Hatred With Benefits

T W E N T Y - F O U R

EMERSON.

"Stay away. " Carson's cheeks are flushed with redness and a laugh falls from my mouth as I watch her

walk out of the room with quick strides and a hand pressed to her back.

I shake my head and grab the spoon to take another bite of the ice cream.

After finishing the ice cream, I drop the bowl into the sink, and begin to make my way out of the kitchen

but stop at the notice of a phone on the counter.

Carson's phone.

I stare at the device before I give in to the urge and take it off the counter, making my way to her room.

I turn the knob of her door before peeping my head through the small space– Eva lies on the bed with

her body curled into a ball and her hands clutched to her belly.

I tilt my head and stay still for a while, wondering if I should go ahead or just turn around and pretend I

never saw this. It's not exactly like I'll be of any help either way, because I know absolutely shit about

women and their menstruation cycles.

With a slow shake of my head, I slowly pull the door towards me, but it hangs at the sound of Carson's

groan. It's a loud and painful one and it disturbs me.

Without thinking much about it, I make my way inside the room and shut the door behind me.

I mumble under my breath as I walk to Carson's side of the room, and her head remains hidden though

I know she heard the footsteps.

"Hey, Carson. Are you okay?" Obviously, she's fucking not, but I have no idea what else to ask.

"Yeah, " her response comes. Her voice sounds so weak, and not so her. A frown pulls at my face as I

bend towards the bed and settle at the edge of it, careful not to press against her.

"You don't sound okay. " I start, lifting my hand to her face, but Carson shifts away from me.

"Go away, Emerson. " She mumbles, burying her head in the sheets and I should do exactly what she

requested, but my humanity takes over and I find myself shifting closer to Carson.

"You might want to leave your pride behind if you don't want to bleed to death, Carson. " The words slip

through my lips rashly and Carson finally lifts her head to meet my eyes – gaze hard and full with hate.

Something tells me it would a different situation if she weren't clutching her belly.

"Isn't that what you want?" She raises her brows slowly. "You'll take pleasure in my death, Ford so this

is a good opportunity for you. "

A smile climbs on my face, and Carson throws me a revolted look as I speak, "Death? yes, but

bleeding to death? No, I don't want that. "

"Leave me. " She groans, turning her head to the other side and I chuckle, staring at her back before I

speak again. "What do you want me to do?"

Carson turns to me again and her expression remains unfazed, but her lips are parted just barely. I'm

aware those words have been exchanged between the both of us too many times now, but it's

something that can't be controlled. As much as I hate Carson and despise the thought of me being

worried about her— it grows with each discomfort she faces.

"You can't do anything. " Carson's voice snaps me out of my thoughts and I arch my brows, "Are you

sure about that? There should be something you always do when you're like this. "

Carson studies me for a few minutes before she speaks again, pulling her bottom lip between her

teeth. "There is. "

I nod, edging closer to her. "Tell me then. "

"I hate owing you, Ford. " She whines in annoyance, and I let out a laugh before I say. "You don't have

a choice. "

"I could lay here for the pain to leave. " She says in a flat tone and I hum, saying, "You could lay there

and bleed to death. By the way, I hope you're using your tampon? I may be open to everything else,

but I'm not touching your blood, Carson. "

Carson sneers at me. A full-on sneer where she wears an expression that tells me she wants her

hands wrapped around my neck, cutting my breath and killing me slowly, instead of where she has

them right now.

"Fuck you, Ford. " She seethes and I shake my head, a teasing smile pressing on my lips. "I just told

you I'm not touching your blood, Carson. "

There's this feeling that comes with watching Carson's face when I throw an insult at her, it's a feeling

I've tried and failed to explain, but it's sure as hell a pleasurable one.

"You make accepting your help so fucking hard, do you know that?" She frowns, trying to move upward

and I raise a shoulder as I watch her struggle. "That's the exciting part about my help, Carson. "

"What should I do?" I ask, returning to my earlier suggestion and Carson nods towards her belly.

"What?" I repeat in confusion and she stares at me dumbly before nodding to her belly again, saying, "I

want you to caress it. "

"You're obsessed with my touch, aren't you?" I throw her a smirk as I move over her body, shifting my

legs to either side of her.

EVA.

I watch as Emerson moves over me with my breathing quickening.

He fists the hem of my top in his hands before raising it to reveal my belly, and I don't miss the way he

stills for a millisecond— just staring at the skin.

I'm quick to remove my gaze when Emerson starts to lift his head and I shift it back to him when he

speaks. "How am I to do it?"

"Massage it. Just gentle strokes. " I must be crazy to let Emerson Ford do this for me, but there's only a

fraction of resistance you can hold onto when it comes to pain.

"Like this?" He whispers lowly as he trails his fingers across my bare skin and my body shivers slightly

at the touch.

