“I’m sorry I woke you up,” she told him. “I know you have to get up early for work.”
“I’m going to be sticking close by for the next few days in case you need me,” he told her. “The nightmares will disappear as you feel more secure here.” He kissed the top of her head. “I’m going to show you that you have nothing to be ashamed of. That you’re perfect for me, exactly the way you are.”
“I think that it’s the other way around, Daddy.”
No, it wasn’t. He was cantankerous and bossy and demanding. But if she thought him perfect, well he wouldn’t dissuade her of that.
He lifted her so she lay on top of him, stomach to stomach, her head on his chest.
She tried to roll off but he held her to him, his hands heavy on her bottom. “Lay still, little girl.”
“But, Daddy, I’ll squish you.”
He snorted. “Little bit like you couldn’t squish me. Now, go to sleep. Morning will be here soon and my girl needs her rest.”
He rubbed her back gently until he felt her drift off, but sleep was a long while coming for him.
13
Clint glanced up at the knock on his door. “Come in.” Surprise filled him as Kent strode into his office. He frowned. “I didn’t know you were home.”
“Zeke said he didn’t want to interrupt you to tell you know I’d gotten back.” Kent raised his eyebrows questioningly. “He didn’t tell me what you were so busy with, though.”
“Zeke doesn’t get to make those sorts of calls. I want to know whenever anyone leaves or arrives.”
“I’ll make sure to remind him.” Kent took a seat across from him.
He studied his brother. He appeared weary. There were dark smudges under his eyes. “You look like shit. Why aren’t you in bed?”
Kent narrowed his gaze and leaned forward. “You might be my older brother but that doesn’t mean you get to boss me around.”
He let out a frustrated noise. Life would be much easier if people just did what he told them to.
“You’re not responsible for the world, Clint.”
“Don’t want to be.”
“No, but you want to protect everyone on this ranch, don’t you?” Kent asked.
“Don’t you?” he countered. “You’re almost as bad as I am.”
Kent sighed then nodded. “Point taken. Sorry, I didn’t come here to fight. You’re right. I need some sleep.”
“So why are you here?”
“I thought I’d check on Charlie, only when I went to the kitchen where I thought she’d be, I found Ellie prepping for dinner. She told me that Charlie was here at the house with you and that Allan had been sent away.” He raised his eyebrows. “Want to tell me what’s going on?”
Clint explained everything. From Allan mistreating Charlotte, to her panic attack, to her hoarding food. By the time he was finished, he was riding the fine edge of his temper. “It was my fucking fault. We promised her somewhere safe to live and then this happened right under my fucking nose! She should have been safe, damn it.”
Kent nodded with a frown. “Not entirely your fault, though. We’ve never had any issues with Allan before. I wonder what was going through his head?”
Clint sighed, ran his hand over his face. “I never thought he would harass a woman like that.” He scowled. “I dropped the ball and that won’t ever happen again.”
“We’ll both be more vigilant. Do you know why Charlie was hoarding food?”
“Her bitch aunt abused her. She used to withhold food from her.” He told his brother what Charlotte had confessed to him.
Kent frowned. “Where is Charlie now?”