Hatred With Benefits
S E V E N T Y

ALIYA.

"Easy. "I warn Sage as I press her head to my shoulder while trying to open my door with the other hand. I manage to successfully get her inside the room without stumbling, guiding her to the bed and carefully lowering her.

"Come on. Let's get you out of these. "I mumble as I bend forward and hook my fingers around her pants button, only for Sage to hoist her leg and I lose my balance as I fall on top of her.

She hooks her arms around me when I try to get up and I drop my hands to her sides, lifting my face to look at her. "Let go of me."

She giggles and tightens her hold, "I don't think I want to do that."

Her eyes are half-opened as she meets my eyes and I take a gulp. "Sage-" she's close. She's too fucking close and I can feel each breath she takes and let out. One slight slip will be my mouth on hers and that's far from what I want- far from what should happen.

She averts her gaze from my eyes, and they're lowered; staring at a place they shouldn't be.

"Stop. "I tell her when she starts to edge her head closer, and a breath of relief leaves my mouth when she falls back against the pillow with her eyes closed.

I let out a sigh and bring my attention back to her pants, heaving her body a bit from the bed to drag it down her legs before I toss it across the room and sit by her side, resting her head on my shoulder as I remove her bra from the inside, leaving her thin layer.

I clad her in my shorts before I tuck her under the sheets and stay by her side with one hand over the headboard as soft snores fall from her mouth.

The state I found her in, and how she sounded once again flow through my mind and the familiar guilt hits my chest.

"I'm so sorry, Sage. You don't deserve this. You never did, and I'll forever hate myself for doing this to you.

A groan leaves my mouth as I turn with my back to the mattress, my eyes opening to convening the white ceiling. The unfamiliarity of the softness makes me realize I'm not in my bed before the memories from the previous night kick in and I twist my head the other way.

I take a second to watch Sage's peaceful sleeping form on my bed before I move out of Maria's and stroll toward her.

I kneel by the bedside, and she stirs in her sleep, turning her head to my side with her hair covering her face as she raises a hand. I lift my hand and move her hair out of her face, stilling as I stare at her and I jump a bit when she suddenly opens her eyes.

"Sage. "I breathe as I smile at her. "You're awake. "

She doesn't look like she's listening to whatever is coming out of my mouth as she starts to sit up on the bed, eyes running across the room.

"Why am I fuck, why does my head hurts so much?" She grumbles under her breath, her face twisted in pain as she presses her back against the headboard and I move closer, "You had too much to drink last night.

At the sound of my voice, Sage's eyes snap to me and she throws me a glare. "What the hell am I doing here? Why did you bring me to your place?"

"I didn't have a choice. Do you remember anything from last night?" I raise a brow at her and she shakes her head, holding onto the side of her head. "Nothing other than the fact that I went out to drink. "That means she doesn't remember the minor fight she had caused, or the kiss and her words. In a way, I'm grateful for that because I know Sage and I know how she'll feel if she remembers all those. The least I can do is keep my mouth shut.

"Why am I here?" She repeats the question she asked earlier and I move from my crouching position to the other side of the room, bringing with me a glass of water as I walk back to Sage.

"Here, "I tell her as I extend the glass to her and she looks between me and the water before she tears her gaze away, "No, I don't need that.

"Yes, you do. You have a headache right now and there's no use denying that because I know how it usually feels. "I say and she takes a while before she gives in and grabs the glass from me. I watch with a smile as she sips a good amount of the content before giving it back to me and I drop it to the side.

"Feeling lighter?" I ask her as I kneel by her side again and she meets my eyes. "That doesn't answer my question, Aliya. Why am I here?"

With a sigh, I proceed to say, "You were drunk, Sage. To an extent I've never seen you before, and I brought you here because it wasn't safe to be on your own.

"You should have left me," she whispers, looking away from me and I say, "I know we are not at a good place right now, but I would never leave you if you were in danger.

"1

She snorts out a laugh, mumbling some words I can't seem to make out. I gnaw at my lips before I open my mouth, "I thought your clothes would be uncomfortable to sleep in so I changed them." "You what?" I can't decide if it's anger that covers her face, or shock. "I changed your clothes."

"I don't remember you having the right to touch me." She seethes as she throws the duvet off her body to stare down at the shorts I changed her into and I say, "I didn't touch you intentionally. I did it for your interests."

"Yeah, right. Like everything else you've ever done." She chuckles as she climbs off the bed and I raise to my feet, standing in front of her.

"I didn't do anything stupid. I couldn't have, Sage. " I assure her and seconds pass with us just gawking at each other, breathing in the same air before Sage opens her mouth, "Can you move? I'm trying to get out of here."

