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

by Ashley Jade

  Oakley always knows exactly how to make me feel better.

  I twist the doorknob. “Honey, I’m h—”

  Talking to myself…because he’s not home.

  Hmm. He’s probably still at his dad’s.

  Depending on how late he’s going to stay, I might have to reschedule the dinner we have planned with my brothers tonight.

  After fishing around my purse for my phone, I bring it to my ear.

  Oakley answers on the fourth ring.

  I’m not sure what’s happening at his dad’s house, but it sounds like there’s one hell of a party going on in the background.

  “Oakley? Hello—”

  “Bianca,” he slurs on the other line.

  And just like that, my heart crumbles.

  “Are you drunk?”

  He’s been sober for a month now. Well, with the exception of weed, but I know he mainly does that because it helps with his seizures.

  I’m not sure why he’d throw his sobriety out the window like this.

  “What happened? Where are you—” I start to say, but his next sentence steals the air from my lungs.

  “I can’t do this.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Us.”

  A flicker of panic shoots through my chest. There are a lot of changes happening in his life lately, and everything I’ve read told me change can be a major trigger for addicts.

  Somehow, I manage to find my voice. “I know you’re nervous about telling my brothers, but we don’t have to—”

  “It has nothing to do with your brothers,” he slurs. “I don’t want to destroy you, Bianca.”

  Tears well in my eyes. Not only because of what he’s saying, but his lack of faith in us.

  In himself.

  “You won’t,” I assure him. “I know you would never hu—”

  “You’re wrong,” he roars. “I will. Because that’s what I fucking do.” The agony in his voice sears my soul. “She was right.”

  I have no idea what he’s talking about. “Who?”

  His voice drops to a faint whisper. “Goodbye, baby girl.”

  A swell of pain infiltrates my heart. “Goodbye? Oakley, this isn’t—”

  The line goes dead.

  I try to call him back, but it goes straight to voicemail.

  Slamming my fist against the table, I mutter a curse.

  I don’t know how one moment everything was perfect between us…and now.

  Everything’s broken.

  Clutching my stomach, I let out a ragged breath.

  The last time I spoke to him he was at his dad’s house, playing with his sister.

  And now he’s getting drunk God only knows where and breaking up with me.

  It doesn’t take a genius to figure out something must have happened while he was there.

  Snatching my keys out of my purse, I head for the door.

  I might not know what went down, but I do know one thing.

  Hurt people…hurt people.

  And I have every intention of finding out who’s responsible for hurting the man holding my heart in the palm of his hand.

  My heart beats like a drum as I march up the hilly lawn leading to Oakley’s old house.

  I have to force myself to relax as I knock on the front door.

  Storming in there angry won’t solve anything.

  I just need to know what happened, so I can fix it.

  A woman who looks a whole lot like Jace’s girlfriend Dylan answers the door.

  She’s holding a sleepy Clarissa Jasmine on her hip.

  My brain scrambles briefly because I realize that I’m officially face to face with the notorious Crystal.

  In other words, the cunt who broke Oakley’s heart.

  I swallow my irritation. “Hi, I’m—”

  “Oh, my God,” Crystal says. “I love what they’ve done with the uniforms. Super cute.” She gives me a big smile. “I was a cheerleader at Royal Hearts Academy too.” Her nose crinkles. “Well, back in the day obviously.”

  Obviously.

  I open my mouth to tell her cheerleading isn’t the reason I’m here, but she holds up a finger.

  “Let me put the baby down and I’ll run and get my checkbook, okay?”

  I don’t need a donation. I need answers.

  “That won’t be necessary,” I quickly sputter. “I’m actually here for Oakley.”

  Her brows crash together. “Oh. I’m sorry, Oakley doesn’t live here any—”

  “I know.” I swear it takes everything in me not to knock some sense into her. “I’m his girlfriend and he’s—”

  “Who’s at the door?” a deep voice calls out behind her.

