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

by Ashley Jade

  What if he takes out everyone I care about in order to make me pay?

  Nah, fuck that.

  A ball of white-hot rage simmers in my gut.

  He won’t get the chance…because the next shots fired will be by me.

  And unlike the piece of shit he hired to attack my dad…I won’t fucking miss.

  I’ll take out all his people one by one—and when they slap the cuffs on me and drag me to court—I’ll do everything in my power to make sure they send me to the same prison he’s in.

  Then when he least expects it? I’ll shank the motherfucker in the shower and watch the life bleed out of his worthless existence with a huge smile on my face.

  I stand up so fast the chair goes flying.

  “Oak,” my dad barks. “Sit down.”

  I can’t sit. I have too much shit to take care of.

  I need to do this quickly before the next attack happens.

  Wincing, he leans over and grabs my arm. “Let me handle this.”

  “No.”

  My dad’s done enough. It’s time for me to handle my business.

  His grip tightens. “Crystal says she remembers the shooter’s voice, and I remember his height and build. We’re gonna find out who it is. And when that happens, the police will nail his balls to the wall, and he’ll cut a deal with the DA.” His smile is menacing. “In turn, Mr. Loki will get time added to his sentence. That’s the way it’s going down, Oak.” Letting go of my arm, he leans against his pillow. “I don’t want you taking matters into your own hands. I already lost you once over him. I’m sure as hell not letting it happen for a second time.”

  Too late.

  Because if I don’t put a stop to it now, the war will just keep brewing.

  I refuse to let him hurt the people I love…again.

  I look him in the eyes because I don’t know when I’ll have the chance to tell him after this, and I need him to know. “I love you, Dad.”

  I start heading for the door, but a fuming Crystal barges in.

  “You were shot because of Oakley?” she screams, balling her fists. “I should have known your lowlife son was responsible for this.”

  “Crystal, calm down.” He tries to move but flinches due to the pain. “What happened wasn’t Oakley’s fault.”

  She glares at me. “Like hell it wasn’t.”

  “I’m taking care of it—” I try to tell her, but she’s so irate, she won’t let me get a word in edgewise.

  “You’re never coming near Clarissa Jasmine again.”

  It’s like a bullet straight to the heart.

  My dad makes a low noise in his throat. “Crystal—”

  “Don’t you dare Crystal me, Wayne. I mean it.” Her blue eyes narrow. “You’re lucky if I allow you supervised visitations with your daughter after this.” She stabs the air with her finger. “I’m getting sole custody.”

  He laughs. “Like hell you are.”

  Tossing her head back, she cackles. “Well, once I tell the judge how dangerous your son is and how you insist on being in his life, I’m positive he’ll give it to me.”

  She’s right. No judge in their right mind would want a child around all this.

  I open my mouth to inform her I won’t be in the picture for long, but my dad growls, “And once I tell the judge you started an affair with my son when he was only sixteen, he’s going to realize that you have no goddamn business being around children.”

  Mic-fucking-drop.

  Crystal’s mouth falls open and she stumbles back.

  But my dad isn’t done yet. “Fuck with me and my kids, Crystal. Because I swear on everything I love that I will bury you. I’ll tell the court you manipulated my teenage son. That you seduced him and tried to get him sent off to military school after you got pregnant. I’ll tell them about all the psychological damage you inflicted on him.” His gaze swings my way. “Better yet, I’ll put Oak on the stand and have him tell the court.”

  Crossing my arms over my chest, I flash her some teeth. “I was just a kid when you exploited me for your own needs. A young, innocent kid who was looking for a mother figure to fill the void. And hey, who knows? Maybe a psychologist will attest that my love of alcohol and drugs started after your abuse, so what happened to my dad was really your fault.”

  It’s not the truth. I knew exactly what I was doing when I initiated things between us, and my love affair with alcohol and drugs started long before we did.

  However, you don’t fuck with the people I love.

  If my dad needs me to play the victim so he gets rights to see C.J., it’s the least I can fucking do.

