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

“Think that’s understandable.”

“You’ve lost weight, squirt.” Sebastian studied her. He never missed a thing.

She sat up straight. “You haven’t seen me in eight months, how would you know?”

Spencer crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t think the sheriff is doing a good job of looking after her. She’s thin and pale.”

“And she was kidnapped,” Gareth added.

“You’re going to come stay with me,” Sebastian added.

“I am not!” Not happening. She wasn’t a kid to be bossed around.

“Why didn’t you tell us that you took time off from your job?” Marcus asked.

“It wasn’t your business!”

“Instead of coming to one of us, you came here?” Spencer asked as if she hadn’t spoken. “Why?”

“Also none of your business.” She sucked in a deep breath. “Look, I appreciate you guys coming here to check on me. But this is where I want to be and I’m not going anywhere.”

“You’re not going back to work?” Sebastian asked.

“I’m on indefinite leave.”

“Why?” August asked. “What happened?”

She glanced away from his perceptive eyes. “I was working on a case that went wrong. I started getting panic attacks.”

Spencer sucked in a breath. “How the hell does a case go wrong when you sit behind a desk?”

“I can’t believe you all knew that Mother had me benched.”

They stared at her unapologetically.

“We will do whatever we have to in order to keep you safe, squirt,” August told her.

She rolled her eyes at him. “Stop calling me that. And I can take care of myself.”

“Clearly,” Spencer said sarcastically.

“It is not my fault I got kidnapped.”

“No, it’s not.” A deep voice said from the doorway. “And I don’t appreciate anyone trying to insinuate that it was.”

She gave Ed a grateful look. While she knew she was in for a whole lot of protective smothering once they got home, she was also thankful that he had her back with her family.

He moved forward and pulled her out of the seat then sat with her on his lap again. “Saber’s being booked. I’m recusing myself, so no one can say that there was a conflict of interest.”

Her brothers nodded although no one looked happy.

“Look, clearly losing your job has come as a shock to you,” August said, trying to smooth things over.

Grr. She didn’t lose her job.

“But don’t you think moving to the middle of nowhere and jumping into a relationship with a man you barely know is a bit insane? Can’t you see why we’re worried? This isn’t like you,” he added.

“I know. This isn’t like me.” She leaned back into Ed’s chest. “Which is why I did it. Because being me wasn’t working for me. I got shot on the job.”

“What?” Evan snapped.

“I’m fine. It was a flesh wound. But when I went back to work, I had a panic attack at the sound of a car backfiring. My nightmares were worse than ever. So I came here, because being here, with Ed, it was the last time I could remember being happy. I’d only been here a night when I went for a run and collapsed and ended up in the hospital.”

August started pacing “Why the fuck did no one tell me!” He glared at Ed.

“Because I didn’t need you all doing this. Acting like you know what’s best for me. Treating me like I’m a child. I know what I’m doing. This is what I want, to be here with Ed. I love him. I’m staying here so you all need to suck it up and be happy for me.”

“You love me?” Ed asked gruffly.

Oh shoot.

“Me and my stupid mouth,” she muttered. “That wasn’t how I was going to tell you.”

“Everyone out,” he barked without moving his gaze away from hers.

There was some grumbling.

“Fine, we’re going but this conversation isn’t over,” Sebastian said sternly. The others all made noises of agreement.

She heard everyone go then the click of the door.

He spun her around so she was straddling his lap. Then clasping her face between his hands, he kissed her.

It was hard and hot. Full of possession and said everything she needed to know.

This was right. This was everything.

“You love me.”

“I love you,” she repeated. He just kept staring at her, as though he thought she might disappear. “Have you got something to say to me?”

“Yeah.”

Still nothing.

Irritation started to build and she told herself that he didn’t have to say it back.

Screw that. Yes, he did.

“Well?”

“Don’t ever scare me like that again, understand me? I can’t take it. I haven’t slept, I haven’t eaten. I thought I’d fucking lost you, and I couldn’t imagine what my life . . .” his voice cracked and her heart wept at the raw emotion on his face. He was trembling and she tried to wrap her arms around him. But he wouldn’t release her face.

Tears gathered in her eyes. “Ed, please. Let me hold you.”

“Not yet. I have to get this out and if you hug me right now, I might lose it. You don’t know how hard it’s been to hold it together, not knowing where you were, if you were safe. It fucking killed me. Something inside me tore and only having you in my arms, in my sight, under my protection is going to repair it.”

She got it. She could only imagine how terrified he’d been, not knowing that she was all right. She knew how she’d be if the situation was reversed. She didn’t know how he’d kept himself sane.

“I get it.”

“Georgina, I nearly tore this town apart searching for you. I was so damn close to losing it.”

“I’m all right, Ed. I promise. I had it under control.”

“I know you’re not fragile and that you can take care of yourself. But you’re still my baby and I’m going to look after you. I need to. My girl. My baby. I love you.”

Ed tucked her hair behind her ear. She hadn’t bothered to try to tame it.

“What about your career?” Ed asked.

“I think it’s time for my second act,” she told him. “That job wasn’t working for me anyway. I