26. Logan
26
LOGAN
I . Am. In. Love.
So freaking in love with this little girl sitting opposite me, face covered in ice cream as she talks my ear off, just like she has been all day.
She is just the cutest thing. We’ve had the best day together. She hasn’t asked me to buy her a single thing. Of course, she hasn’t had to. If she so much as glanced at it, it miraculously found its way into the shopping cart.
If Riley asks, I have no idea how it got there!
“No shopping day is complete without an ice cream reward,” I tell Aurora around my mouthful of chocolate chip.
She nods, face serious as though I imparted a priceless gem of wisdom.
Have I mentioned how head over heels in love I am with this kid?
Pulling out the list Riley stuffed in my hand before we left the house, I go through it, ensuring we have everything we need.
“Can you think of anything we might have missed?” I ask Aurora.
She taps her spoon against her lips, nose scrunching as she thinks. The whole thing is cute as hell.
“Jammies?”
“Got that.”
“Night light?”
“Yup.”
“Pancake mix?”
I chuckle. “And chocolate and bananas to go on top.”
“I fink that’s everyfing.”
My list is much longer than three items, but it’s good to know what Aurora considers the essentials .
“Good thing I didn’t listen to you about not needing a toothbrush, eh?” I tease, pointing at her chocolate-covered mouth.
Her eyes narrow adorably, but she doesn’t slow down as she shovels another spoonful into her mouth.
“Wouldn’t want all your teeth to fall out. Otherwise, how would you eat the delicious pancakes we’re going to make?”
We’re silent as I finish my ice cream and watch Aurora devour hers like someone’s going to snatch it away at any second. “Am I going to live wif you now?” she asks with an innocent tilt of her head, large eyes watching me over the tall glass of ice cream.
“Well, that’s where your mommy lives, so yup.” I give her an easy smile. I have no idea what she’s thinking, but it must be confusing for her. “Royce and Grayson live there, too, so it will be the five of us.”
She nods thoughtfully, but she’s worrying on her bottom lip, so I know something is bothering her. Instead of pressing her, I wait until she’s worked it through in her head. “What about those men…”
Fucking Bertram and David. Reaching across the table, I cover her hand with mine. “Sweetheart, those men will never take you away again, and they most definitely won’t be living with us.” My throat is tight, and god, I just hope I’m tackling this okay—the way Riley would if she were in my shoes. “Did, uh…” God , this is hard. “Did either of those men hurt you?” Damn , I really have to work at keeping my voice calm.
Staring at a spot on the table, she gives the slightest shrug of her shoulder, and my thoughts instantly spin out in a hundred different directions imagining all sorts of scenarios, quickly followed by various other ways in which I’m going to make Bertram pay for whatever the fuck he did to this little girl. My little girl.
“Aurora.” Although my voice is soft, the tone is firm, and I wait until she flicks her eyes up to mine. “Did they hurt you? Did they hit you or say mean things?”
Her lower lip trembles. Oh. My. God. I just found my very own personal kryptonite. Before I know it, I’m out of my side of the booth and sliding into hers. She’s so tiny and breakable as I pull her into my arms.
“It’s okay, sweetheart,” I whisper in her ear. “Whatever they did, it’s okay. You can tell me.”
Settling her on my knee, I fix her hair, giving her time to work through her feelings. “The mean one would shout at me,” she begins, and suddenly, I’m not so sure that I want to hear anymore. I’m already barely keeping a lid on my murderous rage. “And they never wanted to play wif me.”
I only got a brief look at David, but he seemed more of the sweat-it-and-stress type, so I’m guessing the mean one is Bertram. Her fucking father. I scoff at my own internal thoughts. That man is not her father.
My teeth grind. “Did either of them ever touch you?” Fuck only knows how that question doesn’t come out as an indecipherable snarl.
She shakes her head, and I swear, waiting for that answer took ten years off my life. I bet if I look in the mirror when I get home, I’ll find a gray hair.
“The mean one said hugs were for babies.”
I scoff. “He clearly has no idea what he’s talking about because hugs are the best .” Her eyes light up, and I promise to do everything in my power to ensure she only ever looks at me like that. “They literally cure everything. Bad day? Hug it out. Tired? Hug it out. Tummy ache from too much ice cream? Hug it out.”
