Chapter 35
35
S anctuary Ranch was beautiful.
Montana was beautiful.
How had she never come here before? Sure it was cold. There wasn’t any snow on the ground, but it was there on the mountains.
And it stole her breath.
But it didn’t stop the nerves that threatened to overwhelm her. What if the stalker followed them here?
Corbin said it was very secure, but she could still see the stalker attacking him. The knife coming toward him. Her screams filling the night.
It was too raw. Too real.
Hopefully, the stalker wasn’t able to follow them. That was the best scenario.
But how would they catch him? Could she live here indefinitely?
It’s where Corbin lives. You want to be with him.
Yes, but she couldn’t imagine living on a ranch with a bunch of other people. They’d all know who she was. They might have watched the show.
They might even believe all the lies about her.
She twisted her fingers together in her lap, anxiety thrumming through her.
“What do people do for fun around here?” She needed a distraction. A way of getting rid of all the energy bubbling up.
Something adrenaline-inducing.
“Is there somewhere to jump out of a plane? Or a ski-field close by? Tobogganing?” she asked.
Corbin turned around to stare at her worriedly. Reaching back, he took hold of her hands in his, stilling her movements.
“Everything will be okay, baby.”
How could he be so sure?
“And when the snow settles lower, I’ll take you tobogganing okay?”
He didn’t say anything about the other stuff. But she could figure something out.
Right?
Corbin’s phone beeped as they drove along the long driveway toward a gorgeous, large house built out of wood and stone, nestled between two tree-covered hills. In the distance were snow-topped mountains.
Breathtaking.
“Kent said to meet him at Clint’s place,” Corbin said.
“All right,” Hayes said as he parked in front of what seemed to be the big house.
Corbin turned to her. “You want to come in, baby? Meet Kent?”
“This is his house?” she asked.
“No. This belongs to his brother, Clint, who runs the Ranch. Kent’s house is up the hill. That’s where I live too. By JSI.”
“Same,” Hayes grunted.
“All right.”
She waited for Corbin to get out and open her door. Then he held out a hand to her.
He’d been like this all day, doing these sorts of things for her. He’d always opened her door before too. But it already felt different. Now he was her . . . her boyfriend and everything felt more intimate.
And he certainly hadn’t held out his hand to her like this before.
Or held it as she followed him into the house. They walked through a big foyer with a set of stairs leading up to the next level.
“Can you wait here, baby?” he asked. “I think Kent is in the office, I’ll go get him and bring him out to meet you.”
She nodded.
“You promise to wait right here?”
“I will.” Where else would she go?
He kissed the top of her head. Hayes’ phone rang as Corbin disappeared. He frowned down at it.
“Stay right there. I’ll only be over here.” He pointed at her before walking away and she heard him talking quietly.
All right, then.
She glanced up as a large man with a rugged face and dark hair thundered his way down the stairs.
He stopped at the bottom of the stairs and she noticed that he had a tiny baby strapped to his chest. The big guy scowled at her. He was kind of scruffy-looking, his hair was up on end, and he had more than a five o’clock shadow on his cheeks. His clothes were rumpled and stained.
“Who are you? How did you get in here?”
“Um, well, I . . .” She stumbled over her words, his aggressive tone making her want to hide or to beg his forgiveness.
He’s not the asshole.
She glanced over at Hayes, but he was still on the phone, so he gave her a thumbs up. She guessed that meant this guy was safe?
Even if he didn’t feel like it.
“Are you a nanny? Did they hire me a freaking nanny? I don’t need one. Shoo! Be gone with you!” He waved one hand at her.
Be gone with you?
And why did he think she was a nanny?
Maybe because he looks like he desperately needs the help.
Who were they , though?
“I can take care of Annabel and Charlie. I don’t need anyone else.”
Ooh. Her brain was slow today. This had to be Clint.
Well, of course it was. It was his house.
It was just that he seemed a bit more . . . wilder than she’d been imagining.
Had Corbin mentioned a baby? She couldn’t remember if he had.
“I’m Bebe.”
“You’re a baby?” He narrowed his gaze at her, stepping closer. She should feel intimidated. He was a big guy with a fierce scowl. But for some reason, she just wasn’t. “A baby whisperer? Well, be gone! I don’t need your kind here.”
“My kind? What does that mean? My kind?” She was so confused. And a bit worried about his state.
