Page 56 of Protected By Her Daddy

“Always am.” I pull Wren into my arms, the curve of her growing belly pressed between us. She’s so damn brave, giving me a watery smile like she’s sending a soldier off to war—not that I’m not used to that. But this is different. I press a kiss to her forehead, the weight of fatherhood bearing down alongside the familiar cloak of protector. My roles intertwining, shifting, becoming something new.

“I’ll be back before you know it,” I whisper against her hair, breathing in the scent of her shampoo. It’s one of those fancy organic brands that smells like real vanilla, not the cheap synthetic kind. I press my lips to hers with a hunger that’s only grown since the day I met her. It’s a promise, a reassurance, and a plea all in one.

“You won’t let them hurt you?” Her voice is barely above a whisper, her eyes shimmering pools that threaten to spill over.

“They won’t get the chance,” I affirm, my thumb brushing away the moisture of a tear from her cheek. “I won’t leave you like everyone else has. You’re safe here. Luther and Ethan are right outside the door.”

She nods, her brave smile not quite reaching her eyes.

I release her reluctantly and stride out of the room, every step heavy with the knowledge that I’m leaving her while she’s feeling vulnerable. Walking to the door, I slip on my jacket. Everything is on the line. For the little life growing inside Wren and for Wren herself. My world. My everything.

Ed’s waiting for me downstairs, his usual stoic expression in place. “Ready?” he asks as if we’re about to go to a ball game and not hunt down the scum of the earth.

I nod, and we head down to the lobby, where Ed has an armed team waiting.

“Fuckers think they can swan into my building with no warning like they’re out for an afternoon stroll,” I mutter angrily.

“If I had my choice, I’d kill them and be done with it,” Ed says, a muscle flickering in his jaw.

While that would solve the immediate problem, it could lead to more issues down the line—like retaliation from their associates. Not that I don’t have the resources to take them on, but no one is omnipotent.

“Where the fuck are they?” I growl when ten minutes pass with no sign of them. I tap my earpiece on my comms. “Team, report. You see them?”

“We’ve lost them, boss.”

“What do you mean, you lost them? How the fuck did they manage to give us the slip? They’re addicts, for crying out loud, not trained operatives.”

Static, then a response. “They were headed for the rear of the building, sir, but now there’s no sign of them.”

“Keep your eyes open,” I snap, frustration gnawing at my insides. How did they evade us?

Icy dread spears through me. It’s a gut feeling, one I’ve learned to trust in my line of work.“Ed, they’re not here for us. They’re going for Wren.”

Ed’s head whips toward me. “What? How could they?—”

Luther’s deep voice comes over the comms, cutting him off. “Boss, we’ve got a problem. Wren is gone.”

Chapter 17

Wren

I pace the penthouse once Gabriel is gone, fear and worry mixing with the nausea in my stomach. I’m angry that he didn’t tell me his plan, but I know it was because he didn’t want me upset.

I press a hand to my bump. “Don’t worry, nugget. Your papa knows what he’s doing. He’ll be fine.”

Despite my words to our unborn child, I can’t settle, knowing the man I love is out there because of me.

My mind races, going over my conversation with Gabriel. Something he said tugs at my memory.

I still don’t understand why you’re so important to them.

It’s something that’s bothered me from the beginning. Why go to all this trouble for a girl who lost them a “sale?” I can’t believe that’s their only motivation.

It’s not like you have anything on them.

I stop pacing, my heart thundering against my ribs. Oh, shit! What if I do?

Racing to the bedroom I occupied when I first arrived, I head straight for the closet. I yank open the door, tossing stuff behind me until I find what I’m looking for.

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