She giggles at that, and the tension uncoils from inside me.
“You wanna hug it out, Pumpkin?”
Flashing me that toothy grin, she launches herself at my chest. Her tiny arms barely fit around my neck as I squeeze her against me before tickling her sides until she’s squealing with laughter.
Fuck, if I could get used to doing this for the rest of my life.
Aurora sits on my lap as she finishes her ice cream, and I watch her with awed fascination as snapshots of how life will look going forward fill my mind and flood my chest.
Aurora and Riley curled up in bed together.
Riley slipping out after Aurora has fallen asleep and sneaking into my bed instead.
Waking up beside my girl before getting up to make pancakes for everyone for breakfast.
Yeah, if I’d doubted it before, I know for certain now that here is where I’m supposed to be. I never would have lasted if I’d taken that offer to join the Pacific Penguins. Playing for the Timberwolves, I can be home for dinner most nights, we can watch movies together, and I can tuck her into bed. I want to be there for as much of it as I can.
“Riley’s going to kill you.”
“It’s not that bad,” I counter, staring at the mountain of bags covering every inch of floor in the living room. Gray’s just gotten home from work, and Riley and Royce should be home any minute. They just called to say they were grabbing takeout on their way back from campus. “Is it?”
I’m starting to have second thoughts about some of my purchases.
“You’re a dead man walking.”
Shit. I swear it didn’t look like this much when it was in my car. However, the fact I had to start asking shops to hold the items because I ran out of trunk space probably should have been a clue. This isn’t even all of it. Some shops offered a delivery, which I gladly took them up on when I started running out of space in the car.
“It’ll be fine.” I’m not sure if I’m trying to convince Grayson or myself.
The asshole makes a grunt of disagreement, and when I turn to look at him, I find him staring at a passed-out Aurora. A sugar crash is a real thing. By the time we made our last few stops and got home, she was passed out in her car seat. I brought her in and put her on the sofa, creating a pillow wall around her so she couldn’t accidentally roll off onto the floor.
I study him for a moment longer. His expression is part terror, part awe as he drinks in the sleeping child like he simultaneously can’t believe she’s here and doesn’t have the first clue what to actually do with her.
“She’s pretty spectacular.” My voice is low so as not to wake her, although considering she hasn’t so much as stirred as I’ve carried in bag after bag and box upon box, it makes me think it would take something close to the apocalypse to wake her from her coma.
Still not taking his eyes off the sleeping girl, he grunts. I don’t speak Grayson, so I don’t have the first fucking clue what he’s saying. Does he even know?
“It’s okay if this is weird for you.”
“Weird’s not the right word,” he muses. “...Surreal?” Tearing his gaze from her, he finally looks at me. “Is it fucked up that I wish she were mine?”
“I don’t think so. Is it weird that I already consider her mine? That I’d protect her with my life? That I’ve already decided no guy will ever be good enough for her?”
His lips twitch. “I think we can all agree she won’t be dating until she’s at least thirty.”
I make a noise in the back of my throat like a dying cat. “I was thinking more like forty. She’s already given me gray hairs. I don’t want to be bald, too.”
He’s fully smiling now as he shakes his head before the sound of the front door unlocking has us both turning in time to see Riley and Royce stepping into the house.
Riley’s eyes meet mine as she unzips her coat before darting around the hall, searching.
“She’s sleeping,” I explain before she can ask, indicating the living room where the little girl is passed out. “She tired herself out.”
Riley’s gaze shifts to the living room, her eyes going wide as her mouth drops open. Coat forgotten, Grayson takes it from her limp hands and hangs it up by the door while Royce stalks into the kitchen with the takeout bag.
I hear him return a moment later, but my eyes are stuck on Riley. I tense, nerves fluttering in my belly. “I may have gone a little overboard…”
“You think, Logan?” Riley retorts, still staring dumbfounded at the mountain of stuff.
“Dude, did you buy out the entire store?” Royce chuckles.
Rubbing at the back of my neck, I’m starting to feel uncomfortable as fuck. “We were having such a good time. I just wanted to make her smile.”
