Hate So Good: A High School Bully Romance (The Hate Series Book 2) Nina Lincoln (latest novels to read TXT) 📖

since this morning. I didn’t tell him about it, and I’m hesitant to reveal my plans. My time with my mom feels special, and including anyone else would make it weird.

Besides, I know he’ll try to talk me out of going alone, but I need this, and it's broad daylight out. Who would bother to follow me to the cemetery?

Feeling bad but resolved, I turn off my phone and make my way to her grave, cleaning off her stone and leaving a bouquet of vibrant flowers on top.

“Hey, Mom,” I say softly, sitting down in the grass.

Today is actually a beautiful day, the sun is bright, and the cold front has moved along. With any luck, we will move into spring without any more freezing temperatures.

“Today’s the big day. Eighteen. Can you believe it? I made it. I’m officially an adult.”

Running my fingers through the grass, I glance around the cemetery absently. “I always looked forward to this day. I thought we’d celebrate together, you know?”

A gust of wind fly’s through and pushes my hair over my face. “Now it’s just me.”

Staring at her stone, I rub my fingers over the words and sigh. I feel alone, lonely and it’s my fault because I could be spending it with Colt, and instead, I’m here talking to an inanimate object.

Feeling foolish, I turn my phone back on and pull up his last text.

Colt: Princess, where are you?

Me: I’m visiting my mom

Colt: ? Your mom?

Me: yeah, I’m at her grave

Colt: oh

Colt: you want some company?

I look around the area, staring at the beautiful green trees throughout, surrounded by carefully trimmed grass and a sea of plaques and stones. It’s quiet, serene but empty.

Do I want Colt to come here? Or do I want to go back?

Colt: Princess?

Smiling at the moniker that gave me so much angst before, I type out a response with a warm heart. It doesn’t matter where we are as long as I’m with him.

Me: I’m done here. I’ll come to you

Colt: are you sure?

Smiling, I type out a response and rise to go, brushing my ass off as I step away. Another gust of wind sweeps through the area, and my head swings around when I hear rustling in the distance, nothing but the swaying trees and a sea of graves greeting me.

Shivering, I make my way toward the entrance, slowing when the hair on the back of my neck stands on end, but when I peek behind me, I’m faced with nothing but the same vista.

Still, I can’t escape a sense of urgency and skip to the entrance, spying my car through the fence with relief, only to skid to a stop when a figure in jeans and a hoodie steps in front of me.

The figure looks all too familiar even if I’ve never seen his face, which is no different now with the hood pulled up. He’s tall, with broad shoulders and meaty hands clenched at his sides.

Gasping, I step back, my heart pulsing uncomfortably in my chest, and clearing my throat, I rasp, “Um, excuse me.”

Please step aside. Please just be another visitor here to see their loved one. Fuck.

He cocks his head to the side and raises his hand, reaching out for me ghoulishly, and I step back cautiously, adrenaline spiking in my veins when he follows.

Absently, I note I’m trembling from head to toe as I demand, “What do you want?”

“I want you, Finn.”

Spinning on my heels, I run back the way I came, racing through and around the graves, the obstacle course laid out before me, forcing me to weave around the taller pieces, slowing me down.

I can hear my deep breathing - shit, and I can hear his deep breathing.

With a groan, I increase my strides, a stitch forming in my side, the ache becoming unbearable, but with no other choice, I power through it, sobbing for my efforts.

In the next moment, his body crashes against mine, collapsing on top of me as I tumble to the ground with a pained cry, and terror washes through me so quickly, I fear I might vomit.

Laying over top of me, he pauses, and I’m reminded of the similarities to my attack in the parking lot. This was not long after I started at North, and at the time, I thought it might have been Melissa.

Was that my fan then too?

Unfortunately, this time there’s no one here, no one can save me now.

Trembling, I fight the bile surging up my throat, gagging on the acidic taste as I look around in a daze.

I’m brought out of my painful lethargy when he leans into my neck and whispers, “It’s time. Are you ready, Finn?”

Closing my eyes, I shudder but summon the breath I need to move and slam my head into his face. I don’t have much momentum, trapped against the ground as I am, but it at least stuns him.

“Fuck,” he says as he rolls away.

Scrambling out from under him, I bring myself to my knees and turn back, gasping to find Ben grinning ghoulishly at me, his teeth covered in blood from the impact to his nose.

“It’s you,” I say incredulously.

Slowly he gains his feet, and I back away again. Shit, I should’ve run while I had the chance.

“Who’s me?” he leers.

Turning away, I take off again, but he’s right fucking behind me, and I’m already exhausted from the last go-round. Gasping for my efforts, I barely register my phone ringing in my pocket, but the constant buzz brings me out of my panic long enough to pull it out with trembling fingers.

Muscle memory must take over because I don’t so much as glance at the phone as I answer it.

“Hey, Princess-“ Colt says.

“Colt!” I sob, cutting him off.

“Finn? What’s going on?”

“He’s here Colt, Ben-“

Oomph, I hit the ground hard again, smacking my head against a stone. Moaning, I clutch my wound, the distant roar of Colt’s voice screaming my name blaring over the phone.

“Bitch,” Ben hisses, pulling my arms behind my back