Twisted Hate (Twisted, #3)

by Ana Huang

I’d forgotten how much I loved that sound—the sound of her just existing, reminding me that no matter how fucked up the world got, there was at least one good thing in it.

Of the top three things I missed most, his dimple sat squarely at number two, after his kiss and before his playful insults.

No matter how many times I replayed his words, they slashed deep every time. That was the thing about someone who’d seen the best and worst of you—they knew exactly which buttons to push, which words would sting the hardest.

“I don’t know what you did to me, Red. But somehow, I went from wanting to kill you…to willing to kill for you.”

What if this was another one of his twisted games? He said everything I wanted to hear, but I didn’t trust his sudden one-eighty. A week wasn’t long enough for someone to get over the fury he’d displayed.

“Because you’re it for me. Whether it’s today, tomorrow, a year, or decades from now, that’ll never change.” Josh’s lips brushed against my skin before he pulled back, his face taut with emotion. “I’m human, Red. I’ve made mistakes in the past, and I’ll make many more in the future. But one mistake I’ll never make is letting you go, not when there’s even a sliver of a chance left for us. Because the possibility of you is better than the reality of anyone else.”

“But trust me, Jules. Any man would be an idiot to let you go if there was even a chance with you.”

“Are you stalking me, Josh Chen?” “Are you trying to forget me, Jules Ambrose?”

gulped at his dark tone. “Because if you are…” Josh took another step toward me. “It’s not going to work.”

promised I’d give you all the time you needed, and I will. But I’m not going to sit back while you date other guys, Red.”

told you it wasn’t a date.” “And I told you I don’t share. Not when it comes to you.”

“I don’t give a fuck if he’s a multimillionaire and plastered on every magazine in the world. He could be the King of fucking England, but he’ll neve...

The goosebumps multiplied. “What’s that?”...

There were a handful of other people on the sidewalk. They weren’t close enough to hear us, but it didn’t matter anyway. The rest of the world didn’t exist when Josh was near me. “My heart. My soul. My dignity.

I was afraid of me.

Some kisses you felt in your bones. This one I felt in my soul.

“Twelve days, eight hours, and nine minutes. I spent every second thinking of you.”

“I thought I knew what I wanted before. Becoming a doctor, chasing the next high. Being the most popular, most liked person in the room. I thought those things would make me happy, and they did. Temporarily. But you…” He rested his forehead again...

“In case it’s not clear, I fucking love you, Jules Ambrose, even when you drive me crazy. Especially when you drive me crazy.”

It was my first time saying those words to a guy, but they didn’t feel strange. They felt like they’d always been there, just waiting for the right time and right person before they revealed themselves.

Josh’s hand stilled. “Say that again.” “I love you,” I breathed, body thrumming, heart so full it could burst at any second.

“Twelve days, twelve orgasms.”

But despite the orgasms rocking through me and the thick scent of sex in the air, what we were doing didn’t feel like sex. It felt like love.

Sex was great, but this part? The one where we basked in the glow and each other’s presence? It was even better.

“Yeah.” My face softened. “I love her, Ave. We may still fight and argue sometimes, but at the end of the day…she’s it.”

I would take a thousand fights with Jules over a thousand easy days with anyone else.

Because I didn’t want easy. I...

Even though we annoyed the hell out of each other sometimes, I was lucky to have her as my sister. Before I met Alex, she was my sounding board for all my problems and vice versa. We didn’t confide in each other as often now that we were all grown up with our own lives, but there would never be a day when we didn’t have each other’s backs.

Alex was as sentimental as a porcupine was cuddly, but for all his faults, he was a good friend in the only way he knew how—loyal, unquestioning, and willing to burn the world down for the people he loved.

It was like old times, only better, because this time, there were no lies or secrets between us. Every great friendship had chapters. This was the start of our new one.

It was comforting to know that no matter how much some things changed, others will always stay the same.

chest. Nothing turned a person into a bigger cheeseball than being in love, and I wasn’t even mad about it.

She smiled up at me, and it should be fucking illegal how that one tiny thing made my chest swell.

Ignorance was bliss and all that.

“It’s better to rip the Band-Aid off than let the uncertainty fester.”

She was so fucking beautiful it made my chest hurt.

Part of me wanted to stay here and explore New Zealand with her forever. Another part couldn’t wait to live out the rest of our lives together back home.