Riley finally tears her eyes away to look at me, her mouth closing as an empathetic smile graces her lips. She wraps her arms around my waist, and unable to resist touching this woman, I envelop her in a hug.
She simply breathes me in for a second before looking up, her chin resting on my chest. “Thank you. I’m sure she had a blast with you today, and it means so much to me. The stuff is… a lot. And she definitely doesn’t need it, but I’m sure it made her day. She’s used to my mom not caring and me having to say no ’cause I can’t afford it.” Tears sting her eyes, and I squeeze her tighter. “I hated seeing her smile dim every time I disappointed her, and while I don’t want her to become spoiled, I equally want her to have everything she’s missed out on.”
Bending my head, I kiss the top of her head. “I don’t believe for one second that you’ve ever disappointed that girl. She loves you. You’re all she truly needs. That, ice cream, and something called a princess castle doll house that I promised Grayson would help her build.”
“Great,” Grayson grouses in a low voice. “Exactly what I wanted to do.” He’s complaining, but there’s no real annoyance in his tone. Dude just has issues showing his softer emotions. I’m hoping Aurora will be able to help him with that.
Riley’s shoulders shake with silent laughter. Pressing onto her toes, she lifts her head and plants her lips on mine. It’s intended as a quick peck, but not giving two shits about the two assholes watching us, I slide my hand to the back of her head and hold her there as I deepen it.
As my tongue parts her lips and I fall into her essence, I know I could do this for the rest of my life. Shopping with Aurora. Roping my best friends into girly shit they want no part of. Coming home to Riley every night.
“Thank you for looking after her today,” Riley murmurs when she pulls back.
“Anytime, Shortcake. I loved hanging out with her and getting to know her better. You’ve raised one hell of a kid.” I stroke my thumb over her heated cheek as she ducks her head before pulling away.
“Please tell me what’s in the living room is everything you bought,” she teases.
“Uhh…”
“Logan!” she chastises, but she’s grinning too brightly to be truly annoyed. “Where are we even going to put all of this?” she asks, facing the mountain of bags and boxes. I don’t even remember what’s in half of them.
“We’ll figure it out,” Royce assures her.
She glances back at him over her shoulder before flicking her gaze to Grayson and arching an eyebrow. “Are you sure you still want us to live here, now that you’ve seen how much baggage a three-year-old comes with?”
Royce merely smirks. “I’m ninety-nine percent certain most of this is Logan’s baggage.”
Undeterred, Riley waves in the general direction of the living room before turning her back on it. Arms folded across her chest, she’s a warrior as she stands tall against the three of us. “It’s not just the stuff . Three-year-olds are hard work and exhausting. You’re all in your senior year. You should be out partying and enjoying your last few months of freedom.”
Eliminating the bit of space between them, Royce’s chest bumps against Riley’s, effectively pushing her back into me. Grayson steps up beside him, so the three of us crowd her. My hands fall to her hips, steadying her, and I like the feel of her sandwiched between us. She’s so much smaller than us that she has to tilt her head back, and something about the sight gets all my blood pumping due south.
Grayson’s voice is gravel as he drawls indifferently, “What has given you the idea any of us want to go out and party?”
“What about studying? How are you going to study with a screaming kid running around?” She’s grasping at straws, and based on the way her hands shake with anxiety, she knows it. She’s scared. Looking for any reason to push us away, but what Riley has yet to comprehend fully is that we’re not fucking leaving.
None of us.
Not now.
Not in five years.
Not ever .
We’re all in when it comes to her and her kid.
And in due time, she’ll realize that.
“Probably the same way you’re going to study,” Royce counters unwaveringly. “We have the schedule and factored in everyone’s extracurriculars. We can study at the library if we need to. Got any more excuses you want to try, Babydoll?”
She glares at him, and I have to bite back my laugh.
After a moment, her gaze flickers to Grayson. “What about you?” She doesn’t sound as fierce now, but I understand that she needs to be sure. That she needs to hear it to believe it.
Smirking like an asshole, Gray’s eyes shine with amusement as he raises a questioning eyebrow. “What about me?”
Ducking my head, I bring my lips to the shell of her ear. She shivers, and I grin at her reaction to me. “He’s as invested as we are, Shortcake. Moreso, even.”
