Page 4 of Damaged Prince
“So, this is why you snuck into the house so early in the morning all of those times?” I laugh, pulling back to smile up at his handsome face.
“Yeah,” he huffs out. “Sometimes I work late.” He rubs the back of his head, that adorable blush creeping back onto his cheeks. His expression shifts into something more serious. “Please don’t hate me, Laney. I’ll quit if you want me to, but please don’t hate me. Don’t give up on the idea of us.”
“Hey.” I cup his face, my brows furrowing. “I don’t hate you, Elijah. This doesn’t change how I feel about you. Do I like the fact that you’re showing your body off like this to strangers? No. But this is your life, and you have your reasons. I don’t have any right to ask you to do anything different.”
“But you could,” he insists. “If you wanted me to quit, I would. You're more important to me than this job.”
“Do your brothers know you work here? Your dad?”
“Kind of.” He chews on his lower lip. “They think I’m the bartender. They don’t know I dance.”
I nod my head slowly. “And they didn’t question you on why you have a job like that in the first place?”
He shrugs. “It’s kind of how our family works. Dad has money, and we’re welcome to use it when or if we need it, but being independent isn’t uncommon for us. To them, they just think I’m making my own money, saving up while I’m going to school.”
“And you're not?”
“Technically, I am. Every dollar I earn goes right into the bank. As soon as I have enough, I have plans to buy a place and open up my own dance studio.”
“Oh.” My smile brightens with surprise. “That sounds amazing.”
“Thanks,” he says, laughing softly.
“By the way it sounds, this is a big secret. Why?” God, Laney, you just said you wouldn’t push. Shut up.
He steps forward, cupping my cheek. “I’m gonna be honest with you, Laney, Logan isn’t the only one with a fucked up past. If anything, I think mine is worse." He gives me a sad smile, and my heart breaks at his confession. “There’s so much I want to tell you. And I will. But right now, I’m not ready for you to hear my truth and have it change the way you see me. I couldn’t live with myself if it did. But one thing I can tell you is, you saved me.” His voice cracks as he gives me a watery smile. “You brought the light back into my life when I thought the darkness was going to consume me fully. You gave me hope, something to look forward to. You make me believe I can be loved, that I’m worthy of being happy.”
“Of course you are.” My eyes well with tears, chest hurting with every word he speaks. “What would ever make you think you deserved anything less?”
“The monsters in my past,” he whispers, eyes dropping to my lips as his thumb brushes against my cheek.
“Elijah...” Emotion clogs my throat. What happened to this sweet boy that broke him this badly?
“It’s okay.” He smiles. “Everything will be okay. Because I have you now.”
My hand covers his. “You do,” I whisper. “And I’m not going anywhere, okay?”
“Okay.” He nods, leaning down to press a soft, lingering kiss to my lips. It sets my body on fire. I want to deepen it, turn it into something more.
“Ben, you better get that chick out of here before the boss sees. You know customers aren’t allowed back here.” A man steps out of the dressing room.
“She’s leaving,” Elijah assures him.
“Ben?” I ask, raising a brow.
“Ahh, we don’t go by real names here.” He rubs the back of his head. “Best to keep our work and private lives separate.”
“Makes sense.” I nod. “Ben,” I say, playing with the way it rolls off my tongue. “Not bad. But you don’t really look like a Ben. Also, it’s not much of a stripper name,” I joke playfully. “I was expecting Big Boy, or Dong Man. Something like that.”
“Dong Man?” He smiles, raising a brow. “Really?”
“You know what I mean.” I laugh, shoving him playfully.
“Well...” He says awkwardly. “It’s not just Ben.”
“Oh,” I squeal, lighting up. “There’s more? Tell me!”
He groans, tilting his head back like he’s in pain. “Only because you’re taking this a lot better than I thought you would.” He sighs, looking down at me.
