Page 140 of Broken Prince
“He’s going to be okay.” Owen pulls me into his arms. “He has us; he’s loved and safe. He’s going to be okay.”
“I need to see him.” Owen nods, then bends down to kiss me.
“I’ll be here if you need me.”
“Okay.” I nod.
My stomach is a wreck as I head up the stairs. Each step feels harder and harder to take.
When I reach Benny’s door, I stand there with my hand on the handle for a long moment before pushing it open.
Immediately, my attention is drawn to the corner of the room. Logan is sitting in the rocker with a bundled up Benny in his arms. His eyes are closed, but I know he’s awake because he’s rocking Benny.
His eyes flutter open and lock onto mine. There’s this moment where the air around us is filled with an electric energy. I can feel the change between us as we stare into each other's souls.
The love and relief I see in his eyes has me striding across the room and over to him. He pauses his movements, bringing the chair to a stop just as I reach him. My mouth finds his, and the kiss is heart-breaking in the sense that we almost lost everything last night.
“I love you,” he whispers against my lips as we break the kiss.
“I love you too.” I do, I love him and his son so much it hurts. They’ve become a big part of my life, wiggling their way into having a home inside my heart. “I’m so sorry, Logan.” My eyes sting.
“You have nothing to be sorry for, Laney.” He cups the back of my head, bringing me down for another kiss. “You saved him. I don’t even want to know what might have happened if you hadn’t found him.” His tired eyes grow misty.
“I feel like some of it is my fault.” I swallow hard. “You know I’ve been staying away, and you know it has to do with Stacy.” He nods. “After you and Elijah went to grab the car the night Stacy took Benny back home after the game, I talked to her.”
“About what?” His brows furrow.
“She wanted me to stay away. She pretty much admitted that she was going to make your life a living hell because of your involvement with me. She didn’t like me being around you or Benny. She felt threatened. She was going to keep Benny from you for three weeks, maybe even longer, just to punish and control you. I couldn’t let it happen. It would have killed me knowing I would have been the reason for your hurt and pain, so I made a deal.”
“What kind of deal?” He frowns harder.
“To move out and stay away from you and your brothers for the most part.” I bite my lower lip. “I wish I didn’t make that deal. Knowing how much you were struggling, all I wanted to do was help. To ensure you could spend time with Benny and make your life a little bit better. Instead, I just made it more stressful. I’m so sorry for running out on you like that after you poured your heart to me. It killed me, Logan. I hated every moment. All I wanted to do was tell you I was yours, to be with you because I wanted you so badly. A life with you and this sweet little boy.” I look down and smile at Benny’s sleeping face, his little lips parted as he takes shallow, steady breaths. “It sounds amazing. I can’t help but feel like if I stayed, this could have been avoided.”
“Don’t.” Logan shakes his head. “None of this is on you, Laney. It’s all on her,” he growls. “She’s the fucked up monster who put her baby in danger, the one who used him as a tool to mess with people’s lives. She would have done that whether you stayed here or not.”
“I’m here now.” I press my forehead to his. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be by your and Benny’s side.”
He lets out a heavy breath. “I’d like that. I’d like that a whole fucking lot.”
“I love you,” I tell him again, and the smile that splits his sleepy face settles something deep in my soul.
“I love you so much, Laney. I’m sorry I tried to fight it for so long. Never again.”
“Never again. We’ll deal with our parents when the time comes. For now, it’s me, you, and Benny.”
“And my brothers and Kai.” He grins.
“You're okay with that?” I ask, searching his eyes.
“Not going to lie, I didn’t like the idea of sharing you before. I selfishly wanted you all to myself. But I’m not sharing you with just anyone. These are men that I love and trust. And I know they will treat you the way you deserve. So if I have to share, I’m glad it’s with them.”
“Would you fight me if I told you to give me this little man and go get some sleep? Because I’m going to assume you haven’t gotten any.”
“I can’t close my eyes, Laney.” His face pales. “I might be holding everything together on the outside, but I’m falling apart on the inside.”
My heart hurts for this man. I just want to take all his pain and make it better. “And I’ll be here, right by your side to help put you back together.”
“Fuck,” Logan curses. “What did we ever do to deserve you?”