Page 121 of My Damaged Protector

My job is dangerous. I could go one day and never come back, and that's not something I would never want my child to have to fear or even have to live through.

Besides, I don't think I've met a woman I want to have a child with just yet. Sarah would probably be a great choice, but I know that ship sailed when she left town, and her coming back because she needs help is not going to change anything. Her stopping our earlier make-out session pretty much cements that.

When it's time for dinner, I have Salem take food to the building even though I know there's a chance Sheila cooked. I don't want to take any chances since we've all had a stressful day with the drive through the night.

I eat my dinner alone at the long table and try not to feel sorry for myself.

My life may not be perfect, but at least I'm not where I used to be. I'm finally letting go of the anger of my past, and life's slowly taking shape for the better.

Later that night as I crawl into bed, Sarah is all I can think of, which is why I'm not so surprised when she finds her way into my dream.

In the dream, she tells me Olivia is my daughter, not Kyle's, and I’m so happy until I wake up with the sun shining bright on my face and a bitter taste at the back of my throat.

Groaning, I push off the bed to go close the window blinds. I must have left them open.

The bungalow garden is in my view, and my eyes catch a young girl in the midst of it.

Olivia.

She looks so much like her mother, minus the hair, of course. If she'd been red-haired, it would have been difficult to look at her because she reminds me of the girl Sarah used to be. Young and innocent.

Slamming the blinds shut before someone sees me staring at the girl and misunderstands, I walk out of the room to the kitchen to inform Salem to make breakfast for them, too.

Salem's already preparing breakfast when I find her.

“I hope you're making enough for four people?” I ask her.

She turns her head at my words. “Good morning, Mr. Peele. Yes, sir, I am. I'll take the food to them as soon as it's ready.”

I'm impressed, and I don't hide it. “Thank you, Salem. I'll be in my room. Let me know when it's ready.”

She nods and I walk away, almost running into Elise, who's trying to go to my room to clean it. She does the cleaning whenever I'm out of the room.

“You can hold on with cleaning, Elise. Maybe after breakfast,” I say to her gently.

“Oh, I was just going to change the bedspread for now and then clean later, but it's alright, sir. Good morning.”

“Good morning. Do everything later.”

I walk into the room and let myself fall on the bed where I stay for the next ten minutes until Salem knocks on the door, telling me breakfast is ready. I take a quick shower, change into clean clothes, and leave my room.

The rest of the day drags by. I have nothing in particular to do. And it's driving me insane as someone who's worked most of his life.

Speaking of work, I wasn’t able to breathe properly until Richard sent me a message about an hour after I left for Glazer Ville telling me the rescue was successful.

It'd been eating me up that I turned down the rescue, and I guess Richard knew that and wanted to help me clear my conscience.

Sometime around noon, I get a knock on my door, and I'm informed Sarah is here to see me. I bolt out of my bed as fast as I can. While the day is only half gone, I feel like it's been rotating for years now. It is by far the longest day I've had.

Sarah's seated when I go into the living room, and she immediately stands up when she sees me.

“Good afternoon,” she says with a smile.

“How are you doing?”

She shrugs. “I'm alive.”

I nod and motion for her to sit back down. She does.

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