Page 48 of Protected By Her Daddy

He closes his eyes, absorbing my touch. “I’m not sure how to take that, considering the men you’ve known.”

“Haha. You know what I mean. You’re incredible. You never lost your humanity despite your circumstances. I never believed in fate before, but God knows where I’d be now if you hadn’t come along when you did.”

“God rolls the dice, but fate doesn’t make mistakes.”

“Well, listen to you. Have you been reading that positive affirmation book Ed gave you again?” I tease.

Gabriel chuckles. “Yeah, but don’t tell Ed. He takes full credit for buying me that book and the success of Burns SafeGuard.”

“I love that you guys are close. Have you ever considered making him a partner?”

“I’ve asked him several times, and he always says no.”

“Why?” I frown, absently smoothing my hands over his broad chest. “Wouldn’t it make sense to have your best friend, the man you trust most, as your business partner?”

“I think it has something to do with him losing Meg,” he says thoughtfully. “Washington holds a lot of memories for him. They met here, got married here, were trying for a family when she died. Part of me wonders if he needs a fresh start somewhere else.”

“But his loyalty to you keeps him here.”

“Maybe.” He sighs. “But enough of this deep and meaningful shit, woman. You’ll have me painting my toenails and waxing my legs if I’m not careful. Let’s get you dried off and fed. What do you fancy?”

“Apart from you?” I smirk. “Can we slum it tonight and order greasy cheeseburgers and fries? And watch Mission Impossible? I make great butter popcorn.”

“Oh, I’d love to butter your popcorn, baby girl,” he grins, digging his fingers into my ribs.

I squeal with laughter. “You already did.”

Chapter 14

Gabriel

I tap my foot, the sound a steady rhythm against the floor of my office. I glance at the clock and then out the window overlooking the city. It’s time to fetch Wren from campus. She’s sitting her final exam today. I wanted to go with her, but an urgent matter came up, so I sent Luther and Ethan with her.

I rub my chest. Not having her near is like a physical ache. It’s bad enough that my little bird is out there without me, but knowing she’s at the college, close to the place that holds so many nightmares for her, is playing havoc with my mood.

Sometimes, it’s hard to believe we’ve been married for almost three months. It seems like Wren has been in my life, in my heart, forever. She’s slowly lost the haunted look she had when we first met, like she expected the world to crash down around her again. And who could blame her? Her life before, well, it wasn’t a life.

Wren has worked hard over the last six weeks, finishing her dissertation and studying for this final exam. This is the final push, and then we wait for her results. I’m confident she’ll succeed.

She’s already expressed an interest in working for Burns SafeGuard. In her dissertation, she proposed flexible plans for those on lower incomes—a subscription-based model for security services, allowing customers to choose from various tiers based on their needs and budget. My wife is a fucking genius, and I love that she’s always thinking about those less fortunate.

My little bird will fly high, and I can’t wait to see it.

I also can’t wait to see her round with my child, her skin glowing and ripe. The image has been haunting me for the last week since I heard her throwing up in the bathroom early one morning. She hasn’t said anything, but I know her period is late.

“Gabriel?” Ed’s voice breaks through my reverie.

I shrug on my coat. “Right, let’s move.”

The drive to the college should take thirty minutes, but Ed does it in twenty. I don’t do slow when it involves Wren unless it’s when I’m inside her.

When I pull up to the campus, there she is, looking every bit the college student with her backpack and blonde hair tied up in a messy bun. But she’s different from the rest. She’s mine.

“Hey,” she says, slipping into the back seat with a smile. “Hey, Ed.” She gives him a little wave, and he winks as he raises the privacy screen.

I reach out, cupping her head and pulling her in for a lingering kiss. “Hey, little bird. Missed you.”

“Missed you too, gorgeous,” she says breathlessly, her cheeks flushed from our kiss.

---