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

by with a girl under each arm, I call out, “Hayden? Can you give me a ride home?”

“Finn,” Colt growls in warning, but I’m already walking away.

Hayden looks between me and the truck curiously but nods, and I follow him to his car. Colt doesn’t move from his spot, not even after Hayden pulls away.

*****

I don’t hear from Colt all evening, and the misery I’m reduced to is fucking pathetic. I don’t know what this means, if he’s done or just going through shit, but I’m tired of the whiplash.

Not to mention, his ex is missing, two of them. I’d be stupid not to consider the ramifications, but I’ve come this far with Colt. I refuse to believe he’s some sick psycho who preys on girls.

I’m sad for Sarah. At her worst, she didn’t deserve whatever may be happening to her now, the parallels between my almost abduction and hers making my stomach churn. It could just as easily be me missing, with no one the wiser of Ben’s machinations.

Speaking of Ben, he’s still out there somewhere, and I don’t know if he’s given up or waiting for a more opportune time. I don’t even know if he was lying, and maybe he’s my fan. It’s all a cluster.

I’m wallowing in my misery when Teddy texts me later that evening, and I roll over eagerly only to deflate when I see it’s not Colt.

Teddy: Hey, did you hear about Sarah?

Finn: Yeah…

Teddy: Fucked up shit

Finn: I know. I hope she’s okay

Teddy: Me too

Teddy: Everything is so crazy. How are you feeling?

Finn: I’m okay. Just you know, worried, I can’t help but wonder if the Sarah stuff isn’t related

Teddy: How so?

Finn: I mean, Portia and now Sarah? It could’ve been me missing if I hadn’t gotten away

Teddy: Yeah, that’s true. But maybe Sarah got into her own trouble. She was into all kinds of weird shit

Finn: Like what?

Teddy: Word around is that she hooked up with some dude, and he was bad news. Not to mention she liked to make people suffer

Finn: Oh, wow. I wonder who she was dating?

Teddy: No clue, but it could just as easily be she found trouble she couldn’t see her way out from

Finn: True

Teddy: I’m worried about you, Finn. Please let me know if there’s anything I can do

*****

There’s still no word from Colt by the following morning, so I’m surprised to see him sitting in his truck at the curb. Approaching slowly, I try to gauge his mood, but with all things Colt, he’s got an uncanny ability to close himself off when he wants to.

Opening the door, I stand at the threshold but refuse to get in. He looks me over with his pale eyes, and I breathe a sigh of relief to see the desire written there. At the very least, he still feels something. I guess the rest will come with time.

“What’s up?” I ask guardedly.

He works his jaw for a moment before saying in a low voice, “Finn, I’ve done a lot of shit I’m not proud of, sometimes I’d prefer to leave that shit in the past.”

“Okay?”

“Look, I don’t want to see what you think of me when you know some of it. I don’t want that to ruin this,” he says, waving between us.

“Colt, what could you possibly have done that's worse than the shit you did to me?”

His mouth quirks up in a grim smile, “Plenty.”

“Okay, but Colt, you can’t shut me out. It hurts,” I say softly.

His eyes darken with remorse, and he slides across the seat, pulling me into his arms, “Oh Princess, I’m sorry. I just, sometimes the feelings I have for you freak me out. I wasn’t prepared for this.”

Melting into his embrace, I wrap my arms around his waist. “You know it's not easy for me either.”

“I know. I’m sorry,” he says, snuggling into my neck.

Shivering, I lean my head to the side, and he chuckles, peppering kisses along my skin, as I close my eyes and revel in the goosebumps spreading across my neck.

“Colt,” I moan, need unfurling inside of me.

“Mm, we don’t have time, Princess. But I will be fucking you later,” he growls.

Whimpering, I agree, feeling the loss acutely when he pulls away, and I follow him into the truck.

We haven’t spoken about Sarah or Portia, and it’s a conversation that we can’t avoid for long. Beyond that, I have a pulse of worry regarding his words. What could possibly be worse than what he’s already done?

Chapter Eight

News of Sarah’s disappearance is all anyone can talk about, and with the specter of what she must have gone through is the realization I may have been one of the only people to see her before she disappeared.

Not a single soul knows, not even Colt. It’s not on purpose, but with the shitshow of events that follow me around, it hasn’t come up, and I’m torn. I should report it to the police, but what will happen?

She was acting crazy, but it could be construed in a way I don’t want anyone to think. I mean, she walked away, but not before we faced off.

After class, we head to the pizzeria, and I can’t help but shiver when we pass the table where she sat not too long ago. Colt’s grim expression tells me he’s got the same thoughts running through his mind. Does he miss her?

With a pang, I shut that shit down, for those thoughts are not only mean but petty - the girl is missing, for fucks sake. Regardless, the thought makes my chest pulse painfully.

Dirk, Ramie, and George emerge through the doors and sit with us, ordering food and chatting animatedly. Hayden comes along a while later, and even though I wasn’t here when they were all friends, I can’t help but think the bands back together. Well, except for Nate anyway.

Ramie sits beside me and looks at me with her luminous jade eyes, and I smile tentatively, uncomfortable under her scrutiny.

“I’m sorry,” she says softly.

“For