She glanced over at Hayes again, but he was still talking, although he sent her a wink.
What the heck did that mean?
He was being a terrible bodyguard, and she was going to tell him that as soon as he got off his call.
“Baby carers. I can take care of my own baby. Don’t need any help. Don’t know why everyone thinks I do. I’ve got this,” he muttered.
Okay, someone had to help this poor guy.
“I’m sure you do have it. I’m sure you’re doing an excellent job,” she said soothingly. “I’m not here to do anything with the baby.”
“You’re not taking my baby.” He placed a large hand over the baby’s back. Oh, that was sweet. She loved how protective he was.
“I would never try to take your baby. I swear.” She stared up at him earnestly.
He ran his gaze over her. “Can’t trust anyone these days. They all say what they think you want to hear and then they try to take your baby.”
“Who tried to take your baby?” she asked, horrified. “Tell me who it was!”
Who would dare to touch a baby?
He tilted his head, studying her. And for the first time, she thought he really saw her. “And what would you do?”
“I’d teach them a lesson.” She curled her hands into fists.
“Huh. Not much those puny arms of yours could do.”
“I resent that! I can swing a bat, you know.”
This time, she was sure she saw his lips twitch. “You’d swing a bat at them?”
“Sure. Nobody should be messing with a baby. So, who are they?”
“All of them.” He waved a hand around. “But I have this. No need for your bat. She’s my baby. Well, mine and Charlie’s.”
“Where is Charlie?”
“You know Charlie?” he asked.
“Uh, no. I’ve just heard about her.”
“From who? Who’d you hear about her from?” he snapped.
Uh-oh.
He was paranoid. That wasn’t good.
“From Corbin,” she said.
“You know Corbin?” he asked.
“Uh-huh. That’s why I’m here. I’m waiting for him. He’s gone to find Kent.”
“Kent,” he spat the word out like it was dirty. “He tried to put something in my coffee, you know.”
“He did?” she asked, alarmed.
“Yeah. To make me sleep. But I can sleep when this one is old enough to drive.”
Ahh. That explained things. He was sleep-deprived and that’s why he was acting so, uh, crazed.
At least, she hoped that was the reason and he wasn’t always like this.
Clint eyed her suspiciously. “Are you going to try and put things in my coffee?”
“Me? No, I wouldn’t dream of it.” She watched him nervously. Was he starting to sway? Would he fall over? Hayes better damn well help her if this behemoth fell on her.
“Good. Don’t try. You don’t want to make an enemy of me.”
“Do you think you’d want to sit down?” she asked.
He grunted and turned, walking off down a hallway. Well, she couldn’t leave him alone like this. So she followed after him, finding him in a living room. She didn’t know if Hayes followed, but she figured it didn’t matter. Clint was sitting on the couch, staring off into nothing.
“Being a new parent must be hard,” she said, sitting as close to him as she dared.
He huffed out a breath.
“Is Charlie doing okay?”
He shot her a look of ire. “Charlie is fine. She’s resting. She needs her sleep. She’s got too much to do, feeding this little one.” He ran his hand gently over the baby’s head. “Got to keep her safe.”
“I wish my dad was as protective of me as you are of your baby.”
“What do you mean? Your dad isn’t protective?” he asked sharply.
“I think he’s trying now. Sometimes.” She’d tried getting hold of him on the way to the airport to tell him what was going on, but he hadn’t answered his phone.
And when she’d tried through his assistant, she’d just given her the run-around.
So perhaps he wasn’t being a better father at all. She reached over the back of the sofa and pulled off the blanket there, laying it over Clint’s legs.
Standing, she grabbed an ottoman, tugging it over and lifting his feet onto it.
Then she drew off his shoes.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Just getting you comfortable.” She knew she had to keep him distracted. “I think with my father, it’s a bit too little too late. He spent years ignoring and neglecting me, so why should I give him a chance now, you know?”
“Sounds like you shouldn’t.” His voice was slurring, his head tipping to one side. The baby was sleeping on his chest, content and beautiful. She didn’t know if it was safe for a baby to sleep there, but Bebe also didn’t think she could move her.
“Yeah, I know. It does. But part of me wants to forgive him because I want to know what it’s like to have someone love me. Take care of me.”
“Corbin doesn’t look after you? Want me to whip his ass?”
