He hated that the only place they could afford to live in was in the slum. He hated that she had to come home from school to this shit hole in the wall when her old home was a mother-fucking palace.
He hated that her father might have been right about him.
But he hates these nights the worst, when that distinctive sound would split the night and she'd wake, silent and shaking and curl into his chest. He would hold her and grit his teeth to keep from lashing out at her due to his own fear he would wake up one day to find her gone.
The tiny, good part of him longed to break her so she could go home to her daddy and rebuild herself in the comfort she deserved. And then, some wealthy man- shit, I can't even think of her with someone else. And so the selfish part one, the one who wanted- needed her with him always.
He pulled her close and tucked her under his chin, kissing her fragrant hair, it smelled like cherries. The sound rang out again. "I'll never let them hurt you."