  He’s a good dad. Hell, he’s the best dad, and depriving C.J. of him would be wrong.

  Crystal looks like she’s going to throw up. “When we talked last week—you know, after I went down on you in a parking lot—you promised not to bring that up in court.”

  Stunned, I give my dad the stink eye. “Dude.”

  There are not enough drugs in the world to ever make me tap that again.

  He shrugs like it’s no big deal. “What? She offered to blow me a few times in exchange for my silence. I’m only human, Oak.”

  Fair enough.

  Jaw set, he turns to Crystal. “We also agreed to joint custody, and that Oak can see C.J. whenever I have her.” Appearing calm again, he folds his hands in his lap. “But if you’re not going to stick to your end of the deal, I have no problem lighting you on fire and watching you burn.” He winks. “In a courtroom of course.”

  Seething, she stalks out. But not before she mutters, “I hate you both.”

  I cup my hands over my mouth. “Feeling’s mutual, Antichrist.”

  Now that that shit’s settled, I can handle my business.

  My dad tries calling me back when I leave the room, but it falls on deaf ears.

  I’m digging my keys out of my pocket when Jace and Cole march up to me.

  “Where are you going?” Jace questions.

  “I’m taking care of some shit.”

  I try to walk away, but Cole stands in front of me. “What shit?”

  Are they fucking serious right now?

  “Not that you give a fuck, but my dad was just shot by one of Loki’s associates.”

  They exchange a glance.

  Next thing I know they’re both hauling me into an empty hospital room.

  “Don’t be stupid,” Jace barks.

  “Too late,” Cole mutters. “This is Oak we’re talking about.”

  I glare at them because they have a lot of fucking nerve.

  “Don’t stand there and pretend you’re my boys. Or that you actually give a shit.”

  I’m a lot smarter than they think, and I know they’re only here right now because either Bianca or their girls forced them to come.

  As far as I’m concerned, they can both kick rocks.

  Cole rolls his eyes. “Aw, I think he needs to hear us whisper sweet nothings and eternal promises so he’ll talk to us.”

  I shove him. “It’s not funny, asshole.”

  They made it perfectly fucking clear our ties were cut after the accident.

  Truth be told, it hurt after they ditched me.

  Way more than I thought it would.

  But I don’t need them or their conditional friendship.

  Hell, I don’t need anyone.

  Except her.

  I start to walk out, but Cole grips my shirt.

  “Fine, I’ll start.” He makes a face like he’s pretending to think. “Let’s see, where should I begin? How about the time you gave my fiancé Adderall and she had a heart attack? Or when you were lying about working at a bar when you were really selling drugs? Or the time Sawyer flushed your stash down a sewer, and you needed money to reup so Loki didn’t bust a cap in your ass.” He taps his chest. “Yeah, that envelope with the wad of money in it wasn’t from Santa. You’re fucking welcome, asshole.”

  I had no idea he was behind that. Although I probably should have, given Cole�
�s the type to help someone out on the down low and never say a word about it.

  “I didn’t know—”

  “I’m not fucking done yet,” Cole grunts. “Where was I?” He snaps his fingers. “Oh, that’s right. The time you were boning my baby sister behind my back and then got drunk and high behind the wheel and almost killed her.”

  He’s got me there.

  “I never meant for that to happen.”

  And if I could take back just one of the many fucked-up things I’ve done in my life…it would be that.

  “But it did.” He stomps the floor and curses. “And that’s what fucking kills me. The fact that you could do all this shit and turn our lives upside down…yet I still fucking miss you.”

  I miss him, too.

  “I never meant to hurt Sawyer or Bianca, Cole.”

  “I believe you. But it still doesn’t change the fact that you did.”

  “I know.”

  Something I’ve learned in AA was to take responsibility for your mistakes and apologize to those you’ve wronged.

  Draw in a heavy breath, I look at Jace and Cole. “I’m sorry.”

