Daring Daddy (Montana Daddies 5)

“We don’t need to talk to them about it,” she said quickly.

“We do. You’re under some serious misconceptions and they won’t be fixed until you hear it from your brothers.”

“Damn it, Zeke—”

“And you are not ever, ever to refer to yourself as a cripple again, do you understand me? I’m going to let that slide without a punishment this once, but talking bad about my girl is completely unacceptable.”

She drew in a breath. “You have some obsession with punishment.”

“Oh, I have a definite obsession with your ass. I want to squeeze it, kiss it, and I have spent many, many moments imagining having you over my knee, spanking it.”

“Don’t you think that’s wrong, considering I wouldn’t be able to get away from you?” she snapped.

His heart froze in his chest. Stopped beating. Then he slid back from her into the driver’s seat.

“You think I’d abuse you, Eden?” he asked in a serious voice. Her answer had the means to hurt him, to completely unravel him. He waited. She stared up at him.

“No,” she answered quietly.

Thank fuck. Thank fuck.

His breath left him in a huge whoosh.

She stared out at the darkness. “You really think there’s a possibility I’m in danger?”

“Yes,” he replied. “I wouldn’t lie to you about that, Eden. About anything.”

She nodded and more of that tension left him. Her trust meant everything.

“I won’t know more though until Reyes calls me.”

“He’s going to call you?”

“Duke handed me a burner phone before we left. He’ll call me on that. I’ll get the answers we need. In the meantime, I don’t think it’s a good idea that we go back to Sanctuary.”

“What? Why?”

“Because whoever they’re partnered with is likely dangerous and I don’t want to lead them back to your family.”

“You think they could be in danger? But Sanctuary has the best security there is. Nobody can get at us there.”

“No place is one hundred percent secure, and under other circumstances I would agree. But I would feel better if we stayed away until I talked to Reyes and got the lowdown on who we’re dealing with. If they learn of you then that’s probably the first place, they’ll go searching for you. Which means, I don’t want you there.”

“This. . .it’s madness. I want to go home.”

He hated the lost note in her voice. Even as he observed how young she sounded. How sweet. Okay, so he had an ulterior motive for bringing her here. He wanted her to himself. Wanted some time alone with her. Wanted to recreate that night of the wedding.

“Just one night. While I figure out what’s going on. Besides, you’re tired, I’m tired, the last thing we need is to travel for hours at night.”

“Where are we going to go?”

“An old SEAL buddy has a holiday cabin not far from here. He’s a paranoid bastard so it has some top-notch security. He’d fit right in at JSI and I’m hoping once he retires, he’ll come work there. But for tonight, I think it’s our best option.”

There was silence. He wouldn’t force her. This was up to her.

“All right. Let’s go to this cabin. I just want to go to sleep and forget about everything for a while.”

“Good, the cabin is about twenty minutes from here. We’ll need to stop for supplies. You just sit back and relax. Let me take care of everything. I’m going to look after you, Eden. I promise.”