  A second later Wayne comes into view.

  Finally, someone who’s not a total dumbass.

  “Hi, Mr. Zelenka.”

  He blinks in confusion. “Is everything okay, Bianca? I thought your dad was still in Europe?”

  “He is. But that’s not why I’m here—”

  “She’s here for Oakley,” Crystal interjects and there’s no hiding the annoyance in her tone.

  Concern colors his expression. “What’s wrong with Oak?”

  Crystal scoffs. “What isn’t wrong with him?”

  The tiny hairs on my arms stand on end.

  I choose to focus my attention on Wayne because I’m liable to smack the shit out of her if she makes another jab at Oakley’s expense.

  “That’s the thing,” I begin. “I’m not sure. He was excited to meet Clarissa Jasmine and see you, and I thought everything was going great while he was here, but then he called me and sounded really ups—”

  “Look, honey,” Crystal cuts in. “I know you think you care about him but—” She frowns at Wayne. “Oakley has a serious problem. You seem like a nice girl, but don’t try to save him because he’ll only end up destroying you.”

  “That’s not true,” I argue.

  Oakley has his demons, but who the fuck doesn’t?

  I shift my stare to Wayne again. “He’s been working really hard and he’s been sober for—”

  It hits me like a brick to the head. Destroying you. Those were the very same words Oakley said on the phone before he hung up.

  So many things roll through me. Sorrow, dread…but mostly?

  Anger.

  The kind that sends everything reeling.

  This witch has already hurt him so much, yet she couldn’t help herself from pouring salt in the wound.

  “You,” I seethe, my hands clenching into fists.

  For a moment I honestly think about taking a swing at her, but then my gaze falls on Clarissa Jasmine.

  It’s not her fault her mother’s a despicable whore and I don’t want her getting caught in the crossfire.

  Crystal’s eyes become saucers. “I’m sorry, wh—”

  “What the fuck did you say to him?”

  Her mouth drops open. “Excuse me—”

  “There is no excuse for someone like you,” I growl before I turn my furious glare on Wayne. “If you care about your son—and I know you do—you’ll never let your piece of shit wife near him again. She’s toxic.”

  Wayne tries to speak, but Crystal doesn’t give him the chance. “You better leave before I call the police. I refuse to stand here while some little girl on a power trip makes accusations and insults me.”

  That does it.

  “Little girl on a power trip?” My eyes narrow. “How about a grown woman who bullied her stepson in order to keep her twisted secret safe? That’s why you hurt him before, isn’t it?” I take a step in her direction. “You figured if you sent Oakley away and kept driving a wedge between him and his dad, your husband would never find out about what you did and you could keep living your perfect little life.”

  Red-hot rage floods my stomach, bubbling and simmering until it reaches a boiling point. “I’d call you a bitch, but you’re not…because a real bitch owns her shit. You’re nothing but a pathetic cheater who likes t
o manipulate high school boys.”

  Wayne’s eyebrows shoot up. “What the hell is going—”

  “Nothing,” Crystal says, panic rising in her voice. “She’s crazy.”

  “No, I’m not.” I look at Wayne. “You want to know why your son hasn’t spoken to you in over two years?” I jut my chin at Crystal. “It’s because your wife screwed him back when he was in high school and Oakley’s been so riddled with guilt about it, he thought the best thing to do was distance himself from you.”

  Crystal’s hands fly to her face. “That’s not—”

  “Oakley thought he was in love with her, but Crystal was only using him to get pregnant. It’s why she wanted you to ship him off to military school. She was hoping Oakley would knock her up and she could pass the baby off as yours.”

  There’s so much turmoil in Wayne’s expression when he looks at his daughter, my knees go weak.

  “She’s yours,” Crystal croaks. “I swear to God, Wayne. She’s yours.”

  Tears fill his eyes.

