Page 12 of Daddy's Wild Girl

“Don’t be rude, Benton.” Barb was smiling, but she had grown visibly more tense. “And you know I only have Bluebelle’s best interests in mind. I could make her a fortune. She’d be famous if she was in one of my shows.”

“Strangely, she doesn’t want fame or fortune.”

Ouch.

You could cut the tension in here with a knife.

“I don’t know why,” Barb said, sounding almost sullen. “It’s probably because you set up that trust fund for her. She doesn’t know the feeling of going without. How it can make you hungry for more. Lord knows what she uses that trust fund for, I saw she just took another hunk of money out. She should get a job. That will teach her valuable lessons. I only want what’s best for her.”

She didn’t have a job?

Benton smiled. “Of course you do. And that’s admirable. I know you love Bebe. But she’s her own person and she has to make her own path.” He turned to Corbin and Hayes. “I convinced her to agree to the two of you guarding her for the next month while I’m gone. I’m not sure whether the person sending these threats is really an issue, but Barb and I couldn’t leave without making certain she had some protection. If there are no more issues from the person sending these messages, we can probably pull back on the need for bodyguards. Most of the time, people are all words and no action.”

Corbin nodded. “I understand. And you want a security system put in her house?”

“Yes, there’s no budget. I just want her safe. The house has been bought under a trust, so I doubt anyone could discover her address. She also doesn’t have social media anymore.”

“I still think she should move in here,” Barb stated.

“Bebe is a grown woman; she doesn’t want to live at home.” Benton frowned at his wife.

“I had to build everything I have from the ground up and she gets to live off what I’ve created without doing anything I ask of her.”

Um, from what he recalled, she’d married Benton at the height of his career. When he’d already made millions.

But none of this was his business. In fact, it was like the Benners had forgotten they were there.

“She doesn’t live off you, Barb,” Benner said.

“Maybe you could save the domestic arguments for when we’re not here,” Hayes told them.

Corbin closed his eyes. Shit.

“We’re not arguing,” Barb said to Hayes with another fake smile. “Just having a friendly discussion.”

“Why don’t the two of you come with me?” Benner waved his hand at them.

“I should be a part of this,” Barb protested as they stood to follow Benton out. “I need them to sign NDAs and release papers in case they ever appear on camera.”

“We won’t be appearing on camera,” Hayes said. “And I won’t sign any release papers. Besides, I thought you were away for a month and that your daughter wasn’t a part of any of your shows.”

“We are and she isn’t,” Benner said. “There won’t be any cameras.”

“We will sign the NDA though,” Corbin added, needing to give her something to take out the sting of Hayes’ words. “Nice to meet you, Barb.”

Barb’s phone started ringing and she let out a frustrated noise. “I need to get that. But before you go, I need you both to promise you will tell me if Bluebelle starts acting strangely or irrationally.”

Corbin shot Hayes a look. This was weird and not a standard request.

“What do you mean strange or irrational?” Corbin asked.

“We don’t know her. How would we know if her behavior is strange?” Hayes asked.

“Well, just strange in general. If she does something reckless. If she tries to take a bunch of pills or snort cocaine or dance naked in the rain.”

“Is that something that’s likely to happen?” Corbin asked, worried. Was Bluebelle suicidal? A drug user?

The dancing naked in the rain didn’t sound so bad.

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