Page 58 of Demon Daddy's Little Girl

Rose squirms between us, completely unaware of the weight of this moment. "Mama's not crying anymore," she announces proudly, patting Ada's face again. "I told her Cappy Dez would make it better."

Ada's cheeks flush pink, but she doesn't pull away from my embrace. Instead, she rests her head back against my chest, her body relaxing further into my hold.

The feeling of them both in my arms settles something wild and possessive in my soul. Mine to protect. Mine to cherish. Mine to keep safe.

Never again will they know fear. Never again will they have to run. I tighten my hold on them both, a silent promise sealed in blood and honor.

27

ADA

Ilean into Dezoth's solid chest, his warmth enveloping me as Rose giggles between us. The familiar scent of forge-heated metal mingles with the spices he always carries. My fingers curl into the fabric of his tunic, and I breathe him in, wondering how I ever thought running was the answer. Not when he proved how far he will go for the two of us.

"Mama, you're squishing me!" Rose's violet eyes sparkle with mischief as she wriggles.

"I think you started the squishing, sweet one." I brush a honey-blonde curl from her forehead.

Dezoth's chest rumbles with quiet laughter. His large hand spans my lower back, steady and grounding. "You did insist the group hug wasn't tight enough."

"You weren't hugging right!" Rose pats his cheek, completely unafraid of the sharp angles of his face or the golden eyes that once made me tremble. "Cappy Dez, can we have tea now? With the sparkly cups?"

His expression softens, those intimidating features transforming into something gentle. "Of course, little flower. Though perhaps we should let your mother breathe first?"

I press closer instead, my head fitting perfectly beneath his chin. The ritual markings on his forearms catch the light as he adjusts his hold, keeping us both secure against him. The same arms that can wield a sword with deadly precision now cradle my daughter with infinite tenderness.

"I'm exactly where I need to be." My voice comes out quieter than intended, but I know he hears by the way his arms tighten fractionally around us.

"Good." The word carries the weight of a vow. "Because I'm not letting either of you go again."

We spend the rest of the afternoon at Dezoth's aunts. Mrs. Blackwood is a sweet woman who keeps plying me with food now that the bakery is closed and she gets to fawn over her nephew's new little family. It doesn't take long before Rose is falling asleep from the excitement of the day and we head upstairs.

Rose's soft snores drift from the guest room where Vashti showed us to lay her. My bare feet pad across the polished wooden floor, each step carrying the weight of words I need to say. Dezoth stands by the hearth in his room that we are sharing, his tall frame outlined in firelight. The silver cord in his hair catches the glow, creating a halo effect around his sharp features.

My fingers twist in the fabric of my dress. "I need to tell you something."

He turns, those golden eyes finding mine across the room. "Come here."

The quiet command in his voice draws me forward until I'm close enough to feel the heat radiating from his body. His ritual markings shift as he reaches for me, but I step back.

"Please, I need to say this first." My voice cracks. "I swore I'd never trust anyone again. After Rose's father, after everything... I built walls so high I thought no one could breach them." The scaralong my collarbone burns with phantom pain. "Then you came along with your honor and your kindness, and I-" My throat closes around the words.

Dezoth moves with fluid grace, closing the distance between us. His large hands cup my face, thumbs brushing away tears I hadn't realized were falling. "Ada."

"I'm terrified." The confession rips from my chest. "Terrified of losing you like I lost him. Terrified of what that would do to Rose. To me. She loves you so much already, and I-"

He lifts me effortlessly, settling into the oversized armchair with me in his lap. My hands find purchase in his tunic as he tucks me against his chest, one arm banded around my waist while the other hand cradles the back of my head.

"I'm not going anywhere." His voice rumbles through me. "You and Rose are mine to protect now. To cherish." His fingers thread through my loose braid, gentle despite their strength. "I know what it means to lose someone. To fear opening your heart again."

I press my face into his neck, breathing in his familiar scent. His pulse beats steady and strong against my lips, a rhythm that matches the certainty in his embrace.

His lips brush mine, tentative at first, as if giving me every chance to pull away. But I don’t. Instead, I lean into him, my hands sliding up his chest to tangle in the silver cord at the base of his neck. The kiss deepens, his mouth moving against mine with a slow, deliberate intensity that steals my breath. Months of unsaid words, of stolen glances and quiet touches, pour into this moment.

His hands tighten on me, one still cradling the back of my head, the other pressing into the small of my back, pulling me impossibly closer. I melt into him, my body arching against his as the kiss turns desperate, hungry, like we’re both tryingto make up for all the time we’ve wasted. His teeth graze my bottom lip, a faint sting that makes me want more.

“Dezoth,” I whisper against his mouth, my voice trembling. His name feels like a prayer, like a promise.

He growls low in his chest, the sound vibrating through me as he stands, lifting me with him. My legs wrap around his waist out of instinct, my arms locking around his neck. He carries me effortlessly to the bed, laying me out.

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