Paddy gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles white as he stared at his phone. It had been an hour since he'd last heard from Y/N, and every call he made went straight to voicemail. She'd told him earlier she'd be out with friends at a bar, but something didn't sit right. His gut churned, a mix of worry and unease clawing at him.
When another call went unanswered, he made up his mind. Throwing the car into gear, he drove to the bar she mentioned. Once there, he parked in the crowded lot, his leg bouncing nervously as he dialed her number again. Still nothing.
Cursing under his breath, Paddy got out of the car and headed inside. The dim lighting and thumping music did little to calm him. His eyes scanned the room frantically, weaving through the crowd, until he saw her.
Y/N was near the bar, her face pale and tense, her back pressed against the counter. Jake, one of her coworkers, stood too close, his hand gripping her arm while his lips grazed her neck. Y/N was trying to push him away, but Jake didn't seem to care.
Paddy's blood boiled. Without thinking, he stormed across the room.
"Hey!" Paddy's voice cut through the noise, loud and commanding. Jake turned, his smirk fading as he saw Paddy's furious expression.
"Who the hell are you?" Jake sneered, though his grip on Y/N loosened slightly.
"I'm the fucking guy who is going to fuck you up, lad! Get your hands off my woman!" Paddy yelled above the crowd. He was able to gently pull Y/N behind him, shielding her from Jake.
"Relax, mate," Jake said with a mocking laugh. "We were just having a bit of fun."
Y/N's voice trembled, "I told you to stop, Jake."
But Jake didn't back down, and the smug look on his face was the last straw. Paddy's fist connected with Jake's jaw before anyone could react, sending him stumbling backward into a table.
The room seemed to freeze for a moment, then chaos erupted. Jake lunged at Paddy, throwing a punch that barely grazed him as Paddy ducked. Paddy retaliated with a series of punches, each fueled by anger.
The fight was brutal, the bouncer had to pull Paddy off of Jake. Y/N took Paddy's hand, pulling him toward the exit. "Let's go," she whispered, her voice shaky.
Once outside, Paddy leaned against the car, wiping the blood from his face. "Are you alright?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.
Y/N nodded, her hands trembling as she cupped his bruised face. "I'm fine, thanks to you. I was so scared, Paddy. Thank you for coming."
Paddy wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly as he kissed the top of her head. "Anything for you."
"Let's go home." Paddy said as he broke the hug and opened the car door for her.
When Paddy and Y/N arrived at his house, the tension between them still lingered, but it had shifted into something more tender, more raw. Paddy carried Y/N straight into the kitchen, setting her gently on the counter. His hands rested on her thighs as he leaned in, capturing her lips in a kiss that was passionate and full of unspoken emotion.
His lips trailed to her jaw, then down her neck, his breath warm against her skin. "I'm going to erase every trace of him," he murmured, his voice low and possessive. "No one gets to touch you like that."
Y/N shivered under his touch, her fingers tangling in his hair as he placed deliberate, heated kisses along her neck, marking her skin as his. His hands slid to her hips, squeezing gently but firmly, grounding her in the moment.
After a while, Paddy pulled back, brushing her hair from her face. "Go take a shower," he said softly, his voice laced with concern. "you've had a rough night. I'll be right here."
Y/N nodded, her eyes glistening with gratitude. Paddy guided her to his bathroom, grabbing a towel and setting it on the counter for her. "take your time," he said, placing a kiss on her forehead before stepping back.
Once Y/N was in the shower, Paddy took a moment to clean himself up in the kitchen. His knuckles were still sore from the fight, but he didn't care. All that mattered was that Y/N was safe.
Paddy grabbed a washcloth from a cabinet and soaked it in water. Skillfully, he managed to remove all the blood on his hands, arms and face. Feeling a little cleaner, Paddy sighed.
When Y/N emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a towel and looking calmer, he gave her a small smile. "Feel better?"
She nodded, and he stepped into the shower himself. By the time he was done, Y/N was sitting on the edge of his bed in one of his oversized shirts.
They climbed into bed together, the tv playing softly in the background as Y/N laid her head on his chest. Y/N looked up at him after a while, her voice quiet. "I'm so sorry about what happened tonight. If I hadn't been there, none of this-"
Paddy cut her off, cupping her cheek gently and looking down to meet her eyes. "Don't. Don't apologize for something that wasn't your fault. You didn't ask for any of that, Y/N. I'm just glad I got to you in time."
Tears welled in her eyes, but she managed a small smile, leaning into his touch. "Thank you, Paddy. For everything."
He pulled her closer, wrapping an arm around her as they settled in. "Always," he whispered.
The two of them drifted off to sleep, their bodies entwined, the events of the night slowly fading into the comfort of each other's presence.
