Broken Kingdom : A bad boy college romance (Royal Hearts Academy Book 4)

by Ashley Jade

  “Say it.”

  I can’t. I shouldn’t.

  His heated stare lowers to my lips. The muscles along his arms clench as he inclines his head, his mouth a mere centimeter from mine. “Say. It.”

  His deep voice is a forceful dagger slicing through the tension.

  I should be trying to sever this connection between us…but I can’t.

  It’s too strong. Too powerful.

  Like trying to fight against gravity.

  Defeat rushes through me. “Because you’ll win.”

  The sky crackles and thunder booms above us the moment his mouth crashes against mine.

  His kiss is laced with pure greed and possession, every brush of his tongue a fierce punishment immediately met by an intoxicating reward that sends all my senses spiraling.

  My fingers curl into the fabric of his gray tank top. “Oakley.”

  His name is both a warning and a plea.

  A fight between heaven and hell.

  Right and wrong.

  Groaning, he cups the back of my neck, keeping me right where he wants me as he deepens the kiss.

  A strangled sound leaves me when his hand slithers down the length of my body, his slow, torturous touch lighting every single nerve ending of mine on fire.

  “Lie to yourself all you want, baby girl. But you can’t fucking lie to me.” His mouth finds my neck. “Because I fucking know you.”

  I hiss when his teeth scrape against my pulse point and he grips my hips like he owns me. “I know the way you like to be touched.”

  Proving his point, he sucks my flesh hard enough to leave his mark.

  My knees start to buckle when his hands slide underneath my dress. “The needy, wild sounds you make when you’re about to come.” He runs the pad of his thumb along the crotch of my damp panties. “The way you taste.”

  Oh, God. I should put an end to this, but I can’t.

  I crave him too much.

  Blue eyes hold me captive. “I know he doesn’t satisfy you, Bianca.”

  Before I can stop him, he snatches my engagement ring and places it on the tip of his middle finger.

  The heat in his stare sears me. “Not the way I can.”

  In one fell swoop, he moves my panties to the side and plunges a finger inside me.

  His tone is taunting. “I bet he has to lick his fingers before he does this.” He withdraws the digit and replaces it with two, stretching me so good I moan. “But I don’t…because you’re always so fucking wet for me.”

  His teeth nip at my neck almost painfully as he proceeds to finger fuck me into oblivion.

  “Oakley.”

  Not done punishing me yet, he circles my swollen clit with the diamond on my ring, his blue orbs darkening. “You were never his, baby girl.”

  I have no argument for that.

  Only a sheer, desperate need for him and the wicked things he’s doing to me.

  I claw at his back, desperate for more of his sweet torture.

  “Please.”

  Both my plea and the wet, forbidden sounds of his fingers thrusting into my slickness echo against the thunder.

  Tugging my panties down my legs, he sinks to his knees.

  A sharp gasp escapes me when he buries his head between my thighs, inhaling my arousal like a drug before he peppers sloppy, hungry kisses along my slit.

  The gesture is so personal, so intimate.

  So us.

  The sky opens up and a soft drizzle starts to fall as he hitches one of my legs onto his shoulder.

  The first swipe of his tongue is so insatiable, pleasure snaps through me like a hot whip.

  Oakley groans, lapping at my pussy with long, greedy strokes that turn me into putty.

  My hips rock against his face as he continues working me into a frenzy.

  The world could implode right now, and I wouldn’t even notice.

  Those long fingers curl and pump inside me as he spears my cunt with the length of his tongue, slowly fucking me.

  It feels so good I’m not capable of forming a coherent thought even if I wanted to.

  Reaching down, I grip his hair, keeping him right where I want him. “Feels so good.”

  Just when I think his movements can’t get any better, his mouth wraps around my clit and he sucks the swollen bud with a fervent, precise rhythm that has me pulsating.

  A moment later, I’m gone—convulsing, squeezing, and erupting into a hard and fast orgasm.

  However, this is far from over, because he’s lit a fire within me.

  One that’s burning for him.

  The moment he stands, I attack the button on his jeans and shove the denim down his thighs.

  “My turn.”

  His mouth curls into a cocky smirk as I drop to my knees. “No objection here.”

  I tug on the waistband of his boxers and his cock springs out, hard and ready for me. The sight of his thick, long dick with the naughty silver barbell running vertically through the tip makes my mouth water.

  I wrap my fingers around his base and give the shiny pink head an opened-mouth kiss that has him hissing my name.

  I should tease him the way he teased me, but my need for him is so consuming that I don’t want to waste another second.

  I stretch my mouth over his wide crown, flicking my tongue against the barbell.

  Leaning forward, he braces one hand on the boulder while the other threads through my hair. “Fuck yeah.”

  I lick him from root to tip, savoring his taste before I relax my throat and suck him deeper.

  “Fucking hell,” Oakley groans.

  He’s so big I have to use my hand and jerk the part of him I can’t take.

  “Yeah” His voice is a rough, almost painful scratch of control against pleasure. “Suck it just like that.”

  Taking him deeper, I cup his balls, giving them a gentle tug.

