Daddy's Sweet Girl (Montana Daddies, #3)

by Roberts, Laylah

  “Oh God, Kent.” Her heart ached for him.

  “Yeah, I know. If he’d just had a safe place to go to when he got out. People that understood. If I’d just reached out to him.”

  “Oh no, you can’t blame yourself. You were struggling too.”

  “But I was in a much better place than he was. Physically and mentally. I should have been there for him.”

  “But you didn’t know.”

  “I didn’t even know he was struggling. I felt that if I had just called him, I could have prevented it. I know in all likelihood that wasn’t true, but I’m a guy that likes to take care of those around him. I felt like I failed.”

  “That’s not true.”

  “Maybe not. Maybe yes. But it gave me the impetus I needed to do something. I started JSI. I hired mainly all ex-military. Some I knew, some I didn’t. The only people I hire who live here are ones who share the same views that Clint and I do about relationships. But I have people who live in other places that work for me. And I have organizations that I support that are set up to help ex-armed forces. I can’t help everyone, but I can do my bit.”

  “Oh, Kent, you’re doing much more than your bit.” She leaned her head against this chest. He kissed the top of her head.

  “All those people I help? Who work for me? Not one of them is more important to me than you, baby girl. So, you tell me, if you’re in trouble, do you think I won’t do everything I have to in order to protect you? That I won’t spend every day keeping you safe? Don’t you think that a few rules about safety are worth peace of mind for me?”

  She didn’t really need to think about it. She stared up at them. “Of course, they are. All right, what’s next?”

  SHE REALLY WAS A SWEETHEART. He didn’t fool himself for one minute into thinking she was going to take to all of his rules so easily, but safety was the big one for him.

  “When you leave the ranch, I need to know where you’re going and when you’ll be back. I understand this seems controlling...”

  “It’s okay, Kent. Really. I can do that.”

  “If you think you’ll be late, you need to call and tell me.”

  “Sure, that’s just common courtesy. I’ll expect the same in return.”

  He smiled and kissed her forehead. “Of course, baby. I travel a lot and that always comes with delays but I will always let you know as soon as I can.”

  She frowned. Was she upset at the idea of him being away from her? He couldn’t help the surge of satisfaction at the idea. Because, Lord knew, he didn’t want to be apart from her. And he had some ideas of how he could change that, but he wasn’t going to bring that up right now. He knew he had to move slowly so as not to scare her off.

  “All right,” she said quietly.

  “I think I’ve made it clear that there will be no talking badly about yourself.” He noted that down on the piece of paper.

  She wrinkled her nose. “I’ll try.”

  He lowered his chin, staring at her sternly. “You will do more than try, understand?”

  She nodded.

  “Yes, Daddy.”

  “Yes, Daddy.” She squirmed on his lap, but he held her still.

  “Calm down, baby. We’re not finished yet. Next rule, obeying the law.”

  She stiffened. “What do you mean? I always obey the law.” Her eyes widened in horror. “Do you think I’m like Max?”

  “Shh, sweet girl,” he said soothingly. “That’s not what I think at all. I know you’re nothing like your brother.”

  She relaxed slightly. “Then what did you mean?”

  “I meant things like when you’re driving that you will stick to the speed limit. No texting, always wear your seat belt, no jaywalking.”

  “No jaywalking, right.” She giggled. Then her smile died. “Oh, you were serious.”

  “I am serious. You get caught jaywalking or taking risks crossing the road and I’m going to think that you need more supervision.”

  She had a stupefied look on her face. He thought that might just be enough for now. There was just one more thing.

  “If Max contacts you, then I want to know immediately. Same goes with anyone associated with him, Mr. Markovich or those other people. I don’t intend to let you out of my sight for long until this is settled, but this rule is very important and I need your promise.”

  “What will you do if one of them does contact me?”

  “That’s not for you to worry about.”

  “But I am worried. I don’t want you doing anything that will end with you hurt or in jail.”

