"Then we talk about it," she said simply. "I promise to listen, to consider that you might see dangers I don't. And you promise to remember that I'm capable and strong, even when I'm letting you take care of me."
"And if you still disagree?"
She reached out, her fingers hovering just above the spot where the first bullet had torn through my shoulder. "Then I have to trust you not just to keep my body safe, but my heart as well."
I swallowed, words failing me, my heart pounding so hard it threatened to crack my ribs.
"I missed you," she whispered, her composure finally cracking. "Every day, every night. I couldn't sleep without you. Couldn't think straight. I kept reaching for you in the middle of the night."
The confession broke something inside me. I stepped forward, closing the distance between us, and gathered her into my arms. She came willingly, pressing her face against my chest as her arms wrapped around my waist.
"I missed you too," I admitted, burying my face in her hair. "Every second. I thought I was doing the right thing, letting you go."
She pulled back just enough to look up at me, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Don't ever do that again. If you need space, take it. But don't disappear on me."
"I won't," I promised, my voice rough with emotion. "I just... I couldn't bear the thought of you staying with me out of gratitude or obligation."
"Gratitude?" Emily shook her head, a hint of frustration crossing her features. "Dion Blackwood, I'm not here because you saved my life. I'm here because I love you."
The words hung between us, fragile and perfect. I stared at her, searching her face for any sign of doubt or hesitation. There was none.
"Say it again," I whispered, needing to hear it, to know it wasn't my imagination.
Her expression softened. "I love you. Not just parts of you—all of you. The protector, the warrior, the Daddy. Everything."
I cupped her face in my hands, my thumbs brushing away tears I hadn't realized she'd shed. "I love you too, Emily. More than I thought possible."
When I kissed her, it felt like coming home. Her lips were soft and yielding beneath mine, her body fitting perfectly against me as if we'd been designed as two halves of a whole. I poured everything I couldn't say into that kiss—my fear, my regret, my absolute devotion.
When we finally broke apart, both breathless, I rested my forehead against hers. "I'm sorry I left. I thought I was protecting you from me."
"I don't need protection from the one person that will always keep me safe."
I smiled, feeling something tight in my chest finally release.
Emily reached up, her fingers tracing the line of my jaw. "I know my dynamic is... complicated. I'm not always little, not in the way Abby is. Sometimes I need to be strong, to make my own decisions."
I nodded. "That makes sense. You're too strong-willed to stay in any one space for long."
"But I promise you will always have the final say on safety."
"And putting yourself down," I added, and she giggled, then sobered instantly.
“So, you’re going to be my forever Daddy?” Emily asked. “Even when I’m a brat or I think I can take on the world without help?”
“Especially then,” I answered and took her lips in a blistering kiss.
I pulled back when her moans made my pants way too tight, my expression shifting to something more serious. "But first, we need to address something."
Emily's eyes widened slightly at the change in my tone. "What?"
"You sneaked out of the house without telling me," I said, my voice taking on that authoritative edge she knew well. "After I specifically asked you to stay safe."
Her cheeks flushed, and I could see the moment she realized where this was heading. "Daddy, I—"
"No excuses, little one," I interrupted gently but firmly. "You put yourself in danger, and that requires consequences."
Emily's breathing quickened, and I watched with fascination as her pupils dilated slightly. "What kind of consequences?"