  “Oakley loves you and he never meant to hurt you,” I whisper. “He feels so bad—”

  “Bianca,” Wayne chokes out. “I think it’s best you leave.”

  It’s almost midnight by the time I get back home.

  After checking every bar and beach within a fifty-mile radius, there’s still no sign of Oakley.

  I’m pulling into the driveway when I spot his silver BMW. One of the rear doors is open as well as the trunk.

  Hope springs eternal as I get out of my car and run to the guesthouse.

  He’s here. Which means I can fix this.

  My heart does a painful flip the moment I walk inside.

  The kitchen table is nothing but a pile of broken wood, the flat-screen television in the living room looks like someone took a bat to it, and the couch is flipped over.

  But that’s not the worst part.

  The worst part would be the two duffle bags lined up by the front door.

  I start walking toward the bedroom at the same time he comes out of it.

  He’s in such a rush he almost knocks me over.

  “Oakley.”

  He doesn’t say a word, but those eyes are filled with so much venom my insides coil.

  I swallow hard. “What—”

  He brushes past me like I’m nothing more than a piece of broken furniture in the room.

  I tug on his sleeve. “Talk to me.”

  The muscles in his back tense. “I have nothing to say to you. Not now, not ever.”

  Both his words and the bitterness laced in them has me staggering back. “I know you’re upset, but—”

  “Upset?” He snorts. “Nah, I was upset while I was at the bar. But now? I’m fucking furious.” I can smell the alcohol on his breath when he leans in. “I never want to see you again.”

  My heart snaps in two. “Wh—”

  “You betrayed me,” he sneers. “And don’t you dare fucking stand there and claim you didn’t because my dad already told me.” A flash of pain flickers in his eyes. “I trusted you.”

  Oh. My. God.

  I was so caught up in my anger with Crystal and wanting Wayne to know that she was the one responsible for the rift with his son…

  I didn’t think about the consequences.

  Like how hurt Oakley might be once his house of cards came tumbling down and his secret was out.

  It wasn’t my gun…but I was the one who went behind his back and pulled the trigger that just imploded his life.

  Jesus. I messed up.

  I messed up so bad.

  With shaky hands, I clutch my chest. “I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I was just trying—”

  “Doesn’t fucking matter.” He strides to the front door and picks up one of his duffle bags. “Nothing you say or do matters to me anymore.”

  Thinking quick, I wedge myself between him and the door. “You have every right to be angry with me, but—”

  “But nothing,” he roars. “What part of I don’t ever want to see you again don’t you fucking understand?”

  All of it. Because there’s no way in hell I’m ever going to let him sever what we have.

  I messed up. I’ll own that. But I’ll do whatever it takes to earn his trust again.

  Grabbing his hand, I place it over my heart. “I know you’re angry. You’re entitled to it. But this belongs to you, Oakley.”

  He snatches his hand away like he’s been burned. “I don’t fucking want it.” Inclining his head, his lips brush the tip of my ear. “My gut told me not to trust you because sooner or later you’d fuck me over. I wish I fucking listened.”

  His words are like a fist to the face.

  “What does your heart tell you?” I choke out. “Because mine is telling me that what we have is real. And even though I screwed up so fucking bad…we can still fix this.”

  “No, we can’t.”

  He tries to push past me, but I lock my knees and stand my ground. “Look me in the eyes and tell me this isn’t real.”

  “It’s not real.” His expression contorts into something cold and vicious. “I just wanted to fuck you. And now that I got what I wanted…we’re done.” He holds my gaze. “Thanks for the mediocre lay.”

  Any other girl would crawl into a ball and cry her eyes out.

  But I know exactly what he’s doing. Because I’ve done it most of my life.

  He’s hurting me with cruel insults in hopes it will push me away.

  But it won’t work.

  I peer up at him. “You don’t mean that.”

  He bashes his fist against the wall beside my head. “Goddammit. What will it take for you to leave me the fuck alone?”

  I tell him the truth. “Death.”

