Page 26 of Daddy Protector (Night Ops Daddies #1)
Richie
“ Mmmm , I needed that,” I say, my eyes slowly adjusting to the light in the motel room. “Thank you, Dragon Daddy. I mean Daddy, I mean… “
“Don’t mention it, boy,” Cole replies, a smile on his face but serious intent in his eyes.
I’ve woken from a cozy nap in our pillow fort, the prince-and-dragon game with Cole lingering like a warm ember, rebuilding the trust his secrets and lies nearly broke.
“Jump in the shower,” Cole says, making it clear that after the play, it’s business time. “Like I said, we’ve got work to do.”
I’m not in the shower long, only needing to wake myself up and refresh a little. Fresh from the shower, I change into a clean hoodie and jeans, my damp hair tied back, Fizz tucked into my backpack with my otter book, their presence a comfort as I steel myself for what’s ahead.
I’m not just Cole’s Little anymore… I’m Richie, Hunter’s son, ready to fight for Pop, to face the danger head-on.
Cole stands by the door, his leather jacket zipped, his dark eyes warm yet focused, the Daddy who loves me now balanced with the Night Ops Guard gearing up for battle.
He nods, a silent vow we’re in this together, and we cross the street to the diner, the gravel lot slick under my sneakers, the neon sign buzzing faintly in the mist, a beacon in the gray.
“Let’s go,” Cole commands, sounding business like with just a hint of Daddy in there too.
The diner is a comforting sanctuary, its red vinyl booths and checkered floor aglow under fluorescent lights, the air rich with the scent of sizzling bacon, strong coffee, and syrup-drenched pancakes.
A jukebox hums a soft country ballad, its twang weaving through the clatter of plates and the murmur of locals at the counter. The waitress in her pink apron waves us to a corner booth, her smile kind, and I slide in, the vinyl creaking under me.
Henry’s already there, his grizzled frame hunched over a coffee mug, his scarred jaw set, his eyes scanning the diner with a hawk’s precision.
Cole sits beside me, his presence a steady anchor, his knee brushing mine under the table, a subtle Daddy gesture that grounds me.
Henry nods as we settle, his gaze assessing, and my heart races, not with fear but with purpose. This meeting is about Pop, about ending the threat, and I’m ready to prove I’m more than a Little who needs protecting...
Henry leans forward, his voice low, cutting through the diner’s chatter.
“As we feared, it’s likely Xavier,” Henry says, confirming Cole’s suspicion.
“Hunter’s old rival from the Guard. Went rogue in Mogadishu, joined a South American cartel, holds a grudge.
Cole, you know all this. Richie, listen and take it on board.
Intel points to Xavier orchestrating the safe house hit, targeting Hunter through Richie. ”
Henry eyes flick to me, measuring, and I sit taller, my mind sharp, honed by Pop’s lessons in strategy, surveillance, and survival.
Cole nods, his hand grazing mine, a quiet reassurance.
“We need to trap him,” Cole says, his voice firm, authoritative. “Draw him out, neutralize the threat before he reaches Hunter or Richie. Ideas?”
I take a deep breath, my voice steady despite the stakes.
“Xavier’s personal…this is revenge, not just cartel business,” I say, nervous but knowing that I can contribute to this.
“He’ll want to see Pop suffer, so he’ll come for me first, to break him.
We can use that. Stage a fake rendezvous, make it look like I’m meeting Pop at an isolated spot, like the old mill outside town.
Leak the intel through a channel Xavier’s monitoring, draw him in, and set an ambush. ”
I pause, glancing at Cole, then Henry.
“We need decoys,” I continue, now growing in confidence. “Someone posing as Pop, maybe Kash, to sell it. Control the terrain, block exits, use the mill’s layout to corner him. And we need backup, hidden, to close the net.”
“Damn,” Henry says, leaning back and sipping on his coffee. “Impressive.”
Cole’s eyes widen, a spark of admiration breaking through his focus, and my heart swells, his pride fueling my confidence.
“That’s sharp, Richie,” Cole says, his voice warm, the Daddy in him beaming at his Little’s strength. “Using Xavier’s grudge as bait, controlling the battlefield. It works. It’s solid. Builds on our strengths.”