"Sage. "I call, moving forward to grab her wrist but she steps to the side before I can, her expression softening as she speaks, "Please, Aliya. I don't want things to worsen than they already have." "I know," I tell her, withdrawing my hand. "But you should stay for a while. You still have a hangover and I—"

"I'll be fine. This won't be the first time I'll have one, so you really should stop with the concerns; it irritates me." Her words sting, but I know I deserve them and the way she's acting. Hell, I deserve even more. Up until last night, I never realized she was hurting this much. Yes, I knew the breakup would hurt but I never thought it would hurt her like this. Now, she's looking at me like the very sight of me disgusts her, and I wouldn't blame her. Not when I disgust myself.

"Okay. You should leave. "I tell her, taking a step to the side for her to move.

"Where are my things?" She asks and I gesture to the corner of the room. She moves hurriedly, grabbing her stuff before she heads to the door.

"I'll bring this back to you. " I raise my head at the sound of her voice to see her standing by the door and I start to say, "You don't have to. I didn't really-"

"I'll return them." She cut me off, her voice leaving no space for objection and when I hum, she turns away from my gaze, but again she stops as she grabs the knob. She stands still with her face to the door before she turns back to meet my eyes, the words leaving her mouth not exactly what I expected. "I don't know what I said last night, but I know I must have said things and I want you to forget all of them, including the fact that this meeting ever happened. That should be easy for you. "And she's out of the room, her voice echoing around me as I fall back to the bed.

EVA.

The first sight that welcomes me when I open my eyes is Emerson by my side with a smile on his face.

"Hey, you're awake." He whispers and I hum, turning my head into his lap as I let him stroke my cheek.

"Feeling tired?" He asks and I raise my head to meet his gaze. I take a while to drink in his gorgeous features before I lift my head from his thigh for a short kiss on his lips. When I pull back, Emerson says, "I love that."

"How are you out of bed so early?" I ask him and he laughs, "It isn't early, baby. It's almost one in the afternoon."

"I slept in again?" I groan and he nods, "After what you took last night, I wouldn't blame you.

"

"More to add to your Ego. " I roll my eyes and he leans forward to press his lips to my forehead. When he pushes back, he says, "You can't hide the fact that I'm good, Eva. I made your favourite." My eyes widen in excitement. "Mac and cheese?"

"Yeah," he responds, pulling me out of his thigh to sit up. "And I ran your water for a bath.'

As I get out of bed in complete nakedness with a slight ache between my legs with each step I take, I pace towards Emerson and pull his cheek. "You, Emerson Ford, are turning out to be the best man in the entire world."

"Aren't you just lucky?" His signature smirk appears on his face and I let go of his cheek, standing straight. "I take that back."

Emerson laughs as he gets off the bed and moves closer to me. Without a warning, he sweeps me off my feet and takes me in his arms, and my hands immediately move to his shoulders.

"I'll wash you." He tells me as he moves in the direction of the bathroom and I open my mouth, "I love it when you do that."

"Wash you?" He lifts a brow as he kicks the door with his leg and I say, "Take care of me." Emerson stills as he steps inside the room, and he drops his gaze to me; a serious look on his face as he says, "Only for you, baby. Only for you.'

"I love it more cause it's like that. "I confess and he pinches my thighs from where his hands lie. I swat at his chest in response and our laughs blends together as he carries me further inside.

He drops me under the shower, placing a kiss on the side of my head before he attempts to turn back, but my hold on his arm stops him.

"Where are you going?" I ask him and he responds with, "Back to the room. What's wrong?"

I grab his other hand and yank him towards him. "Don't go. Take a bath with me. You haven't already, right?"

A mischievous look appears on his face as he drops his hand from mine to hold my waist. "Are you holding onto me, Carson?"

"Don't you want me to?" I counter with a quirk of my brow and he says, "I do. You should; hold on tight. "And he brings us both under the shower.

"We ran out of ice cream, babe. "I call out to Emerson as I open the fridge and grab a chocolate bar before I close it back and walk to the living room.

"Isn't that on you? I barely had a spoon." He says as I take the seat next to him on the couch and I throw him a glare, earning a laugh from him. "I'll get them tomorrow. Will you come with me?" "Depends on how convincing you are. "I wink at him and he shakes his head before he lifts his head to lay it on my lap. When I gaze down at him, he says, "I want a bite. "

I take a bite before I turn it his way and Emerson makes a sound of displeasure before he says, "From your mouth."

"No." I frown, lifting the chocolate from him, only to give in when he makes one of those convincing faces. I take a bite between my lips and lean forward to share it with him. Emerson's hand slips around my neck as he opens his mouth, feeding out of my mouth before he closes his lips to mine, stealing a kiss from me.

