Broken kingdom

Chapter 69 Bianca

As if Oakley camping outside my room last night wasn’t enough, I find my brothers hanging around my dorm after classes are over. 

Plastering a sugary sweet smile on my face, I root around my purse for my keys. “Look, last night I said some things that were really mean.” I stick my key in the lock and open it. “And I just want you to know…that I stand by all of it.” 

I go to slam the door in their faces, but Jace wedges his foot between it and the frame. 

“Let us in so we can talk.” 

“I’m not interested in talking to you.” 

“Fine,” Cole says. “Then let me in so I can apologize.” 

I scan his face for signs he’s trying to play me, but don’t see any. “You can come in.” 

Jace tries to walk in after him, but I poke his forehead with my finger. “Not you, dipshit.” 

I firmly plant my feet, blocking him from entering. 

Everyone knows Jace doesn’t apologize and I’m not interested in hearing his bullshit excuses. 

Cole opens his arms wide and circles my dorm room. “And just like that, I’ve been upgraded to number one brother.” 

I glare at him. “I wouldn’t go that far. You still owe me an apology.” 

“Goddammit, Bianca,” Jace grumps. “Let me in.”

 “That’s the thing about being a grown woman. I no longer have to do what you tell me to.” I tap my chest. “I get to decide what’s best for me. Not you.” 

“I am letting you make your own decisions,” Jace argues. “For instance—we both know I can easily pick you up and move you out of the way, but I’m not.” 

Yeah, I’m not amused. 

Spi

Cole digs in his pocket, pulls out his wallet, and holds up a hundred-dollar bill. “How’s this for an apology?” 

He’s got to be kidding me. 

“You can’t bribe me, dumbass.” I swipe the hundred and tuck it into my bra. I’m angry and hurt. Not stupid. “Keeping the truth from me was wrong.” 

“I know.” Cole sulks. “But Jace said—”

“Jace is an idiot.” 

“Hey,” Jace snaps. “I’m right here.” 

I turn around to face him. “You’re an idiot.”

Jace’s nostrils flare on an indrawn breath. “I only did it because I love you. And I know that’s hard for you to understand because you feel like the rug was just pulled out from under you—” 

He takes a step forward, but I snap my fingers. 

Exasperated, Jace crosses his arms. “Permission to enter?” 

“Fine,” I grumble, but only because I’m curious what he has to say. 

“Anyway,” he continues, closing the door behind him. “I never meant to hurt you. I just…” His voice trails off. 

“You just what?” I press. 

“If you were given the chance to erase the most horrible memories from a person’s brain. A person who you love and would do just about anything for. A person who was already so fragile because of everything she’s been through…wouldn’t you take it?” 

I think about this for a moment. “No.”

Because I believe honesty is always the best policy. No matter how much it may hurt. 

“Well, that’s the difference between me and you,” Jace says. “It’s my job to protect you, not the other way around.”  

“What you did wasn’t protecting me.” 

“Yes, it was,” he protests. “You don’t understand because you can’t see it from my perspective. I was pla

“The doctor’s agreed with Jace. They told us not to push you.” Cole winces. “Granted, they didn’t say not to ever tell you—”

“Shut up, Cole,” Jace barks. “You’re not helping.” 

That’s when it dawns on me. 

“I couldn’t find anything about the accident online.” 

Jace looks guilty as hell. “Yeah, about that. I might have installed some safety programs on your computer so you wouldn’t.” 

He’s unbelievable. 

“Jesus, you’re an asshole.” 

“Fair enough, but I’m an asshole who loves you.” He points a finger at me. “Besides, you weren’t exactly i

Cole nods in agreement. “Tru dat, sis.” 

“That’s…different.” 

Jace raises a brow. “How so?” 

“The only reason I didn’t tell you about Oakley was because you guys are his family and there’s no way you would have been cool with us hooking up.” I look at both of them. “But after things got serious, we were going to tell you the truth. It’s why I asked you guys to come to di

Jace runs a hand down his jaw, pretending to think. “Let me get this straight—you didn’t tell us about your relationship because you were protecting him. Kind of like how I was protecting you?”

I see where he’s going with this, but it’s not the same thing. “It’s different, Jace.” 

“Different how?” 

Now that I think about it…I guess it’s really not. 

A lie is still a lie. No matter how good your intentions are. 

“I know your heart was in the right place, but you still should have told me.” 

Jace makes a sound of agreement in his throat. “You’re right. I’m sorry.” 

I do a double take. “Hold on. I must be hallucinating. Did you just—”

“Oh, yeah,” Cole cuts in. “He said it.”

Jace rolls his eyes. “Christ. You two act like I’m heartless.” 

“No. We know you have a heart…it’s just buried down deep.”

“Mariana trench deep,” Cole adds with a wink.

Cole laughs when Jace shoots him a murderous glare. “Sawyer said you can be quite the romantic when you want to be.” 

Jace looks like he’s about to choke him, but there’s a knock on the door. 

The air in my lungs grows thin when I open it and see Oakley standing there. “What the hell do you want?” 

Not looking offended in the least, he motions to the two bags in his hand. “I brought di

I swiftly snatch the bags out of his hand and slam the door in his face. Because again, I’m hurt and angry…not stupid. 

I can feel Jace and Cole staring at me as I set the food on my desk. 

“You guys can go,” I tell them. 

Reaching over, Cole takes a few fries. “Nah. I’m dying to see how this plays out.” 

Jace grabs a burger off my desk and sits on my bed. “It was nice of him to bring refreshments.” 

Cole nods. “Word.” 

“This isn’t a joke,” I start to say but the sound of movement on the other side of the door snags my attention. 

Huffing, I open it. 

My jaw drops when I see Oakley setting up a sleeping bag outside my door. 

Holy hell. He’s officially lost it. 

“Are you out of your damn mind?” 

He casually plops down. “Nope.” 

“I don’t want you sleeping outside my room.” 

Oakley’s smug grin is pure arrogance. “Then invite me in.” 

I slam the door in his face for the second time. 

Cole props his feet up on my bed. “This just keeps getting better and better.” 

Jace takes a few of his fries. “Wonder what else he’ll do.” 

“Show’s over,” I grunt, ushering them away.