Daddy's Sweet Girl (Montana Daddies 3)

He frowned. “Know what?”

“How I’ve been lying to you.”

Kent didn’t explode like she thought he might. He didn’t do anything except give her a thoughtful look. Then he turned to Ed. “Give us a minute on our own?”

Ed shook his head. He was watching her carefully as well. “Wish I could, but it’s best just to get my questions out of the way now so you can take her home and get her settled. Got two of my deputies coming to help process the scene. They’ll be here soon and I’d really like some answers.” There was a stern note to his voice now.

Kent nodded. “Me too. Right, get it off your chest, Abby. Tell us the worst of it.”

She took a deep breath. There was no hiding from the truth anymore. She had to tell him. “The bruises are two days old. I got them that day that you...that you came here and I wouldn’t let you in the house.”

Kent’s eyes narrowed, but it was his only reaction to her statement. “That’s the reason you wouldn’t let me in? Why you were acting so odd? Who gave them to you?”

“My brother.”

“Max is back?” Ed asked sharply.

“Yes.”

“Damn it, Abby. Don’t you know there’s a warrant out for him? Do yo

u know what kind of trouble you could get in for harboring him?”

To her surprise, she suddenly found herself behind Kent’s wide back. He stood between her and the sheriff. And when he spoke, it was in a voice she’d never heard before.

Controlled fury.

“First, don’t ever swear at her. Second, don’t take that tone with her. Third, she’s obviously a victim and there will be no threats of arresting her or anything else. Understand?”

“I...I didn’t even think about that. I’m sorry.”

Kent turned so he still stood between them, but could stare at them both. “It’s okay. You obviously had other things on your mind.” He gave Ed another glare.

Ed huffed out a breath. “Sorry, Abby. Do you have any idea where Max is now?”

“No, that’s the thing. I think maybe whoever did this was looking for him. He said he was in trouble—”

“When isn’t he?” Ed remarked.

Abby nodded. She held her hands together tightly in front of her. “I know. But I think he’s in worse trouble than usual. He owes money. He gambles and he doesn’t know when to stop. And he’s using. I think he was high when he did this.” She pointed to her wrist.

“You should have told me,” Kent told her. “When I arrived, you should have told me he’d hurt you and that he was in your house.”

“I was scared.”

“Of me?”

She shook her head. “Of him. Of what he would do to you. He’s not the brother I grew up with. He’s mean. He’s violent. He said these people wouldn’t hesitate to hurt either one of us to get what they wanted from him. I’m not sure what that is. Usually people just want money. Not that I can afford to pay anyone else off. All of my spare cash goes to Mr. Markovich.”

“What?” Kent whispered.

HOW HAD HE NOT KNOWN any of this was going on? How had he missed it all? She had a bruised wrist, for fuck’s sake. Clearly, her brother had been threatening her. Mistreating her.

And she hadn’t said a word to him.

Fuck it. He should never have left her that day. He’d known something was going on, but he’d never imagined it would be something like this.

“You’ve been paying off Max’s debt with Drew Markovich?” Ed asked incredulously. “Wait, is that why you were at the bar the other night when Eden was attacked?” He turned to Kent. “Markovich owns the Suck ’n Blow.”