Twisted Hate: An Enemies with Benefits Romance

Part of me appreciated the growth, while another part mourned how much
time had passed since our friendship ended. Enough that we were funhouse
mirror versions of ourselves—the same people at our core but distorted by
the changes wrought over time.
“Everyone changes. Without change, we might as well be dead.” It
would’ve been an inspiring quote had Alex not delivered it with all the
emotion of a block of ice. 
“Speaking of Ava…” He rolled his empty glass between his finger, his
expression even broodier than usual. “I’d hoped we could talk before the girls
came back.” 
“What do you think we’re doing right now? Chopping liver?” 
“I mean talk.”
My smile fell.
There it was. The giant, trumpeting elephant in the room.
Alex and I had avoided talking about what happened since our
confrontation after he broke up with Ava.
How he became my friend only to get closer to my father.
How he’d used Ava and broke her heart.
How he’d lied to me for seven fucking years.
He’d tried reaching out after he and Ava got back together, but I’d
ignored him and we’d never had a real, honest conversation about it.
It was long past due, but that didn’t stop my stomach from knotting with
dread at the prospect of digging up bones from the past.
“I understand why you’re still upset with me. It was…a betrayal of trust,
what I did. But I…” Alex paused, clearly searching for the right words. A
speechless Alex Volkov was a rare sight, and I would’ve reveled in it more
had I not been so distracted by the burn in my chest. 
“I’ve never had many friends,” he finally said. “People flocked to me
because I was rich, smart, and I could help them get what they wanted.” He
listed the qualities in a detached manner, so self-assured he came off more

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analytical than arrogant. “They were transactional relationships, and I was
fine with that. But you were my first real friend. Even if my intentions
weren’t true at the start of our friendship, everything that came after was.”
The burn intensified. “What you did was fucked up.”
“I know.”
I rubbed a hand over my face, trying to quiet the debate raging in my
head.
We’d reached a fork in the road. I could either stay on the circular path
I’d walked for the past two years, or I could take the only exit available to
me.
The first option was comfortable and familiar, the latter unknown and
scary as fuck. I didn’t want to end up betrayed and lied to again.
But Jules was right. Holding onto anger was exhausting, and I was
already so fucking tired these days. Physically, mentally, emotionally.
Sometimes, it was a struggle just to breathe.
“It’s been almost two years.” I was halfway to the exit, but I couldn’t
bring myself to take the leap just yet. “Why bring this up now?”
“Because you’re the most stubborn person I’ve ever met. If someone tries
to push you in one direction, you’ll do your best to go in the other.” Dry
humor laced his words. “But what I did was wrong, and I am…sorry. For the
most part.” 
What the fuck? “That’s the worst damn apology I’ve ever heard.”
“I don’t aspire to be the type of person who apologizes so much that
they're good at it.”
Typical Alex logic.
“But if I hadn’t done what I did, we would’ve never been friends, and my
life…” Another, longer pause. “My life would be half of what it is today,” he
finished softly.
The burn in my chest spread, and my throat flexed. “You’re becoming
sentimental, Volkov. Don’t let your business opponents know or they’ll eat
you alive.” 
“Au contraire. More sentimentality in my personal life means more steam
I need to let off elsewhere. It’s been very lucrative for business.” Alex oozed
satisfaction.
“I’m sure it has.” I passed my hand over my face again, trying to figure
out where to go from here. This was not how I’d envisioned the day going
when I woke up. “You know we can’t just go back to being best friends again

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and pretend like the past didn’t happen, right?”
The line of his jaw turned rigid. “I know.” 
“But…if you want to catch a Nats game or something when we’re back in
D.C., I wouldn’t be opposed,” I added gruffly.
Alex relaxed, and a smile flickered over his mouth. “You miss the box
seats, don’t you?”
“Hell yeah. I’m open to bribery if you would like to get back into my
good graces.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
I finished my second drink before I asked, “How did you know Ava was
the one?”
I’d never been in love. I didn’t particularly want to be, but I wanted to
know what cracked Alex’s stony heart. Before Ava, I could imagine a robot
more capable of feeling than the man sitting next to me.
“I like being with her.”
“No shit. Be more specific.”
He sighed. “It’s easy being with her,” he said after a long moment. “She
understands me in a way no one else does, even if our worldviews are
fundamentally different. When I’m not with her, I wish she were there. When
I am with her, I want that moment to last forever. She makes me want to be a
better person, and when I think about a world where she doesn’t exist…” His
jaw flexed. “I want to burn every inch of it to the ground.”
I stared at him. “Holy fuck. Who are you and what the fuck have you
done to Alex Volkov?” I clapped him on the back. “Whoever you are, you
should write for the murderous edition of Hallmark.”
Alex glared at me. “Tell anyone I said that, and I will skin you alive with
a rusted knife to prolong the pain.”
“Exactly. Just like that. So murderously romantic.”
“Your box seats are skating on thin ice, Chen.”
“Hey, remember. I’m the one who has to forgive you. Be nice.” I
motioned the bartender for another drink.
Despite my jokes, my brain couldn’t stop replaying Alex’s words.