Page 77 of Her Redeemed Protector

Before I can reply, my phone lights up with Sav’s name.

“Hux!” She’s practically bubbling through the speaker, all end-of-day energy and smiles I can hear. “What got you so busy today?”

“Just the usual. Still training.” I sink deeper into the couch, feeling the day’s weight lift a bit. “Though the head of ops decided to crank it up a notch today. Turned the course into a real beast.”

She laughs, and I picture her eyebrow arched in amusement. “So you were all in your singlet, getting sweaty, looking every bit the hero, huh?”

“Something like that.” I chuckle, playing along.

“Wish I could’ve seen that.”

“Oh, you’d definitely mess with my concentration.”

“But isn’t that what makes it real training? Managing distractions?” Her tone is aloof, as if it’s just a minor detail.

I picture her there, her presence a delightful challenge.Savannah is undoubtedly my Achilles’ heel, and resisting her would be futile.

“What are you wearingnow?” she purrs suggestively.

My cock twitches at her question, eagerly plotting its course to penetrate Savannah. “Um… a T-shirt and a pair of shorts.”

“I was hoping you’d say ‘nothing.’” She exaggerates her disappointment. “Next time, I guess.”

I fix the tightness in the crotch of my shorts and change the subject. “How did your meeting with the education minister go?”

“It went really well. They’re planning to invest in additional staff so we can run the animal therapy sessions more than just twice a month. Looks like there’ll be more funding, too, maybe for expanding the facility.”

“Well done, sweetheart.”

A new message pops up from Marta’s number, though clearly it’s Rodolfo behind the screen.Are you chicken?is followed by a parade of chicken emojis.

Savannah’s voice pulls me back. “Hey, I was thinking, why don’t you come over for dinner? Dad’s making a roast.”

The mere thought of Al’s cooking makes my mouth water. “Ah… um…”

As I hesitate, another message pops in, more pleading this time.Please, Huxley, please play with me. Rodolfo’s situation, his loneliness, tugs at me. He’s hiding after his mother’s tragic death, isolated from friends, relying on me for a semblance of normalcy.

Sav catches the pause, her voice dipping in understanding. “I get it’s last minute. No sweat if you can’t. It’s just that I’m off to Kalispell in the morning. Gonna be wrangling yaks for a couple of weeks. Totally off-grid, you know?”

The image of her out there, among the mountains andyaks, fills my head. But something weighs on me. How can I choose between Savannah whom I will miss dearly, and Rodolfo, a young boy clinging to every bit of familiarity and affection he can find in his fractured world?

“It’s cool, Hux,” she jumps in before I can spiral. “Really.”

“I’m so sorry, Sav. Tonight’s packed,” I manage, feeling a mix of relief and regret. “Raincheck?”

“Sure thing. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, right?”

“I miss you all the time, you know.”

She sighs, a bit of seriousness seeping through. “I should’ve told you sooner about the gig. Mark recommended me, and it was too good to pass up. Plus, after Starfire, I’m just itching for a real challenge.”

“I’m really happy for you,” I say, meaning every word despite the ache. “Just spill all the stories when you get back, okay?”

“Deal!” Her voice lifts.

I suggest, “Hey, why don’t you swing by when you’re back? I’ll attempt Micah’s meat pie. Could be fun. And we can spend the night, you know…” I stir her.

“Ugh, Hux! I’m regretting this job already!” she complains, a smile audible in her tone. Perhaps she’s picturing herself without me, laying out under a blanket of stars, trying to get some shut-eye while surrounded by a bunch of snoring yak herders.

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