Broken Kingdom (Royal Hearts Academy #4)(107)

As much as I hate the thought of Crystal being back in his life, I really want him to start a relationship with his sister.

His jaw tics. “Trust me, she’s better off not knowing me.”

“That’s not true,” I argue. “You’re her big brother. You’re the one she’s supposed to go to when she fucks up so bad and she’s too afraid to tell your dad, but she needs someone to help. You’re the one she’ll look up to and spill all her problems to. You’re the one who’s gonna put the fear of God into every boy she likes and try to protect her from all the bad shit in this world. You might not realize it yet, but take it from me…that little girl is going to need her big brother, Oakley.”

My chest squeezes. “I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t have Jace or Cole…” Tears prickle the back of my throat. “Or Liam.”

For as short of time as he was here, I’ll always be grateful for him.

Shoulders slumped, Oakley scrubs a hand down his face. “I want to meet her. So fucking bad, but—”

“But nothing.” I wrap my arms around him. “Fuck Crystal—and no, I do not mean that in the literal sense because I’ll saw your dick off—but you have to stop blaming yourself for what happened in the past because you can’t change it.” I drop my forehead to his. “Focus on repairing your relationship with your dad and building one with your sister, because they love you and they’re your family. And at the end of the day, that’s all that matters.”

He hugs me so tight it hurts. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Being you.” His blue orbs take on a sincere glint as he cups my cheek. “You might just be the best thing that ever happened to me.”

I start to tell him the same, but then my phone rings.

Huffing, I bring it to my ear. “Hey, Jace.”

I hear the hustle and bustle of people in the background. “I’m leaving the airport now and should be at the house in twenty. Where are you?”

Late last night I told Jace that Oakley scooped me up on his dad’s motorcycle and brought me to shelter. He was so relieved we were safe he didn’t give either of us the third degree and I’m pretty sure he’s going to worship the ground Oakley walks on for the next month or so.

However, being the overprotective brother he is, he decided to cut his trip short to come home and make sure I’m okay.

“We’re leaving soon,” I tell him.

“Good. Do you guys want me to stop and pick up breakfast? Ask Oak if he needs anything.”

I cup the phone. “Jace wants to know if you need anything?”

Oakley waggles his eyebrows seductively and mouths, ‘I need to fuck you again.’

A rush of heat flows through me.

“Nope, Oakley’s good,” I tell Jace in a hurry as Oakley proceeds to kiss down my neck. “However, there’s still a lot of traffic on the road so we might be a little while.”

I quickly disconnect the call so I can give Oakley exactly what we both need.





Chapter 50





Bianca





My chest feels like it’s going to cave in.

Everything was so perfect between us—so right—and I have no idea how or why we went wrong.

“We were happy,” I whisper, looking out to the ocean.

I now realize that Oakley took me to the same place where I lost my virginity to him.

The violent waves slapping against the rocks and the turbulent gray sky above tells me there’s a storm brewing.

It matches the one going on inside my heart.

Oakley—who was walking along the shoreline—freezes.

“Yeah,” he says after a minute passes. Blue eyes pin me with a look so severe my stomach knots. “We were.”

Not knowing what went down is killing me.

“What happened between us?”

His jaw clenches and I can see the knot of tension rolling through his shoulders. “You said you wouldn’t ask me, remember?”

My back teeth meet with a frustrated clack. “I know, but after today I’m starting to realize just how bad secrets are.”

How they have the ability to tear people apart.

Turning to look at the ocean again, he snorts under his breath. “That’s awfully hypocritical of you, don’t you think?”

I blink, not understanding. “What’s that supposed to m—”

“You’re still wearing his ring.” His voice is a harsh rumble of smoke and ashes. “And I’m still your dirty little secret.”

There are daggers in his eyes when he glares at me.

However, he’s not the only one who can dish out reality checks.

“Because that’s all you seem to want to be,” I toss back.

It’s his turn to appear confused. “What the fuck does that mean?”

Feeling stupid, I give my head a shake. “Nothing. Forget it.”

It’s obvious he’s not interested in repairing whatever happened between us in the past, because he refuses to tell me anything that might enable us to do that.

As usual, I never know if I’m coming or going with him.

I fucking hate it.

Oakley’s lips press together in a hard line, and before I can inhale my next breath, he’s stalking toward me like a lion who’s found his prey.