Page 17 of Broken Prince
“But one night, our football team lost a pretty big game. I was pissed, needed to get my mind off things. I drowned my sorrows in a bottle of tequila. We were at a party that was meant to celebrate our big win. She was there. She offered to take my mind off of it. I was drunk, stupid, and horny.” He scoffs, shaking his head.
“Months later, she tells me she's pregnant, and the baby is mine. Of course, I think she’s full of shit. It was no secret she didn’t just want me for me, she wanted me for my money. When the baby was born, we did a DNA test, and she was right. He was mine.”
“Wow,” I whisper, taking in all this heavy information. A part of me likes the fact he feels comfortable enough to tell me all this.
“Tell me about it. Anyway, as soon as we got those results, we set up a custody agreement. I wanted full custody because the idea of my son growing up in that kind of world didn’t sit right with me. But the judge only agreed to fifty/fifty. I get him one week at a time, then he goes back to his mother for another week, then back to me.”
“You said she’s not a good person. Is she a good mom?”
“I don’t really know.” He shrugs. “There are’s no marks on him; he seems fed and changed every time I get him. He’s a happy little boy. But I can’t help but feel like when I see her with him, it’s all for show. Like someone else is taking care of him when he’s over there. Maybe her mom or a nanny, I don’t know. I just get this feeling that she doesn’t want a kid but wanted to tie herself to me for life. She tried to get us to be a family, to be my girlfriend, and for me to marry her. I turned that down real fast. She might be the mother of my child, but I don’t have feelings for her... well, nothing but hate. I feel bad for hating my son’s mom, but I can’t help the way she treats me.” He sighs again and looks away.
“So, the judge just let some criminal's daughter keep your son? How is that right?”
“There’s a lot about this world you don’t understand, Laney,” Logan says, not looking at me. “We have money, but so do they. It’s not anywhere near what we have, but he also has fear and intimidation on his side. Wouldn’t surprise me if her dad bought off the judge.”
“I don’t know what to say,” I tell him honestly. “Except, I’m sorry you have to deal with that. It must be hard.”
He looks over at me. “You don’t have to say anything. I wanted to tell you all of this because I want you to understand.”
“Understand what?” My brows furrow.
“When I left that night without a goodbye, I didn’t do it because I didn’t want to see you. I got a call from Stacy, telling me I had to take Benny a few days early because she had plans, and if I didn’t, she would find someone else to watch him. I’m not one to turn down extra time with him, and I’d rather be the one to watch him over god knows who she would have gotten. So, I got on the next plane back home.”
“Oh.” It’s my turn to look away, my heart pounding in my chest. “So, you didn’t ghost me because you regretted your time with me?” I ask, my eyes finding his again.
He shakes his head. “I don’t regret a single moment of my time with you, Laney. You were everything I needed in that moment. And if life were different, I’d be trying so hard for more.”
My gut turns as tears sting the back of my eyes. I look away again, willing myself not to cry. This isn’t what I wanted anyway. Nothing serious. A one-night stand was all he was meant to be; all any of them were meant to be.
Then why do I find myself so damn sad that they turned out to be James’ sons. That there can never be something between us again. Maybe a part of me just wants to be loved and wanted. Kyle really fucked me up on that one.
“I like you, Delaney, maybe more than I should because I don’t have time for anything else in my life. With school, football, and a baby, I’m just barely hanging on. I need to be the best me for Benny. He’s my top priority.”
“As he should be.” I give him a sad smile. “I like you too.” I laugh. “But I understand. Maybe in another world, huh?”
“Yeah.” He looks disappointed to say that.
“But friends. I think friends would be perfect because, I’m gonna tell you now, I plan on hogging that little boy any chance you let me.”
Logan laughs, a real one, and god, I think it makes this hurt worse. “I’d like that. Benny deserves all good people in his life.”
“How do you know I’m good people?” I tease.
“I just know,” he replies simply. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to get to know you better.”
“Right back at you, Mr. Football Player.” I grin. “And here I thought you were just some sexy bartender.”
“I’m a jack of all trades, baby.” He winks, making me laugh.
“I look forward to seeing what other talents you have hidden away.”
We stare at each other, this electrically charged energy surging between us. For a long tension-filled moment, I think he’s about to say something, do something. But then there's a sweet little baby cry that comes from the baby monitor, popping our little bubble.
“I better go check on him,” Logan says, hesitating as he stands up.
He gives me a tight-lipped smile before heading back into the house, leaving my mind even more of a mess than before.
First Owen, now Logan. Their words say friends-only, but their actions say the opposite.