When Emerson meets my eyes, I clear my throat and nod, hiding the way my cheeks heat up at the

innocent touch.

"More?" He asks as he repeats the process, his hands giving faint rubs and strokes to my belly.

"Lower. " I tell him in a tiny voice and he moves his hand lower. My head falls against the pillow and my

eyelids shut on their own as Emerson's strokes get softer– calming and soothing the pain that shoots

through my lower abdomen.

"Hmmm, " a moan slips through my parted lips before I can stop it. "Just like that. "

"I guess I don't need my cock to make you moan now, Carson?" At the sound of Emerson's mocking

sound, I open my eyes and throw him a glare. "I can still think of pretty effective ways to make you shut

your mouth, Ford. "

A teasing smirk stretches over his lips and Emerson inches closer, throwing his fave close to mine.

"Like what? Closing those lips on mine?"

A snort leaves my lips as I say. "Like throwing my feet in your face. "

"You're a good liar, Carson. " His lips brush against mine with each word he speaks and the flesh

tingles in delight.

Emerson stays in that stance for a while and my breathing hardens with each second that grows

between us with our gazes fixed on each other.

"What are you doing?" I ask as he slides beside me, and gets under the sheets with one hand moving

around me.

"Close your eyes. " Emerson whispers as he turns on his side to meet my eyes and I raise my brows,

"And why should I do that? You plan on murdering me in my sleep, Ford?"

Emerson chuckles and snuggles closer to me. I feel each intake of his breath as he speaks with his

face so close to mine. "That's a little low for me, don't you think?"

"You're as shameless as they come, Ford. It wouldn't come as a surprise if you do it just to get me out

of the way. " A smirk crosses my face and Emerson shakes his head before adjusting on his side to

slide an arm around my neck.

The action is sudden and stunning coming from Emerson Ford. The surprise in my eyes is apparent as

Emerson meets my eyes, and the expression on his face is the same one from that night and my heart

skips at the sight.

Emerson remains silent as he presses the side of his thigh to mine, and my eyes unconsciously fall to

his lips. Full, bright and tempting me to take a touch. To move my head just for a tiny taste.

"Carson. " Emerson calls, pulling me out of my unwanted thoughts and I shift my eyes to meet his

gaze. "Close your eyes. " He repeats his words from earlier and this time, I listen to him.

I breathe as I shut my eyes with a rapid fall of my chest. Emerson hums and shifts closer, pressing his

body against mine and my head falls against his chest as I let Emerson Ford give me comfort for the

second time.

He gives gentle pats on my arm and easy strokes to my belly as relief flushes over me and sleep draws

nearer with each second that passes in his arms.

~

When I open my eyes, Emerson Ford isn't beside me.

A groan falls from my mouth as I sit up on the bed and frown at the feeling of something warm and wet

against my skin.

Lifting my hand to my forehead, I bring down a wet towel folded in halves. I stare at the towel before

taking my eyes to the spot beside me to see a bowl of water sitting at my bedside with Emerson Ford

nowhere in sight.

I put the towel to the side and get out of bed to walk out of the room.

"Hey, you. " Emerson is standing in the middle of the living room as I stride inside and I jerk my head to

him in response, my eyes moving down his body. He's clothed in his usual attire with his key dangling

off his fingers.

"I'm heading out. " He says and I shift my eyes back to his face. "I didn't ask. " I respond as I walk past

him to the kitchen and Emerson's laugh echoes behind me.

"You didn't, " he chuckles. "But your eyes did the talking, Carson. "

"Funny of you to think you can interpret what my eyes speak, Ford. " I retort and there's a silence as I

grab a bottle of water from the refrigerator.

I gulp down a considerable amount of the liquid before turning around to Emerson's view, swiping a

hand over my lips. I lift my brows when he doesn't speak, but keeps his eyes on me. "What?"

He nods towards my belly. "Are you feeling better?"

"I am. " I nod as I drop the bottle on the counter next to me and fold my hands against my chest. The

confident stance drops slowly and easily as Emerson makes his way toward me, taking gracious

strides that seems to match the beats in my chest.

He stops when he's inches away from me and without a word, he places his hand against my belly. He

gives gentle rubs at first before it turns fast and aggressive, and I slap his hand away, a frown crossing

my lips.

Emerson laughs at my reaction and takes a step back. "Just making sure you are. "

"Fuck off. " I scowl at him and his shoulders shake as he laughs before he turns around, walking

towards the door.

I watch as he wraps a hand around the doorknob, and just before he walks through the door, he turns

to me and says, "You're welcome, Carson. "

"I never thanked you for anything. " I tell him and he bobs his head. "Your eyes did. You're welcome. "

And as I part my lips to speak, Emerson slips through the door and disappears out of sight.

I stay on the spot, staring at the door before my lips slowly spread in a smile.

"Thank you, Emerson. "