't much of a surprise. " I mumble as I take a glimpse at the dark-haired beside him before finding

my way to the kitchen.

I grab a bowl of ice cream from the refrigerator and place it on the counter before grabbing a spoon.

"What did you do to Paige by the way?" Jaxon's voice echoes in the kitchen and I gulp, shifting closer

to the stool as I take a bite of the ice cream.

"Nothing. What did she tell you?" Comes Emerson's response and I duck my head as I take another

bite. I have no idea what the fuck I'm doing and I convince myself this is just me doing my thing and

coincidentally overhearing their conversation– the way I push forward at the sound of Jaxon's next

words tells me otherwise.

"That you refuse to touch her?"

The echo of Emerson's laugh after Jaxon's words is loud before he speaks. "She told you that? I'm not

surprised. That's just something she would do. "

"You do know she likes you, don't you?"

There's silence before Emerson speaks again. "She knows she isn't allowed to. I told her what we were

doing from the start and she was alright with it. Rules are made for a reason, dude. "

"They are, " Jaxon responds. "But they are also meant to be broken. It's unavoidable. " Something

about those words and the silence that follows sends a shiver through my body.

"Not with me, " Emerson's voice brings me back to the moment and I place a hand flat before me as I

listen to the words that follow. "If my rules are broken, then it's game over. Paige knows— " the

vibration of my phone silences the rest of Emerson's words and I lift the mobile to my gaze to a new

text notification from Aliya.

ALIYA: Hey, bitch. What are you doing?

I snuffle as I type out a reply with my spoon between my lips.

ME: Munching on ice cream? Something up?

I don't remove my gaze from the screen as the three dots appear at the edge.

ALIYA: I'm in a tight spot and I need help.

I shake my head as I type out my reply.

ME: Let me guess? Chloe and Sage?

Aliya sends an emoji that indicates she rolled her eyes and I laugh at the impression before another

text comes in.

ALIYA: You can be too smart sometimes, Evie. I swear it gets annoying, but yes. What do you do when

you find yourself between a rock and a hard place?

I know my next reply would have earned me a smack to the back of my head if that woman was here

and a smirk remains on my face as I click on the send button.

ME: Damn. I didn't think I'd be saying I told you so this soon, Aliya.

I break into a laugh at the image of Aliya's middle finger.

"And I thought I was the loud one?" I lift my head from the screen to the sight of Emerson leaning

against the door at the entrance of the kitchen with a small, almost unnoticeable smile pressed to his

lips.

"Why are you here?" I ask him and he raises a shoulder. "Why do you ask? This is my place and I can

be wherever I want. "

"Your friend is out there. You shouldn't be here. " I remind him and he pushes his body from the wall.

"He's gone. " He says as he slips his hands inside his pant pockets and paces toward me. I stare at

him as he steps to my side and leans his elbows on the counter, a smirk pulled to his lips.

He lifts his hand and takes the spoon between my lips.

"What are you doing?" I ask in a low voice and Emerson nods to the bowl of ice cream sitting before

me. "Having everything all by yourself is no fun, Carson. " I watch as he scoops the ice cream and

takes it to his lips.

He keeps his eyes on me with his lips curved as his tongue darts out, just barely touching the ice

cream— almost like he's having a taste of something he isn't allowed to. I swallow down my throat as

Emerson repeats the action before he licks the entire content with smudges on his lips. Emerson's

tongue peeks out and runs over his bottom lip: The movement is slow and screams everything but

righteous and I find myself adjusting in my seat.

"Want a bite?" Emerson whispers as he takes another scoop and brings the spoon to my mouth. I keep

my eyes on him as Emerson waits for me to part my lips and without a word, I close my hand over his

and turn the spoon to his way, shoving it in his mouth with enough force to make Emerson push away

from me.

A chuckle falls from my lips and I drop my phone on the counter before moving from my seat to a

coughing Emerson.

"Are you okay?" I speak the words with mockery evident in my tone and Emerson lifts his head to me;

eyes red with anger shining through the brown orbs.

"You'll fucking pay for that, Carson. " He seethes and I hum before twisting my body.

"I'll get you a glass. " I tell him and move to the other side.

"Hey, Carson. " Emerson calls behind me and I look over my shoulder. "What?"

"Your ass. " He says and I jerk my body to him, my words threatening as I say, "Do you want me to

shove another spoon down your throat?"

Emerson shakes his head and tips his head towards me. "I think you're bleeding, Carson. "

It takes a few seconds before Emerson's words register and my eyes fly wide, my hands going to my

back.

"I see red. " Oh. Fuck.