Page 24 of Daddy's Naughty Realtor

"I was on my way to the office when you didn't respond to my text," he explains. "I remembered you mentioning this showing yesterday, so I thought I'd drop by, see if you wanted to get coffee after. I had just pulled up when I heard you screaming."

"Thank you," I whisper against his shirt.

His hold on me was gentle, one hand stroking my hair. "I will always come for you, kitten. Always."

The police take our statements. They find my purse and phone, but not the watch or earrings. My client, shaken but compassionate, offers to reschedule the showing. I numbly agree, too drained to even think about work right now.

"I'm taking you home," Jeremy says when the officers finally let us go. It's not a question.

I don't argue. Can't even imagine being alone right now, my nerves still vibrating with leftover fear. So, I let him lead me to his car, let him open the door for me, let him take care of me in a way I haven't allowed anyone to do in years.

At my house, he insists on checking every room before letting me inside. Then he makes tea that I don't drink and sits beside me on the couch, not touching unless I initiate, just... being there.

"You're safe now," he says quietly. "I won't let anything happen to you."

The words break something inside me, a dam I've maintained for thirty years, holding back need, vulnerability, trust. I curl into his side, letting the tears come, letting him see me at my weakest.

His arms come around me, strong and sure. "I've got you, kitten. I've got you."

And for the first time in longer than I can remember, I let someone else be strong for me. Let someone else carry the weight, just for a little while.

When the tears finally stop, I look up to find him watching me with a tenderness that makes my heart ache.

"Stay," I whisper. "Please."

He brushes a kiss against my forehead. "I’m not going anywhere, ever again."

CHAPTER9

For three days after the break-in, Jeremy doesn’t leave my side except to run back to his place and pack a bag. He works from my dining room table while I take time off, answering emails on my laptop but mostly just trying to regain my equilibrium. He sleeps beside me in bed, but we haven’t had sex. He’s been making breakfast every morning, somehow knowing exactly how I take my coffee without having to ask.

It should feel intrusive, this constant presence in my carefully ordered life. Instead, it feels... right. Like he belongs here. Like the missing piece of a puzzle I didn't know was incomplete. He’s bossy and a bit arrogant, but I find myself more and more attracted to it.

"The police have no leads," I tell him on the third morning, scrolling through an email from the detective. "They think it might be connected to the Richardson break-in. Same MO, similar timing."

Jeremy frowns, setting a plate of avocado toast in front of me. "I've hired a private security company to look into it. Something doesn't add up."

"You hired a private security firm?" I look up, surprised. "Why?"

"Because you're important to me." He says it simply, like it's the most obvious thing in the world. "And because two break-ins, at your properties, in less than a month isn't a coincidence."

"You think someone is targeting me specifically?" The idea sends a fresh chill through me.

"I think it's a possibility we should consider." He sits across from me, his expression grave. "Have you received any threats? Angry clients, disgruntled employees, anyone with a grudge?"

I shake my head. "No. I mean, not everyone loves real estate agents, but I've never had anyone threaten me."

He nods, but I can see he's not convinced. "Just be extra careful until we figure this out. Don't go to showings alone. Let me know your schedule."

Under normal circumstances, I'd bristle at being managed. But after the terror of the break-in, his concern feels more comforting than controlling.

"I have to get back to work eventually," I point out. "I can't hide forever."

"Not asking you to hide. Just to be smart." He reaches across the table, his hand covering mine. "I can't lose you, Gina. Not when I just found you again."

The naked emotion in his voice steals my breath. This isn't just attraction or nostalgia. This is something deeper, more serious than I've allowed myself to acknowledge.

“You belong to me, kitten. If you put yourself in danger again, you aren’t going to like the consequences.”

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