Page 128 of Broken Prince
“Why the fuck not?” Kai growls. “What did I do to you? We’re fucking friends!”
“You fucked my girl!” Owen growls.
“She’s my girl, too,” Kai rumbles back.
“Enough!” I shout, stepping between the two of them. I spin towards Owen. “I like you a lot. There’s this attraction between us that's undeniable.” I turn to Elijah. “I like you too. You're so sweet, kind, and you make me feel safe, seen.” I turn to Logan. “And you.” My eyes water. “Me and you, there’s so much there left unexplored, and I want to change that. I love your son so much, I think you're an amazing dad, an amazing hard-working man.” I look at the three of them. “But none of that changes the fact that we’re family. That our parents are married. You're my stepbrothers. And while I might be fine and willing to look past that, it still doesn’t change that there is a big risk that we would be taking.”
“He’s your stepcousin,” Owen mutters. “Why is it so easy to be with him?”
“Not to mention he’s sixteen years older than you and your professor.” Logan glares at Kai.
“I don’t care about the age thing,” I confess.
“And I don’t care about the professor thing. If I lose my job, so what? I told Delaney, she’s what I want. The job is just a job.”
“Fucking hell,” Owen sighs heavily. “Well, I’m not backing away.”
“Same.” Logan crosses his arms. “I’ve already told you how I feel, Laney. I’m not losing you.”
“And what about you?” Kai asks, looking at Elijah. He stares at Kai with this look in his eyes that I can’t quite put my finger on.
He swallows thickly before turning a soft smile to me. “I’d love to have a chance to see where this could go. My feelings for you are still the same. Nothing’s changed.”
“Sweetheart.” Kai brings my attention back to him. My heart is a mess, and so is my head. “What is it that you want?”
“I want to be happy,” my voice is barely more than a whisper. “I want to be loved. I want to be needed. I don’t want to hurt anymore.”
“And what would make you happy?” Kai asks.
“You.” I swallow. “Them. But–”
“No buts. We will deal with everything as it comes. One step at a time, one day at a time. Take some time to think, to adjust. Then we can sit down and talk about everything.”
“I meant what I said, Delaney. I’ll wait until you're ready. I don’t expect you to want us all right away. Life is hard, it gets in the way. But I just want a chance,” Owen says. “And if you decide that I’m not it for you, at least give Logan and Elijah a chance.”
“What?” Logan glares at his brother.
“You need her, man. She’s everything you want. She’s amazing with Benny, she makes you happy.” He looks to Elijah. “And so do you. Don’t think we haven’t noticed your light left you a long time ago.” Owen gives his brother a pained look. “I just hope one day you can come to us, tell us what made it go. But Laney, she’s been the only thing to make it flicker back to life. And for that, I can’t thank her enough. And if you two were actually together, I know you would shine so damn bright. I just want you to be happy. You deserve it.”
Elijah dips his head, wiping at his face. I’m crying harder now, my hand over my mouth as tears spill down my cheeks.
Owen pulls me into his arms, and I cling to him tightly. I can’t push myself away anymore. I can’t let the fact that our parents are married keep us apart. I want them, maybe even need them. There’s no way these feelings are going to go away, not after hearing how much they want me. The idea of Mom being disappointed in me hurts, but I need to hope for the best.
“I want to try,” I tell him, pulling back. “With all of you. For real, this time. But there’s still so much going on. I need to take it slow. One day at a time. We need to get to know each other before diving into something so big.”
“I agree,” Kai chimes in.
“You really mean it?” Owen asks whith so much hope in his eyes.
“I do.” I nod. “If you're willing to have patience with me. And not get upset if things are more developed with one of you before the other.”
“I’m willing to wait,” Owen says.
“So am I.” Elijah gives Kai a quick look before smiling at me.
And now I’m crying again because I’m so overwhelmed.
There’s still the bullshit with Stacy, something I need to come out with to Logan. But not right now, not today. I’m too much of a fucking mess, and there’s only so much I can handle right now.