“He does,” she said quietly. “He’s the best person I know. I think he really does want to look after me. Which is insane. No one has ever put me first, you know.”
“You should demand better. Tiny, sweet thing like you should be cherished every day.”
She should be?
Maybe she should start listening to all these people telling her that she deserved better. Logically, she knew she did.
It’s just that she’d never had anyone willing to put her first before now.
Grabbing her phone out, she hit her sleepy time playlist, hoping it would help him go to sleep.
“Can’t sleep,” Clint grumbled. “Something might happen.”
“Nothing is going to happen.”
“You can’t trust anyone, you know,” Clint said.
“I totally agree,” Bebe replied.
“Got to protect the baby and Charlie . . . it’smyjob.” His words were slurring together.
“I get it. If I had something precious like that baby, I’d protect them with everything I am too,” she agreed.
“Ilikeyouyou’reagoodgirl,” he said before his eyes closed fully and stayed shut.
A soft snore hit her ears, and she settled in to watch over Clint and his baby while they both napped.
“Sleep,” she told him. “I’ll keep you both safe.”
“You’re sure about this, Corbin?” Kent asked. “About bringing Bluebelle back here? About being with her?”
Corbin had already apprised Kent of the situation. That he was quitting as Bebe’s bodyguard so that he could become her boyfriend.
Kent had been kind of shocked but resigned. He’d agreed to take Corbin officially off the case, although he would remain her bodyguard for the foreseeable future. Kent had been trying to get hold of her father but kept getting the runaround from his assistant, so he hadn’t been able to inform him that they’d been attacked or that they’d moved Bebe to Sanctuary.
Corbin knew that Bebe had attempted to get hold of her father as well without success.
Which really fucked him off. How dare he ignore his own daughter?
“Why are you asking me if I’m sure?” Corbin asked. “Did you ask Bain that before he got involved with Arianna?”
Kent scratched his chin as he leaned against Clint’s desk. It didn’t look like Clint had been in here lately, it smelled a bit musty.
“I might have. Ari was different, though.”
“Why?” Corbin asked in a dark voice.
“Why does it smell in here?” Hayes asked, stepping into the room.
“It hasn’t been aired out in a while,” Kent explained. “Clint won’t let anyone in the house to clean or to help with the baby or with Charlie. He seems to think he’s got to do it all himself. He’s not sleeping, barely eating or bathing. Honestly, he’s a mess.”
Hell.
He sounded like he’d gotten worse.
“Why aren’t you with Bebe?” he snapped at Hayes.
“She’s fine. She’s got someone with her.”
“No one will get to her here,” Kent added.
Nonetheless, he wasn’t going to let Kent avoid answering him. “How is Ari different from Bebe?”
Kent shrugged. “I suppose there are some similarities. You’re her bodyguard. And Ari had an awful mother too. But Ari was quiet and shy, without the, uh . . . presence that Bebe has.”
“Is that your way of saying she has a reputation? Because people watched that fucked-up show about her and judged her without knowing her?”
Corbin was getting mad. He didn’t think he’d ever been angry at Kent before, but he honestly expected better from his boss.
“Yeah, who’d do that?” Hayes drawled.
“Urgh. Point taken.” Kent rubbed his hand over his face. “Sorry. I can’t believe I even said any of that. Her mother told me some things and I guess it colored my perception of her. She made her sound like a troublemaker. Manipulative and selfish.”
“Trust me, she’s not the manipulative, selfish one,” Corbin told him. “Her mother has either neglected her or tried to dictate her whole life. If Bebe doesn’t do what her mother wants, then Barb finds a way to punish her. And there is no way in hell she’s doing that show again. Barb is crazy to believe that. Nor will I let her punish Bebe for not wanting to do it.”
Kent shook his head. “Unbelievable. I can’t believe that Benton doesn’t see what his wife is like. I trust you, Corbin. I trust your opinion and your judge of character.”
“This is my girl, Kent. I expect everyone here to treat her well,” he warned.
“I’m sure they will.”
Yeah. They would. No one here would be rude. But would they welcome her? He didn’t want her to follow the same pattern of doing reckless things to work through her pain rather than talking about it.
So everyone better bloody well treat her like a queen or they’d have him to answer to.
Kent slapped him on the back. “Let’s go meet your girl.”
Wait.
He turned to Hayes. “Who the hell is she with?”