Cole’s hand squeezes mine under the table, a silent acknowledgment of our evolving dynamic, no longer just protector and protected but partners, balanced and loving, equals in this fight.
I know I’m no Night Ops Guard, but that doesn’t mean my security skill set is any less advanced than Cole’s. And now he can see that too.
Henry grunts, a rare smile tugging at his lips.
“You’re strategic,” Henry says. “Hunter taught you well. That plan’s tight. Leverage Xavier’s obsession, pin him down. I’ll get Kash for the decoy, scout the mill, set choke points.”
Henry’s approval, gruff but genuine, makes me blush, a validation that I’m not just Cole’s Little but a force, capable and fierce, ready to stand with these Night Ops Guards.
We dive into details, refining the plan… comms frequencies, ambush timing, fallback positions, my input shaping the strategy alongside Cole’s tactical expertise and Henry’s raw intel.
The diner’s warmth, the jukebox’s hum, the waitress’s cheerful banter with a trucker, it all fades as we focus, the final conflict looming like a gathering storm.
I feel Cole’s gaze, his love and respect making me feel truly seen, our bond stronger for the trust we’ve rebuilt, the fort game a reminder we’re a team.
My Little side, with its love for snuggles and stories, coexists with the son ready to fight for Pop, and Cole sees both, his admiration a bridge between us.
My Daddy knows I’m his boy.
But he sees how much of a smart man I am too.
And that’s just perfect…
Cole excuses himself to the bathroom, his hand brushing my shoulder as he stands.
Henry leans back, sipping his coffee, and grins, a rare softness breaking his grizzled exterior.
“You know, Richie,” Henry says, a sly smile on his face.
“Cole’s always been a tough sonofagun , but he’s got a heart.
Back in Syria, we were pinned down, outgunned, and he carried a wounded Guard three miles to safety, never flinched.
Another time, in Colombia, he took on a smuggler’s crew solo to save a kid caught in the crossfire.
He’s a protector, through and through, and he’s all in for you. Trust me, I can see it.”
Henry’s stories paint Cole in vivid strokes…brave, selfless, the Daddy I love… and I smile, my heart warming, feeling closer to him, his past knitting us tighter.
“He’s my Dragon Daddy,” I say softly, briefly feeling every inch the Little in love, and Henry chuckles, nodding as if he understands.
Cole returns, sliding beside me, his presence steadying, and Henry shifts back to business.
It’s clear that while Henry might approve of mine and Cole’s relationship, his mind is always going to revert back to the operation at hand as and when required.
Just like Cole, Henry is clearly a man of honor and total devotion to the Night Ops Guard.
But before we finalize our plan, Henry takes his turn and steps away to the bathroom, his heavy boots echoing, and Cole turns to me, his eyes serious, his voice low.
“Richie, this op’s dangerous,” Cole says. “Xavier’s a killer, and we’re baiting his trap to set our own. You don’t have to be part of it. I can get you to a safe location, keep you out of this. You’ve already done enough. No one will think any less of you if you ride this one out in the back seat.”
My heart clenches, his offer a Daddy’s instinct to shield me, but I shake my head, my voice firm.
“No, Cole,” I say. “I have to stand and fight for my father. He’s out there, maybe hurt, because of Xavier, and I can’t hide while you face this. I’m in, all the way.”
I meet Cole’s gaze, my resolve unyielding, the Little who trusts his Daddy now a partner ready for battle. Cole studies me, pride and worry mingling in his eyes.
“Alright, boy. You’re in,” Cole says. “But during the op, you listen to my every word, no questions, no hesitation. Your safety’s my priority, and I need you to trust me completely. Got it?”
“Got it, Daddy,” I answer, the word soft but strong, sealing our pact, our love and partnership a shield against the fight ahead.
Cole’s hand finds mine, a squeeze that says we’re together, no matter the stakes.
Henry returns, sliding into the booth, his presence grounding us.
“One more round of pancakes,” Henry says, flagging the waitress, his voice gruff but light, a nod to the calm before the storm. “Need fuel for this op.”
I glance at Cole, his eyes meeting mine, love and determination mirrored between us.
I know we’re ready.
Daddy and Little, partners, facing Xavier, the cartel, the ultimate fight for Pop, with everything on the line for the moment of truth…