“The schedule was his idea,” Royce adds. “ He was the one who said he’d look after her on weekends when you’re working, and Logan has hockey.”
“Assuming returning to Lux is something you’re considering,” I murmur.
She swallows but nods. “I want to—but maybe after we’re sure Bertram is no longer a problem.” Her lips purse. “I don’t want to leave Aurora if I don’t have to.”
Grayson makes a low growl of discontent at the mention of her returning to work—or maybe at the thought of his dad touching either of them. Either way, we all ignore him. Otherwise, the two of them will spend the rest of the night bickering.
When he doesn’t say anything, Royce jams his elbow in his side, and with a grunt and a death glare, Grayson exhales and meets Riley’s wide-eyed stare. “I might not know how to show it or what to do with a little kid, but I want Aurora here. We all do.” His tone is soft as velvet as his hand moves to cup Riley’s cheek. “So stop doubting us, and let us help.”
Her throat bobs. “I’m not used to having help.” Her voice is soft, vulnerable.
“I know, baby,” Royce soothes, and Riley practically melts against me. She’s protesting, but she doesn’t want to win. It’s painfully obvious.
“I’m scared I’ll let you all the way in, and you’ll change your mind. I couldn’t handle it if you broke her heart. I-it would break mine.”
Boxing her in so we’re a solid ring of muscle around her and all she can see is us, Royce soothes, “No one is changing their minds, Ry. There’s nothing you can do or say that will scare us away. We’re all in. All the way when it comes to you and when it comes to Aurora.”
He presses a kiss to her lips and the last of the tension drains from her body. “You don’t have to do this alone.” Another peck. “Not anymore.” Kiss. “Not ever again.” This time, his tongue slips into her mouth, and she moans into his touch.
The sound goes straight to my dick, and I pull her against me, bending to kiss the juncture between her neck and shoulder. “What do you say, Shortcake? You going to let us take care of the both of you?”
Her only response is another moan, followed by a soft whimper when Royce pulls back, staring down at her with piercing eyes that burn with desire. “Answer his question, James.”
“Yes.”
“Yes, what?” he pushes as I continue to pepper her skin with kisses that have her shifting against me.
She takes a moment, holding her gaze with each of us before nodding her head in defeat. “Yes, you can take care of us both.” A bite to her tone has me glancing up, chuckling at the defiant glare she’s giving Royce.
Royce simply smirks, his hand sliding to the back of Riley’s head and tugging on the strands, forcing her face upward. “So much attitude in such a tiny body.” His gaze slides to Grayson’s and then mine. “What do you think we should do about that?”
“Hmm.” I blow a breath along the bare skin of Riley’s shoulder, grinning when she shivers. “I’ve always found orgasms are a good way to release some of that tension.”
Riley chokes. “We can’t do that. Aurora’s right there .” She waves toward the living room.
“Logan fed her enough sugar that an atomic bomb could go off, and she’d sleep through it,” Grayson drawls, his dark eyes blown with lust as he rakes his gaze over her. Lifting a finger, he drags it down the center of her chest, between her breasts, to the top of her jeans, where he lingers with the tip of his finger just beneath the waistband. Leaning in, he nips at her lower lip. “Do you think you can be quiet for us, Tempest?”
Her gulp is audible, and a predatory smirk flashes across Grayson’s face. “Hmm?” he presses when she doesn’t answer.
“I-I don’t know.”
“Guess we’ll find out.” I need this woman so badly that the words come out as a growl when I haul her flush against me. Lifting her off her feet, I walk backward until we’re in the kitchen.
Royce and Grayson follow, practically incinerating her clothing as they mentally undress her with their eyes. Closing the kitchen door behind us, Royce reaches forward and tugs Riley from my grip, spinning her so her back is to his chest, and I have the perfect view of her flushed cheeks and glazed eyes.
Fuck, she’s so beautiful like this, all wild and wanton.
Royce’s hands slip beneath the hem of her long-sleeved top. His fingers stroke along her abdomen, causing her breathing to hitch and drawing my attention to the rapid rise and fall of her breasts. I can only see a glimpse of them through the V-shaped neckline, and my teeth grind, wanting to rip the damn thing from her so I can watch the way her rose-pink nipples would pebble beneath my gaze.