  “I know you are, and I’m gonna get over it one day.” Cole scrubs a hand down his face. “In the meantime, promise me you won’t do something stupid because losing you would…I’m not gonna fucking say it because I’m not a little bitch. Just don’t be an idiot, okay?”

  I won’t feed him false promises. Not anymore.

  I hold his stare. “I won’t look you in the eyes and lie to you again.”

  I’m almost to the door when a fist goes flying into my face.

  Glowering, I shove my assailant. “Goddammit. What the fuck, Jace?”

  “That was for screwing my baby sister and lying about it.” He punches me again. This time in the mouth. “That was for almost killing her.”

  He goes to strike me again, but I spit blood at him. “You only get one of those in your lifetime, motherfucker and you just cashed in. Twice.”

  I get his anger—and his need to assault my pretty mug—but I’m sure as shit not gonna stand here and be a punching bag for the rest of the night.

  If he does it again, I’m gonna start throwing fists back and he doesn’t fucking want that.

  Relenting, he backs up. “I won’t apologize for punching you, asshole.”

  I snort. Everyone knows Jace doesn’t apologize for shit.

  “Don’t expect you to, douchebag.”

  “I also won’t apologize for cutting you out of my life. It needed to be done.”

  Duly noted.

  “Is there a point to this, or can I go?”

  Jace clenches his hands into fists. “Dammit, Oak. I fucking hate you right now, but I’m not letting you leave this fucking room until you look me in the eyes and promise you won’t go after Loki.”

  That’s a promise I can’t make.

  “I can’t—”

  A fist goes flying into my face. For a third time.

  “Goddammit, asshole,” I roar, lunging at him.

  He grabs me by the collar and shoves me against the wall. “You fucking owe me.” The anger in his eyes is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. “I’ve been putting up with your shit since we were kids. The alcohol and drugs, the seizures because of it. All the stupid shit you get yourself into—like screwing around with your stepmom, selling drugs to Dylan’s best friend, messing around with Bianca behind my back, and then almost taking her from me. The list goes on and on. Point is, I’ve demanded a lot of shit over the years, but I’ve never looked you in the eyes like a man and begged you for a damn thing. Except now. Now I’m begging you not to go after Loki.”

  I’m not sure why the fuck it matters to him so much.

  “Why—”

  “Because you’re family,” he roars. “I was destroyed after I lost Liam. The grief was so bad I didn’t think I would survive it, but I had to go on for Cole and Bianca.” Taking a step back, he grunts. “I lost Liam and Dylan in the span of a day. I thought things would always suck and I’d be miserable forever. Until I met this crazy new kid in town who latched on to me like a lost puppy. A kid who did dumb shit, but always made me laugh. A kid I could talk to about how much it hurt to lose my mom and Liam, because he fucking got it.”

  I start to speak, but he pushes me. “I lost a brother, but I also gained one the day I met you. So I’m begging you not to go after Loki, because if you die I’ll be destroyed again and I don’t think I can take that.”

  Fucking hell.

  Jace has always been important to me—Cole, too—and I considered them my family, but I never knew he felt like I was his.

  The sound of someone sniffing has us both turning to Cole.

  Jace’s expression twists in horror. “Motherfucker, are you crying?”

  “Nah, man,” Cole says, rolling his shoulders back. “They got some onions up in this bitch or something.”

  Jace and I start howling with laughter.

  “Sawyer must keep his balls in a jar on the nightstand,” Jace jokes. “Right next to her Bible.”

  “Dammit. I’m telling you, it’s the onions,” Cole argues.

  “It’s okay, man,” I tell him. “I love you, too.”

  Cole’s demeanor turns serious. “Does that mean you won’t go through with it then?”

  “Which is it, Oak?” Jace gestures to himself and Cole. “Your brothers…or Loki? Because you can’t have both.”

  I want my revenge on Loki so bad I can fucking taste it.

  But I want my family back even more.

  “I’ll let the legal system handle it...for now,” I tell them.

  But if they don’t end up getting it right…then I fucking will.

