“No, I’m not.” I look at Wayne. “You want to know why your son hasn’t spoken to you in over two years?” I jut my chin at Crystal. “It’s because your wife screwed him back when he was in high school and Oakley’s been so riddled with guilt about it, he thought the best thing to do was distance himself from you.”

Crystal’s hands fly to her face. “That’s not—”

“Oakley thought he was in love with her, but Crystal was only using him to get pregnant. It’s why she wanted you to ship him off to military school. She was hoping Oakley would knock her up and she could pass the baby off as yours.”

There’s so much turmoil in Wayne’s expression when he looks at his daughter, my knees go weak.

“She’s yours,” Crystal croaks. “I swear to God, Wayne. She’s yours.”

Tears fill his eyes.

“Oakley loves you and he never meant to hurt you,” I whisper. “He feels so bad—”

“Bianca,” Wayne chokes out. “I think it’s best you leave.”

It’s almost midnight by the time I get back home.

After checking every bar and beach within a fifty-mile radius, there’s still no sign of Oakley.

I’m pulling into the driveway when I spot his silver BMW. One of the rear doors is open as well as the trunk.

Hope springs eternal as I get out of my car and run to the guesthouse.

He’s here. Which means I can fix this.

My heart does a painful flip the moment I walk inside.

The kitchen table is nothing but a pile of broken wood, the flat-screen television in the living room looks like someone took a bat to it, and the couch is flipped over.

But that’s not the worst part.

The worst part would be the two duffle bags lined up by the front door.

I start walking toward the bedroom at the same time he comes out of it.

He’s in such a rush he almost knocks me over.

“Oakley.”

He doesn’t say a word, but those eyes are filled with so much venom my insides coil.

I swallow hard. “What—”

He brushes past me like I’m nothing more than a piece of broken furniture in the room.

I tug on his sleeve. “Talk to me.”

The muscles in his back tense. “I have nothing to say to you. Not now, not ever.”

Both his words and the bitterness laced in them has me staggering back. “I know you’re upset, but—”

“Upset?” He snorts. “Nah, I was upset while I was at the bar. But now? I’m fucking furious.” I can smell the alcohol on his breath when he leans in. “I never want to see you again.”

My heart snaps in two. “Wh—”

“You betrayed me,” he sneers. “And don’t you dare fucking stand there and claim you didn’t because my dad already told me.” A flash of pain flickers in his eyes. “I trusted you.”

Oh. My. God.

I was so caught up in my anger with Crystal and wanting Wayne to know that she was the one responsible for the rift with his son…

I didn’t think about the consequences.

Like how hurt Oakley might be once his house of cards came tumbling down and his secret was out.

It wasn’t my gun…but I was the one who went behind his back and pulled the trigger that just imploded his life.

Jesus. I messed up.

I messed up so bad.

With shaky hands, I clutch my chest. “I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I was just trying—”

“Doesn’t fucking matter.” He strides to the front door and picks up one of his duffle bags. “Nothing you say or do matters to me anymore.”

Thinking quick, I wedge myself between him and the door. “You have every right to be angry with me, but—”

“But nothing,” he roars. “What part of I don’t ever want to see you again don’t you fucking understand?”

All of it. Because there’s no way in hell I’m ever going to let him sever what we have.

I messed up. I’ll own that. But I’ll do whatever it takes to earn his trust again.

Grabbing his hand, I place it over my heart. “I know you’re angry. You’re entitled to it. But this belongs to you, Oakley.”

He snatches his hand away like he’s been burned. “I don’t fucking want it.” Inclining his head, his lips brush the tip of my ear. “My gut told me not to trust you because sooner or later you’d fuck me over. I wish I fucking listened.”

His words are like a fist to the face.

“What does your heart tell you?” I choke out. “Because mine is telling me that what we have is real. And even though I screwed up so fucking bad…we can still fix this.”

“No, we can’t.”

He tries to push past me, but I lock my knees and stand my ground. “Look me in the eyes and tell me this isn’t real.”

“It’s not real.” His expression contorts into something cold and vicious. “I just wanted to fuck you. And now that I got what I wanted…we’re done.” He holds my gaze. “Thanks for the mediocre lay.”

Any other girl would crawl into a ball and cry her eyes out.

But I know exactly what he’s doing. Because I’ve done it most of my life.

He’s hurting me with cruel insults in hopes it will push me away.

But it won’t work.

I peer up at him. “You don’t mean that.”

He bashes his fist against the wall beside my head. “Goddammit. What will it take for you to leave me the fuck alone?”

I tell him the truth. “Death.”

And even then, I’m sure I’d find my way back to him.

“Trust me, I want to fucking kill you right now. The only reason I’m not is because I care about Jace and Cole.”

Yeah, that hurts. However, I’m still not letting him go.

“Then don’t leave. Call my brothers and let them talk you off the ledge since it’s obvious I can’t.”

He snatches his second duffle bag off the floor. “Loki needs me to be in New York by Thursday.” Reaching in his pocket, he throws his house key at me. “It’s time to get the fuck out of this town for good.”

My chest fills with dread as he trudges past me.

He’s leaving…permanently?

To what? Sell drugs in New York.

Not only does that have bad idea written all over it…it’s straight-up reckless.

If he doesn’t want to be with me, fine. But I’m not gonna let him throw his entire life down the toilet.

I care about him too much.

I chase after him as he hightails it over the lawn, walks past the gate, and continues down the driveway.

While he loads up his trunk, I block his driver’s side door so he can’t get inside.

However, he’s a lot stronger than I am and he simply yanks me away like I’m nothing more than a feather.

My chest recoils the second I hear his car roar to life.

Heart lodged in my throat, I run around to the passenger side door.

But it’s locked.

I grab the handle as Oakley starts backing out of the driveway.

He slams the steering wheel with his fist. “Let go of the goddamn door, Bianca.”