Dare You to Hate Me (Lindon U, #1)

by B. Celeste

Hurt drowns his eyes as if I’ve personally wounded him. “I’m not going to hurt you, Ivy. I never have. What makes you think now is any different?” Because now I don’t think I’d be able to walk away from you, and I’m scared of what that means for me.

Something sparks in the old woman’s eyes before the corners of her lips curl. “She was feeling under the weather, so I sent her home. Had to fight the girl. Always stubborn, that one.” I huff out a laugh. “Got that right.” Her head tilts. “You know my girl?” My chest tightens over her careful choice of words as I study her features. Her girl. I nod slowly, grateful Ivy has her since she hasn’t had anyone else in a long time. “Is she okay?”

You were always mine, Chaos. Five years doesn’t change the fact that it’s always been me. Nobody else had a chance. So, that’s what I want. You. Not just your body. But you. Your personality. Your mind. Your problems. Your goddamn companionship. Because that’s what I’ve missed since the day I watched you disappear into the night. Stop trying to push me away. It won’t work.”

“I loved you a lot back then. More than I should have. You weren’t just a safe place for me to run to, you were…everything.”

“Is that your way of saying you loved me, Aiden?”

“I never stopped, Ivy. Just because you left didn’t mean I could forget what

“There’s something I think you should know, Ivy. I got a call from St. Mary’s Hospital one night. The nurse said she’d been concerned about why you were there, but she couldn’t express any details. We were on our way when they called the next morning and said you’d left. Your father and I…” Her lips fold into each other as she collects herself. “Your father and I were going to come get you. Bring you home. But we couldn’t find you anymore after that. You didn’t have a credit card or phone or car to track, so we were back to square one until there was nothing we could do.”