Page 47 of Wild Daddy

"Good," I say, voice breaking. "Because neither do I. And I'm excited to find out."

The silence stretches between us, heavy with nineteen years of expectations and control.

Finally, my father shakes his head. "We're done here."

The door closes behind them with devastating finality.

For a moment, the only sound is my heart hammering against my ribs, blood rushing in my ears. Then Cade's there, massive hands cupping my face, forcing me to look at him.

"Fuck, baby girl." His voice is rough, shaking. "You were so fucking perfect. So brave."

"I think I just destroyed my entire family," I whisper.

"No." His thumbs brush away tears I didn't know I was crying. "You just saved yourself from people who never deserved you." His forehead presses against mine. "Christ, Marley. Watching you up there, telling the truth, choosing yourself... I've never been so fucking proud of anything in my life."

"They're never going to forgive me."

"Good. Means you did it right." His arms slide around me, pulling me against his chest until I'm surrounded by him. "You don't need their forgiveness, little girl. You need to live your own fucking life. But, they do love you. I can see it. They’ll come around. They have to go loosen up the springs they’ve got up their asses. It will take time, but it will happen."

"I'm scared," I admit.

"I know you are." His voice drops to that growl that makes my knees weak. "But you're not doing this alone. You're mine now, baby. Mine to protect, mine to take care of, mine to love. And I'm going to spend every day making sure you know you're enough. Just as you are."

"Ms. Voss?" Dr. Brooks approaches, her eyes bright with excitement. "If you're serious about journalism, I have contacts at several publications that would kill for this kind of fearless reporting. The courage to examine your own life this honestly? That's exactly what the field needs. You took a huge risk today. We need more of that."

I look up at her, this stranger who sees something in me. Potential. "Really?"

"Hell yes. You just proved you're willing to blow up your entire life for truth. That's what great journalists do."

As the committee files out, discussing my "unconventional but compelling methodology," I stay wrapped in Cade's arms, processing the magnitude of what just happened.

I just submitted my love story as academic research. I chose authenticity over approval, truth over reputation, love over fear.

And somehow, impossibly, it feels like victory.

"So," Cade says quietly, his voice still rough with emotion, "what happens now? What do you want from your life?"

"Now?" I look up at him, this man who saw my potential when I couldn't see it myself, who loved me into becoming real. "Now I stop apologizing for who I am. Sometime soon I'll make a decision about the future, but not today and not tomorrow. For now, there's only one thing I want."

"Tell me, baby girl."

"Us." I rise up on my toes to kiss him, right here in the academic conference room where I just defended my thesis on falling in love with my wilderness instructor. " I plan to research us very thoroughly. For the rest of my life, actually. And, I'd like to spend some time in the toy aisles at Target. I want to be...frivolous."

His laugh is rich and warm and possessive as hell. "Fuck yes. Whatever you want, little girl. An unlimited budget in the toy aisle. Anything that makes you happy."

"I love you, baby."

"I love you too, Daddy."

The word still sends electricity through both of us, but now it's ours. Our secret language, our private truth, our perfect imperfection.

And for the first time in my life, that's enough.

More than enough.

It's everything.

Twelve

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