Illicit Attraction

9. OWN FLESH & BLOOD

Henry

That moment I saw Era being crushed against the wall by this fucking jerk, a sphere of anger instantly whirled inside my chest.

"Get your fucking hands off her!" My roars had escaped from my burning throat. As I heard my own sound, my hands quickly snatched his collar from the nape and threw him to the other side of the wall.

"W-what the f-fuhhck!!!" He growled almost silently.

Before he could make a violent response, I stretched my arm to deliver him a bang with my fist aiming at the center of his face. As he accepted that force, he went unconscious, before eventually falling on the carpeted floor.

"H-Henry?"

My glares towards the floor changed to tender gazes as I turned my back to catch Era holding her own arms as she trembled.

Breathing heavily, I went over her and held her hands. "You're so cold. Are you alright, Baby?"

She was almost dumbstruck, raising her pale face to look at me. And when she shifted, her sight passed my shoulders and down the ground, her eyes went broader. "Oh my God. Henry, Chris isn't moving," she whispered bitterly.

"Relax. He still lives." His nose is broken though.

I kissed her forehead and considering her legs were frozen, I wrapped her waist in my arms and guided her out of the cinema house.

The first fifteen minutes of our trip were wordless. What could I say? My hands were still shaking on the steering wheel right now as the image of that stupid maniac flashed in my mind. He should be thanking me for sparing his useless life.

Only the sound of Era's lumpish breathing served as our background. But it was not until her phone rang, filling my car's interior with a pop music ringtone.

"H-hello? Y-yeah. N-no, of course. I'm... I'm okay now, Cora. But next time, I won't be hanging out with you guys if Chris is around. He's a total perv!" Era paused for seconds and sniffed. "No. Henry... I mean D-daddy got me and now we're going home. It's alright, Cora. Don't say that. It's Chris' fault. Okay, see you soon. Bye Bye."

After that phone conversation, silence took place again. But minutes later, she whispered, "Thanks Henry, for saving me from Chris."

I glimpsed at her then turned my head back on the highway. "It's my fault. I should never have left you with your freaking friends. It's just that, when I saw them bulk up around you, I thought..."

"You thought I wanted them instead of you?"

"Girls like you need to be in a peer group but you need to be cautious. Because if I see that guy lay his fingers even on your hair, I'll be committing murder anytime."

She let out a genuine smile. "I have never felt so protected and cared for before."

I frowned at the sudden drop of her voice. "Why? Is your mom not doing that?"

"I don't know." She shrugged her shoulders and stared at the car's window. "If there's one thing important for her, it's her career. You see, Mom knows it's my birthday but she didn't even pay a call. Just text saying, Happy birthday. Be good. Duh!"

Sensing the disappointment in her tone, I let my right hand leave the steering wheel to hold her hand. "Hey... for me, you're the most important being in my life. You know I love you."

She raised her head and turned to me. "You love me as to what? Daughter or something else."

Glancing back at her, I grinned at her curious pretty expression. "Uhm... both?"