Page 75 of Daddy Defender
And just like that, my Daddy scoops me up, stuffies too, his arms strong despite his injuries, and I squeal, my Little side delighted as he carries me to the bedroom.
The room’s small, the bed a mess of blankets from this morning, but it feels safe, ours.
Henry sets me down, tucking Poot and Billy beside me, his hands gentle as he pulls the covers up.
“You were so brave tonight, Bodie,” Henry says, his voice soft, his Daddy tone wrapping around me like a blanket. “Warningme about that SUV, waiting like I asked. I’m proud of you, Little One.”
My cheeks flush, my Little side glowing, and I snuggle into the pillows, his praise making me feel ten feet tall.
“Thanks, Daddy,” I say, my voice small, sleepy. “I just wanted to be good for you. Like at Mavericks, when I rode that huge wave. I was scared, but I did it. For you, I’d do anything.”
Henry’s eyes soften, and he sits on the bed’s edge, brushing a strand of hair from my face.
“I know you would, sweet boy,” Henry says. “And I’d do anything for you. Now, how about a bedtime story to send you off? One with waves and stuffies, just like you like.”
I nod, my eyelids heavy, my Little side sinking into Little Space.
“Yes, please, Daddy,” I mumble, clutching Billy’s sunglasses, Poot’s tusk poking my cheek. “Make it a good one too!”
Henry chuckles, his voice dropping to that soothing Daddy tone, and starts spinning a tale.
“Once upon a time, in a sparkly cove called Sunny Shores, there was a fearless Little surfer boy named Bodie. He had two best friends, Poot the walrus and Billy the duck, who loved adventures. One night, a sneaky sea snake named Vince tried to steal their beach, but Bodie and his Daddy, a brave Night Ops Guard, teamed up to chase him away…”
This time, I know that the happy ending will be for real and I feel my heart fill with joy. Henry’s words weave a magic spell, the cove coming alive in my mind…
Waves crashing, Poot surfing, Billy rocking his shades. My Little side drifts, safe and small, Henry’s voice my anchor.
I picture us together, not just tonight but always—surfing, coloring, building a life.
My grownup side clings to Henry’s promise, that he’ll work it out, that his Guard life won’t steal him away.
I trust him, my Daddy, more than I’ve ever trusted anyone.
My eyes flutter shut, the story fading as sleep pulls me under.
I feel Henry’s lips brush my forehead, soft and warm, and hear his whisper, “Sleep tight, Little One.” My Little side hums, content, and I sink deeper, Poot and Billy guarding my dreams.
But even as I drift, a tiny part of me holds onto the night...
Tending Henry’s wounds, calling him Daddy, confessing my fears. His vow to stay, to makeuswork. It’s a new wave, scary but thrilling, and I want to ride it with him.
I’m not the freewheeling surfer boy anymore, chasing vibes and running from roots. I want a home, with Henry, where my Little side can shine, and my grownup side can be brave and bolder than ever under his guidance and protection.
The safehouse fades, the ocean’s hum my lullaby, and I dream of sunny shores, of Daddy and me, of a future where we’re together, no matter what storms come…
Chapter 26
Henry
I can’t remember the last time I slept so well.
Sleep is kind of a problem for me, always has been. Whether it’s all those occasions where I’m up all night on a mission or plotting my next operation, there’s something about my body clock that will always kick in and disrupt my sleep on the rare times that I’m able to get a full eight hours.
But last night was different. Way different in fact. And now I’m up, awake, and not feeling anything like as sore as I might have expected.
The safehouse kitchenette smells of coffee and toast, the morning sun slanting through the blinds, casting stripes across the rickety table. I’m sitting in a chair, my bandaged arm feeling way less stiff than it might have, but my body overall still aching from last night’s firefight. But I know my body well, all it will take is a good coffee and some stretches and I’ll be fighting fit once more—well, that’s what I’m hoping.
There is one thing though. While physically I know I’ll be right as rain in no time, there’s a mental cloud over me. Maybe it’s after the adrenalin surge from last night, but I’m feeling low.It’s like there’s a weight on my shoulders that just won’t shift. I don’t want to drag down Bodie’s mood, so I’m trying to hide it. But this boy… he’s got a way of knowing when I’m down.