Royce works his hands up to cover her breasts, squeezing them until her eyes fall closed and she moans, arching into him. My dick is so hard that it’s painful, and it’s taking all my restraint not to steal her back and strip her naked.
“You see the way Logan’s looking at you, Babydoll,” Royce purrs in her ear. Her eyes snap open, pupils blown wide as she drinks me in. “See what you do to him. I think he deserves a proper thank you after today, don’t you?”
Licking her lips and utterly oblivious to how fucking tempting she looks right now, Riley nods. Reaching down, I squeeze my painfully stiff shaft through my jeans.
“I need your words, Ry.”
“Yes.”
With a gentle nudge, Royce whispers loud enough for me to hear, “Go show Logan just how much you appreciate him taking care of Aurora today.”
Stepping forward, Riley falls to her knees before me, and I groan aloud as she tilts her head back and stares up at me with wide, lust-blown eyes.
“Not this again,” Grayson groans under his breath. “I’m not fucking watching this time.”
I don’t give a shit what he does. I only have eyes for the red-haired goddess in front of me. “Fuck, Shortcake, you look so good on your knees for me.”
She knocks my hand aside as she slides her smaller one up and down the front of my jeans. “I want to take care of you, too.”
Fuuuuck. This woman is perfect for me. For us.
With steady hands, she undoes the button of my jeans and tugs the zipper down, sliding them over my hips until they fall to the floor. My boxers are next, and I toss my head back and groan as her dainty fingers wrap around my length.
“Shortcake,” I rasp, looking down at her as her hand moves up and down, working me over. Those beautiful hazel eyes lift to mine, holding as her mouth opens and she slowly threads my head past her lips.
She feels like heaven wrapped around me, her mouth warm and wet, her tongue driving me wild as it circles my sensitive slit.
Coming up behind her, Royce strokes a hand down her hair. She stiffens for a brief second, her movements stuttering, but Royce calms her, getting on his knees behind her and murmuring, “Look how good you’re taking Logan’s cock. Such a filthy little slut for us.”
She moans around my shaft, causing my hips to buck and pushing me to the back of her throat. Her fingers dig into my thighs, and I can’t wait to stare at the half-moon marks later and recall this moment. This fierce queen on her knees for me.
“Look at you, sucking Logan’s dick like a pro,” Royce continues to purr, his fingers undoing Riley’s jeans before sliding into her panties. “You love it when we fuck your face, don’t you, Babydoll?”
She moans around my cock, and unable to hold back, I slide my hand into her hair, pulling on the strands until I can fist them in one hand. My hips thrust forward, her throat constricting around me until I feel as though I’m about to explode.
I force it back, not yet ready for this to be over. Not until I feel her constricting around me while she comes.
“You like the taste of Logan’s cum, James?”
Fuck . I’ve never been one for dirty talk, but listening to Royce and watching the way Riley responds, her chest blooming red and her body rocking with her need for friction.
“Fucking soaked for us.”
I groan, the base of my spine tingling and my toes curling in my sneakers as I fight off the urge to come down her throat.
Royce chuckles, and I force my focus away from my aching ballsack, watching as he finger fucks Riley.
“I think Logan’s about to explode. You going to come on my fingers Babydoll so Logan can fuck your throat?”
Another vibration around my shaft has my knees threatening to buckle, and I let out a slew of curses.
One of Riley’s hands twists around her back, and she must stroke Royce through his pants because he smirks. “Such a greedy girl. Not satisfied with Logan, are you? You need my cum too?”
At her whimpered vibration, I bark out a strangled laugh. “I think that’s a yes.”
Her eyes flick to Grayson, who, despite his protestations, has remained a silent participant, watching from the sidelines. At the heat darkening her hazel eyes, I purr, “You want all of our cum tonight, Shortcake? Want all three of us to fill you up until you’re dripping?”
Her entire body shudders, and Royce groans as she likely constricts around his fingers. Her throat is tight as fuck, and it’s a miracle that I haven’t lost my battle against her hot wet mouth yet.
Royce grins, but it’s feral. “Let Logan fill your belly with his cum, and maybe I’ll consider filling that sweet cunt of yours.”
