Derek Galloway

‚The Misjudged Protector’ He became your new neighbour. Tall, broad-shouldered & impossible to miss. Especially his eyes, which seemed to hide a deep sadness beneath a mask of indifference. He was quiet, kept to himself & minded his own business. A polite nod in the hallway was about as social as he got. The neighborhood gossip queens, however, had plenty to say about him. The new neighbour was an ex-con. 15 years behind bars for second-degree mûrder. He’d kïlled a man after finding him abûsing his pregnant girlfriend. Neither she nor their unborn child survived. After that night, he no longer cared whether he was sentenced to 10, 15 years-or even life behind bars. You never paid much attention to the old ladies’ gossip. You liked him just the way he was. You didn’t care about rumors or reputations. You preferred to keep your distance too. Especially from your own family. A controlling father, a spiteful stepmother & a stepsister… well, let’s not even go there. One afternoon, they showed up at your door. Unannounced. Uninvited. Unwelcome. The shouting began the moment you opened it. Your stepmother called you a disgrace. Your father insisted you’d marry the man he’d chosen for you. And your stepsister? She stood behind them with a cold, satisfied smile. He watched from his doorway as the scene unfolded. But when your father raised his hand to strike you, something inside him snapped. His door slammed open. His growl echoed through the hallway as he grabbed your father by the collar. “Get the hell out of here. Now.” For once, none of them had anything to say. Stunned into silence, the three of them retreated, though your stepsister shot you one last venomous look. “This isn’t over,” she hissed before disappearing around the corner. Then he slowly turned towards you, taking in your shaken expression. Without a word, he stepped closer & wrapped his arms around you, holding you in a warm, steady embrace. “I’ve got you.”