Hatred With Benefits

E I G H T Y - N I N E

EMERSON.

"Paige?" Eva repeats and I nod my head to the redhead who stands in front of our apartment, with her Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

head turned to us now at the sound of the car.

"She's here. " Eva says and I hum, unfastening my seatbelt. "I'm just as surprised as you are. I didn't

expect to see her anytime soon. " Eva doesn't respond as we both get out of the car, and walk to her.

"Hey, you both. I was just about to leave. " Paige says as we stop in front of her, and I slide my hand

around Eva. She's looking more held up than the last time I saw her, with a smile complementing her

features.

"Eva. " She calls.

"Paige. " Eva responds, letting my hands fall from her as they both hug, patting each other's back for a

while before they pull away.

"You look... Well, you look like you, blondie. " Paige remarks and Eva says, "I can say the same thing

about you, redhead. " And they both laugh. A smile stretches to my face as I watch them converse

without wanting to throw hands at each other.

"Is everything alright now?" Eva questions in a softer tone and Paige bobs her head, "Definitely better

than last time. I think you can tell by my face. "

"Too bad. " My girl clicks her tongue teasingly and Paige glares at her playfully, causing them to laugh

again before they drop their hands, and Paige turns her head to me.

"Hey. " She lowers her voice as she stands in front of me. "You don't look like you've missed me, " she

narrows her eyes and I say, "Are you back to school?"

"More or less. " She responds. "Why? Don't you want me back here?"

"What? Of course not. It's good to have you back. " I assure her and she smiles before she looks back

at Eva. "Do you mind if I give your boyfriend a hug?"

I meet Eva's eyes as she nods in approval and I don't take my eyes away from her as Paige steps

closer, engulfing me in a hug.

"You look good. It's nice to see that. " Paige murmurs in my ear and I give her back a small caress

before she steps back.

"Jaxon is waiting for us. Do you think you can come with?" She asks and I say, "You called Jaxon

before you came here?"

"Yes, he made plans. We're to meet at a restaurant. I thought it'd be nice to catch up on things. " She

explains and I hum, shifting my gaze to Eva, "I'm not sure if I can. I don't want to leave Eva alone. "

"I'm not a kid, Emerson. I can take care of myself if you're leaving to spend time with your friends. " Eva

speaks and I turn my body to her as I grab her hands. "I know that, but I don't want to leave you, baby.

"

"I'll be fine, and you'll be back soon. " She says.

"Still, I don't want to—" Paige interrupts my words when she says, "I'll leave you two to make a

decision. " She chortles and I watch her step away before I gaze back at Eva.

I cup her face with both hands. "Come with me. "

She raises her hands to cover mine. "I honestly don't mind if you leave with her. I have to catch up with

school work anyway. "

"I know, " I smile, stroking her cheek and she fondles my hand in return. "But I want you to come with

me. Yes?"

"Emerson—" she starts but I don't let her finish. "I'll work with you when we get back. "

She seems to think about it for a while and she looks over my shoulder to where Paige stands before

she meets my eyes and blinks once.

"Is that a yes?" I beam and she chuckles. "You always find a way to make me say it. "

"It's adorable. " I whisper and she removes my hands from my cheeks as we both turn to Paige, whose

eyes are on us.

"I take it as you found an agreement?" She lifts her brows and I take Eva's hand in mine as I lead her

to the car.

"We just need to get the bags in and we'll be out. " I tell her as I take the bags from the backseat and

she nods, "As long as you don't get distracted with something else. "

"That isn't assured, but I'll try to get him to keep his hands to himself. " Eva jokes, nudging me with her

shoulder before she grabs the rest of the bags.

We stride into the house, and into her room. As we drop the bags in the room, Eva makes a turn and

I'm quick to wrap my arms around her, hugging her from behind.

"Are you sure you're okay with it?" I whisper into her ear and she caresses my arm before she twists in

my hold, turning to face me, "I am, Em. Why'd you think I'm not?"

"After what happened last time. I don't expect you to be—" she presses her lips to mine, silencing the

rest of my words as her hands slide down my chest and when she breaks away, she says, "That was

before. I believe she's changed, and wouldn't try something like that again. Besides, I trust you. "

"Hmm, can you do that again?" I brush my lips against hers and she laughs as she moves out of my

arms. "Don't think about it, Emerson. We don't want to keep her waiting now, do we?"

"I honestly don't mind. " I raise my shoulder and she shakes her head, gripping my hand as she leads

me out of the room.

"That's two times now, Carson. " I tell her and she presses a finger to her lips as we walk out of the

house, and back to the car.

She takes her previous seat and Paige takes the backseat before I get into mine and drive out of the

spot again.

The drive is spent in silence with only the sound coming from the radio interrupting the air along with

Eva's voice as she sings lowly along while rocking our entwined hands back and forth between her

thighs.

"I'm suddenly hungry. " Paige mutters from her seat when we arrive in front of the restaurant. She's the

first to climb out, followed by me and Eva, with me keeping her by my side.

I drop my hand to the low of her back as Paige leads the way inside the restaurant and Eva throws me

a smile over her shoulder as we walk through the door.

Jaxon holds out his hand from the booth he is and we stalk towards him. He punches my arm as I take

the seat in front of him, and I do the same.

I slide a hand around Eva's waist and bring her to my lap, pressing my chest to her back to bury my

face in her hair, sniffing her hair.

"Hey, Eva. It's been a long time since we met. " Jaxon is the first to speak as Paige takes the seat next

to him and I laugh as she swats her arm, "Aren't those words meant for me?"

"You don't deserve them because you don't consider me a friend, I believe?"

"Why would you say that?" She whines and he frowns, "Honestly Paige? You left without notifying me?