  Cole gives me a pound and hugs me. “For once you made the right decision.” He sniffs. “My baby’s all grown up.”

  I shove him. “Asshole.”

  “Yeah, but you still missed my ass.” He jerks his head in the direction of the door. “I’m gonna check on the girls.”

  Jace’s glare is scrutinizing. “Given you beat the shit out of Stone and Bianca practically dragged Cole and I here by our ears, I assume you and my sister are talking again?”

  I have no reason to lie to him. “Yeah.”

  I expect him to give me shit and tell me to stay away from her, but the next words out of his mouth have my stomach filling with lead.

  “Only because she doesn’t know everything.”

  Chapter 61

  Bianca

  “Are you done yet?” Wayne questions, reaching for his tray.

  Please. I haven’t even started.

  “Nope.” I snap, wagging my finger. “Don’t you ever tell me to stay away from your son again. I love him, and unlike the rest of the women in his life, I will never hurt him…or abandon him.” I push his food tray toward him. “Now you can finish your water.”

  Eyebrows raised, Wayne brings the straw to his mouth. “If this psychology thing doesn’t work out, you should consider going into law. You’d be a shark in the courtroom.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.” Huffing, I cross my arms. “Does this mean you support us being together?”

  I know how much Oakley loves his dad, so having his blessing is important.

  Wayne chokes on his drink. “Hardly.” He rubs his forehead. “But it’s obvious you love him, or you wouldn’t be in here fighting with me…hours after I had surgery.” Leaning back against the pillow, he frowns. “The love between you two isn’t the issue, Bianca. It’s the drama and toxic events that transpire. More than anything, I want my son to be happy. Happy and sober. I’m just not convinced you two being together is the right thing for him, because the last time you two were involved he ended up getting trashed and killing a girl.”

  “That’s the thing, Mr. Zelenka. Oakley and I were happy together before the accident. Yes, tragic events occurred—so I get why you think I’m no good for him—but our relationship was healthy.”

  We changed each other for the bet
ter.

  My hands find my hips. “And just so we’re clear, Oakley’s sobriety is important to me.”

  And I’m okay with being number two, as long as his sobriety always remains number one.

  Despite looking like he wants to keep quarreling, Wayne heaves a sigh of defeat. “I’m not going to win this argument, am I?”

  “Nope.” I throw up my hands. “But if you’re even half as stubborn as I am, you’ll never come around.” I hold his gaze. “Just know that I can’t wait to prove you wrong.”

  He eyes me skeptically. “We’ll see about that.”

  “I’m being serious,” I tell him. “In fact, you should start apologizing and kissing my ass now.” My thumb hits my chest. “Because I’m gonna be your daughter-in-law one day and I’ve been known to hold one hell of a grudge. Just ask Dylan.”

  He starts choking on his drink again. “Anyone ever tell you you’re insane?”

  “Yeah, your son.” I flash him a feisty grin as I saunter to the door. “Right before he fell for me.”

  Fluttering my fingers, I walk out.

  And run straight into the woman from earlier.

  The look she gives me makes me want to bash her head against the wall.

  “Let me guess, you’re here to console your junkie boyfriend.”

  The woman must be clinically insane or have a death wish.

  “Excuse me?”

  Rolling her eyes, she mutters, “Moron.”

  I have no idea who the hell this bitch is or what her issue with me is, but no way in hell am I going to stand here and let her call Oakley a junkie or me a moron.

  “I’m sorry.” I cup my ear. “I could have sworn you just called my boyfriend a junkie and me a moron…but I know you can’t possibly be that fucking dumb, so I’m going to give you one second to apologize before I shove your Louboutins up your ass.”

  Past…

  I swear on all that is holy I’m going to kick that bitch’s ass from here to kingdom come tomorrow.

  So I messed around with girls? Big freaking deal.

  Caitlyn was dicked down by half the football team last year.

  Whatever. I refuse to let her ruin what’s going to be a good night.

  Squaring my shoulders, I walk across the lawn to the guesthouse.