Page 40 of Daddy Defender
But what if I let him in too far and neither one of us wants to turn back…
Chapter 14
Henry
The journey back from town was nice. It almost felt like something approaching normality. But I’m no fool. I’ve been in this game way too long to get comfortable when there’s danger in the air.
I have a duty to Bodie—and nothing is going to stand in the way of that.
The safehouse is quiet, save for the ocean’s low hum seeping through the cracked windows and the soft giggles coming from the living area.
That boy…
So sweet.
But with that side of mischief and mayhem to him too.
I lean against the kitchen counter, a lukewarm coffee in my hand, watching Bodie sprawled on the sagging floorboards.
The boy’s got Poot and Billy—his new stuffed duck with those ridiculous sunglasses—set up in a mock surf competition, cushions scattered around like waves.
I can’t help but smile as Bodie makes Poot “paddle” across a pillow, narrating in a high-pitched voice, “Go, Poot! Shred that tube!” Billy’s next, wobbling on a cushion as he declares him the “coolest surfer in the west.”
It’s adorable as hell, his Little side out in full force, and my chest tightens at the sight.
Bodie’s on his stomach, legs kicking in the air, his oversized tee riding up to show a sliver of freckled skin.
The boy’s a firecracker, all sass and defiance, but moments like this—him playing, lost in his safe Little world—make me want to drop everything and just watch the boy forever.
My Daddy side hums, picturing a life where this is normal: Bodie giggling over stuffies, me setting rules to keep him safe, coming home to his sketches and his smile after a mission. A beach house, maybe, with a big table for his art, a corner for his stuffies, and a bed where I’d tuck him in every night.
But that fantasy slams into reality like a rogue wave.
My life’s a minefield—Night Ops missions, blood, secrets I can’t share.
Most Littles can’t handle my life. I don’t blame them—sometimes I don’t even think I can handle it.
But…
Bodie’s different, though—stubborn, brave, with a spark that matches mine.
I just don’t know though… would he stay, knowing the truth about what I do?
The blood on my hands from ops gone wrong, like Hicks in Bogotá? That’s the kind of shit that you can’t unhear. I sip my coffee, the bitter taste bringing me down to earth, and try to shake the thought.
Hmm.
Maybe a Daddy like me doesn’t get forever, not with my kind of life.
Bodie’s giggle pulls me back, his blue eyes bright as he makes Billy “wipe out” with a dramatic flop onto a cushion.
“Oh no, Billy, you ate it!” Bodie says, laughing, his voice light and unguarded. It’s the happiest I’ve seen him since that diner, and it hits me hard—how much I want to protect this, to keep his world small and safe.
But Vince’s out there, a shadow creeping closer, and I can’t let his joy blind me to the danger…
My burner phone buzzes on the counter, sharp and urgent, yanking me from my thoughts. I grab it, my gut tightening as I see Cole’s name. His message is short, but it’s a gut punch:
C: Got intel. Vince hired mercenaries, cartel affiliated. They’re in Sunny Ferns, hunting Bodie, will be headed in your direction once they get a scent. My guess is Vince thinks he’ll rat to the feds, spill on his laundering on whatever the hell he’s been up to. I’m setting up surveillance—cameras, drones, local contacts. Stay sharp. They’re pros, not street punks. Update soon.
