“Yeah. Yeah, okay. I can do that.” I think.
“Good girl. Now, you sit right here and think about how worried and scared your family was when they couldn’t find you while I go let your Daddy know he has a very sorry Little girl waiting for him.”
CHAPTER 27
COLT
“What the fuck is taking them so long?”
Gray hasn’t stopped pacing since we left Reese alone with my babygirl. Truth is, I’m wondering the same myself, but I know that trying to rush the good sheriff will only make us look more suspicious in her eyes.
So I sit. And I wait. Even if it feels like it might kill me.
Movement from the doorway catches my attention and I look over to find Reese standing there, hands in her pockets, her expression carefully blank and my heart slams into my ribcage.
Silence stretches, so fraught with expectation I can feel it crawling along my skin.
“Well?” Gray drawls. “Are we all under arrest?”
“Not this time,” the sheriff shoots back easily. “But I’m sure there will be plenty of other opportunities.”
Aggravated with their constant sniping, I clear my throat, drawing Reese’s attention to me. “Where’s Tabby? If you’re done interrogating her, I have some questions for her myself.”
Reese’s lips twitch as if she’s fighting a smile. “I’m sure you do. But before you go in there, I need you to promise me you’lllisten to her before you dole out whatever punishment you have planned.”
Her words have the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end and I carefully smooth any emotion from my face. “Who said anything about punishment?”
“Please.” Rolling her eyes, Reese snorts out a humorless laugh. “You really think I haven’t figured you all out by now? You’re not exactly subtle, and I have the internet.”
Not a single one of us cares if the entire town knows about ourlifestyle. But the sheriff could make things difficult for us if she wants. “I promise to hear Tabby out before we discuss her disappearing act.”
“Good.” Everything about Reese seems to soften, ever so slightly. “She’s a good girl, Colt. She just needs to know her Daddy loves her.”
“Trust me, Sheriff, I plan to make sure she never doubts that again after today.”
“Then I'll leave you to it.” She rakes her gaze over all of us, a smirk tugging at her lips as she shakes her head. “I’ve heard of kink running in families, but this is something else.”
Leaving us all with that parting shot, Reese turns and strolls out the door, whistling the whole way.
“What the fuck just happened?” Gray asks as soon as the front door slams shut behind Reese.
“I don’t know. But the sheriff isn’t my concern right now.”
Pushing away from the table, I head for the living room, where Tabby is still curled up on the couch, her eyes already rimmed with red from crying. The anger that had felt so all-consuming just a few minutes ago has faded somewhat, and my heart trips in my chest when she lifts her head to stare bleakly up at me.
“Please don’t hate me!” she blurts out before bursting into tears.
“Fuck,” I mutter, moving to sit on the couch and scooping her up to cradle her on my lap. “Shh, baby. Daddy’s right here. Nobody hates you, little one.”
“But you were s-so m-mad!”
Closing my eyes, I pull her to my chest, burying my face in her hair and savoring the scent of her. That unique mixture of baby powder and something else that is just Tabitha. “I was mad. Do you know why I was so mad, baby?”
“Because I was hiding and you had to look for me.”
“No. Well, yes,” I concede with a sigh. “But I was mad because you scared me. You scaredus.”
Lifting my head, I glance up at my family and they all grumble in agreement. “You scared us because we didn’t know where you were, baby. We didn’t know if you were safe or hurt or if someone had taken you.”
