Broken Kingdom (Royal Hearts Academy #4)(31)

“No problem, brother. Enjoy your trip.”

A trip no one invited me to go on.

“Thanks. I’ll hit you up when we get back.”

“Sounds good.”

A text comes through as I hang up.

Hayley: How does Thursday night at Sushi Sushi sound?

Oakley: Works for me.

Hayley: Great. Can’t wait to see you, babe.





And I can’t wait to see her.

So I can ask her why the fuck she lied to me.





Chapter 13





Bianca





“You’ve been really quiet tonight,” Stone comments as we slip into bed.

His observation draws me from my thoughts. “Sorry. I’ve just been…”

Ruminating about another man.

“Thinking,” I settle on.

He drapes an arm around me. “Talk to me, Bourne.”

I want to. I just don’t know how to tell him what I’m feeling without making him angry.

“It’s starting to bother me.”

The fingers that were stroking my arm stop. “What is?”

“Not remembering who I used to be,” I admit. “I thought it was for the best…but I’m not so sure anymore.”

There’s a sharp flare of irritation in his eyes. “Is this about Oakley?”

I have to be honest with him. “I don’t know…maybe?” I feel his entire body tense as I continue. “I can’t help wondering why I was with him the night of the accident.”

And why I feel this unexplainable pull toward him.

“Does it really matter?” A long sigh escapes him. “I’m not trying to be a dick, but even if you got all your memories back, it wouldn’t change anything.”

I mull this over for a moment and realize he has a point.

No matter what I may find out about my past, it won’t change my future with Stone.

However, I’m so tired of feeling like a computer with erased files.

Tired of everyone I care about keeping me in a safe little box and only giving me tiny crumbs of information about myself that I have to fight for.

Tired of having no control over my life because I don’t have all the facts.

I don’t want to upset Stone or make him feel like he has any cause for concern though, so I simply say, “I guess not.” I draw tiny circles over his stomach. “But if you knew anything important about my former life, you’d tell me, right?”

I need to know he’ll always be honest with me.

No matter how uncomfortable the truth may make him.

He presses his lips to my temple. “You know I’d never lie to you, Bourne.”

He’s right. Stone’s always been honest with me so I have no reason to start doubting him now.

“I know.” Taking a deep breath, I decide to tell him something else that’s been weighing on my mind. “Don’t freak-out, but Oakley moved into your apartment building. I ran into him on the stairs earlier when he was moving in.”

I expect him to say something, but he doesn’t.

When I peer up, I see he’s fast asleep.

Being careful not to wake him, I flick off the light and curl up beside him, trying my hardest to ignore this crushing feeling in my chest.

The one telling me my heart is holding on to a secret…

And figuring out what it is could change everything.

Past…





My brothers appear to be just as confused as I am when they walk through the front door.

“Do you have any idea what this is about?” Jace questions.

I shrug. “Nope.”

“Fucking weird,” Cole mutters.

Amen to that.

Earlier our dad sent us a group text declaring we were having a family meeting tonight and it was imperative that we all be there.

Given he’s always at work and he hardly speaks to us…it came as one hell of a surprise.

“I hope he’s not sick,” I whisper, because even though we aren’t close the thought of losing my only remaining parent isn’t something I can deal with.

“Let’s get this shit over with,” Jace utters.

United, the three of us make our way into the kitchen.

Where we find Dad and Nadia sitting at the table.

Immediately, we all stiffen.

Whatever this is about, one thing’s for sure. It’s not good.

Jace is the first to speak. “Why the fuck is she here?”

I can tell our dad wants to yell at him for his language and his dig at his girlfriend, but he lets it slide.

“Sit down, kids. Nadia and I have something very important to tell you.”

A sick feeling rolls through me.

Beside me, Jace and Cole bristle.

“I’ll stand,” Jace says.

“Me too,” Cole chimes in.

“Ditto,” I add for good measure.

A horrifying thought occurs to me just then.

“You better not be pregnant,” I blurt out.

Nadia practically chokes on her drink.

I don’t know much about the woman—hell, I don’t want to—but even I have to admit she’s pretty. Beautiful even.