Page 64 of Damaged Prince
Benny’s excited squeal has my bad mood drifting away.
“There’s my little man.” I smile wide, rushing over to him. He’s messy, food all over his face, but I don’t care. Scooping him up, I hug him close, peppering kisses all over his sticky face.
“Yum, strawberries and baby drool.” I laugh when Benny screams in excitement and shoves his chubby little fist in my mouth.
“Just for you,” Mom laughs.
“Let’s get you cleaned up, huh?” I coo. “I got him from here.”
Taking Benny upstairs, I get him in the bath.
We’re playing with bubbles when Logan comes in.
“Now this is what I want to come home to.”
“Hey, you.” I smile up at him. “How was your day?”
“It was okay.” He shrugs. “Better now that I’m here with my two favorite people.”
Benny starts splashing with excitement at the sight of his dad.
“Hey, little man.” Logan grins wide. “How's my boy?”
“He was a sticky mess. So, I thought a bath was needed.”
“Good call,” Logan chuckles. “Let’s get you dried off and dressed.”
Logan lifts Benny out of the bath while I grab him a diaper and some clean clothes. After Benny is dressed, he rubs at his eyes, looking a little sleepy.
“Your mom said he was up all day. No naps,” Logan says, rubbing a hand over Benny’s black curls. “So, I think it’s gonna be an early night for this guy.”
“You ready for bed, baby boy?” I ask, kissing the top of his head. He snuggles into me, and my heart melts.
“I’ll rock him to sleep. You go get something to eat.”
As I go to hand Benny over to Logan, Benny starts to cry, his little fists grabbing onto my shirt. “Mamamamama.”
My eyes widen as I stare at Logan in shock.Did he... did he just call me Mama?
“It’s okay, sweetheart. Go to daddy.” I try again, but Benny screams, clinging to me even harder. Pulling him close to me, heburies his face into my neck, calming down. He mumblesMama,over and over again.
“Well, look at that,” Logan chuckles softly. I look up to see tears in his eyes, this big smile on his face. “Looks like you can never leave me now, Siren. Benny just claimed you as his mama.”
“Well, shit,” my voice cracks, emotions I’ve never felt before swelling inside me. My own eyes sting as I lean back in the rocking chair, holding this sweet little boy in my arms.
“Is that okay?” Logan asks after a few moments of me not saying anything.
“Okay?” I laugh in disbelief. “It’s more than okay. I love this little boy with all my heart. And for him to see me like that, to see me as his... fuck.” I close my eyes.
“You deserve it, Laney. You’ve been more of a mother to that little boy than his own. He loves you, trusts you. So do I. I can’t think of a better mom for Benny than you, baby.”
“Ugh,” I groan before Logan kisses me.
My damn heart explodes, and I can’t stop crying. Happy tears are always welcome, and at a moment like this, I don’t think I’ve felt so much joy in my life.
Whatever is going on with Owen and me can wait. Right now, I need to focus on the people who want me. Who need me. Who depend on me. And if he doesn’t want to be one of those people? Then I'm just going to have to accept that.
No matter how much it hurts.
