Tate (Daddies of the Shadows Book 10) by Kate Oliver

Author:Kate Oliver [Oliver, Kate]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-08-07T16:00:00+00:00

10

TATE

The look on her face when he told her Valerie was a nurse had made his heart ache. He knew without even having to ask her that she was doubting herself and he hated that. It would be one of the things he would work on with her.

“Tell me about your family. Do you have siblings? Where do your parents live?” he asked as he went back to prepping their breakfast.

She shifted on the stool and nibbled on her lower lip. “I’m an only child. I was an accident. My parents didn’t want kids.”

He froze and looked up from what he was doing. “They told you that?”

“Yeah. My mom told me they’d considered putting me up for adoption, but they didn’t want people to think badly of them. So instead, they had me, but I was pretty much invisible to them.”

“What in the actual fuck?” he snapped.

Aria jumped at his sharp tone and he shook his head. “I’m sorry, baby. I’m not upset at you. I just can’t believe that. Who would treat their child like that? That’s horrible. You deserved better.”

She shrugged. “I didn’t have a horrible life. Just lonely and different from the other kids who had siblings and loving parents.”

“Where are your parents now?”

“I’m not sure. I left their house when I was eighteen and haven’t heard from them since. I gave them my phone number when I left and it’s still the same, but they’ve never called. The few times I’ve called, it went to voicemail and when I’ve emailed them, they haven’t responded. I stopped trying a few years ago.”

It felt like there was a lump the size of a golf ball in his throat as he tried to swallow. It took him several tries before he could even speak. “You’ve been on your own since you were eighteen?”

She nodded and the lost look in her eyes killed him. How could anyone turn their back on their child? And someone as sweet as her? He had to force himself to loosen his grip on the knife in his hand.

No wonder she was struggling. She’d been out on her own, trying to survive, since the day she became a legal adult. Getting ahead when you’re just fighting to survive in a world that was way too expensive to begin with was practically impossible. He was so damn proud of her for fighting her way through it.

“I’m so proud of you, Aria.”

Her eyes widened and her head jerked back. “Why?”

“Because you’re strong and brave and a fighter. You’ve worked your ass off to survive and it takes guts.”

A flush rose to her cheeks and she looked as though she wasn’t sure what to say. Based on what she told him about her parents, he was pretty sure she hadn’t had much praise in her life, so she didn’t really know how to take it.

“You’re not going to struggle anymore,” he added.

“Tate… I don’t want you to take care of me like that. I just want you as my Daddy.

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