“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.”

“Who was that?" he whispered."Who?" I asked, playing dumb."That Ellie Watt. I know the real Ellie Watt and she’s not that much of a people person.""Which Ellie do you prefer?" I asked teasingly.He stopped walking and pulled me closer to him,staring down into my eyes."Whichever one I’ve got.”

“I've waited my whole life to sleep with you, Ellie Watt. I can't just pick you up from Safeway.”

“I still need you," I murmured. He rested his forehead against mine and closed his eyes, his breathing irregular. Then his lips found mine again. It made my heart ache, made my soul ache. I loved him far too much.”

“Why am I good to you?” he repeated, his lips brushing against mine as he spoke. “Because I can see you are broken. And I want nothing more than to put you back together.”

“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.”