Page 55 of Protected By Her Daddy

I lounge on the sofa, trying not to fixate on Wren as she shuffles through a baby name book. It’s like her belly has its own gravitational pull these days, and it’s all I can do not to orbit her constantly. Her breasts are swollen and tender, but she loves having her nipples sucked now more than ever. It’s an image I can’t get out of my head even as my gaze moves from her breasts back to her stomach, where she carries my child. She’s so tiny, and even at four months along, there’s a noticeable roundness that wasn’t there before.

I’m so proud of my wife, who is now the proud holder of an associate degree in business. She has the determination and intelligence to grow professionally within my company. I want her to have it all: a home, a family, and a career if that’s what she wants.

“Gabriel, what about Aspen?” Her voice is hopeful, but I can’t help but wince.

I lean back and rub my beard, giving it some thought… or pretending to. “Aspen’s cute, but I can hear the kids now. ‘Pass me the eraser, Ass-pen.’ We might as well hand out invitations to tease her.”

She glares, the delicate lines of her face pulling into a frown I find adorable. “Your mind is a cesspit.” Then, with a determined flip of a page, she perks up again.“Okay, how about Alberta?” She floats the name in the air between us.

“Alberta,” I repeat, testing it out. It’s got a vintage charm, I’ll give it that, but before I can weigh in, my phone buzzes against the glass coffee table, slicing through our quiet afternoon.

I lean forward and snatch the phone, glancing at the screen. Ed’s name lights it up. “Yeah?”

“Gabe, we’ve got movement. Looks like Gregory and Jerry are taking the bait.” Ed’s voice is low and steady, a contrast to the hammering in my chest.

“Are they close?” I ask, eyes flickering to Wren, who’s watching me with an unreadable expression.

“Three blocks. Heading this way.”

I nod, even though he can’t see me. “I’ll be right down.”

“Copy that.”

As I end the call, I see Wren’s gaze heavy on me. I set the phone down, trying to school my features into something less grim. “That was Ed. I need to step out.”

“Is everything okay?” Her brows knit together.

“Everything’s fine,” I assure her. It’s not entirely a lie. Everything will be fine once I take care of the trash daring to sniff around my family. “Just some business that needs my attention.”

The silence in the penthouse stretches, thick enough to slice, as Wren lifts her eyes to meet mine. There’s a tremor in those baby blues, a ripple of something that might be fear.

“Gabriel?” she whispers, and I can hear the question mark dangling at the end of my name. “What’s going on?”

I run a hand through my hair, buying time. How much to tell her? Honesty’s been our policy, but there are chapters of this book she’s better off not reading.

“Sweetheart,” I start, easing down beside her on the couch. She looks so damn small. “I’ve got a security team downstairs, waiting. Gregory and Jerry headed toward the building.”

Her reaction is textbook Wren; first that hitch in her breath followed by a flicker of angry fear darkening her features. I hate it. Hate that they can still cause her this distress.

“Because of me,” she states, not a question.

I capture her chin gently with my fingers, ensuring she sees nothing but resolve in my gaze. “No, because of me. I made them an offer.”

“What kind of offer?”

“A one-way ticket to Mexico and ten million dollars. And the understanding that they’ll reap the consequences if they show their faces in my city again.”

“You did that… for me?”

I sigh, stroking her hair. “When will you learn that there’s nothing I won’t do to keep you and our baby safe? I still don’t understand why you’re so important to them. It’s not like you have anything on them. But they’re on their way, and I plan to get answers. This ends today, Wren.”

She chews on her bottom lip, always a dead giveaway she’s processing, turning things over in her mind.

“Okay,” she finally says, nodding once sharply. “Do what has to be done so I don’t have to keep looking over my shoulder for them, especially after our little one comes. Maybe if Gregory is gone, Mom can finally find peace too.”

I nod and stand. “I’m putting an end to this for both of you. For all of us.”

“Be careful.” Her voice is small but fierce. She grasps my hand. Her touch is gentle, yet it steadies me more than a thousand words could.

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