Broken Kingdom (Royal Hearts Academy #4)(45)

Something passes in his gaze. “With you.”

His words punch into my heart.

I’d give just about anything to know what those memories are.

“I’m so—”

“Your turn,” he interjects.

“Well,” I begin, rubbing my damp palms on my dress. “I’m here having dinner with a few of Stone’s friends from the premed program.” I make a face. “Let’s just say they’re way more interested in my amnesia and wedding plans than they are getting to know me.” I look down at my shoes. “Long story short, I had a mini freak-out and came out here because I needed air.”

I have no idea what to make of the look he gives me.

The silence stretches between us until the only thing I hear are cars passing in the distance and the pounding of my heart.

“I feel like I don’t belong anywhere,” I confess after another minute. “Like I’m stuck on the outside looking in on a world I can no longer remember with people who want me to be a certain way…but no matter how hard I try, I’m constantly failing to live up to their expectations.”

Namely Stone’s.

“I get that.” A long, weary sigh escapes him. “But other people’s expectations are their problem…not yours.” His eyes meet mine. “You don’t have to live up to what anyone else wants you to be, Bianca. Your life is your path.”

God, he makes it sound so simple…so effortless.

“That’s good advice,” I tell him. “You’re pretty smart.”

He laughs, but there’s no humor. “Trust me, baby girl. I’m not. I’ve just made a lot of mistakes.”

He’s so young yet it seems like he’s lived a thousand lifetimes.

And carried the weight of each and every one of them on his shoulders.

“Oakley?”

“Yeah?”

I draw in a breath, hoping like hell he’ll change his mind about us. “Can we—”

“No.”

His answer is clipped…resolute.

Frustration rises up my throat. “Why not?”

Nothing. Not even so much as a demand that I go away.

“Whatever,” I mutter as I hike my purse up my shoulder. “I’m not gonna stand here and beg someone to be my friend—”

My breath catches when he braces his arms on either side of my head, caging me in.

His voice comes out in a harsh rasp that matches the anger swirling in his blue orbs. “You know I almost killed you, right?”

I swallow hard as I peer up at him. “Yeah.”

It’s all I can manage because it’s a struggle to think when he’s this close. My breath comes out choppy as the air around us grows heavy.

Evidently, he feels whatever’s brewing between us too because his eyes darken as his gaze roams over every inch of my face, soaking me in. “Then why the fuck do you want me in your life?”

The truth pours out of me.

“Because I feel something when I’m with you. Something I can’t explain.”

Something that makes no sense.

All I know is the heavy feeling of dread in my chest goes away whenever he’s near.

A shiver breaks free when he drags the tip of his thumb along the scar on my neck. However, it’s the sheer pain filling his eyes that has my heart twisting like someone lodged a dagger into it.

“You should go back inside.” Mere inches from mine now, his face tenses. “With your fiancé.”

It’s like being submerged in a vat of ice water.

“Right.” I duck under his arm. “Have a good night.”

My hand is on the knob when I blurt out, “Unit one, room 206.”

“What’s that?”

“My dorm room.”

A sharp, irritated noise leaves him. “I’m not changing my mind.”

Undeterred, I hold his stare. “And I won’t change mine.”



Because for reasons I can’t explain…

I need him in my life.





Chapter 20





Bianca





Past…





I mutter a curse when the windshield wipers turn on. “Shit.”

I try to turn them off, but that only makes the convertible roof slide up. “Dammit.”

“What are you doing?”

My head snaps up at the sound of Oakley’s rough, melodic voice.

It’s been almost a week since that night and we’ve barely spoken a word to each other.

He’s also moved back into the guesthouse, so there’s that.

“What does it look like I’m doing?”

The lopsided grin plastered on his face makes my insides swoop. “Well, it looks like you’re attempting to drive, but—” Peeking inside my car, he gestures to the button next to my steering wheel. “You’re still in accessory mode…you need to put your foot on the brake and press the button to turn the ignition on.”

He makes it sound so simple.

He also makes me feel like an idiot because I don’t know the first thing about driving.

It just seemed like such a shame to let a nice car rot away in the driveway, so I decided to pay it a little visit today.