Daddy’s Wild Girl (Montana Daddies #16)

Chapter 23

23

B ebe felt numb.

And it wasn’t because she was cold.

She was numb on the inside.

Had she overreacted to the TV ad? Yeah, probably.

But at that moment, she just needed to get away. Do something to get rid of all the thoughts pounding through her head and just feel free.

Had she thought about jumping off the bridge?

Not really.

She didn’t want to die. She simply wanted to breathe. To feel free from all the emotions bombarding her.

Anger. Fear. Worry.

But mostly betrayal.

Complete and utter betrayal.

It didn’t matter what was announced. Her mother couldn’t make her do anything. Sure, she could send her passive-aggressive messages. She could attempt to push her into doing things. And she could make digs at Bebe all she liked for not having a job, a career, a life.

But that didn’t mean Bebe had to believe the shit she spouted.

Or do anything that she didn’t want to do.

“Bebe, you’re not getting undressed,” Corbin suddenly said.

She startled. Where the heck had he come from? “When did you get back in the car?”

“Just now, baby. And I’m worried about the fact that you didn’t even notice. You were out of it, away with the fairies. You need to get those clothes off.”

“I can’t d-do that here.” Although she was concerned that she was drifting with her mind unable to settle on one thing.

What was wrong with her?

“Here, let me hold up this blanket to cover you. No one will see you, just take some things off, okay?”

He held the blanket around her for privacy and she tried, she really did. But her fingers didn’t want to work.

“I c-can’t.”

“Shit.”

“Just d-drive home.”

“I’m not letting you freeze half to death on the way there.”

“The h-heater is on.”

“It’s not enough.” He drew the blanket away and reached for his shirt that she was wearing.

“C-Corbin.”

“I’m just taking care of you.”

He said it like it was something he did all the time. Maybe he did. Perhaps she wasn’t as special as she’d like to be.

He reached for the buttons of his shirt. “Sometimes it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.”

Huh?

What was he trying to say? She knew the saying but her brain wasn’t working.

“She c-can’t make me d-do it,” she muttered.

“Of course she can’t,” he soothed. “Which is why you can’t let her get to you. Besides, the only person who will look stupid when you don’t turn up on her new show is her.”

Right. Only he didn’t know her mother. She had a way of twisting things. Of making herself look good.

What did she stand to gain?

Either her mother thought she’d pressure her into doing the show or she had a storyline to use . . . something that would bring in the watchers.

She couldn’t figure out what was going on. It was too hard with everything else.

“I need you to lift your butt up, baby.”

Bebe glanced down at herself. “Why am I-I half-naked? How?”

All she was wearing was her bra and jeans.

“I stripped you off.”

“I d-don’t think that’s p-part of your job description.”

“Hush, Bebe.”

He was always telling her to hush. Kind of rude.

She wasn’t sure how much more time had disappeared, but before she knew it, he was crouching beside her open door, pulling off her jeans while the blanket was wrapped around her top half, shielding her from the cold.

“There you are.”

She glanced down again and saw that her jeans, socks and boots were off and the blanket covered her from her feet to her chin.

He brushed her hair back. “Everything is going to be all right, baby. Okay?”

She nodded, her teeth chattering. She probably shouldn’t let him call her baby.

But she liked it way too much.

He shut the door, which cut out the chilly night air. With the heater going and her wet clothes mostly removed, she instantly started to feel better.

When Corbin was back in the driver’s seat, she turned to him. “W-what about you?”

“Me? I’m fine, baby. Don’t worry about me.”

“You’re so n-nice to me. I don’t understand w-why?”

“Because you deserve it. You deserve all the kindness in the world.” Reaching out, he squeezed her hand lightly.

“She’ll f-find some way to punish me.”

Shoot. She hadn’t meant to say that out loud.

“Your mother?” he asked grimly.

“I think that’s why you and H-Hayes are here.”

Damn. Speaking of Hayes . . .

“He won’t be happy with me. I broke the r-rules.”

