Page 29 of Protect Me Daddy

"This ain't over!" he roared. "You hear me, you little—"

The van door slammed shut, cutting off his tirade. I shuddered, pressing closer to Dwight.

"It's over for him," Dwight murmured, stroking my hair. "He can't hurt you anymore."

He held me tight.

The stark white hospital room felt both comforting and alien. I sat on the edge of the bed, my legs dangling like a child's, as a nurse finished checking my vitals. Dwight stood nearby, his presence a constant anchor.

When we were finally alone, the walls I'd built crumbled. I broke down, ugly sobs wracking my body. Dwight was there in an instant, strong arms enveloping me.

"Let it out, baby girl," he murmured, rocking me gently. "I've got you."

"I was so scared," I hiccupped between sobs. "But I kept thinking of you. It gave me hope."

Dwight's voice was thick with emotion. "Those hours searching for you . . . I've never felt so helpless. The thought of losing you nearly drove me mad."

I looked up at him, seeing the anguish etched on his face. "How did you find us?"

"I already knew the location of the warehouse, thank god. We’d been planning to raid it in a few months, but I used every resource, and every favor owed me to get the force to push it to last night. I would have torn the city apart to get you back. I had to break a few rules . . ." he trailed off. “But I’d do anything for you.”

We talked for hours, the words pouring out of us both. I told him about the stories I'd whispered to the other girls, trying to keep their spirits up.

"You were so brave," Dwight said, kissing my forehead. "My strong little princess."

"I don't feel brave," I admitted. "I feel... broken."

Dwight cupped my face in his hands. "We'll put you back together, piece by piece. I promise."

It turns out that Viktor got away from the warehouse. They hadn’t tracked him down yet, but Daddy was confident that they would.

“I’ve been on his trail for years. If I hadn’t rushed to raid the place tonight, I could have planned it better, made sure we caught him. But I didn’t have a choice.”

“I’m sorry Daddy, it was my fault.”

“No,” he said, deadly serious. “None of this is your fault. You were a victim, Tilly. You have no blame.”

I nodded and he kissed my forehead.

“I can’t believe I nearly lost you,” he said. “So soon after I found you.”

As dawn broke, we left the hospital. The world felt different – sharper, more dangerous. But Dwight's hand in mine was a lifeline.

At home, he ran a bath scented with my lavender bubbles. "Let's wash away the pain," he whispered, helping me into the warm water.

I closed my eyes, letting the familiar scents soothe me. Dwight's gentle hands washed my hair, his touch erasing the memory of rougher hands.

It was so good to back with him.

Later, warm and dry and very safe, I curled into Dwight's protective warmth on the couch, my body still aching but my heart finally at peace. The familiar scents of Dwight’s place—vanilla candles, old leather, Daddy's cologne—washed over me, erasing the last traces of that horrible warehouse.

"How are you feeling, princess?" Dwight murmured, his fingers tracing soothing patterns on my arm.

"Safe," I whispered.

“I never want you to feel in danger again.”

He shifted, pulling away slightly. Before I could protest, he slid off the couch and knelt before me. My breath caught as I took in his earnest expression.

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