  And even then, I’m sure I’d find my way back to him.

  “Trust me, I want to fucking kill you right now. The only reason I’m not is because I care about Jace and Cole.”

  Yeah, that hurts. However, I’m still not letting him go.

  “Then don’t leave. Call my brothers and let them talk you off the ledge since it’s obvious I can’t.”

  He snatches his second duffle bag off the floor. “Loki needs me to be in New York by Thursday.” Reaching in his pocket, he throws his house key at me. “It’s time to get the fuck out of this town for good.”

  My chest fills with dread as he trudges past me.

  He’s leaving…permanently?

  To what? Sell drugs in New York.

  Not only does that have bad idea written all over it…it’s straight-up reckless.

  If he doesn’t want to be with me, fine. But I’m not gonna let him throw his entire life down the toilet.

  I care about him too much.

  I chase after him as he hightails it over the lawn, walks past the gate, and continues down the driveway.

  While he loads up his trunk, I block his driver’s side door so he can’t get inside.

  However, he’s a lot stronger than I am and he simply yanks me away like I’m nothing more than a feather.

  My chest recoils the second I hear his car roar to life.

  Heart lodged in my throat, I run around to the passenger side door.

  But it’s locked.

  I grab the handle as Oakley starts backing out of the driveway.

  He slams the steering wheel with his fist. “Let go of the goddamn door, Bianca.”

  I shake my head. “No.”

  “Fine.”

  I tighten my hold as the car gathers speed.

  Oakley punches the horn. “Let go. Now.”

  “No!”

  He accelerates and the motion is enough to bring me to my knees.

  But I don’t care. I’m never letting go of this door.

  Never letting go of him.

  The car comes to a stop and he rolls the passenger window down. “Jesus Christ. What the fuck are you doing? You’re gonna get yourself killed.”

  I don’t waste the opportunity. I wiggle my body through the no
w open window. “I thought you wanted me to die?”

  Oakley slams on the gas. “You’re fucking insane, you know that?”

  I’ve been called worse.

  Catching my breath, I situate myself in the seat. “You can’t leave me.”

  He clutches the steering wheel as we start cruising down Royal Manor Road. “There’s nothing left for me here.” He glares at me. “I’m turning back around and dropping you off at your house.”

  I secure my seatbelt. “I won’t get out.”

  “Then I’ll call Jace to come remove you from my car,” he grits through his teeth.

  “No, you won’t.”

  Because he cares about me. Even through all his anger I still feel it.

  A muscle in his jaw bunches. “Don’t fucking test me, Bianca.”

  “I’m not testing you,” I tell him. “I’m fighting for you.” The tears I was holding back spill over, streaming down my cheeks. “Because I love yo—”

  The car swerves with a startling lurch. When I look over, I see Oakley shaking uncontrollably.

  Oh, shit.

  I go to grab the wheel, but a violent force propels me out of my seat…

  And then everything goes black.

  He left me.

  I was fighting for him with everything I had…and he left me.

  Because of her.

  I can feel the ball of anger tightening inside me like a gigantic knot.

  Before I can stop myself, I launch my fist into her face.

  “You’re a fucking pedophile,” I scream at the top of my lungs, because I want people to know the truth.

  Hell, I want everyone around to know just how venomous this woman really is.

  She yelps when I go to punch her again, but a strong pair of arms wrap around my waist and tug me back.

  “Enough,” Oakley grunts. “She’s not worth it.”

  That might be true, but it sure feels good letting her have it.

  Crystal’s hand flies up to her face, and I notice the bruise forming under her eye. Good.

  “I should have you arrested.”

  “And I should have punched you harder, bitch.”

  I squirm and kick, trying my hardest to get out of Oakley’s grasp, but he tightens his hold on me.

  “Get the fuck out of here before I let her go,” Oakley threatens.

  “Pedophile,” I yell and point as she walks away. “That woman is a pedophile.”