Page 5 of Protect Me Daddy

Big mistake.

In one fluid motion, Dwight launched himself at them, a blur of leather and rage. His fists were like hammers, his kicks blurs of lethal force. It was over before I could even blink, Earl and his friends reduced to a groaning, bloody heap on the ground.

“Fuck,” Earl groaned, “you broke my fucking arm!” His face was contorted in agony.

Dwight's presence loomed over them, his chest heaving from exertion but otherwise unfazed by the melee. "Touch her again," he growled, his voice cold as ice. "And breaking that arm will be the least of your worries."

Earl whimpered, nodding frantically. Dwight released him, and he scrambled to his feet, grabbing his friends and disappearing into the shadows.

The alley fell silent again, the only sound our ragged breathing.

Slowly, my eyes crept up to meet Dwight's. There was no judgment in those stormy depths, only concern. "Are you alright?" he asked gently, his voice soft and tender.

I nodded, unable to form words as a wave of relief washed over me. He was here. He'd saved me.

"Let's get you home," he said, carefully brushing the hair from my face. His touch was soothing, reassuring.

“This is actually my place here,” I said, gesturing to the door I leaned against.

“Convenient,” he said. “Although it’s not ideal that those guys know where you live.”

My breath caught in my throat.

“Am I in danger?”

He sighed. “I hope not. Plus, I’m going to make sure that you’re safe.”

The adrenaline began to wear off, and the weight of what had just happened crashed down on me. Forgetting myself for a moment, I took hold of his hand, desperate for warmth and reassurance.

"Thank you," I whispered, clinging to his hand. "I-I don't know what would have happened..."

"Shh," Dwight soothed, pulling me closer to his side. "You're safe now, that's all that matters. No one will ever lay a hand on you. I promise."

His words washed over me like a balm, chasing away the lingering fear. I knew he meant it. I realized that I was more than just grateful to him.

I was falling for my protector.

"Please," I whispered, hating how fragile I sounded. "Please don't leave me alone tonight." I don’t know why I said it, but I couldn’t help myself.

Something in Dwight's expression softened, a protective concern filling his eyes. He nodded.

In a blur, I somehow managed to unlock the door to my place. Once inside, the familiar surroundings only emphasized how wrong everything felt. I moved on autopilot, filling the kettle for tea. My hands shook so badly I could barely manage it.

"Let me," Dwight said gently, taking over.

I nodded gratefully, sinking into a kitchen chair. The sound of the kettle whistling pierced the silence, making me jump. As Dwight reached for a mug, my elbow knocked it off the counter. The ceramic shattered on the floor, the noise triggering something primal within me.

Suddenly, I couldn't breathe. The walls of my tiny apartment seemed to close in, threatening to crush me. Sobs tore from my throat as I gasped for air.

"I can't– I can't do this," I choked out between tears. "Sometimes I just... I wish I could go back. To when I was little, you know? When someone else handled all the scary things and I felt safe."

Dwight's strong arms encircled me, and I buried my face against his chest. In that moment, I felt truly protected for the first ti

Dwight's response surprised me with its gentleness. His hand on my back was warm and reassuring as he guided me to sit on the worn armchair.

"Let me take care of things for a while," he said, his deep voice soothing the frayed edges of my nerves. "You don't have to be strong right now."

Something in his tone made me feel instantly safer, smaller. I watched through tear-blurred eyes as he began tidying up withpracticed care, sweeping up the broken mug and wiping down the counters.

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