Page 25 of Protect Me Daddy

Earl.

He stormed in, flanked by three men wielding guns that glinted menacingly under the fairy lights. I felt like I couldn’t breathe, like the world was falling away from under me. This couldn't be happening. Not here, not now.

Lily's hand found mine, trembling violently. All around us, screams of terror pierced the air, shattering our magical world into a thousand glittering pieces.

"Dwight," I whimpered, my eyes desperately searching for him in the chaos. But he was lost in the panicked crowd surging around us.

My mind raced. How had Earl found this place? How had he known I'd be here? The questions swirled, but there was no time to process them.

All I knew was that the safe haven I'd only just discovered was crumbling around me. And I was terrified of what would happen next.

I couldn't move, couldn't breathe. Earl's cold eyes locked onto mine, his face twisting into a cruel smile that made my skin crawl. This wasn't the same man who'd harassed me at O'Malley's. There was something far more sinister in his gaze now.

"Well, well . . ." he drawled, his voice chilling me to the bone. "Looks like we found ourselves a couple of pretty princesses."

I swallowed hard, tasting fear on my tongue. My fingers tightened around Lily's hand, trying to offer comfort I didn't feel myself.

"Tilly," Lily whimpered, "I'm scared."

"It's okay," I lied, my voice barely a whisper. "We'll be okay."

Chaos erupted around us. Security guards rushed forward, but Earl's men were ready, their weapons raised threateningly. Through the pandemonium, I spotted Dwight. My heart leapt—he was coming for us! But then I saw one of Earl's goons swing his gun towards Lily, and terror froze me in place.

"Stay back, narc," Earl sneered, "or the little blonde princess gets it."

Lily's sob tore at my heart. I pulled her closer, wrapping my arms around her shaking form.

"Please," I whispered, though I wasn't sure who I was pleading with—Earl, Dwight, or some higher power that might be listening. "Please don't hurt her."

I didn't have time to process what was happening. Earl's iron grip clamped around my arm, yanking me violently towards the exit. The sudden movement tore me away from Lily, and I heard her cry out in panic.

"No!" Lily screamed, struggling against the man holding her. "Tilly!"

Everything seemed to move in slow motion. I watched in horror as Earl's hand flew through the air, connecting with Lily'sface in a sickening slap. The sound echoed through the room, cutting through the chaos like a knife.

The casual brutality of it shocked me to my core. "Stop!" I cried out, my voice raw with emotion. "Please, don't hurt her!"

Earl's lip curled into a sneer. "Both of them," he barked at his men. "Double the leverage."

As they dragged us towards the exit, my eyes frantically searched for Dwight. When I found him, the look on his face made my heart stutter. I'd never seen such a combination of rage and fear in his eyes before. His jaw was clenched tight, his hands balled into fists at his sides.

"You're going to regret this, Earl," Dwight growled, his voice low and dangerous. "I'm going to tear your entire operation apart."

I wanted to call out to him, to beg him to save us, but the words caught in my throat. As Earl shoved me roughly towards a waiting van, all I could think was how quickly our magical evening had turned into a nightmare. The glitter on my cheeks felt like a mockery now, a reminder of the innocence that had been so violently shattered.

I stumbled as Earl shoved me into the van, my torn princess dress catching on the edge. The rough metal floor scraped my knees as I fell, sending a jolt of pain through my body. Lily tumbled in beside me, her small frame wracked with sobs.

"Shh, it's okay," I whispered, trying to comfort her even as my own heart raced with fear.

Earl's hulking form loomed in the doorway, blocking out what little light remained. He leaned in close, his breath hot and rancid on my neck. I shuddered, fighting the urge to recoil.

"Your Daddy's gonna learn what happens when he sticks his nose where it doesn't belong," he growled, his voice dripping with malice.

The van door slammed shut with a finality that made my stomach drop. Darkness enveloped us, broken only by the faint glimmer of streetlights through tinted windows.

Lily's quiet sobs filled the cramped space. I reached out blindly, finding her trembling hand and squeezing it gently. As we held onto each other, I heard a sickening crunch beneath us—our crushed tiaras, another casualty of this nightmare.

My mind raced, desperately trying to make sense of what had just happened. How had our magical evening at The Haven turned into this horror? I thought of Dwight's face, contorted with rage and fear. Would he find us? Could he save us?

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