Page 13 of Big Gruff Owner

“Nathan, stop!” Sadie’s voice breaks through the red haze in my mind, but it’s distant like it’s coming from far away.

The guy tries to swing again, and I catch his wrist, twisting it until he cries out in pain. I hear Sadie screaming, begging me to stop, but it’s like I’m on autopilot. Every hit I land is for her, every punch is retribution for the pain he’s caused her. I’ve been in some dark places in my life, done things I’m not proud of, but this? This feels justified. This feels like the right thing to do.

I throw him to the ground, and he barely catches himself before he’s back on his feet, stumbling and swaying like a drunk. His eyes are glazed over, blood dripping from his nose and mouth, but I don’t care. He’s still breathing, still capable of hurting her, and that’s not something I can allow.

“Nathan, please!” Sadie’s voice finally cuts through, sharp and desperate. I turn, and the look on her face stops me cold. She’s terrified, not of him—but of me.

That realization is like a bucket of cold water dumped over my head. I’m standing over this guy, ready to end him, and Sadie’s crying, trying to pull me off him because she doesn’t want me to get into trouble. Because she’s scared of what I’ll do. The fury drains out of me, leaving behind a cold, hollow feeling in my gut. I’ve gone too far, scared the one person I’ve been trying to protect.

“You ever touch her again, and I’ll fucking kill you,” I hiss, meaning every word as I drop my hold on him.

The man slumps to the floor, out cold, and I back off, breathing hard. My knuckles are raw and bloodied, some mix of mine and his. I take a step back, forcing myself to turn away from the crumpled heap on the ground and focus on Sadie. She’s shaking, tears streaming down her face, her eyes wide with fear and something else—relief, maybe?

“Are you okay?” I ask, my voice hoarse. Stupid question, considering the circumstances, but it’s the only thing I can think to say.

She nods, but it’s shaky. “I—I’m fine. I just didn’t want you to hurt him too badly. You could get in trouble.”

“I don’t care about that,” I tell her, feeling relief that she isn’t actually afraid of me but ratherforme. “Who is he?”

“He’s… he’s my father.”

That last word hits me like a freight train. Father. The man who’s supposed to protect her, take care of her, not do this. My mind races, trying to reconcile the fact that the piece of shit I just beat down is her father. I feel the bile rise in my throat.

“Your father?” I echo, barely able to keep the disgust out of my voice. “This is what you ran away from, isn’t it?”

She nods again, and the dam breaks. Everything she’s been holding back spills out, and she tells me about the years of abuse, the control, and how she had to get away because she couldn’t take it anymore. Every word she says just fuels the fire in my gut, and by the time she’s finished, I’m ready to go another round with the bastard lying unconscious on the floor.

“He’s never gonna touch you again,” I promise, my voice hard as steel. “I’ll make sure of it.”

Sadie’s lip quivers, and she takes a step toward me like she’s not sure if she should. I don’t give her the chance to hesitate. I close the distance between us and pull her into my arms, holding her tight against my chest. She melts into me, her small frame shaking with silent sobs, and I feel something deep inside me snap into place. This is where she belongs, right here, safe in my arms. I’ll be damned if I let anyone hurt her again.

I pull out my phone and dial a number I haven’t called in a long time. The phone rings twice before it picks up.

“Sheriff’s office, this is Tom.”

“Tom, it’s Nathan,” I say, keeping my voice low and controlled. “I need you to come to my place. Now.”

“Nathan?” Tom sounds surprised, and I don’t blame him. We haven’t talked much since I got out, and the last time we did, it wasn’t exactly under friendly circumstances. “What’s going on?”

“You know Sadie?”

“The new girl in town right? She’s renting from you I heard.” Gossip spreads like wildfire in this town.

“Yeah, that’s her. Sadie’s dad tracked her down. He’s been beating on her, and I just put him on his ass. He’s unconscious, but I need you to arrest him for breaking and entering, and assault.”

There’s a pause, and I can almost hear Tom processing what I’ve just told him. “Shit. Alright, I’ll be there in ten. You stay put, and don’t do anything else stupid, you hear me?”

“Yeah, I hear you,” I mutter, hanging up. I don’t plan on doing anything else—at least, not until Tom gets here.

Sadie’s still trembling in my arms, and I hold her closer, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “It’s gonna be okay,” I murmur, trying to reassure her even as my own heart pounds in my chest. “I’m here. I’ve got you.”

She looks up at me, her eyes red-rimmed and full of trust, and it damn near breaks me. She shouldn’t have to go through this, shouldn’t have to live in fear of her own father. I can’t change what she’s been through, but I can sure as hell make sure she never has to face it again.

“Tom’s coming,” I tell her, brushing a tear from her cheek with my thumb. “He’ll take care of him, and then we’re gonna get you a protection order. He’s never coming near you again, Sadie.”

She nods, her breath hitching as she tries to calm down. “I—I don’t want to go back there. To that house.”

“You won’t have to,” I say firmly. “You’re never going to be under his thumb again. In fact, we’re getting out of here. There’s a little house up for sale in town. We’ll move there. I’ll take care of you, sunshine. Always.”

---