Chapter 29

Delaney

Gasping in a lungful of air, I shoot up into a sitting position. I’m shaking, body dripping in sweat.

“It was just a nightmare,” I tell myself, eyes blinking rapidly as I take in my surroundings.

Frowning, I realize I’m not in my dorm room, I’m in my room back at the house.

For a moment, I wonder how the heck I got here, and then I remember.

Tears sting my eyes as nausea sinks into my belly like a rock. I’m scrambling out of bed and racing towards the door within seconds.

I’m somehow dressed in my own pajamas, meaning someone must have changed me into them.

Last I remember, I was being pulled off Stacy by Owen and carried away. I wish he didn’t stop me. I wanted to keep going so that she could never open her eyes again.

The thought concerns me. I’ve never been a violent person before, but what she did to that sweet baby boy is unforgivable.

I’m not sure where to go or who to seek out first, so I head down to the kitchen to see if anyone is up.

I don’t even know what time of day it is.

When I get into the kitchen, I see Mom and James standing next to a police officer. Mom looks exhausted, and James looks destroyed.

Not wanting to interrupt them, I take a few steps back.

Turning around, I find Owen making his way down the stairs. “Laney,” he whispers, worry etched on his face as he rushes over to me. He pulls me into his arms and hugs me tight to his body. I wrap my arms tightly around him, afraid to let go.

“Tell me you're okay,” he murmurs against the top of my head.

“I’m not, Owen. How could I be?” I pull back to look up at him with watery eyes. “Tell me it’s all a big nightmare that I drank last night and passed out sometime after the bounce house.”

He gives me a pained look. “I wish I could, baby.” He brushes the hair out of my face. “I really fucking wish I could.”

“Is he okay?” my voice breaks as I think of Benny, the sound of his cries echoing inside my mind.

“He’s okay.” Owen gives me a small smile, but it looks like it’s taking everything in him to do it. “He’s here, upstairs, sleeping. Logan is with him, he hasn’t left his side.”

“Logan.” I close my eyes, the tears spilling as I do. “He must be devastated.”

“He is. But he’s strong. At least, he’s trying to be for Benny.”

“How did I get home, and what happened after I took off?”

“I stayed with Logan until the police and EMTs got there, and once I knew they were both in good hands, I took off after you.” He cups the back of my head.

“You pulled me off her,” I whisper.

“I had to. Only because I wasn’t going to lose you, Laney. You would have gone to jail if she died of anything but an OD. That can’t happen. I need you, E needs you, Logan and Benny sure as hell need you. She’s not worth losing your life over.”

“What happened to her?” If she got off easy, I will track her down and end her myself.

“She’s in the hospital right now, but she’s under arrest. Once she’s stable enough, they’re going to take her to the local jail. As far as we know, there’s no bail being posted. But we do need to be ready for that to happen,” Owen growls. “Her slimy-ass fucking family is going to try and make sure of it.”

“But there’s proof of child endangerment!” I gape up at him in horror.

“I know, and the police said that Benny will remain in Logan’s custody. We were able to get his case in front of a judge, and the judge granted Logan emergency full custody.”

“Thank god,” I sob out in relief, scrubbing my eyes with the palms of my hands. “He won’t ever feel that pain again.”

“No, he won’t,” Owen says with promise. “She won’t ever see him again. And once we build a case against her, we can get her charged and hopefully locked up for child abuse and neglect. The videos on your phone will help a whole fucking lot.”

My eyes widen. He must have watched at the one I took before. “The one I took of her shooting up?” Owen nods. “I really hope they can use it.”

“I’m sure they will. Our lawyers are already hard at work. Anything we can use against her will be vital.”

My face falls. “I made a deal with her.” My eyes widen. “That if she didn’t take Benny away from Logan, I’d move out and stay away from all of you.”

“We assumed as much.” Owen kisses my forehead. “Based on what we talked about before you left and all the other things we’ve noticed.”

“You don’t hate me?”

“Never. And I know Logan doesn’t either.”

“Do you think he would be okay if I went up to see him?” I ask, looking up at the top floor.

“He should be up still. He hasn’t slept all night. But I know he’s been worried about you, he asked me to look after you. I was using the bathroom when I came out to find you were no longer in bed.”

“Oh.”

“They took Benny to the hospital and got him checked out. He’s okay, aside from a little bit of dehydration and a real bad rash. No, not even a rash; they are massive blisters. He’s on medicated ointment.”

Tears slip from my eyes, knowing Benny must still be in pain.

“He’s going to be okay.” Owen pulls me into his arms. “He has us; he’s loved and safe. He’s going to be okay.”

“I need to see him.” Owen nods, then bends down to kiss me.

“I’ll be here if you need me.”

“Okay.” I nod.

My stomach is a wreck as I head up the stairs. Each step feels harder and harder to take.

When I reach Benny’s door, I stand there with my hand on the handle for a long moment before pushing it open.

