Page 136 of Broken Prince

Another wail sounds from the opposite side of the hallway.

Knowing I can’t leave until I find out where it’s coming from, I head towards the sound. The closer I get, I realize it’s a child crying. Or a baby?

“What the hell?”

At the very last door at the end of the hall, I hear blood-curdling screaming and my heart drops. A rush of adrenaline fills me as I’m quick to open the door.

Never in my deepest, darkest nightmares did I ever think I’d walk into this room and see this.

In the middle of the bed, there’s a little boy sitting there in nothing but a diaper. He’s screaming so loud his face is turning red, tears streaming down his cheeks as snot drips down to his mouth.

My heart fucking shatters, my stomach fills with bile. Because that little boy isn’t just any kid. It’s Benny. I can tell by the wild black curls on his little head.

“Oh my god,” I sob out, running over to the bed. I pick him up and hold him tightly to my chest. “It’s okay, baby boy. It’s alright. I’m here now. Shhh. I got you.”

I’m crying, almost as hard as he is, I can’t help it. I know I should be holding it together, but what the hell is going on? Why is he here, alone in this room?

She really couldn’t have brought him to a fucking party and left him alone in a bedroom to go and get fucking high and have a gang bang!

I’m going to be sick, this can’t be real.

But the screaming little boy in my arms brings me back to reality real fast.

He’s crying so hard he’s gasping for breath, his whole body shaking.

My heart is breaking into a million pieces.

“It’s okay, baby,” I sob, trying to rock him in my trembling arms. “It’s okay. It’s okay.”

It’s not okay. Because he’s also in a diaper that is soaked through, and I can smell poop.

How long has he been here in a soiled diaper?

I can’t just sit here and ask myself questions. I need to get help for him. Who do I call? The cops? Logan?

Oh god. Logan. He’s going to be destroyed. He is going to lose his fucking mind. And I don’t blame him.

The only thing I need to worry about is getting him out of here, away from that sick monster downstairs and to his daddy.

Shifting him to my hip, I wipe my eyes with the back of my hand so I can see the screen. Finding Logan’s number, I call it.

It rings a few times, but no answer. “Fuck!” I shout. It startles Benny, making him cry louder. “Shh, it’s okay, Benny. Laney is here. You’re safe. I won’t let anyone hurt you.” I bounce him as I go to Owen’s name. He picks up on the second ring.

“ Laney? Where are you?”

“Get Logan and meet me out front,” I say in a shaky voice. “Now!”

“What’s wrong? Is that a baby crying?” Owen’s voice fills with concern.

“Please, Owen. Now.”

“Okay.”

I hang up, tuck my phone in my back pocket, and rush out of the room. I don’t take the stairs I came up on, there are too many people at the bottom.

Thankfully, there’s another way down. I take those stairs, and they lead me to a door that opens to the side of the house.

Holding Benny tightly in my arms, I run. I run and run until I’m away from all the people on the other side of the front lawn.

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