  “Fuck.” A long, pained groan rips from his chest. “Suck my balls.”

  I love his uninhibited commands. The way he’s not afraid to ask for exactly what he wants.

  Using my hand to pump his length in a steady rhythm, I move my mouth where he wants it, licking and sucking his weighty sack.

  “Jesus Christ.” His face strains with pleasure as he stares down at me. “I want to fuck you.” The look in his eyes is pure temptation. “Now.”

  Grunting, he hauls me up until I’m standing.

  Then before I can blink, he presses me against the rock and slides his hands under my ass.

  I look down at his throbbing cock. I want him inside me more than I want my next breath.

  My pulse kicks up when he lines himself up with my entrance…

  and then I hear it.

  My phone chiming Stone’s ringtone.

  Stone…my fiancé.

  My mind reels, breaking off in a thousand different directions.

  Until one sobering thought breaks through the haze.

  I’m cheating on Stone.

  Like my mom cheated on my dad.

  I’m just like her.

  I don’t even have to look at Oakley or tell him to stop for him to sense the disconnect between us.

  And the cause of it.

  Stepping back, he tucks his dick back into his jeans.

  His features twist in anger as he places my engagement ring in the palm of my hand.

  A lump clogs my throat. “I’m sorry.”

  He averts his gaze, like he can’t bear the sight of me before he starts stalking toward the parking lot.

  But I faintly hear him whisper the words, “Me too.”

  Chapter 51

  Bianca

  It takes every ounce of willpower I have to unhinge myself from Oakley when he pulls up to my dorm.

  Things aren’t awkward between us—because they never are—but there’s certainly tension in the air when I unstraddle his bike and hand him his helmet.

  There are so many things I want to say, but it’s hard when I have all this guilt surrounding my heart.

/>   I’m a certified cheater. There’s no getting around that.

  But what’s worse than facing the cold, hard truth is the fact that I don’t regret it.

  Yes, I regret hurting Stone—because I know how much this will kill him.

  But I don’t regret what I did with Oakley.

  Because he was my first choice.

  And if the accident never happened and I never got amnesia…he would have been my only choice.

  But life doesn’t always play fair.

  Sometimes it throws you a monkey wrench that’s downright brutal.

  Sometimes—no matter how much you don’t want to—you still end up hurting people you care about.

  Hitching my purse up my shoulder, I palm the stubble on his cheek. “I don’t regret it.”

  Oakley’s eyes close and he pulls me closer, engulfing me in his warmth.

  I want to tell him I’m ending things with Stone for good. However, I’m so scared of being one of those girls who end one relationship and jump headfirst into another. Especially with someone who refuses to tell me things about our past.

  No matter how right being with him feels.

  “I’ll call you later.”

  At the sound of my voice, his eyes snap open. The longing in them has my heart doing its best to pound right out of my chest.

  Without warning, he grasps the back of my neck, hauling me even closer to him.

  His kiss is desperate and a little messy, like he’s afraid he’ll never have the chance to do it again.

  Like this is goodbye.

  A jolt of panic floods my system because he left me once before and turned my life upside down in the process.

  I’m afraid I won’t survive it if he does it again.

  “Don’t leave me.”

  “I promised you I wouldn’t.” His fingers lock around my jaw and he kisses me again, as if punctuating the sentiment. “I fucking meant it.”

  I clutch the neck of his shirt. “Goo—”

  I pause mid-sentence when I feel something solid. Curious, I tug the lanyard out of his shirt.

  And stop breathing.

  For a moment I’m positive I’m hallucinating, because why in the world would he have the St. Christopher pendant Liam got me along with the feather I paired with it?

  Perplexed, I step back. “Why do you have my pendant.”

  His chest lifts on an inhale and he starts to reach for me but stops himself. “You gave it to me.” A furrow appears between his brows, like he’s ashamed. “I should have given it back…but I couldn’t.” The sheer agony in his voice cuts into my heart. “It was the only thing I had left.”

  He starts to take it off, but I stop him. “No.” I might not be able to remember why, but I must have given him the most important thing in my possession for a reason. “Keep it.”

  “Are you sure?”

  I answer with no hesitation. “Positive.”

  My head feels heavy as I turn to walk away.

  His bike roars to life behind me.

  “Bianca.”

  I freeze, the pounding in my chest growing worse.

  “Don’t say it,” I croak out.

  Not now.

  Not until I end things with Stone.

  I don’t want the significant words on his tongue to be tarnished by the weight of all the guilt I’m carrying.

  I close my eyes, forcing myself to take several deep breaths as he peels out of the parking lot.

  I’m walking up the stairs to my dorm when my phone rings and Cole’s name flashes across the screen.

  Part of me wants to hit ignore, but considering the bomb I dropped on them earlier, he might need someone to talk to.

  I quickly swipe the green button and bring it to my ear. “Hey.”

  “Hey,” he says. “Listen, Jace and I are on our way with dinner. Is there anything, in particular, you want us to get?”

  I rub my temple, thwarting off a headache.

  “I appreciate the offer but—”

  “Don’t shut us out,” Cole interjects. “We’re worried about you.”

  I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. I’m the one who should be worried about them after everything I disclosed.

