Sheriff Daddy (Montana Daddies Book 10) by Laylah Roberts (good book club books txt) 📗

“No.” She threw herself into his arms. He hugged her tight.

“You’re mine. My girl. Understand?”

She nodded.

“Right, let’s get Aunty Marie back and pay for this.”

“I didn’t even notice that she left,” she admitted. She wiped at the stray tears sliding down her cheeks. Reaching over, he grabbed a tissue and helped clean her up.

“I’m going to take care of you. All you have to do is let me.”

“I’ll take care of you too.”

“I know you will, my girl.”

She was nearly skipping as they walked out to his truck. She couldn’t wait to get home and put on her long socks and light-up shoes.

“I wish I’d brought Squawkers with me.”

“Next time, Georgie-girl,” Ed promised as he put all the bags in the back of his truck. She’d gotten her bottom slapped inside for trying to grab some of them. It hadn’t even made Aunty Marie look up. She really was used to this.

“Can I have the steering wheel?” she asked.

“What do you say?” Ed asked.

Say? He gave her a look. Ooh. Right.

“Please, Big Daddy?”

“That’s my good girl.” As he rustled around in the bags, she had this strange feeling of being watched. But as she discreetly looked around, she couldn’t see anyone. She shook it off. Probably just weird paranoia.

“Right, let’s get home.” He handed her the toy and she squealed in excitement.

Ed led her to the passenger side of the truck. He had the booster seat he’d bought in one hand. She scowled at it. She really didn’t think she needed it. But he opened the door and set it on the seat.

“What if someone sees it?” she asked.

“Just tell them you get a sore butt sitting in my truck.”

Well, it was a well-padded seat with a soft cushion on top.

“Don’t worry, they’ll probably think it’s because I’ve just spanked your ass.” He winked at her.

“Daddy!”

He lifted her in with a chuckle and buckled the seatbelt. Then he kissed the top of her nose. “You’re so cute. Now behave, no tantrums or Daddy might just have to make that red bottom a reality.”

“Fine. Let’s go, though, Daddy. I want to race you home. See who gets there first.”

When he climbed in and started up the truck, she turned the key on her steering wheel. It made a noise similar to a V8 engine.

Not really. But this was pretend play. It didn’t have to be real.

She turned a corner really sharply.

“Whoa, Georgie-girl, watch out there. Going a bit fast around that corner.”

“Daddy, I’m a race car driver. I can’t go slow around the corners.”

“Well, I’m the Daddy of a race car driver, and I say she needs to be careful.”

“It’s not real, Daddy.” Silly Daddy.

“Just as well. You drove like that in real life and I’d take my belt off.”

Her mouth dropped open. He wouldn’t? She glanced over at him.

She was betting he would.

She didn’t own a car. No need for one when she used public transport. But when she did drive, she liked to drive fast and hard, pushing the speed limit. She’d received tactical driving lessons when she was training to be an agent. And she’d loved those classes.

But he never needed to know that.

“Hey, slowpoke, get out of the way!” she yelled at an imaginary driver.

Ed let out a laugh. “Just as well this is pretend. You’re a terrible driver.”

“Daddy, I am not. It’s everyone else who is terrible. I’m perfect.”

His face softened. “That you are, my girl.”

They’d just pulled into his garage and he was lifting her down when his phone rang.

“Go inside, Georgie-girl. Take off your boots and jacket. Okay?”

“Okay,” she said cheerfully.

She was just putting her coat away when he walked out of the garage, carrying her packages. There was a frown on his face.

“Everything okay?” she asked.

“Yeah. Sort of. You know those break-ins that have been happening around town?”

“Yep. Something happened?”

“Seems like they caught the guy. He was trying to break into Melanie Simmonds’ home. Got caught attempting to climb up the balcony to get to the second floor.”

“Really? But didn’t all those other robberies happen at night?” she asked

“Hmm.”

“And why climb up to the second floor?” she asked. “Wouldn’t you just go through the downstairs window?”

“Unless he thought the second floor wasn’t alarmed.”

“She had an alarm?”

“Any woman living alone is required to have an alarm in Wishingbone.”

“They are?” She’d never heard of a town making that a requirement.

“Yeah, we passed that law last year sometime. I want the women in my town to be protected.”

Wow. That was insane. And also something she should have expected from Ed. He was a man who fiercely protected those he cared about. Which included the entire town of Wishingbone.

“That’s how he was caught. The alarm went off, and Mel’s neighbor called the cops then went over with her shotgun to hold him until the cops arrived. Unfortunately, he was already trying to get out. Had his leg over the balustrade of the balcony.”

“Why is that unfortunate?”

“He was stark naked at the time. And Matilda, the woman with the gun, wouldn’t let him move.”

“So he just stayed there, cradling the balustrade of the upstairs balcony with his . . . penis on display?”

“Yep.”

“Ouch. That would have been cold.”

“Hmm. Sounds like they drew quite the crowd from the neighborhood too. Kiesha said he’s being brought in now.”

“What about the house owner?”

“Mel works in Russell,” he said. “I have to go in. If this is the person behind all the robberies, then I need to question him.”

“Of course.” She waved her hand at him. “Go. I’ll be fine here.”

“Do you want to come?” he said. “Kiesha’s been bugging me about seeing you. I think she’s worried I’ve got you cuffed to my bed and am only feeding you bread and water.”

“And cock,” she muttered. Then she slammed her hand over her mouth.

He grinned at her. “Only every chance I get.”

“She texted me that this morning. Told me to send her an SOS if you had me cuffed to the bed and was feeding me