  He rocked her slightly back and forth. “I appreciate that you’re worried about me, little one. But I can assure you I’ve dealt with people far nastier and more dangerous than these people are.”

  “I just feel like all I’m bringing to this relationship is problems,” she muttered.

  He leaned her back to stare into her face sternly. “Hear me well, these issues are just a blip on the radar. I know everything seems terrible and insurmountable to you, but I’m going to take care of them and then we can concentrate on you and me. Besides, these problems have gotten you right where I want you.” He grinned at her.

  She rolled her eyes. “Half-naked and on your lap?”

  “You got it, babe. So, that promise?”

  “I promise.”

  “I promise, what?”

  “I promise to tell you if Max or Mr. Markovich or that other man call or approach me, Daddy.”

  “Good girl.” He kissed her lightly. “I’m proud of you, by the way.”

  She blinked. “You are?”

  Poor baby, she appeared so shocked. Had she not heard that very often?

  “None of this is easy. This shit with Max, your house, me.”

  “You?”

  He nodded. “I know this sort of relationship probably isn’t what you ever had planned and I can be demanding, especially when it comes to safety—"

  She reached up and placed a finger against his mouth. “Oh Kent, don’t you know?”

  “Know what?”

  “You’re the one bright spot in my life. It’s the only thing getting me through all this other crap.” She sighed. “I just hope you don’t come to regret any of it.”

  He hugged her tight. “I can assure you, I won’t.” Then he glanced at the clock with a low curse. “Abby, you better call your boss. Best to give her as much time as possible to get someone else in. Although she could try doing some of the work herself.”

  SHE DIDN’T WANT TO. She wanted to sulk and refuse. But she knew it had to be done. Damn, she hated talking to Gloria, though. She did not take bad news well.

  She snorted. “Fat chance of that happening.”

  He lifted her off his lap and sat her on the sofa. Ouch! She leaned to the side to take the weight off her sore bottom. Then he stood and walked over to grab his phone off the counter. “Here, use my phone.”

  “Um, I’ll just go upstairs. Can I pull my pants up now?”

  “You can make the call here. Pants stay where they are.”

  She wrinkled her nose then glared at him.

  “You can always make the call from the corner,” he said mildly.

  She sighed. Then dialed the number for the diner which she luckily knew from memory. Okay, was there a weirder situation than standing half-naked in the kitchen of a man you’d just spent the night with, your panties down around your ankles, your red ass on view, while you called your boss?

  If there was, she couldn’t think of it.

  “Yo, Wishingbone Diner, Ann-Marie speaking.”

  “Hi, Ann-Marie, it’s Abby.”

  “Abby-girl, you’re the talk of the diner today. Everybody’s gabbing about how your house got tossed and that you were rescued by that huge hunk of spunk, Kent Jensen. That true? Did he really carry you from your house then take you shopping for a whole new wardrobe?”

  “Um, well, that’s not quite true.”

  “Oh,” Ann-Marie sounded disappointed. “Figured it w
asn’t. So, what you want?”

  “Can I speak to Gloria?”

  “Girl, you do not want to speak to her right now. Her panties are in a bunch over all the attention you’re getting.”

  She winced. That was just wonderful. Kent raised his eyebrows questioningly.

  She shook her head. “Please, Ann-Marie, put her on.”

  “Fine, your funeral.”

  “What?” Gloria snapped down the phone.

  “Um, Gloria, it’s Abby.”

  “Abby, bunch of rumors being spread around about you. Think you better come in early so you can put them to rest. Also, Rachel needs to leave soon so you can cover her shift. So, see you at one.”

  Her shift didn’t start until three. Suddenly, she didn’t feel so bad about calling in to take the day off. Gloria had no problems with making her start early or work late or work thirteen days in a row.

  “Actually, I’m not coming in today.”

  “What do you mean you’re not coming in today?” Gloria screeched. “You can’t just call in and tell me you’re not coming in!”

