Broken By The Bad Boy

Broken by the Bad Boy MARAMARTHA Contents Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Chapter 40 Chapter 41 Chapter 42 Chapter 43 Chapter 44 Author’s Note Connect with me: Copyright © Maramartha, 2023 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of Maramartha. The moral right of Maramartha to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patent Act 1988. ISBN: 9789787967515 This novel is entirely a work of fiction. Aside from some locations that are used for credibility purposes. The names, characters, and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental. Kim Holley. Brandi Engelman. Jenae Lampier Oliver. Strong Ellie. Thank you always for the support. One I walk out. On Ben, our relationship, our future. I don’t look back; I continue walking. The cold hits once I’m outside. Tears well up in my eyes, and everything I told him rushes back. We are done. I did it. Tears stream down my cheeks and blind my vision. My heart thuds so hard I’m convinced it will make a hole in my chest. A door slams shut behind me. Someone barges out and curses. I have an idea who it might be, and my heart wants it to be him, but I am too much of a coward to turn around and find out. I don’t want a confrontation. It’s hard enough that I have to face him at school tomorrow. “We are done when I say we are done,” thunders the voice, drawing closer to my spot. Ben’s shoes appear in my vision. I can’t meet his gaze, so I count the pebbles littered at our feet and kick them into the drainage. His hand sneaks under my jaw, and I duck right in time to avoid body contact. His touches make me weak. A groan escapes him, but my head stays down. “And I am not done, Gracie.” What’s he saying? Didn’t he get the memo? We are done. I raise my head to finish what I started inside. “Ben, I—” Angry eyes shoot daggers at me. The rest of my words die in my throat as Ben throws me over his shoulder and marches back inside the gym. I punch his back, rain curses on him, and even try to knee him in the stomach, but none of that deters him. “Ben. Benny. Benjamin Carter. Put me down. Now.” A wave of dizziness hits me at the abrupt view of the tiled floors, and I focus on regulating my breathing. Ben’s ass is in my face. I can cop a feel if I want. Why am I thinking of that in a moment like this? Still, my fingers brush his ass. Firm. The door to a room—an office creaks open, and he dumps me on the only available seat. I jump to my feet in a bid to escape, but he cocks his head. “Don’t you dare,” he warns. My legs turn to jelly. I raise my hands in a defensive stance. “Sit.” God, I hate the power in his voice. I crumple into the chair, and the wrinkles on Ben’s forehead diminish. He is mad at me, and I don’t like it. I don’t want him to be angry. But we can’t happen. Making himself comfortable on the desk with heaps of files, Ben crosses his arms on his chest and legs at his ankles. I feel like an unruly student in her principal’s office. “Start talking. Now.” Different pairs of eyes peer into the office. Half the walls are made of glass, giving them a front-row view into our private affairs. I clear my throat, but no words escape. They are still staring. Ben notices. “It’s soundproofed. They can’t hear us except I use this.” He unhooks the telephone hanging from the wall while keeping his eyes on me. “Get back to work, fuckers. Nothing to see here.” A smile touches my lips as some of them throw their gloves up in protest. But they listen to him. In the moments until his gaze returns to me, I try to gather my thoughts. Do I mention Olivia? “Gracie, talk to me.” With a sigh, I wring my hands. I should have raced to my car. As a kid, I used to run with Hayden. It was the only sport I did better than him. If I had run, I would have been out of here before Ben caught up to me. What should I say? I look up at him, and he shakes his head. “Please, don’t lie to me. What happened? Is it something I did? Just tell me the truth.” The tears make a fresh appearance, but they don’t fall. “Olivia.” Ben tenses. I keep my eyes trained on his chest. I don’t need to see that disappointment on his face when he acknowledges her words. He’ll take her side. “She said so many things, and she’s right about every single one of them. It just took her saying it for me to realize the truth.” Ben places his hands on his waist. Even when annoyed, he manages to appear posh. I must look a mess. “What truth, babe?” I shrug. I can’t say it out loud. “Gracie, what did Olivia say to you?” “That I’m