Hi, invalice, welcome to PsychCentral (PC).

It sounds to me like he is "fascinated" by the drama she provides; maybe he feels more alive being batted about like she is doing to him, let's call it the snow queen syndrome (Did you watch The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe -- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0363771/)?

If you don't enjoy watching train wrecks, don't go where there are train wrecks? It could be that watching this is easier for you than finding someone who enjoys and wants to be with you. I use to read a great many books, vicarious living of another sort. Leave off watching other people's lives and engage in your own.