  “You’ve heard about what happened to my house—”

  “So what? So, you got a few broken things? I got a business to run! I can’t run it if my fucking staff are all fucking unreliable little bitches—”

  Kent plucked the phone from her hand. His lips were set in a firm line, anger had tightened his body.

  “Abby will not be in today and you will refrain from calling her such names in the future, understand?”

  There was silence on the other end. No doubt, Gloria was in a state of complete shock. Abby couldn’t feel sorry for her. How dare she call her unreliable? She never took a day off, she was always there early. She worked damn hard and this was the thanks she got? If she had any other prospects for work, she’d tell Gloria where to shove it.

  “Well, when will she be in?” she heard Gloria say.

  “When I can be assured of her safety, and only after you give her an apology for the way you just talked to her.”

  Abby gaped up at him. What was he doing? While she might dream about telling Gloria she was quitting, she actually needed this job.

  “An apology?” Gloria let out a cackling laugh. “She’s not getting a fucking apology from me. Tell her she’s fired. I might consider changing my mind if she comes begging, but it’ll be for less pay and worse conditions.”

  Oh shit. Crap.

  “That will happen when hell freezes over. Good day. Oh, and don’t expect anyone from Sanctuary Ranch to use your diner again.”

  He switched off the phone on Gloria’s screeching.

  “Oh God, Kent, what have you done?”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Kent was furious.

  Otherwise, he might have found the way Abby paced up and down the room, unmindful to the fact that she was half-naked really quite cute. She’d kicked off her pants and panties so she could move more freely.

  But he was too angry. He couldn’t believe the way Gloria had spoken to Abby. Far as he was concerned Gloria should have been thanking her lucky stars to have an employee as hard working as Abby.

  His girl was far too good for that place.

  “Kent!” Abby wailed.

  He glanced up, saw the very real panic on her face. Right. Her job. Money. Her house. Shit. No wonder she was in a state. Her whole world had collapsed around her.

  “Abby, come here,” he said in a low voice.

  She shook her head, tugging frantically at her hair.

  “Little girl. Get over here. Now. You do not want me coming to get you.”

  “I can’t lose my job,” she cried as she walked towards him.

  He sat and pulled her back onto his lap, hating the way she was shaking. “You loved it that much, then?”

  If she did then he’d do whatever he needed to in order to get it back for her. Hell, he’d buy the diner if that’s what it took. Actually, that wasn’t a bad idea...

  “No, I hated it.”

  “So why are you upset?”

  “Um, I think that’s pretty obvious.”

  “You want to watch your tone, unless you want to find yourself being introduced to my paddle. And considering the punishment you have coming; you do not want that right now.”

  She grew stiff in his arms and he waited for an explosion. Then she suddenly crumpled in on herself. She curled herself into a ball right there on his lap. Drawing her legs up, she buried her face in her knees and sobbed.

  “Baby, what is it? Abby, tell me why you’re so upset? Was it my threat to spank you?”

  Fuck, he’d never felt so unsure or out of control of a situation in his life.

  “I’m so sorry,” she wailed. “You’re being so wonderful and I just snapped at you. I was such a bitch.”

  “Oh, baby. You could never be a bitch.”

  He gathered her closer, rubbing her back again. “Hush, now, Abby-girl. You’re going to dehydrate yourself soon.”

  “I’ve never cried so much in my life!”

  “Come on, now. You’re worrying Daddy.” He stood and carried her into the kitchen, setting her on the counter. She immediately tried to get off. He placed his hands on her thighs.

  “Uh-uh, Daddy didn’t say you could get down. You need to learn to stay where you are put.”

  Her mouth dropped. “You did not just say that to me.”

  “I did.”

  “But my bottom is bare! It’s unhygienic.”

  He snorted. “That’s why they invented disinfectant cleaning spray.”

