“What happened? Where are you—” I start to say, but his next sentence steals the air from my lungs.

“I can’t do this.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Us.”

A flicker of panic shoots through my chest. There are a lot of changes happening in his life lately, and everything I’ve read told me change can be a major trigger for addicts.

Somehow, I manage to find my voice. “I know you’re nervous about telling my brothers, but we don’t have to—”

“It has nothing to do with your brothers,” he slurs. “I don’t want to destroy you, Bianca.”

Tears well in my eyes. Not only because of what he’s saying, but his lack of faith in us.

In himself.

“You won’t,” I assure him. “I know you would never hu—”

“You’re wrong,” he roars. “I will. Because that’s what I fucking do.” The agony in his voice sears my soul. “She was right.”

I have no idea what he’s talking about. “Who?”

His voice drops to a faint whisper. “Goodbye, baby girl.”

A swell of pain infiltrates my heart. “Goodbye? Oakley, this isn’t—”

The line goes dead.

I try to call him back, but it goes straight to voicemail.

Slamming my fist against the table, I mutter a curse.

I don’t know how one moment everything was perfect between us…and now.

Everything’s broken.

Clutching my stomach, I let out a ragged breath.

The last time I spoke to him he was at his dad’s house, playing with his sister.

And now he’s getting drunk God only knows where and breaking up with me.

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out something must have happened while he was there.

Snatching my keys out of my purse, I head for the door.

I might not know what went down, but I do know one thing.

Hurt people…hurt people.

And I have every intention of finding out who’s responsible for hurting the man holding my heart in the palm of his hand.

My heart beats like a drum as I march up the hilly lawn leading to Oakley’s old house.

I have to force myself to relax as I knock on the front door.

Storming in there angry won’t solve anything.

I just need to know what happened, so I can fix it.

A woman who looks a whole lot like Jace’s girlfriend Dylan answers the door.

She’s holding a sleepy Clarissa Jasmine on her hip.

My brain scrambles briefly because I realize that I’m officially face to face with the notorious Crystal.

In other words, the cunt who broke Oakley’s heart.

I swallow my irritation. “Hi, I’m—”

“Oh, my God,” Crystal says. “I love what they’ve done with the uniforms. Super cute.” She gives me a big smile. “I was a cheerleader at Royal Hearts Academy too.” Her nose crinkles. “Well, back in the day obviously.”

Obviously.

I open my mouth to tell her cheerleading isn’t the reason I’m here, but she holds up a finger.

“Let me put the baby down and I’ll run and get my checkbook, okay?”

I don’t need a donation. I need answers.

“That won’t be necessary,” I quickly sputter. “I’m actually here for Oakley.”

Her brows crash together. “Oh. I’m sorry, Oakley doesn’t live here any—”

“I know.” I swear it takes everything in me not to knock some sense into her. “I’m his girlfriend and he’s—”

“Who’s at the door?” a deep voice calls out behind her.

A second later Wayne comes into view.

Finally, someone who’s not a total dumbass.

“Hi, Mr. Zelenka.”

He blinks in confusion. “Is everything okay, Bianca? I thought your dad was still in Europe?”

“He is. But that’s not why I’m here—”

“She’s here for Oakley,” Crystal interjects and there’s no hiding the annoyance in her tone.

Concern colors his expression. “What’s wrong with Oak?”

Crystal scoffs. “What isn’t wrong with him?”

The tiny hairs on my arms stand on end.

I choose to focus my attention on Wayne because I’m liable to smack the shit out of her if she makes another jab at Oakley’s expense.

“That’s the thing,” I begin. “I’m not sure. He was excited to meet Clarissa Jasmine and see you, and I thought everything was going great while he was here, but then he called me and sounded really ups—”

“Look, honey,” Crystal cuts in. “I know you think you care about him but—” She frowns at Wayne. “Oakley has a serious problem. You seem like a nice girl, but don’t try to save him because he’ll only end up destroying you.”

“That’s not true,” I argue.

Oakley has his demons, but who the fuck doesn’t?

I shift my stare to Wayne again. “He’s been working really hard and he’s been sober for—”

It hits me like a brick to the head. Destroying you. Those were the very same words Oakley said on the phone before he hung up.

So many things roll through me. Sorrow, dread…but mostly?

Anger.

The kind that sends everything reeling.

This witch has already hurt him so much, yet she couldn’t help herself from pouring salt in the wound.

“You,” I seethe, my hands clenching into fists.

For a moment I honestly think about taking a swing at her, but then my gaze falls on Clarissa Jasmine.

It’s not her fault her mother’s a despicable whore and I don’t want her getting caught in the crossfire.

Crystal’s eyes become saucers. “I’m sorry, wh—”

“What the fuck did you say to him?”

Her mouth drops open. “Excuse me—”

“There is no excuse for someone like you,” I growl before I turn my furious glare on Wayne. “If you care about your son—and I know you do—you’ll never let your piece of shit wife near him again. She’s toxic.”

Wayne tries to speak, but Crystal doesn’t give him the chance. “You better leave before I call the police. I refuse to stand here while some little girl on a power trip makes accusations and insults me.”

That does it.

“Little girl on a power trip?” My eyes narrow. “How about a grown woman who bullied her stepson in order to keep her twisted secret safe? That’s why you hurt him before, isn’t it?” I take a step in her direction. “You figured if you sent Oakley away and kept driving a wedge between him and his dad, your husband would never find out about what you did and you could keep living your perfect little life.”

Red-hot rage floods my stomach, bubbling and simmering until it reaches a boiling point. “I’d call you a bitch, but you’re not…because a real bitch owns her shit. You’re nothing but a pathetic cheater who likes to manipulate high school boys.”

Wayne’s eyebrows shoot up. “What the hell is going—”

“Nothing,” Crystal says, panic rising in her voice. “She’s crazy.”