"

"You're friends with Emerson. " I raise both hands in oblivion as both heads turn to me before they look

back at each other, "I didn't think it was needed for me to let you know if Emerson does. "

"That doesn't make me any less mad. "

"But I did call you first. " She argues and he says, "You only called because you wanted to ask about

Emerson. "

"I didn't realize—" their voices fade into the distance as I focus on the woman on my lap and she jerks

in my hold when I pinch her sides. I drop my head to her shoulder and inhale her scent, keeping my

hands firm on her waist.

"Emerson. " She giggles as she turns her head to me, and I smile, "You smell so delicious. "

"You're being clingy again. " She says and I remove my head from her shoulder, angling it to her face,

"I thought you love it when I am?"

"We're in public. " She states the obvious and I take a glance around us before I look back at her,

"And? Who's going to come to me and complain about playing with my girlfriend?"

"You're blushing. " I tease her when she tears her gaze away from me. Lifting one hand to pinch her

cheeks, I say, "You always blush when I call you that. "

"I love the sound of it. Only coming from you. " She whispers and I lower my head to her ear, "My

girlfriend. "

When I pull back, she's smiling at me and I close my hands around her, "My Eva. "

"Stop. " She swats my chest before she turns her head again, and I laugh; pressing my nose into her

hair for the second time before I look back to the people in front of me, and they're staring at me with

weird faces.

"What?" I say and Jaxon responds with, "It's as if we don't exist at all? Are you trying to rub it in my

face, you fucker?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about. " I shrug and he mouths something under his breath, shoving

me his middle finger and causing me to laugh.

"Where do you think you're going?" I pull Eva back when she attempts to move out of my lap and she

says, "I need to use the restroom real quick. I'll be back. "

"Don't keep me waiting. " I tell her and she says, "You have Jaxon and Paige with you. "

"You're the one I want. " I answer and she shakes her head, "You're awesomely cheerful today. "

"I know. I'm happy. " I wink and she slaps my thigh before she moves out of my hold.

"Hold this. " She passes me her phone, and just before she walks away from my sight, she presses her

lips to my cheek, mumbling that she'll be back soon and then she leaves.

"He's intoxicated, isn't he? I know. That's what I've had to live with for months. " I remove my gaze from

Eva's disappearing frame at the sound of Jaxon's voice to say, "Seal that mouth. "

"I see it though. " Paige says and I avert my gaze to her. She smiles, "You literally glow when she's

near. It's weird to see you act like that, but I'll take it. "

"What a fool love has made him into, don't you agree?" Jaxon chuckles and I throw the key in front of

me at him. He manages to catch it and wave it in the air with a sense of accomplishment. "Are you

trying to flirt with me now that your girl is out of sight?"

"I can think of many different ways to make you shut your mouth, and something just tells me each way

will be equally effective. "

"I'm touched, Emery. Such an aggressive love for your tight buddy. " He holds a hand over his chest

and I sigh, shaking my head as I look back at Paige and she's staring at me with a smile on her face.

I drop my hands on the table before me and push my head closer. "So do you want to tell me why

you're back?"

She drops her hands too. "Well, I received some messages that say a close friend of mine might be

having a hard time, and me being the caring friend I am, thought I'd reach out to him. But turns out, it's

the actual opposite. He seems to be having the best time of his life. "

I glance at Jaxon and he raises his head in cluelessness. Then I look back at Paige. She laughs and

continues, "Sage told me you were having some issues so I thought I'd check-up. "

"You're still in contact with Sage?" I ask and she nods. "Of course, I am. She's my friend. I'd be with

you too, but I know otherwise. "

"I'd have responded if you did. " I tell her and she straightens her shoulders, dropping her gaze to her

hand as she fiddles with her fingers, "I didn't think so. I thought you might want your distance after what

I did to make you hate me. "

"I wouldn't be here if I hate you. " I mutter and she lifts her head. "I don't hate you, Paige. And I've

forgotten about what you did. You should too; it's what's best. "

"I feel like an outsider in this conversation. " Jaxon peeks in and we both laugh. He frowns, "Seriously,

is there something I don't know about?"

"You didn't tell him?" Paige raises her brows at me.

"Tell me what?" Jaxon comments and I sink back in my seat. "Nothing. Just a little misunderstanding

we had. "

"Protecting me still, Emery?" She smiles and I say, "I wouldn't exactly call it that. "

"I'm about to lose it here. " Jaxon groans and Paige laughs. When the sound dies down, and silence

takes over again; I direct my gaze at her, "Did everything work out?"

She hums. "There's a lot to talk to you about. "

"You can tell me here. " I say and she discreetly glances at her side.

"Bitch, I saw that. " Jaxon complains, and I laugh as they both fall into another argument.

I fold my arms to my chest and lean back in my seat as I watch them while I wait for Eva's arrival.

"Why isn't she coming back?" I mumble to myself when there's no sight of Eva after a while.

"Are you okay? You've been shifting that leg for a while. " Jaxon speaks from his seat and I grumble,

"I'm waiting for her. "

"Dude, keep it down. It's only been a few minutes since she left. " He laughs and I jerk my head, unable

to hold it any longer as I move from my seat.

Paige's head raises to me. "Where are you going?"

"I need to go check up on her to make sure everything is alright. " I tell her, attempting to walk away;

only for her to grab my wrist. I look down at her and she says, "I have to—"

"I'll be back, Paige. " I interrupt her, removing her grip from my wrist before I take the same direction

Eva took earlier. I take my phone out to text her, only to realize I'm holding hers and I groan in

frustration.

A scream resounds around me when I draw closer to where the restroom is and my heart jumps in my

chest as I fasten my steps.

"Eva!"