Page 150 of Damaged Protector

“Everyone I’ve talked to is hunkered down. I was just about to call you and Bode.”

Another crack came from outside, and then the lights went out, drenching us in darkness. Mallori’s soft whimper pierced my gut.

“We just lost power. Talk later.”

“Take care, bud.”

Turning on the flashlight, I crammed as many pillows as I could find around Mal, making a kind of protective fort to protect her from any flying debris.

The wind picked up, whipping around the house, but even over the noise, I could hear Mallori’s breaths coming out in harsh, ragged gasps. I put the light down beside her hip and kneeled in front of her, covering her small body with my big one before pulling an old comforter over our heads.

A loud roar filled the air, as if a freight train was barreling through the small closet, and I held her trembling body against my own.

Shit, it’s right over us. I’d never felt fear like this in my life, and I’d been in some scary motherfucking situations. But I wasn’t scared for myself.

I was scared for Mallori.

The noise was deafening, and every muscle in my body went taut as I curled around her, wanting nothing except to protect her. I would rather die than see a single scratch on her body.

Because…

The sound of shattering glass crashed from somewhere inside the house as the walls shook violently. Mal clutched an arm around me, the other one holding the kitten to her chest.

“I’ve got you, baby. You’re being so brave. I won’t let anything happen to you.” I wasn’t sure she could hear me over the uproar, but I think I was saying the words as much for myself as for her.

The noise escalated until it was almost unbearable, and then something hit me hard in the back. I swallowed my grunt and held Mal tighter.

Then slowly, so slowly, the ruckus around us began to subside as the beast of nature moved on. I held firm for another couple minutes, hearing sirens in the distance before finally shoving the blanket off our heads and straightening up on my knees.

We were both drenched in sweat, and I pushed Mal’s damp hair away from her face. Even in the limited light from the flashlight, I could see the fear on her face. The storm still raged on outside, but at least the twister had passed us.

“Are you okay, Bee? Does anything hurt?”

Wide-eyed, she shook her head.

My eyes dropped to the cat, who was snoozing peacefully in Mal’s arms without a care in the world.

“How the hell did she sleep through that?” I asked, stroking a finger through her white fur.

“I don’t know,” Mallori said in a shaky voice, looking down at her little pet before returning her gaze to me. “Are you okay, Hawk?”

I collapsed back onto my butt and rubbed a hand through my hair. “I’m fine.”

“You… you covered me with your body.” Her head was tilted to the side, eyes soft.

My gaze dashed away, staring at a steel-toe boot sitting beside me. I think that’s what struck me in the back. Must’ve been shaken off the top shelf.

“Yeah, well, I’m bigger than you,” I mumbled.

Movement caught my eye, and Mal placed the kitten on a pillow before crawling toward me. When I looked up at her, she rose on her knees and pulled her T-shirt off over her head.

I could barely breathe. She’s so fucking beautiful.

She worked her panties off and simply knelt there in front of me like an offering. The air thickened around us as we stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. I itched to reach for her, and yet I was overwhelmed by the fact that my hands weren’t nearly worthy of touching someone so perfect.

Mallori inched closer, reaching for the waistband of my pants to help me slide them off. We seemed to be lost in each other’s gaze, neither of us speaking when she straddled my hips and crashed her lips to mine.

The kiss was laden with desperation, tongues thrashing as she settled herself onto the shaft of my cock, rocking back and forth until she was wet. Then she shifted her hips, and I was at her entrance. We ended the kiss and stared at each other as she slowly took me inside her.

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