"My good girl." He praises as he pulls away with a grin on his face and I'm unable to hold back my smile, looking away from him to the screen that's in front of us. Emerson turns his head on my lap, wrapping his arms around my waist as he presses his face to my stomach and a jolt of excitement dances through me at how intimate he is.

"Babe?" He calls, bringing my attention back to him and I lift a brow, "Uh?"

"I want to be closer. " He says and I let out a chuckle, before I say, "You're cuddling me, Em. How closer could you possibly get?"

"I don't know." He hisses, his hands tightening around me "This isn't enough. I want to feel you more than this."

"Em. "I let out a groan of his name and he says, "I'm serious, Eva.

"I

With a sigh, I drop the chocolate on the table in front of us before I look back at him. "Okay fine. Come here."

I motion for Emerson to move out of my lap, making him sit up on the couch so I can press his head to my chest and when I do, I duck my head to meet his eyes, "Better?"

"Nearly. "He agrees and I caress his hair, fingers coiling through the curls. "You're so clingy, do you realize that?"

"No worse than you." He retorts, his hand slipping beneath my shirt to drop his touch on my belly with his finger playing with the piercing that rests there.

"Shut up. "I tell him, and just as Emerson starts to speak, the vibration of my phone interrupts him and I grab the device, my eyes widening at the sight of my father's name across the screen. "Don't say a word. "I say to Emerson and he pulls back, removing his head from my chest. "Why? Who's it?"

"My dad. "It's the only response I give him before I press the phone to my ear to listen to dad's voice.

"Dad?"

"Princess." He sounds better than the last time we spoke and a smile touches my lips as I proceed to say, "Checking in on me?"

"To make sure you're fine and you don't need anything." There's an echo in the background and I open my mouth to answer, but dad beats me to it, "But also to hear your voice. It's been a while."

"I'm fine, dad. "I assure him with a soft voice. "And you know I'll give you a call if I ever need anything. "Emerson's drop on my lap makes me turn my gaze to him and he smiles at me before he twists his head to the screen. "How's your wife?"

"More beautiful every day," he jokes and I make a sound at the back of my throat before dad continues, "She's taking the rest thing seriously than she used to, and I'm extremely thankful for that. If I could have it my way, all she'd do is sleep in every day. "

"But we both know that woman is stubborn. "I complete his words and he laughs in agreement. When the sound dies down, he says, "Always check-in, Eva and let me know if anything ever troubles you." The words that I'm about to let out comes out as a soft sigh of satisfaction when Emerson pushes his head back to caress my thighs, drawing imaginary lines across the skin with his thumb. "Eva?" Dad's call of my name reminds me that I'm still on the phone with the man and I part my lips, "I will, dad. How's it going at work?"

There's a long sigh from his end and the sound of metal scraping against the tile before his voice comes in, "Work is great. Mason Ford on the other hand isn't. "At the mention of my father's not so favourite rival, I look down at the man that lies on my lap; the troubles that await us back with our families when we aren't in the comfort of our home, suddenly hitting me.

The thought of me telling dad about Emerson abruptly crosses my mind, but that thought is quick to go down the drain at the fear that comes along with it, so I settle with the safe words. "Don't stress over it, dad."

We stay on the line for a few more minutes before he ends the call to get back to work.

"Em?" I call out his name as I drop my phone to the side and he turns his head to my view. "Is everything alright?"

With a swallow down my throat at the irritating dryness, I let out my next words. "What do you think is the worst thing that could happen if they replace out we're together?"

He furrows his brows in confusion before understanding dawns on him.

"It won't be easy. They detest the very sight of each other, and learning their kids are together will come both as a surprise and disbelief. " Emerson starts and I nod along with his words. "The worst thing that could happen is them trying to split us; that's all I can think of. "

"Do you think they'll succeed?" I ask him and there's a hint of a smile on his face as he says, "Do you think I'll let my father take away the one person who means everything to me?"

"

"Not willingly. "I raise my shoulder and Emerson lifts his hand to my face, rubbing my ear as he speaks, "Willingly or not; nothing will ever take me away from you, Eva. "

"What do you think is the worst thing that could happen?" He throws my question at me and the thought of my answer becoming a reality hurts my heart. "Letting go of this. I don't know what I'll do if that ever happens, I don't know how I'll-"

Emerson doesn't let me finish my words before he interrupts me, his touch moving from my ear to my face, "That's never going to happen, baby. I promise you; I will not the relationship between our families take this away from us. "

His words should be enough and they are, but there's still that fear and anxiety. It'll always be present as long as we remain a secret to them, and it's why I open my mouth to say, "I think we should tell them. We should let our parents know we're in love."

Because again, what's the worst thing that could ever happen?