She was going to be in trouble.

It wasn’t like she’d done it on purpose. She hadn’t been able to think . . . all she’d known was that she needed to get out of there.

“No, likely not. But let’s worry about Hayes later. And I won’t allow your mother to punish you.”

Bebe wasn’t sure what he could do to stop her.

“When I was younger, my favorite toys would go m-missing. I don’t know h-how she knew which ones were my f-favorites. I’m guessing someone on her s-staff told her.”

“That bitch.”

Oh, she could feel her toes again. Good.

“I know. Mostly, she’d want to p-parade me around, so she wanted me to behave and if I d-didn’t . . . Well, one time she got r-rid of my best friend. Her father got transferred after I r-refused to go to a mother-daughter event with my mother. Afterward, she t-told me she arranged it.”

“Fucking hell. I’m so sorry, baby.”

“It’s not y-your fault she’s a psychopath. Like I said, though, I think that’s why t-the two of you are here.”

“What do you mean?”

“Mother knows I wouldn’t like s-someone in the house with me. She knows that I v-value my privacy. She wanted me to g-go on tour with them. To do The Benner Life On Tour or something. But I wouldn’t do it. And then s-suddenly I have my father begging me to take on t-two bodyguards.”

“Fuck. You really do think she made up those threats, don’t you?”

“I do.” And now she was wondering if the threats had something to do with her announcement that Bebe was going to be on the revamped The Benner Life .

But how would potential threats force her into being on the show? It didn’t make much sense.

They reached her house, and she sighed as she thought of having to climb the stairs to get up to her bedroom. Bebe realized that the light above the front door was on just as the door opened and a large man filled the doorway.

Oh, crap.

She tensed as he walked toward them.

“He’s been worried about you,” Corbin told her. “Been blowing up my phone when he hates text messaging. Remember, his bark is worse than his bite.”

Corbin got out of the car, abandoning her to the full wrath of Hayes as he opened her door, looming over her.

“H-hi,” she croaked out.

To her shock, he crouched next to her. Then he reached out and placed the back of his hand over her forehead.

“Hand,” he barked.

She slid her hand out, nearly flashing him some bra-covered boob. She didn’t know why she wasn’t worried about Corbin seeing her breasts.

Don’t you?

No. Nope.

Not happening.

He put his fingers over her pulse, hushing her when she went to speak.

Sheesh.

These men sure did like to shh her.

“Her pulse is racing and she feels clammy and cold. We need to get her inside. Quick.”

“Yep, that’s what I was planning to do,” Corbin calmly replied.

They shared a look and a silent conversation. Then Hayes stepped away and Corbin was there again.

“Come on, darling. Let’s get you inside and warm.”

Corbin’s voice was so soft and kind. It made her melt, tears filling her eyes. She didn’t know if she could handle too much kindness right now.

She was too close to breaking, which might just send her over.

And yet, did she protest as he undid her seatbelt? As he lifted her into his arms, pressing her against his chest? Did she tell him that she could walk and to put her down?

No.

No, she did not.

Because she liked being held by him. She enjoyed being coddled. She might even need it right now.

He carried her into the house and then toward the stairs.

“Wait, I need to talk to Hayes first,” she said. “I need to apologize.”

“You need to get warm, girl,” Hayes said from behind them as he shut the front door. “I’m going to go up and run you a bath.”

He slid past them and headed toward the stairs.

“Wait! Please let me say this. Because I really am sorry. I didn’t mean to run out like that. I know it was against the rules and put myself in danger, and the two of you could have gotten into trouble if something happened. I didn’t mean to. I really didn’t.”

Corbin tightened his hold on her and Hayes turned, gazing down at her intently.

“Whether you believe in the threat or not, it should be taken seriously, girl,” Hayes growled.

“I know.”

Lord, she felt so terrible it was starting to eat her up inside. She hated disappointing them. She’d really grown to like them both in the last two weeks.

Now her head was pounding from the stress of tonight and her stomach was nauseous, wondering if they were going to tell her how disappointed they were.

