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

Yeah, he’s not pleased with me sitting here. Well, too bad, I’m not pleased he’s got some chick hanging all over him, which he’s ignoring, but so what? How would he feel if I made out with Nate?

Ugh. Maybe Colt wouldn’t care.

“Yes,” Nate says grimly. “But it doesn’t matter because he started the shit in the first place. You see it, don’t you? He’s a dick. He doesn’t care about you. Only fucking winning!”

Maybe it’s just a coincidence, but the words ‘you see’ and the tenor of his voice remind me of the notes I receive from my fan.

“Yes, I see,” I murmur uncomfortably.

I’m not sure approaching him was the best idea. If he is my fan, I may have just riled the beast, and if he isn’t, well, I’m still a little disturbed. Nate’s got an intensity to him that’s not healthy.

He’s far too obsessed with winning, as he calls it. With him, I’m sure it truly wasn’t about me because even in this conversation, he’s focused on Colt. There’s jealousy there, which I don’t understand, perhaps born out of childhood machinations.

At this point, I may never know. What I do know is Nate isn’t the person I thought him to be, and I’m just as confused and heart sore as before.

“Did you know she was pregnant?” I ask, glancing back at Colt.

He’s still watching us with laser intensity. I never got the chance to confront Colt about Portia’s pregnancy, what with my abduction and the fallout after.

“Sarah?”

Rearing back, I look at him, shocked. Sarah too?

“Sarah’s pregnant?” I ask.

“I don’t know. Why are you asking me?” he mutters. “I wasn’t the one fucking her.”

“Oh. I meant Portia,” I mutter. I don’t know if I should be relieved or suspicious of Nate’s response.

“Oh, um, yeah,” he says uncomfortably, looking away from me. Hmm.

I’m wasting my time. Nate isn’t going to be honest with me, if it means admitting anything that puts him in a bad light.

Smiling wanly, I move to stand, but he grabs my arm and stops me. “Finn, I think you’re amazing. Don’t let this come between us.”

“Nate, I appreciate that I do. But I have a lot to think about,” I say, tugging on my arm.

His lips form a grim line, his avid eyes begging me, but for what I don’t know.

“Why is it always him?” he demands. “He’s the fucking ringleader of it all! And he gets the girl?”

Looking into his angry eyes, I say firmly, “Let me go, Nate.”

“No! I want to know! Why? He’s a fucking dick. He doesn’t care about you!”

“And you do?” I say softly.

His lips pull back in a sneer as he pushes me away, causing me to stumble but, before I can so much as protest, a roar sounds behind me.

Startled, I turn to see Colt easily jump over the table he was sitting at and barrel right for us, his formerly icy cold gaze filled with rage as he comes at Nate rapidly. I step into his path, but he goes right around me as though I’m not even here.

“Colt!” I shout, but he ignores me.

Helplessly I watch as he slams into Nate, and they both tumble to the ground. Nate grabs him around the waist and bucks beneath him, but Colt is not having it and slams his forehead into Nate’s without care for the potential damage.

Nate falls back in a daze, groaning at the impact, and immediately, blood pours out of the wound on Colt’s head, dripping onto Nate’s face.

At the sight, I break out of my frozen state, running forward and grabbing Colt’s shoulder as I shout, “Colt!”

He swings his head my way, and for a moment, I don’t recognize him, the feral anger causing me to step back.

Only then does the expression fade as he frowns, and pain flashes behind his eyes as he pulls himself up, and avoiding my stare, walks away.

Spinning on my heel, I follow, waiting until we’re on the other side of the doors to call out, “Colt!”

But he just keeps going, and I jog to stay close, my throat clogging with tears. What have we come to?

“Colt, please,” I plead, breaking on a sob.

He swings around so quickly that I stumble into his chest, and unable to stop myself, I wrap my arms around him and sob as he reflexively grabs me up.

Crushing me to him, he says, “Oh, Princess, sh.”

Burrowing into him, I let the last of my resistance go. I need him, and he needs me. I’m not willing to lose him over this because, despite everything, we’re better together.

“I can’t do this anymore,” I whimper.

He stiffens around me, his arms going rigid as he tries to pull away, but I just grab on tighter.

“Can’t what?” he asks gruffly.

“This is tearing me apart….”

“What are you saying?” he demands, his icy demeanor back in place.

Dropping my arms, I stare at him helplessly. Is this it? Have I pushed too far?

He’s shut me out again, and I can’t see through the pain, but I have nothing left to lose, so I say through wobbly tears, “I love you. I can’t do this without you. I-I don’t want to.”

My heart skips a beat when he stares at me silently for a moment, pained anticipation surging through my veins. What if he says no?

But his eyes melt into a soft expression, and he steps forward, grabbing my face and looking me in the eye.

“I love you, too, Finn,” he breathes.

Melting against him, I clutch onto him desperately, the violent need to feel him close rushing through me. I’ve been so empty, and he fills me with love, passion, acceptance, and a strange wholeness I can’t put into words.

Rocking me gently, he murmurs sweet words in my ear, kissing my forehead as we stand in our bubble, immune to everything around us until the bell rings.

Annoyed by the intrusion, I pull back and say mulishly, “I don’t want to go to class.”

His beautiful pale eyes brighten, and with