Page 50 of Protected By Her Daddy

She bites her lip. “Is it too quick? What if you go off me when the baby comes? I’ll have saggy boobs and stretch marks. And God alone knows what shape my vagina will be in once I’ve pushed something the size of a watermelon out of it.”

I chuckle and shake my head. “If you think a few stretch marks could put me off, think again. Would you stop loving me if I lost my hair and gained thirty pounds?”

She pretends to consider it. “Well, now you come to mention it…”

I send her a mock glare. “Careful, baby girl, or I’ll have to punish you.”

She sighs and bats her eyelashes. “Promises, promises.”

“Come on. Let’s get you home and into bed until you feel better. We can skip the auction tonight if you like.”

Wren shakes her head. “No, it’s important. And I’ve been looking forward to a night out with my gorgeous husband. A few hours’ sleep, and I’ll be good as new.”

Back at the penthouse, I tuck her into bed with more ginger ale and her tablet.

“Rest up, you two,” I tell her, the corners of my mouth lifting at the thought of our growing family.

“You take such good care of me,” she sighs, snuggling under the sheets.

“Anything for my little bird,” I assure her before stepping out to handle some business. I glance back once more, taking in the sight of her. My future. Our future.

I close the office door behind me, my hand lingering on the cool metal before I turn and stride toward my office. The tablet lights up, and I tap to answer Luther’s call without missing a beat.

“Gabriel, we’ve got a situation,” Luther’s deep voice fills the room through the speaker.

“Hit me with it,” I say, swiping through the incoming photos with a frown.

“Two guys sniffing around campus, asking questions about Wren. Ethan and I went after them, but they were already in the wind.”

“Gregory and Jerry.” My voice is ice, my grip threatening to crush the tablet. How the fuck are they staying one step ahead of us?

“You and Ethan, get your asses back here. I want you with Wren twenty-four-seven.”

“Got it, boss.”

The line goes dead, and I’m already punching in Ed’s number. He answers on the second ring, knowing better than to leave me hanging.

“Ed, get up here,” I command, skipping the pleasantries.

“Ominous. On my way,” he replies, and I can almost hear the smirk in his voice.

Minutes tick by like hours until Ed strides into the room, his presence filling the space like he owns it. Which he kind of does, in a way. We’ve seen hell together; his loyalty is as solid as the walls of this penthouse.

He takes one look at my face and grimaces. “Talk to me, Gabe.”

“Gregory and Jerry were at Wren’s college.”

Ed’s jaw sets, his easy demeanor evaporating like mist in the sun. “Well, damn.” He rubs at the stubble on his chin. “It’s a bold move. They must know she’s with you.”

“Those fucker’s have a death wish. They’ve been biding his time, waiting for her to reappear.” I shake my head, my gut telling me we’re still missing something. “They may try to snatch her if they get desperate enough.” I pause, considering our next move.

“Have you considered offering them a bribe?”

My eyes fly to his. “You want me to pay them off?”

Ed shrugs. “Why not, if it gets rid of the trash?”

I glare at him. “Because it feels like giving in.”

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