How she needed to do better.

“Hey,” Corbin said carefully. “Bebe, it’s all right. We’re not mad at you.”

“Nope.” Hayes grew closer. “You ain’t the one we’re mad at. That would be your mother. Don’t know what she was thinking or what she hoped to gain. But, girl, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. Understand me?”

“Y-yes.”

“Next time, though, you better run to us, not away, understood?”

“Yes. I w-will try.”

“You’re a good girl, Bebe. Don’t forget that, okay? Gonna go run that bath.”

She had to blink back her tears at his words. That ‘good girl’ didn’t have the same impact as it did coming from Corbin.

But, sheesh, she still liked it.

And she wasn’t sure what that said about her.

“He’s really running me a bath?” she whispered. Somehow, she thought Hayes would be the last person to do something like that for her.

Half of the time, she still wasn’t even sure he liked her.

“He likes you,” Corbin told her, as though he’d read her mind. “And trust me, that’s not common for Hayes. Pretty sure he still doesn’t like me.”

She had to smile at that. It was ridiculous.

“Why are you smiling?” he asked, carrying her toward the staircase.

“Because that’s crazy. Who wouldn’t like you?”

“Well, thanks.”

“You’re like a Golden Retriever or a Labrador. Everyone loves labs, right?”

Stilling, he frowned down at her. “I’m a lab?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Um, pretty sure I’m not a goofy, fluffy Labrador. I’m more of a Doberman or a Mastiff.”

Hmm.

He really wasn’t.

Now, Hayes . . . he was more of a bulldog or perhaps a Cane Corso. But Corbin . . . definitely a Labrador. However, he didn’t seem to appreciate that so she bit her tongue.

He grunted. “Glad you see it my way.”

Yeah. She really didn’t.

Corbin headed up the stairs with her in his arms.

“I can walk, you know.”

“I know.”

“So you should probably put me down.”

“No.”

Her eyebrows rose. No? That was pretty blunt for him.

“No?”

“I’m carrying you. No arguments.”

“You’re being very bossy tonight.”

“Not something you’d expect from a Labrador, right?”

Oh no.

Had she actually hurt his feelings?

“You’re right. You’re definitely more of a pit bull,” she agreed.

“Damn right.”

Oh dear. Men. Their egos were so sensitive.

He carried her into the bathroom. Her bathroom didn’t have a tub, so this was the bathroom that he and Hayes shared.

She wasn’t certain what she was expecting, but to her shock, it was spotless.

“Bath is ready. I checked the temperature. It won’t burn,” Hayes said. “I’m going to go check security.” He left the bathroom abruptly.

“Is he all right?” she asked.

“Yeah. I think so. Do you need some help taking a bath?” Corbin asked, still holding onto her.

Did he intend on ever letting her go?

“Uh, no. I think I can manage.”

He frowned and set her down on the bathroom counter. Instead of leaving, though, he caged her in with his hands resting on the counter on either side of her.

“I want you to listen to me. Listen and take it in, okay?”

Uh-oh.

This sounded very serious, but she felt like she’d had enough seriousness for one night.

“You got it, boss.” She gave a salute, but his lips didn’t twitch. He continued to stare at her solemnly.

“I don’t ever want you to think that you don’t matter. Because you matter a great deal. You are funny, kind, smart, and gorgeous. The world is a better place with you in it. And you need to hear that and believe it.”

“Corbin,” she whispered. She hadn’t been going to hurt herself.

Or she didn’t think she had been.

“If you ever need anything. Someone to talk to. Someone to help you. Even if it’s something like helping you open a jar of pickles or move a heavy bookcase or give you a hug. I’m there. Unconditionally. Got me?”

Her nose stung and she had to fight to hold back her tears. She blinked several times.

“Yeah. I got you.”

Leaning forward, he kissed her forehead. His lips lingered, burning her cool skin.

“Hayes is right. You are a very good girl.”

Damn. There it was.

Good girl.

Killing. Her.