Right from the Start (bwwm) - 𝙲𝙾𝙼𝙿𝙻𝙴𝚃𝙴

71: fiercely

As the newlyweds arrived back home that Sunday evening, Jordan began unloading their bags from the car, and Dahlia was set to head inside to go to the bathroom when she was stopped just near their small front-gate by a greasy-looking photographer, whose camera was already in her face.

"Dahlia, hey! Real quick-- look over here!"

Dahlia stopped in horror, seeing the man running towards her along the sidewalk. She frantically rummaged through her bag for her keys, finally fishing them out, only to let them slip through her shaking hands.

As she picked them up, she didn't notice the photographer's eyes widened when he noticed the bulge under her shirt.

"Ahh, so that's it? Prescott knocked you up... that's why he's married? Huh, boring, but whate--"

As the photographer began approaching Dahlia, shoving his camera closer to her stomach, he was yanked back and thrown onto the sidewalk lawn. His camera had been ripped from his neck and landed in pieces on concrete.

"If you ever come near my wife again, I promise you, I'm gonna rip your fucking head off."

The reporter got up, collecting the pieces of his camera before he scampered away, yelling something about how Jordan was going to pay.

Jordan couldn't care less about that, though. All he cared about was Dahlia and making sure she was okay.

✨

Two days later, Jordan was in a meeting with his coach, parents, wife, the Assistant Director of Public Relations for the school, and a lawyer they had on retainer for the university, and a few other people.

Everyone was talking around in circles, trying to convince Jordan to just apologize, but he wasn't having that.

And all their talking was only causing the headache Jordan was starting to feel to intensify. He shook his head and sighed as he sat back and crossed his arms in defiance.

"Look, I'm not apologizing for a damn thing, okay? This guy was in my pregnant wife's face, shoving a camera at her, invading her and my daughter's personal space. The asshole's lucky the only thing that was shattered was his camera."

"Jordan Nelson!"

Jordan rolled his eyes and laughed sarcastically as he looked over at his mother.

"Mom!"

"Actually! That's-"

Everyone's eyes were immediately on, Julia Declan, the A.D of Talent Relations, who stood from her seat at the round conference table.

"That's what we want you to say, Jordan. Well-- we'll clean up the language, but that will be the general message."

Jordan cocked his head to the side as Julia continued.

"There's nothing in the world that would keep you from protecting your wife and child. You're a fiercely protective family man, and the public is going to eat it up!"

As everyone around the table all began to agree with the decision, Jordan looked over to his wife-- the only person whose opinion mattered-- in the seat next to his.

He reached over and grabbed her hand, gently rubbing the top of her tiny hand, silently searching her eyes.

When she bit her lip and nodded, Jordan nodded as well, reaching over to gently pull her closer, resting his forehead against hers so he could whisper.

"I fucking love you."

"I love you too, Jordy."

🌻