Daddy in Cowboy Boots (Montana Daddies #9) - Laylah Roberts Page 0,44
fine. Figured she’d tell you, though.”
Linc leaned forward, staring at her sternly. “You’re going to tell me, aren’t you, Mari-girl?”
Linc studied Marisol. She looked nervous, unsure, frightened. There were some dirt stains on the high-necked sweater she wore. Flyaway bits of hair had escaped from her ponytail. He wanted nothing more than to pull her onto his lap and reassure her that everything would be all right.
However, he needed her to tell him what the hell was going on. Why she’d been wandering along the road at night. Once he got some answers, he could comfort her.
Then he planned on taking her home and never letting her leave.
Mine.
Deep breath, man. You can’t go scaring her with your possessiveness.
Marisol would learn to lean on him. Rely on him. He would be the first person she would call when she was hurt. He didn’t care if it was something serious or a goddamned stubbed toe.
He. Would. Know.
He wasn’t letting her get away from him. And she was going to be grounded for the next year anyway so . . .
Okay, man, ease up. She doesn’t even know what you are yet. Or about any of this. And she didn’t agree to any of your punishments or rules.
But still . . . the thought of keeping her ass inside his house for the next year was all that was stopping him from losing it. He was usually much more even-tempered. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d skated the edge of control like this.
Then again, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d cared about someone as much as he did her.
She was precious. And she needed to know that.
Marisol took a small breath. Her eyes were wide. Filled with fear. What the fuck?
“Marisol? You okay, sweetheart?” Ed asked as he sat across from them.
Linc shot him a look. He’d seen the way Ed watched her. Knew the other man was interested in her, even though Linc had made it clear to Ed that she was his.
No way would he lose Marisol to someone else. That wouldn’t happen again.
He liked Ed. But he’d take that fucker down if he tried to move in on what belonged to Linc.
“Teeny, look at me. Teeny,” he repeated firmly when she lowered her gaze to her lap.
She raised her eyes to his.
“Good girl,” he praised her, watching as some of the tension in her shoulders drifted away. “Hold my hands.” She reached out with trembling hands. He took them in his. “That’s it. Now take a nice, slow deep breath for me. That’s it. Slowly in. Squeeze my hands if you need to. Good girl. Calm, deep breaths. Nothing is going to hurt you. I’m here. Nothing is getting past me to you. I promise.”
He kept his voice firm but calm. She needed calm right now. He knew that deep down she was strong. She might not see it, but he did. In the way she coped with her diabetes, with her aunt, the constant moves and upheaval. She was obviously shy, found it hard to be around a lot of people yet she got up every morning and did her job.
He hated that he had no idea of what had happened tonight. Even though things were busy with Clint away, he should have made more time for her. Phone calls and text messages were obviously not enough.
“You can’t promise that. You don’t know what they’re like,” she told them both. She slid her hands from Linc’s and he immediately felt the loss of her skin pressed against his. Warming him from the inside out.
“The Devil’s Sinners?” Ed asked. “Did one of them threaten you? Hurt you?”
“The Devil’s Sinners?” Linc said sharply. “They were just on the news, right? All that shit with some of their leaders going missing and their headquarters set on fire?”
“Yeah, that’s right.” Ed rubbed his chin. “I was headed to Marisol’s aunt’s house because of a noise complaint. There’s a gathering of Devil’s Sinners members at her aunt’s house.”
“Fuck! Did one of them hurt you?”
She shook her head, looking pale and scared. He fucking hated it.
“When I got home from work tonight, the driveway was filled with cars and motorcycles. My aunt usually warns me when they’re coming around so I can make myself scarce. Or hide in my room. Generally I try to leave though. Sticking around isn’t safe.”
Linc ground his teeth together. Jesus. Fucking. Christ. What was her aunt thinking?
“Why isn’t it safe, Marisol?” Ed asked in a calm voice.