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

With a small smile, he kisses me on the head but doesn’t comment.

“I got another letter from my dad,” I murmur, sensing Colt’s need to change the subject.

“Oh? What did it say?” he asks, grabbing my chin gently and pulling my eyes up to his.

Warmth fills my chest at the relief I see behind his eyes. It’s a sign of his trust that he admitted this to me, and I will forever cherish this moment.

“The usual, it’s all about him. He doesn’t even see how much I hate him,” I say.

“Finn, people like that only care about themselves. I’m sorry, though. You deserve a dad who cares about you.”

“You do too,” I whisper.

I may deserve a better dad, but I won the lotto with Colt. I just hope what we have can withstand the tests constantly shoved in our faces because every time we turn around, it’s something different, and I’m starting to despair of ever having a normal relationship.

Maybe it’s me. I clearly draw the drama. I mean, case in point, we’re snuggled up waiting for Teddy to see if he can track down the location of a picture sent by my stalker. Yeah, nothing normal about that.

“Are you going to write him back?”

“No. If I do, he wins. Let him rot in there knowing he can’t force me to do shit.”

Colt’s mouth tips in a smirk, and he whispers, before placing his warm lips against mine, “That’s my girl.”

Shivering under the gentle caress, I’m about to open for a deeper connection when Teddy says sarcastically behind us, “Am I interrupting?”

Squeaking with embarrassment, I jump back, my cheeks heating a thousand degrees.

From the corner of my eye, I see Colt frown and rush in before he can say anything, “Of course not. Any news?”

Teddy looks between us with a frown before saying, “I found the location, but it’s not good.”

Both excitement and dread jump through my veins. He found something! Maybe this can all finally be over.

Shakily, I say, “Teddy, you’re a genius!”

He smiles smugly, but it fades to a sad frown when Colt huffs beside me and demands, “What did you find?”

With a mercurial glare for Colt, Teddy says, “The location led back to Nate.”

“What?” I gasp, even having postulated that it might be him did not prepare me for the betrayal I feel. I thought he was my friend. I thought…

Colt swears and steps around me, heading for the door without looking back.

“Ramie!” he bellows.

Bewildered, I stare at his retreating back before following him as Ramie appears from down the hall quickly with a concerned expression.

“Take Finn home and stay with her until I’m done,” he demands.

“Done with what?” she asks.

While I simultaneously say, “No! Colt!”

But he ignores me and sails out the door.

With a huff, I turn to the curious gaze of Teddy, both terrified and annoyed by Colt’s quick exit, as he wheels up beside me, and we stand at the threshold, watching him drive away angrily.

Silently, I pray I’ll see him alive again.

*****

Ramie brings me home, and we while away the time, chatting and watching television, but I don't hear most of the conversation because I’m too caught up in the fear clenching my belly.

Colt doesn’t return any of my texts, and eventually, Ramie and I pass out on the couch, our limbs splayed awkwardly around each other.

The following day, I text him again, but he doesn’t answer, and I have no choice but to report the text to the police, leaving me worried about him as well.

While we wait for the police to arrive, I receive a text from Teddy, freaking out, and when I call him, I’m surprised to see he’s got a black eye and fat lip.

“Teddy! What happened?” I exclaim.

“I got jumped. Don't worry about it, Finn. I’m fine,” he says grimly.

Dropping my eyes, I wonder - could this be another warning from my fan? From Nate? Bitterly, I fight the tears, feeling utterly helpless against all of this chaos. Colt’s incommunicado, the police are on their way, and I don't know if it's Nate who’s been harassing me or not.

Everything feels like it's about to come to a head, and I’m sitting on my couch doing nothing. Fuck.

“Teddy, do you think...it could have been him?” I whisper.

His eyes drop, and my stomach follows suit. “What, Teddy?”

“I don't know who it was. It could have been anyone. The dick was wearing a hoodie, and I couldn't see his face.”

Fuck. Nodding because I don't have words, I refrain from saying what I know because this was most definitely him. But what can we do? With any luck, the police will apprehend Nate before anything further happens, but now I need to see Colt more than ever. I need to know he’s okay. I just...ugh.

“Oh, Teddy. I’m so sorry,” I say, regret barreling through me because I even thought to put him in this situation. I knew better...and I did it anyway.

“Finn! Don't worry about me. I’m fine, just a couple of bruises. Did you find out anything about Nate?”

“No, the police are on their way,” I mutter, wiping a tear from my eye.

His eyes soften as he says softly, “And Colt?”

“I don't know where he is, but I hope he’s not with Nate,” I say fiercely.

Teddy’s eyes take on a gleam, and he says quietly, “Well, if you've been trying to get a hold of him...he left his phone here.”

“What!”

No wonder he hasn't been returning my texts and calls. For a moment, I’m relieved he’s not ignoring me, but then it morphs back into worry because if he’s stuck somewhere, then he can't fucking call for help.

“Okay, I’ll swing by and pick it up,” I say, ending the call.

Of course, after another useless conversation with the cops, they confiscate my phone, leaving me with no way to communicate with Colt, not that he has his phone anyway.

Ramie ran home to pick up Colt’s phone during the ordeal, while Maggie sat beside me grim-faced and pale. She doesn’t want me to go