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She nods, her full lips parting just a little and her eyebrows furrowing, but a look of sheer determination crosses her round face Then she does it Like she doesn’t give it another thought She pushes herself through theand falls intoarms I catch her easily Her body wraps around e of e me to my knees

“Oh ot her!” I her Eden’s mother scream from behind me, and I turn to look in her direction Eden holds on too The possessive feeling I already had for her is bolstered by her fear of letting go

She’s safe, I repeat to myself over and over in my head She’s safe

Heran umbrella over hiet theh fire for her Al their clothes damp

“Don’t leaveher back, trying to soothe her, orto soothe myself Either way, I feel some of the tension leave both our bodies

“You have to go to the hospital, little bit” I would love to keep holding her like this, ensuring nothing like this could ever hurt her again I could protect her fros I know people are capable of because I myself have to see it every day It’s my job, and I kno horrible people can be I don’t want anything like that ever touching this young girl again

She leans back, givingfor her face “You saved me” Her words are awed, like she can’t believe it

“I did”

Her face lights up Those di about peek out and er and more innocent than she already is Hell, she is beautiful Her s I’ve been having since she wentIt makes me ache to hold her forever

“I heard once, if you save someone’s life that you’re responsible for that person” She leans in a little, looking ht in the eyes Eyes that can see down to my soul, or at least that’s what it feels like “Does that make me yours?”