Broken Kingdom (Royal Hearts Academy #4)(93)

Her fist goes flying into my cheek. Hard.

“Jesus, Dylan,” Sawyer breathes. “What the heck is wrong with you?”

Dylan shrugs innocently. “She asked me to punch her.”

She’s right, I did.

But who knew the girl had such a mean right hook?

I rub my throbbing cheek. “That should do it.” I climb inside Sawyer’s van. “Let’s go to the police station.”





Chapter 43





Bianca





After what felt like an eternity filled with non-stop questions, the police finally let me go.

I’m not sure what’s going to happen with Mark, but at the very least his medical license is in danger of being taken away since I made an appointment with his office and was therefore listed as a client.

Is it justice?

Not close to the kind Hayley deserves, but it’s better than nothing.

It also made me realize something.

I kept my mother’s secrets because I thought I was protecting her…but in the end they only ended up destroying me.

Maybe it’s time for me to stop living in my cocoon and start letting people in.

But the only way to do that is to start being honest with the people I love.

Let them inside.

After putting more coverup on my bruise so Oakley doesn’t freak when he sees me, I snap my compact shut.

My hand trembles as I knock on the door of Oakley’s apartment.

I didn’t want him to know about Hayley or my mother’s affair with her dad, but I also don’t think it’s right to keep this from him.

He answers after the third knock. “Hey.”

“Hey.” I take a deep breath. “Can I come in? I really need to talk—”

“Is that the food?” some woman questions behind him.

A moment later she comes into view.

She’s a little older than him, but very pretty.

Very pretty and very blonde.

My throat constricts. “I didn’t know you had company.” Heart heavy, I stagger back. “I’ll talk to you later.”

Oakley starts to say something, but I don’t give him the chance because the wave of pain that washes over me is so severe it threatens to break me into a million tiny little pieces.

I feel so stupid. So goddamn stupid.

Why wouldn’t Oakley be with another woman? It’s not like we’re together.

How could we be? I have a…

“You okay?” someone who sounds a lot like Stone says.

I was so out of it I didn’t even realize I walked up the stairs to his apartment.

“I—” I shake my head, unable to process anything except for the fact that Oakley’s in his apartment with some other girl doing God knows what.

“I’ve been trying to call you all day,” Stone says as he ushers me inside. “Where were you?”

It hurts so much I can barely breathe.

“With Sawyer and Dylan.”

He tips my chin, forcing me to look at him. “What’s going on? What happened?”

I don’t give him an answer.

I can’t.

Instead, I just go numb.

Because the thought of Oakley being with another girl…a girl who’s not me.

Feels like death by a thousand cuts.

I push Stone away when he tries to hug me. “I have to go.”





Chapter 44





Bianca





Past…





My heart’s in my throat as I make my way into the seedy bar.

Flipping my freshly blown-out hair over my shoulder, I open the door. Almost immediately the stale scent of smoke fills my nostrils.

Across the room, there’s a pool table and a dartboard set up on a wall. As if on cue, cheers erupt from a small group of what appears to be bikers playing a game of darts.

No one blinks an eye or asks for my ID as I saunter over to the nearly empty bar and take a seat.

It’s so dim in this place, I don’t notice Oakley right away, but the moment I see him pouring some old man a drink at the opposite end of the bar, my heart soars into overdrive.

Desperate to the bone, Hayley ended up telling Oakley that I texted her from his phone to meet up.

Needless to say, he was pissed.

Which is exactly why I’m here now.

I hate fighting with him.

But even more than that? I hate him thinking I betrayed him.

Therefore, I have to apologize and make things right between us.

I open my mouth to call him over, but some woman sidles up beside him.

She looks to be in her early forties with long blonde hair and legs for days. She has far too much makeup on her face and not enough clothing because her boobs—which I’m guessing are only perky because of the very obvious pushup bra she’s wearing—are popping out of her tank top and she’s in serious danger of giving everyone a free show.

The bitch is straight-up trashy looking…the kind of woman you’d end up bringing home when you’ve had one too many and you’re in desperate need of a cheap screw.

In other words, she’s exactly Oakley’s type.

I clench my fists so hard my nails leave indents in my palms as I watch her shamelessly flirt with him—draping her arm around his neck to pull him close while she whispers sweet nothings in his ear that makes him smile.