Immediately, my attention is drawn to the corner of the room. Logan is sitting in the rocker with a bundled up Benny in his arms. His eyes are closed, but I know he’s awake because he’s rocking Benny.

His eyes flutter open and lock onto mine. There’s this moment where the air around us is filled with an electric energy. I can feel the change between us as we stare into each other's souls.

The love and relief I see in his eyes has me striding across the room and over to him. He pauses his movements, bringing the chair to a stop just as I reach him. My mouth finds his, and the kiss is heart-breaking in the sense that we almost lost everything last night.

“I love you,” he whispers against my lips as we break the kiss.

“I love you too.” I do, I love him and his son so much it hurts. They’ve become a big part of my life, wiggling their way into having a home inside my heart. “I’m so sorry, Logan.” My eyes sting.

“You have nothing to be sorry for, Laney.” He cups the back of my head, bringing me down for another kiss. “You saved him. I don’t even want to know what might have happened if you hadn’t found him.” His tired eyes grow misty.

“I feel like some of it is my fault.” I swallow hard. “You know I’ve been staying away, and you know it has to do with Stacy.” He nods. “After you and Elijah went to grab the car the night Stacy took Benny back home after the game, I talked to her.”

“About what?” His brows furrow.

“She wanted me to stay away. She pretty much admitted that she was going to make your life a living hell because of your involvement with me. She didn’t like me being around you or Benny. She felt threatened. She was going to keep Benny from you for three weeks, maybe even longer, just to punish and control you. I couldn’t let it happen. It would have killed me knowing I would have been the reason for your hurt and pain, so I made a deal.”

“What kind of deal?” He frowns harder.

“To move out and stay away from you and your brothers for the most part.” I bite my lower lip. “I wish I didn’t make that deal. Knowing how much you were struggling, all I wanted to do was help. To ensure you could spend time with Benny and make your life a little bit better. Instead, I just made it more stressful. I’m so sorry for running out on you like that after you poured your heart to me. It killed me, Logan. I hated every moment. All I wanted to do was tell you I was yours, to be with you because I wanted you so badly. A life with you and this sweet little boy.” I look down and smile at Benny’s sleeping face, his little lips parted as he takes shallow, steady breaths. “It sounds amazing. I can’t help but feel like if I stayed, this could have been avoided.”

“Don’t.” Logan shakes his head. “None of this is on you, Laney. It’s all on her,” he growls. “She’s the fucked up monster who put her baby in danger, the one who used him as a tool to mess with people’s lives. She would have done that whether you stayed here or not.”

“I’m here now.” I press my forehead to his. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be by your and Benny’s side.”

He lets out a heavy breath. “I’d like that. I’d like that a whole fucking lot.”

“I love you,” I tell him again, and the smile that splits his sleepy face settles something deep in my soul.

“I love you so much, Laney. I’m sorry I tried to fight it for so long. Never again.”

“Never again. We’ll deal with our parents when the time comes. For now, it’s me, you, and Benny.”

“And my brothers and Kai.” He grins.

“You're okay with that?” I ask, searching his eyes.

“Not going to lie, I didn’t like the idea of sharing you before. I selfishly wanted you all to myself. But I’m not sharing you with just anyone. These are men that I love and trust. And I know they will treat you the way you deserve. So if I have to share, I’m glad it’s with them.”

“Would you fight me if I told you to give me this little man and go get some sleep? Because I’m going to assume you haven’t gotten any.”

“I can’t close my eyes, Laney.” His face pales. “I might be holding everything together on the outside, but I’m falling apart on the inside.”

My heart hurts for this man. I just want to take all his pain and make it better. “And I’ll be here, right by your side to help put you back together.”

“Fuck,” Logan curses. “What did we ever do to deserve you?”

“You just had to be you.” I smile, brushing his cheek with my thumb. “But the adorable baby helps.”

He chuckles, and god, it sounds so good to hear.

“If it makes you feel better, I’ll sit in the bed with you, hold him safely in my arms, and watch TV while you sleep.”

“You would do that for me?” he asks the vulnerability back in his eyes.

“I think we both know I’d do a lot for you, Logan. And a hell of a lot more for your son.”

“Yeah,” he says softly, smiling. “You would.”

I follow Logan to his room. I can tell it hurts for Logan to hand Benny over, but he does. It means so much to me that he trusts me with the most precious thing in his life.

True to my word, I lay in his bed with Benny on my chest as Logan sleeps.

He doesn’t sleep well, his exhaustion putting him in a shallow restless sleep. When his brows furrow, I smooth them out with my thumb, whispering that I'm here with him, that everything will be okay.

“I’m going to stand by your Daddy’s side,” I whisper to Benny as he sleeps soundly, brushing my lips against the top of his head. “I’m not going anywhere. No one will hurt you again.”

That's something I know everyone in this family will make sure of. Stacy’s dad might hold a lot of power over this town, but I don’t think they understand just how much the Cross’ love their family.

I couldn’t have asked for a better family to call mine.