Protect. Protect. Protect.
It was visceral—hitting like a surge beneath my skin.
Nothing in this house would trap him. Nothing would evensuggestit could.
My gaze flicked once, taking in the hinges, the frame, and the way the door sat in its track like it had the right to shut when it wanted to.
It didn’t.
Not anymore.
The urge to tear it clean off crossed my mind so fast it almost felt reasonable—rip the whole thing out, leave the space open, and make sure there was never anything between him and air again.
I took the stairs without breaking rhythm.
My bedroom sat at the top of the stairs, just off to the right, door already cracked, low light spilling out across the hall. I pushed through it, toes sinking into the carpet as I crossed the room. The mattress dipped under us as I sat back, my spine finding the headboard.
Gravity did the rest.
He folded over me, limbs heavy, wiggling closer as though there was still distance to close even when there wasn’t.
His nose pressed just under my chin, a small, broken sound slipping out against my throat.
My grip tightened automatically, one arm locking him in place, the other coming up to palm his head.
His body answered before his voice could.
Fingers caught at the hem of my shirt, tugging once.
“Go ahead, baby.” I coaxed. “Take what you need.”
The hesitation lasted half a second more before it broke—hand forcing its way under, pushing past the barrier and pressing flat against my skin.
“Daddy,” he whispered.
Uneven pressure slid along my side, fingers dancing along my ribcage before spreading wide against my chest. His mouth followed, pressing into my collarbone, messy and unfocused.
“Good boy.”
Time slipped somewhere along the way.
Didn’t matter.
The weight of him, the way he fit here like he’d always known where to go—it was undeniable.
Too much.
Too sharp.
Too fucking consuming to be anything else.
Love.
It hadn’t been that long.
Ask me if I gave a shit.
This pull, this need, thiscertaintythat settled in my chest like it had every right to be there had only ever risen for him.
