Broken kingdom

As far as I’m concerned, they can both kick rocks. 

Cole rolls his eyes. “Aw, I think he needs to hear us whisper sweet nothings and eternal promises so he’ll talk to us.” 

I shove him. “It’s not fu

They made it perfectly fucking clear our ties were cut after the accident. 

Truth be told, it hurt after they ditched me. 

Way more than I thought it would. 

But I don’t need them or their conditional friendship. 

Hell, I don’t need anyone. 

Except her. 

I start to walk out, but Cole grips my shirt. 

“Fine, I’ll start.” He makes a face like he’s pretending to think. “Let’s see, where should I begin? How about the time you gave my fiancé Adderall and she had a heart attack? Or when you were lying about working at a bar when you were really selling drugs? Or the time Sawyer flushed your stash down a sewer, and you needed money to reup so Loki didn’t bust a cap in your ass.” He taps his chest. “Yeah, that envelope with the wad of money in it wasn’t from Santa. You’re fucking welcome, asshole.” 

I had no idea he was behind that. Although I probably should have, given Cole’s the type to help someone out on the down low and never say a word about it. 

“I didn’t know—”

“I’m not fucking done yet,” Cole grunts. “Where was I?” He snaps his fingers. “Oh, that’s right. The time you were boning my baby sister behind my back and then got drunk and high behind the wheel and almost killed her.” 

He’s got me there. 

“I never meant for that to happen.” 

And if I could take back just one of the many fucked-up things I’ve done in my life…it would be that. 

“But it did.” He stomps the floor and curses. “And that’s what fucking kills me. The fact that you could do all this shit and turn our lives upside down…yet I still fucking miss you.” 

I miss him, too. 

“I never meant to hurt Sawyer or Bianca, Cole.” 

“I believe you. But it still doesn’t change the fact that you did.” 

“I know.” 

Something I’ve learned in AA was to take responsibility for your mistakes and apologize to those you’ve wronged. 

Draw in a heavy breath, I look at Jace and Cole. “I’m sorry.”

“I know you are, and I’m go

I won’t feed him false promises. Not anymore. 

I hold his stare. “I won’t look you in the eyes and lie to you again.” 

I’m almost to the door when a fist goes flying into my face. 

Glowering, I shove my assailant. “Goddammit. What the fuck, Jace?” 

“That was for screwing my baby sister and lying about it.” He punches me again. This time in the mouth. “That was for almost killing her.” 

He goes to strike me again, but I spit blood at him. “You only get one of those in your lifetime, motherfucker and you just cashed in. Twice.” 

 I get his anger—and his need to assault my pretty mug—but I’m sure as shit not go

If he does it again, I’m go

Relenting, he backs up. “I won’t apologize for punching you, asshole.” 

I snort. Everyone knows Jace doesn’t apologize for shit. 

“Don’t expect you to, douchebag.” 

“I also won’t apologize for cutting you out of my life. It needed to be done.” 

Duly noted. 

“Is there a point to this, or can I go?” 

Jace clenches his hands into fists. “Dammit, Oak. I fucking hate you right now, but I’m not letting you leave this fucking room until you look me in the eyes and promise you won’t go after Loki.” 

That’s a promise I can’t make. 

“I can’t—”

A fist goes flying into my face. For a third time. 

“Goddammit, asshole,” I roar, lunging at him. 

He grabs me by the collar and shoves me against the wall. “You fucking owe me.” The anger in his eyes is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. “I’ve been putting up with your shit since we were kids. The alcohol and drugs, the seizures because of it. All the stupid shit you get yourself into—like screwing around with your stepmom, selling drugs to Dylan’s best friend, messing around with Bianca behind my back, and then almost taking her from me. The list goes on and on. Point is, I’ve demanded a lot of shit over the years, but I’ve never looked you in the eyes like a man and begged you for a damn thing. Except now. Now I’m begging you not to go after Loki.”

I’m not sure why the fuck it matters to him so much. 

“Why—”

“Because you’re family,” he roars. “I was destroyed after I lost Liam. The grief was so bad I didn’t think I would survive it, but I had to go on for Cole and Bianca.” Taking a step back, he grunts. “I lost Liam and Dylan in the span of a day. I thought things would always suck and I’d be miserable forever. Until I met this crazy new kid in town who latched on to me like a lost puppy. A kid who did dumb shit, but always made me laugh. A kid I could talk to about how much it hurt to lose my mom and Liam, because he fucking got it.” 

I start to speak, but he pushes me. “I lost a brother, but I also gained one the day I met you. So I’m begging you not to go after Loki, because if you die I’ll be destroyed again and I don’t think I can take that.” 

Fucking hell.

Jace has always been important to me—Cole, too—and I considered them my family, but I never knew he felt like I was his. 

The sound of someone sniffing has us both turning to Cole. 

Jace’s expression twists in horror. “Motherfucker, are you crying?” 

“Nah, man,” Cole says, rolling his shoulders back. “They got some onions up in this bitch or something.” 

Jace and I start howling with laughter. 

“Sawyer must keep his balls in a jar on the nightstand,” Jace jokes. “Right next to her Bible.”

“Dammit. I’m telling you, it’s the onions,” Cole argues.

“It’s okay, man,” I tell him. “I love you, too.” 

Cole’s demeanor turns serious. “Does that mean you won’t go through with it then?”

 “Which is it, Oak?” Jace gestures to himself and Cole. “Your brothers…or Loki? Because you can’t have both.” 

I want my revenge on Loki so bad I can fucking taste it. 

But I want my family back even more. 

“I’ll let the legal system handle it...for now,” I tell them. 

But if they don’t end up getting it right…then I fucking will. 

Cole gives me a pound and hugs me. “For once you made the right decision.” He sniffs. “My baby’s all grown up.” 

I shove him. “Asshole.” 

“Yeah, but you still missed my ass.” He jerks his head in the direction of the door. “I’m go

Jace’s glare is scrutinizing. “Given you beat the shit out of Stone and Bianca practically dragged Cole and I here by our ears, I assume you and my sister are talking again?” 

I have no reason to lie to him. “Yeah.” 

I expect him to give me shit and tell me to stay away from her, but the next words out of his mouth have my stomach filling with lead. 

“Only because she doesn’t know everything.”