Page 27 of Protect Me Daddy

As he droned on about schedules and rules, my mind drifted.

Oh, Daddy, where are you now?

I imagined him tearing the city apart looking for me, his face a mask of righteous fury. The thought was both comforting and terrifying. What if he got hurt trying to save me? What if he found us too late? What if he never found us at all?

No. I couldn't think like that. I had to stay strong, had to believe he was coming. It was the only way I'd make it through this nightmare.

Viktor's voice snapped me back to the present. ". . .and remember, ladies. Cooperation will make your time here much more . . . pleasant."

As he turned to leave, his eyes locked with mine one final time. The predatory gleam there made my blood run cold. This was so much bigger than Earl's petty revenge, I realized. We were pawns in a game I didn't understand, and I had a sinking feeling we were already running out of moves.

The cell grew colder as night fell, seeping into my bones. I huddled closer to Lily, wrapping my arms around her trembling form. Other girls—some barely more than children—pressed in around us, seeking warmth and comfort.

"Tell us a story," Lily whispered, her voice small and scared.

I swallowed hard, forcing a smile. "Once upon a time," I began, my voice barely above a whisper, "there was a princess who didn't need rescuing."

As I wove tales of brave girls outwitting dragons and escaping towers, I tried to ignore the frantic pounding of my heart. Finally, I finished the story. “Sometimes princesses need to slay their own dragons.”

But my words sounded hollow.

In the distance, I could hear ships being loaded. The steady rhythm of cranes and forklifts became a countdown in my mind.

"They're moving us at dawn," a hollow-eyed woman murmured. "I've seen it before. With other shipments."

My stomach twisted. "We'll be okay," I lied, stroking Lily's hair. "We just have to be brave, like the princesses."

But I had a feeling that it didn’t matter how brave we were, bad things were going to happen to us.

Soon, the others were asleep. I was the only one still up, still huddled in the corner, arms wrapped tight around my knees.

That’s when I heard it. Far off, a series of faint pops echoed in the distance. Guards muttered urgently, their phones glowing in the dim light.

I peered through a gap in the boarded window, breath catching at the sight of dark figures moving across the warehouse yard. Their movements were precise, coordinated.

"There are people outside," I whispered to myself. "Something’s happening."

A deafening bang shook the walls. Blinding light flooded the room, leaving me dizzy and disoriented. Smoke stung my eyes and throat. A few girls—included Lily, shot up, instantly awake.

"Get down!" I screamed, pulling Lily to the floor.

Chaos erupted. Shouts and gunfire filled the air. Through the haze, I caught glimpses of tactical gear, weapons raised. And then . . . I saw him.

Dwight burst through the door, a force of nature in black body armor. Gone was my gentle Daddy, replaced by a warrior I barely recognized. He moved with lethal grace, each strike precise and devastating.

The guards, caught off guard by Dwight's sudden and powerful presence, fumbled for their weapons as he closed the distance with lightning speed. In a blur of motion, Dwight expertly disarmed the first guard with a swift kick to the knee, sending him crashing to the ground with a pained grunt. The second guard lunged forward, aiming a desperate punch at Dwight's jaw, but he smoothly dodged the attack and retaliated with a well-placed elbow strike to the solar plexus.

The guard staggered back, gasping for breath, as Dwight seized the opportunity to incapacitate him further. With calculated precision, Dwight delivered a series of quick and efficient blows, each one landing with resounding impact. Theroom reverberated with the sound of fists meeting flesh and grunts of pain.

As the first guard struggled to rise, Dwight swiftly subdued him with a deft chokehold, rendering him unconscious within seconds. With both guards now incapacitated at his feet, Dwight’s eyes scanned the room.

"Tilly!" he roared.

"Here!" I cried, struggling to my feet. "We're here!"

He turned, and for a moment, I saw my Daddy again in the relief that flooded his face. But then his expression hardened as another guard rushed him.

The third guard was bigger and more heavily armed than the others. He lunged at Dwight with a ferocious snarl, a large knife glinting in his hand.

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