“Come with me,” I rasp, seconds from exploding down her throat. Her gaze flicks to Grayson again, and with a snarl, I snap at him, “Stop hovering and get the fuck over here. Give our girl what she needs.”
“Don’t tell me what to do,” he snaps. Still, he drops to his knees beside her and pulls up her top before yanking down her bra, sucking her nipple into his mouth. She fucking loves it—having all three of us worshipping her. Writhing on Royce’s fingers, she arches into Grayson’s touch as she hums around my shaft.
I can feel the stabbing of her nails in my thighs, probably breaking the skin, but I don’t fucking care. Nothing matters at this moment other than the four of us—our connection.
I hold off through sheer force of will until Riley comes on Royce’s fingers. As her moans vibrate along my shaft and her throat constricts, I shove myself deep inside, blocking her airway as I shoot jets of ejaculate down her throat.
Fuck, that’s the best blowjob I’ve ever received.
Royce barely lets me finish before he pushes Riley forward onto all fours, shoving her jeans and panties down her thighs. His pants are unbuckled, and he lines up at her entrance before driving into her.
“Oh god,” she whimpers, her body vibrating as Royce fucks her ruthlessly. “Yes. Please. There. Please, Royce. Please. I need to come.”
His breathing is ragged, his hair a mess as he fists the back of her head, forcing her back to arch and take him deeper. “Oh shit. Come for me, Ry,” he rasps, pumping into her twice more before his thrusts stutter. She comes with him, and Grayson hauls her into his arms before she can collapse.
“My turn,” he growls possessively. She’s as limp as a noodle as he lays her on the floor, splaying her out for him to admire as he peels off every inch of her clothing.
As her bra falls away, I notice the teeth marks around her nipple before he covers her with his body, already leaving love bites all over her. Possessive bastard.
It takes no time at all before he’s wound her so tight that she’s begging him for more.
“Please, Grayson,” she pleads as he strokes along her inner thighs, so close but not quite where she needs him most. Her hips rock, seeking the friction he denies.
“Please, what? What do you need, Riley?”
“You,” she whimpers.
Removing his lips from where he was planting open-mouthed kisses along her navel, he leans over her, arching a brow as he waits.
She huffs a frustrated breath, and I swear, if she were a dragon, steam would come out her nose. “I need you to fuck me.”
Oh Jesus, now I’m hard again.
Smirking like the arrogant ass he is, Grayson lines the head of his cock up with her entrance. “Fuck,” he hisses as he pushes inside her. “So wet for me.”
She moans, and I stare transfixed as Royce’s cum squeezes out of her cunt while Grayson bottoms out. Why is that so fucking hot? Our girl dripping with our cum. Fuck, I need to add my own to the mix.
I fist my already hardening cock as I watch Grayson roughly and thoroughly fuck Riley into the floor. Her head falls to the side, gaze zeroing in on my dick as I work it over. My heated stare roams over her face before dropping to her bouncing breasts. They’re covered in love bites, her nipples peaked and pointing toward the ceiling as they move in time to Grayson’s hard thrusts.
“I want to come on your tits. Can I?”
She hums in approval, kneading the soft flesh of her breasts as she brings them together. I shift onto my knees as I shuffle closer, pumping myself harder.
Her eyes are glazed over, her breathing rapid.
“You gonna come for them, Babydoll?”
She nods at Royce’s question.
“Words, Ry.”
“Yes.”
“Eyes on me,” Grayson rasps. His muscles are tight, and the veins along his neck are palpable as he restrains himself. “It’s you and me.”
“It’s us,” she moans before her head falls back and her spine arches, and she comes for the third fucking time.
“Yes,” I hiss, pumping faster until I spill all over her chest. I wait until Grayson slides free before gathering my cum on my fingers and pushing it inside her, twisting my hand to mix it in. Then I sit back on my haunches and stare at the creamy mess spilling out of her.
Hottest. Fucking. Thing. Ever.
“I should take Aurora shopping every week if this is the reward.”
Safe to say, we have all thoroughly worked up an appetite as I sag to the floor and haul her into my arms, pressing a kiss to her temple. I rest my head against the cupboard door while I catch my breath. We can reheat the takeout in a bit once we’ve recovered. Maybe after a dirty shower followed by a clean one because I cannot get enough of this girl.