Page 57 of Broken Prince
“Whatever,” I mutter as we get to the football field.
An hour later, the meeting is done and I find my shoulders heavy with the stress of what’s to come.
Coach reminded me that this is my last year, and while I have a spot on the Florida Bobcats, if I have a bad season, that could change.
Our first game is this weekend, and I’m not sure if I’m ready. It’s also my week with Benny.
Stacy asked to switch, again, throwing off my schedule. It seems like lately, she’s been giving me more and more time with him. And I love that. But because it’s not the set days I’m supposed to have him, I don’t know how to plan around it anymore.
I wish she would just give me full custody, she clearly doesn’t care about her time with him. But she won’t because that means she doesn’t have any leverage to control me.
How the fuck did that judge not see that Stacy doesn’t have Benny’s best interests at heart. She only wants to use him to toy with me. And it’s fucked up because that little boy is my whole life. How can he not be hers? She grew him inside her for nine months and gave birth to him.
Stacy might be the biggest mistake of my life, but she gave me the best thing I could ever have asked for. He’s the reason I haven’t pushed harder, wanting to give her a chance.
But if she’s just going to hand him off to me whenever she feels like it when it’s supposed to be her time, then I’m going to take her back to court. And preferably have a judge that’s not under her father's thumb.
“What's your day looking like?” Justin asks as we head back towards the main school building.
“I had a class this morning, two this afternoon, then I’m picking Benny up from daycare and heading home. You?”
“I was going to hang around Brent’s dorm and hope that his girlfriend brings her bestie, Kelly, over. But I think hanging out with you and B-man sounds better.” He shoots me a grin. “You think your new sister will be swimming? I bet her body looks banging in a bikini.”
White-hot anger flashes through me, and I punch Justin in the arm hard.
“Fuck, man!” he shouts, then groans, jumping back and grabbing at his arm. “And you wanna tell me you don’t like her.”
Damn him, and damn the reaction he’s getting out of me. He’s fucking with me, and I’m proving him right.
***
“There’s my little man.” I scoop Benny up in my arms, peppering his face with kisses as his giggles warm my heart. “Were you good for Miss Rachel?”
“He was the best,” Rachel answers, giving me a friendly smile. A little too friendly.
Rachel White is someone I grew up with, someone I hooked up with a few times. It’s weird that she also works at the daycare my son goes to a few days a week.
And it’s also awkward when she looks at me like she would like to repeat the past.
She’s given me her number and asked me out a few times, but I’ve always let her down nicely, telling her I’m not looking to date. That school, football, and Benny were my main priorities. And it wasn’t a lie.
The moment I found out I had a son, all interest in hooking up with girls went out the window. Would I love to have sex to burn off the tension that builds, sure, but it’s not worth the risk. My hand has been my best friend for almost a year now.
Or at least until I met Delaney.
One slip up and that's all it took for me to want to throw everything out the window.
Having her around all the time, knowing she’s sleeping just down the hall, and that at any moment I could slip into her room, into her bed, is driving me fucking insane.
“That's awesome.” I give her a polite smile. “Alright, big guy, let's get you home.”
“He just woke up from a nap and had a snack. I think he should be good until supper.”
“Thanks.” I nod. “Have a good night.”
With Benny in my arms and his bag in hand, I turn to leave. “Oh, Logan,” Rachel calls out.
Closing my eyes, I swallow down my groan of annoyance.