  “I’m pretty sure that’s not the reason it was invented,” she muttered.

  He tapped her nose. “Be a good girl and stay there.” He walked to the tissues and grabbed a few then wiped her face clean. “Blow.”

  He knew from the red that filled her face that she didn’t appreciate him taking care of her in such an intimate way. Too bad. He wanted to do it. And he was the one in charge. Besides, there were far more intimate things he intended to do with her. He spread her legs and stepped between them. Her eyes widened as he pressed up against her.

  “Now that we’ve established that working in the diner isn’t your dream job, you want to tell me what you’d really like to do?”

  She started fidgeting.

  “Abby? What is it? Or would you rather not work at all?” He knew it made him sound old-fashioned but that would be his preference. He’d keep her by him as much as possible in order to assure her safety.

  But he knew he couldn’t make that decision for her. He didn’t want to smother her in his protection.

  “I’ve always wanted to write children’s books. I know that’s silly—”

  “Why is that silly?”

  “I mean, I don’t have any experience. But I took creative writing courses at the community college, I didn’t graduate because I had to leave to come back and take care of Nana. So, I guess I’d like to finish them then try writing. I don’t know if I’ll be that successful, but that’s what I want to do.”

  “Then that’s what you’ll do,” he told her. “After we’ve sorted everything out, you can enroll in college again or look into doing courses online perhaps and we’ll go from there.”

  She stared at him in shock. “Kent, it’s not that easy.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “It’s not?”

  “I have no money.”

  “I do.”

  She sighed. “I’m not letting you pay for college.”

  “You are. There is no ‘letting me’ as far as I’m concerned. I’ve made the decision, it’s happening.”

  “This is not a dictatorship.”

  “Hate to tell you, baby, but in a lot of ways it is. You get your opinion, but I have the ultimate say. This is what you want, I’m going to make it happen for you.”

  “We’re not talking about some clothes and a few stuffies, Kent. This is college courses and I’d have to find a job while I’m studying to support myself which may not be that easy and I—”

&n
bsp; He placed a hand against her mouth. “Listen to me. I’m going to pay for the courses. And I’m going to support you while you go. I want you to be happy, this will make you happy.”

  She tugged at his hand and he drew it away. “I don’t want to use you. I don’t want you spending all your money on me.”

  He laughed. “Baby, I’ve never worked so hard to spend my money on someone. I’m starting to think I need another rule where every time you argue with me, I get to spank you ten times.”

  “I’m not arguing with you about money.”

  He kissed her lightly. “You are.”

  “Well, crap,” she muttered. Then she fell silent, obviously thinking. He walked over and grabbed the pad of paper he’d left of the sofa, ripped off the top piece with her list of rules and pinned it to the front of the fridge.

  “Well?” he asked.

  “Thank you,” she said simply. “That’s a really kind thing for you to do.”

  “Baby, I have plenty of money, but what I really want is for you to be happy. Okay?”

  “Okay.”

  He kissed his forehead. “Thank you. Truth is, I’m glad you’re not working at the diner anymore. Gloria was using you, those hours you were working were crazy. I won’t have someone taking advantage of you like that.”

  She smiled.

  “Now that’s the way I always want my baby to look. Happy and content.” He ran his hand up her thigh, towards her naked pussy. He pushed her legs apart wider so he could stare down at her glistening pussy lips.

  “Did this pussy get all wet while my baby was being spanked?” he murmured.

  “Daddy!”

  “Did it?”

  She whimpered.

  He ran a finger through her slick folds. “Not answering when I ask you a question is very naughty, by the way. And naughty little girls don’t get to come.”

  She groaned. “Yes! Yes, it made me wet. Is that weird?”

  He stilled his finger. “Baby, no. Everyone has different needs or desires. What you want is what you want. It’s not wrong. So, I don’t want you to think that way, all right?”

  “All right.”

  “What do you need? Tell me.”

  “I can’t believe you’re going to make me ask!”