Page 56 of Broken Prince

He’s with me two weeks out of a month, and I need to make each moment count. Being in the NFL right now with him being so young, I’d lose that time with him. And while I love ball, with it being a big part of my life, my son is my whole world.

My brothers and dad offered to help out when they can, and while that works for the most part right now, I will not have them put their lives and plans on hold to help me out.

He’s mine, my responsibility, and I will do right by him.

Now that school is starting up again, I have no idea how I’m going to make this work when he’s with me. Both of my brothers want to go pro in their respective sports. With school and practices, they already have a full schedule.

I might have to take Melissa up on her offer to watch Benny for me. Only for a few hours at most, so I can go to practice on the weeks he's with me.

Part of me feels bad about it, but at the same time, she practically ordered me to let her. She adores him, and it means a lot to me that she cares about my son. She’s a good woman; my dad is a lucky man.

She’s not the only one Benny’s managed to win over.

The way Laney is with Benny, watching him laugh and smile, and the way she lights up whenever she’s around him, it’s a fucking punch in the gut.

Because she’s everything I’d want in a girlfriend if I was looking. Smart, kind, funny, and loves my son.

But she’s my fucking stepsister.

“What do you mean, how do I do it?” I mutter to my best friend.

Justin and I have been best friends since kindergarten. He’s been by my side through every major life event. I couldn’t ask for a better friend.

“Live with Delaney. Be around her. How are you not going out of your mind? That girl, mmm.” He bites his fist, eyes rolling back. “She’s so damn fine,” he grounds.

It turns into a grunt as I punch him in the stomach.

“Fuck off,” I hiss.

“Ouch, man.” He pushes me. “That fucking hurt.” He grins. “Relax. Even if I find her hot as hell, I’d never do that to you. I know how much you like her.”

“I don’t like her.” I look away, shoving my hands in my jeans pockets. “I can’t like her.”

“Yeah, yeah, stepsister and all that bullshit,” he scoffs. “I don’t know why you're letting that stop you. I think forbidden love is hot. Think of all the sexual tension and stolen moments. The sex would be fire!”

“Again, fuck off,” I growl. “I don’t want forbidden and stolen moments. I need smart, stable, and serious. I have a son to think about and a career I’m trying to build. I don’t need stolen moments and tension.”

“Okay, and I get that. So, what? You're just going to shut your feelings off and pretend you don’t want her?” He gives me a look like I’m full of shit.

“I said, I don’t like her. It was one night and one night only.”

Justin bursts out laughing, and it pisses me off. “Dude, you and I both know that's bullshit. You like her, you're obsessed with her. You just don’t want to be. Because I damn well know you would be pissed off and jealous if you saw her with another guy tomorrow.”

I want to deny it, but I can’t. Seeing those hickeys on her neck... it fucking enraged me. I was plagued with nightmares all damn night, wondering who she was with, what they did together. Did she like him, or was it just a one-night stand like me and my brothers were meant to be?

Would he become her something more?

Was he better than I was?

All I could see was some faceless man thrusting into her, making her scream as he fucked her like an animal.

The idea of another man’s hands on her has too much power over my emotions, and I can’t afford to have that in my life right now.

She’s not mine. She can’t be mine.

But I don’t want her to be with anyone else.

Fucking hell.