Page 11 of Deviant

His hate strangely comforting.

I know it shouldn’t be, but it is.

Anyone else in my predicament would probably run in the other direction whenever Elias got close or risk having such an ugly secret revealed.

But I don’t run.

I never run.

These rare moments are the only ones I’ve been living for lately.

It’s soothing knowing there is at least one person in this world who hates me for what I’ve done, even if they don’t know the specifics.

I stand ramrod straight as Elias continues to stare at me while smoking his cigarette down to the filter, knowing that his probing glower is enough to make anyone feel uneasy.

But not me.

He can look at me like that all night.

Burden me with your hate. I fucking deserve it.

“It’s a nice night out tonight,” I say in an attempt to get a reaction from him.

I just need to stay in his presence for just another minute.

Just a minute to feel all that hate poison my bloodstream.

Oh, if only his hate was enough to completely do me in.

“Don’t you think?” I add while leaning against the porch rail, crossing my arms over my chest, daring him to reply.

“For a midnight swim, maybe,” he says with a nefarious smirk.

My brows pull together in confusion. I have no idea why his first thought would be to take a swim this late at night. The summer is officially over, and the water’s temperature has dropped drastically.

“I guess.” I shrug at the baffling remark while maintaining eye contact with him.

The ominous glint in his eyes disappears when he sees I didn’t get the gist of whatever ill-regard joke he was trying to make.

“Don’t you have somewhere to go?” he asks with that all-too-familiar irritated hint in his tone.

My deep-rooted frown is immediate when I realize that he’s trying to get me out of his sight when I crave nothing more than to stay in his.

“I can stay a little longer,” I suggest with a daring grin. “I mean, why would anyone want to end such a tantalizing conversation so abruptly?”

His nostrils flare at my uncharacteristic outburst, his hatred easing the knot in my chest like a soothing balm to my corrupt soul.

I’m usually not one for quick banter or sass.

That was Nora’s department of expertise.

She always had a sharp tongue, whereas I learned early on to keep mine sweet.

But Elias’s contempt has this weird aphrodisiac effect on me.

It’s like I’d love nothing more than to push his buttons just to get a rise out of him.

I mean, poke a bear enough times, and he’s sure to retaliate.

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