“Because even after all this, I still loved her. Love and hate were two sides of the same coin, and my coin was destined to land with love facing up. And the minute I made peace with those odds was the minute I'd start winning.”

“I hate you, Ellie Watt," he whispered, lips coming closer to mine, "because I still love you after all these years.”

“That is what I thought of you, Ellie. Heartless, reckless, selfish, and cruel."He was back to shooting me when my armor was down. I turned my face away from him, not wanting to let him see the hurt in my eyes. He reached up and put his fingers under my chin, bringing my face forward again, forcing me to look at him."Beautiful, sad, wounded, and lost," he continued. "A freak, a work of art, a liar, and a lover."His gaze was starting to eat away at my insides. Razor-blade butterflies whirled in my heart."I hate you, Ellie Watt," he whispered, lips coming closer to mine, "because I still love you after all these years.”

“I love her, more than anyone should love anything. The kind of love that either fills you up or eats away at you. I love her at my own risk. I love her…dangerously.”

“I’m scared of him. I’m disgusted by the vile monster he becomes, this beast he lets out. But I still love him. I’d still do anything for him. I can’t just turn off my heart. I want to, I do, but I can’t. I love him with everything I have and I hate myself for it. Because it’s wrong to love him, I know. It’s so wrong.”

“Maybe you’re sleepwalking. And sleeptexting. And sleepprimping.”“What’s next?” I grumbled to myself. Things were getting more out of control by the minute.“I don’t know,” she said, straightening up and tucking her phone into the waistband of her leggings. “Just don’t start sleepfucking.”

“I cleared my throat and spoke into his kiss. “Sorry, it’s been a while.”“You should expect to hear the same thing from me in about five minutes,” he murmured.“Five minutes, huh?”“I’ll make it the best five minutes of your life.”I bit his lip, hard, then released him and looked into those intense blues. “Clock’s ticking.”