  “I’m okay,” I assure him.

  “You don’t sound okay.”

  He’s got me there.

  Deciding to be honest with him, I utter, “You’re right…I’m not.” I exhale sharply. “I’m breaking up with Stone.”

  If Cole’s surprised by the news he doesn’t let on. “I figured that would happen sooner or later.”

  “Why?”

  I can tell he’s mulling his answer over before he responds. “You’ve been different lately. More you.”

  A small laugh flies out. “Is that your way of saying I’m back to being a bitch?”

  “Nah.” He pauses. “Well, not today at least.”

  “Dick.”

  It’s his turn to laugh. “Look, I’m not the guru of giving advice or anything, but life’s way too fucking short to spend it miserable. If breaking up with Stone feels like the right thing to do, then you gotta do what you gotta do, you know?”

  He’s right. “Thanks for your support.”

  “Don’t mention it.” He clears his throat. “I’m gonna go before this turns into some Ya-Ya Sisterhood shit and you start calling me for more relationship advice.” A serious note enters his voice. “You sure you don’t want us to stop by? We’re grabbing some burgers.”

  I stick my key in the lock and turn the knob, but to my surprise, it’s already open.

  The moment I open the door I realize why.

  Stone’s sitting on my bed.

  And even in the dark, the force of his rage and hurt is so rich it’s palpable.

  I swallow hard. “Cole, I have to go.”

  Chapter 52

  Bianca

  “How long have you been fucking him behind my back?”

  The accusation whips through me like a belt.

  And the worst part is…there’s absolutely nothing I can say to defend myself.

  Because he’s right.

  I might not have been physically cheating on him with Oakley—well, until today—but my heart definitely didn’t belong to Stone.

  And if I’m being completely honest with myself, it hasn’t for a while.

  I just kept hoping things would get better between us.

  But now I’m realizing that while I care about Stone…what I felt for him wasn’t love.

  It was security.

  Stone was the refuge and safe haven the new Bianca desperately needed after the accident.

  But now that I’m able to stand on my own two feet again…he’s not what I need now.

  I don’t try to make excuses or deny it. Instead, I woman the fuck up, look him in the eyes, and apologize.

  “I’m sorry.”

  His face twists in disgust as he gets off the bed and charges toward me. “So you admit it? You’ve been fucking him behind my back.”

  I’m not sure getting into the gritty details of what Oakley and I did will make anything better for him. “It doesn’t matter.” I hold his gaze. “You have every right to hate me, but I never meant to hurt you.”

  It’s the truth. I didn’t want this to be our ending.

  I didn’t want to be the one to rip his heart out.

  The princess turned wicked villain in his story.

  Looking back, I should have ended things between us a long time ago.

  But I didn’t, because I was scared of hurting him.

  Scared of letting him go because our relationship had gotten complacent and comfortable.

  Until Oakley showed up and flipped everything on its head because I realized what I’d been missing and felt this intense connection tethering me to him in my marrow.

  I hand Stone back his ring. “Give this to someone who deserves it.”

  Someone who won’t hurt him.

  Eyes going wide, Stone starts pacing. “I did everything for you.”
The glare he shoots me is almost threatening. “I loved you, asked you to spend the rest of your life with me…and you fucking cheated on me with that lowlife junkie. What the fuck is wrong with you?”

  “Stone,” I warn, the tiny hairs on my arms standing on end. “I get that you’re upset, but talking shit about Oakley won’t change—”

  “Don’t you fucking say his name.” He punches the wall beside my head. “Don’t you dare fucking say his name like he means something. He means nothing, and he is no one.” He points at his chest. “Because I picked up your fucked-up pieces and made you a better person while that crackhead loser was stuck in a jail cell for killing an innocent girl.” He shrugs helplessly. “I’m the one who was there for you. The one who did everything for you.”

  There’s no use arguing with him. He’s upset and lashing out.

  Which means he can’t see past his own tunnel vision.

  “I’m sorry.”

  He shakes his head, his dark eyes glistening with tears. “That’s the thing, Bourne. I don’t think you are.” Anger illuminates his features. “God, I let you inside my head…inside my heart. You were nothing but a poisonous, worthless cunt who deserved to die…but I craved you. Goddammit, I fucking craved you.” He grips my chin forcefully. “And then I got you…and you sucked the life out of me until you broke me.”

  My chest sinks with remorse. Watching him unravel like this hurts far worse than I expected it to.

  “I didn’t mean to hurt you,” I whisper. “I care—

  “No, you don’t.” He jabs his head with his pointer finger. “You don’t fucking care about me.”

  “Yes—”

  Words die in my throat when he pulls a knife out of his pocket. “Then prove it.” He holds the blade up to his jugular. “Prove it or I’ll slit my goddamn throat and end it.”

  My stomach cramps up and the room starts spinning.

  He’s found my Achilles’ heel.

  Because he knows the thought of losing another person I care about to suicide would utterly destroy me, and I’ll do literally anything to prevent that from happening.

  “Stone,” I say slowly. “Please, put the knife down. Harming yourself isn’t the answer. You have people who love you. People who care—”